Why do people become atheists?

[MorriganTait]

Simple common sense.

I respect that your own idea of "common sense" has led you to believe there is no God, but to suggest that this is what all belief or non-belief hinges on is a bit insulting to those of us who both have "common sense" AND believe in God. There are plenty of people on both sides of the God question who don't seem to have common sense to me (and plenty who do, too.)

 

[Boult]

the reason many of us says one true god is because of this Nicene Creed. If there were no creed like this. we will be saying different things. like God or Gods or whatever...
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm see introduction.
more info can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed

I have seen this everyday during my growing up in episcopal church in the book of common prayer. We were taught to read this creed thus instilling in your mind that there is one god but true god. Thanks to sunday school teachers.. clever eh..

 

[MorriganTait]

the reason many of us says one true god is because of this Nicene Creed.

You make a good point - we tend to parrot what we have heard or been taught. Not always a lot of thought to what it means.

 

[coloravalanche]

No offend...because they are STUPID to believe God doesnt exist!

There is God without doubt!

Two weeks ago, a good friend of mine who is hearing...she was atheist...she used to be a christian then became atheist...finally recently i dont know how long ago it was but she told me that she found God herself and that God led her back to Him...Ive been praying for her and God answered my prayers!

 

[Boult]

You make a good point - we tend to parrot what we have heard or been taught. Not always a lot of thought to what it means.

Thanks. Yesterday, I came across the show (I am not sure which was it) while channel surfing and came across the aspect of that part about nicene creed on how it was created and such. I am like ahh. all bishops agreeing on one things but not 100% in total agreement since there are some others still battling others.
So if it was not for Constantine, then Turkey will be still muslim not christian at that time of roman empire. since Nicaea which is now Iznik is in Turkey.
http://www.allaboutturkey.com/iznik.htm

 

[MorriganTait]

No offend...because they are STUPID to believe God doesnt exist!

That is a patently offensive thing to say - and it doesn't make Godliness seem particularly attractive.

 

[Reba]

I grew up in a non-religious home; my parents didn't discuss religious or spiritual things.

I researched many different religions and philosophies in my spiritual quest. I had Jewish, Catholic, and Greek Orthodox friends, so I learned about their faiths. I read about reincarnation and pre-birth regression, witchcraft, and various Eastern religions. They were all interesting and had some good points. But they left my soul empty.

Finally, at the age of 28 years, that empty space in my soul was filled by Jesus Christ. Two men from a local Baptist church came to visit me but my Hubby wasn't home, so they just gave me a simple Gospel tract. After they left, I read it. By then, Hubby came home. (He also grew up in a non-religious home.) We sat down together and read the tract. It was all so clear and true! We both agreed that this was what our spirits had been seeking.

We were very ignorant about the Bible but the verses were very clear to us. We read each verse and agreed with each one, in our heads and hearts. Finally, we prayed as sinners who repented and accepted Jesus as Savior. Like I said, we were very ignorant about biblical things, so we just used the printed "sinners' prayer". Yes, the words were printed on the paper but they were also our words from our hearts.

The words of the Gospel seemed the most clear and logical to me. There was no force or influence from anyone else. It was the seed of the Gospel and conviction of the Holy Spirit. To me, salvation thru Jesus Christ is common sense.

After I was saved, I learned the doctrines of the Bible thru study, one step at a time.

So, I don't believe the only reason for people to become atheists or Christians or any other religion is just because of their family background. Culturally people might take on the traditions and outward behaviors of their families' beliefs but that is not the same as taking those religious (or non-religious) beliefs to heart.

IMO

 

[jazzy]

I remembered why I became atheist for short time, when my son came back from Sunday school and told me lightening means God is angry. I can not believe anyone told a lie to my child. Never trust Christian teachers or preachers.

I did not found God, God found me and stay with me since then.

 

[netrox]

The words of the Gospel seemed the most clear and logical to me. There was no force or influence from anyone else. It was the seed of the Gospel and conviction of the Holy Spirit. To me, salvation thru Jesus Christ is common sense.

For me, salvation through a diety is superstitious and illogical. Many religions sacrificed animals or people to cleanse their "sins." Jesus was claimed to be sin-less and since he died for you, he "sacrificed" for you. In the Old Testament (and many other religions as well), animals were slaughtered as sacrifices to their gods.

Common sense indicates that the only true salvation is forgiveness. Additionally, we all should be responsible for our own actions.

