Why is it that people find it so hard to accept an atheist's lack of belief?

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   tom_catonposted 13 years ago

   Why is it that people find it so hard to accept an atheist's lack of belief?

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   Peter-Jan Celisposted 13 years ago

   Most people need to invent something that will magically solve everything they don't understand or they don't like to occur.
   
   It's basically a coping mechanism to deal with the emptiness of life.
   
   Other than God people also put emphasis on the State or some kind of objective morality as the "magic ingredient" that allows them to impose their opinion.
   
   It's not a coincidence that many atheists are liberals - the state replaces the "god" function. When people become libertarian, i.e. not believing in god or state anymore, they start reading books like hell to find "morality" somewhere. They won't find it - objective morality does not exist.

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   msorenssonposted 13 years ago

   What an interesting question. I was discussing this with a colleague and friend today. I understand now. We are both educated in the Christian tradition.
   Like myself he has read the Bible multiple times. This is fascinating. How he arrived at the unbelief is exactly how I arrived at my belief. Same data, different interpretations.
   
   But whereas before I would have prayed for a miracle to make him believe,I now understand him perfectly. It takes time for this mutual understanding about something so personal as belief in God to come.
   
   Religion is at the core of our programming as human beings. It is embedded so deep and so tangled with everything it takes superhuman efforts to get out of it.

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   QudsiaP