 

[XBGMER]

My personal: I aint believe God nor Jesus in heaven or somewhere else at all.. I believe God live in Blood and flesh of people since God is repersent people worship their own nation under their one father's genernations. God is in flesh and eye of people are against strange god of people with different languages or and different religions..

my point is did any animal tell you what they believe that there jesus or God is in heaven? do any animal can communicate with human people? Lion's real own language " ROAR, ROAR, ROAR", Lamb's own language "BAA, BAA, BAA", COW has own language " MOO, MOO, MOO", Duck called "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK", Dog yell, "woof, woof, woof", on and on. that their langauge you can't understand them what they speaking one word.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam all recognize the same "One True God" - the God who spoke to Abraham. Hinduism recognizes Krishna, but also several other dieties. Buddhism does not recognize the Buddha as a diety - simply an enlightened but mortal man, and because of this, is sometimes considered a "philosophy" rather than a "religion".

If they actually recogized the same one true God, why not they get all along eachothers for long times ago during jesus walked on the earth?

Unfortuantely Judaism are the followers of Moses, Christians are the followers of Jesus, and Islam are the followers of Muhammad, which one of three groups who worship their own individual. thats why they ended up where they never have any peace for their rest..

My Personal, my slave people and I recogize them wont under the true one God for their rest of lifetimes.. Because skin and blood is more opposite the God.. there is always SKIN and BLOOD V.S. GOD!


Christianity is ONE Religion - the subsects are still all part of the same religion, and it is the single most popular religion in the world, with Catholics as the most popular subsect of Christians. There are also many subsects of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism (plus several spin-offs of Hinduism). I don't see you calling each of those out as a separate religion.

I dont think so Christian is one religion, but I can see many different titles
of KKK, Chirst identify, AOG, mornron, on and on try to be struct under one Jesus and one religion in future.. like in middle east has various like shittie, others pull under one Muhammad and one Allah. what about slaves? christians or muslims forced them to worship their strange religions like jesus or muhammad since they forbid slaves worship own religion for settle of thousand years.. that why I have nothing do with christians or muslims since I despite both religions..


Honestly, my beliefs aside, only God actually "knows" who was right or wrong in the end. The rest of us just have to go by what rings true for us as individuals. Though I personally practice Christianity, I recognize the validity of many people's experiences with God regardless of specific religion.

I unnecessary practice any religion like christian or muhammad. I am still practice slave..the most important slave is my fondest memories of rememberance forever, forever!

white masters, remember me, I created your 48 states under one nation, slave make you weath and powerful, masters and slaves made war against mexican soldiers, I made you overcome them, plus i made you free from mexico who try invaded our north country for 450 years or more.. remember I am your SLAVE and SERVE you, I am always your slaves! please alway remember me, I am still slaves to you masters from beginning to end... but there is never end for between master and slave through thousand's thousand's thousand years

 

[coloravalanche]

That is a patently offensive thing to say - and it doesn't make Godliness seem particularly attractive.

Didnt I say no offend? It was my opinion...Im not trying to put anyone down...it was my freedom of speech...I respect your perspective..

I dont believe in Godliness...only believe in Trinity (three into one) that is God, Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit...

 

[neecy]

Both my parents are athiests but gave me the freedom to make decisions for myself. I went to sunday school as a child because I was curious, and I questioned just about everything in religious education ,that the teachers told my parents to have me stop "questioning everything they were are trying to teach."

I refused to just blindly accept what they were teaching so I stopped going to sunday school. I examined buddhism, islam, paganism, and others, but none really seemed to be the right belief for me, so I will continue to consider myself athiest.... or Pastafarian *grin*

Personally I don't know if there is a God or not. I won't spend my whole live "devoted" to a wonderful enternity that I have no clue if it really exsists. And I've seen no proof that he does.

I live my life here on earth the best I can, with morals and respect for human life and if there is an afterlife and I end up there good for me, if not and my body decomposes and we have no soul and I just cease to exsist in any way shape or form,at least I had a good & fullfilling life and I didn't spend my whole life here on earth "preparing and scarficing for something that doesn't even exist"

 

[Reba]

...Jesus was claimed to be sin-less and since he died for you, he "sacrificed" for you.

Yes, that is right.

In the Old Testament (and many other religions as well), animals were slaughtered as sacrifices to their gods.

The animal sacrifices by the faithful in the Old Testament represented the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The sacrifices of the animals were not meant to cleanse the penalty of sin. They were "stand-ins" for the real Lamb sacrifice. Since Jesus was sacrificed, animal sacrifice is no longer necessary because "it is finished."

Common sense indicates that the only true salvation is forgiveness.

Yes, we are truly saved thru the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, we all should be responsible for our own actions.

Yes, we are responsible for our own actions. That is the reason that each person must repent and accept Jesus individually. No one is a Christian at their natural birth, or thru their parents, or thru church membership. We are each responsible for the results our own sins, and for our decision to accept or deny Christ.

Galatians 6
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

 

[hottiedeafboi]

Very good posting, Reba. U are soooo right, that's how God works, we plant, God works in us. Each individual has different soil. When we share others, we put seed in each heart, God sees what soil we planted, God bless a person either a person accept or rejects. We left them a choice of what a person respond to God, not us. Passover is a perfect portrait of Christ, that is in moses time when God warned pharoah, but he still refuse to take warning, so moses explained to hebrews to put blood on their doorpost to protect them from approach death angel, when death angel see the blood it pass over them, similar of Jesus, when Jesus died on the cross and blood shed, those who receive Christ, the blood is on ur "doorpost", death can't touch us, those without christ will be like the incident of the 1st born egyptians.

 

[Reba]

...I live my life here on earth the best I can, with morals and respect for human life and if there is an afterlife and I end up there good for me, if not and my body decomposes and we have no soul and I just cease to exsist in any way shape or form,at least I had a good & fullfilling life and I didn't spend my whole life here on earth "preparing and scarficing for something that doesn't even exist"

Or, when you die, you can spend eternity burning in hell. I hope that doesn't happen to you. Just animals have bodies and souls that "cease to exist." Humans have bodies, souls, AND spirits that will be eternal.

Christians have "a good and fulfilling life." We don't feel that our whole life is a "sacrifice" on earth. We enjoy life here, and have the added blessing of a glorious future life in Heaven forever.

 

[Y]

My personal: I aint believe God nor Jesus in heaven or somewhere else at all.. I believe God live in Blood and flesh of people since God is repersent people worship their own nation under their one father's genernations. God is in flesh and eye of people are against strange god of people with different languages or and different religions..

my point is did any animal tell you what they believe that there jesus or God is in heaven? do any animal can communicate with human people? Lion's real own language " ROAR, ROAR, ROAR", Lamb's own language "BAA, BAA, BAA", COW has own language " MOO, MOO, MOO", Duck called "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK", Dog yell, "woof, woof, woof", on and on. that their langauge you can't understand them what they speaking one word.

Even in the Bible Revelation somewhere said that
right next to God's throne there are animals saying
"Holy Holy Holy, Holy Holy Holy, Holy Holy Holy"
24 hours a day !! God is very happy and pleased
to hear that word over and over and over...

Revelation 4:8
The four living creatures,
each one of them having six wings,
are full of eyes around and within.
They have no rest day and night, saying,
" Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty,
who was and who is and who is to come!"

 

[Maria]

Lots of practicing Christians don't try God with all their hearts either. It is hard to live life exactly by what you say you believe. I don't worry too much about what other people "believe" in terms of a specific god. God can work through believers and non-believers alike. My concern is living up to what I claim to believe myself.

I am just sayin' that the atheists don't want to try God. I am not sayin' that they DON'T try God. If, they want to try God, then they are more than welcome to try. It doesn't hurt to try God to experience Him. Plain and simple.

 

[Rose Immortal]

That is a patently offensive thing to say - and it doesn't make Godliness seem particularly attractive.

THANK YOU! You beat me to it!

 

[Rose Immortal]

I am just sayin' that the atheists don't want to try God. I am not sayin' that they DON'T try God. If, they want to try God, then they are more than welcome to try. It doesn't hurt to try God to experience Him. Plain and simple.

Just remember one thing...sometimes the "not wanting to try" comes from different reasons, and I truly believe that not all of them are because a person is somehow more evil than any of us are.

What about a person who has been abused by Christians? Who is to blame for that, then--the person who is afraid of getting hurt again, or the person who hurt them? Think carefully there.

 

[Rose Immortal]

I remembered why I became atheist for short time, when my son came back from Sunday school and told me lightening means God is angry. I can not believe anyone told a lie to my child. Never trust Christian teachers or preachers.

I did not found God, God found me and stay with me since then.

Your situation sounds similar to what almost drove me away from the church. I became so angry with hypocritical behavior from some Christians that I was almost convinced that they couldn't be the ones who speak for God. I later realized that I wasn't helping anything by "running away"...that instead I needed to go back and try to prevent or repair problems when I saw them.

Please be careful about saying "don't trust Christian teachers or preachers". They're not all evil. Adults do need to listen carefully to see if what they say sounds reasonable, but some teachers really are trying their best. Even those will mess up occasionally--but the GOOD ones want to be told when they have made a mistake and will usually take responsibility for it.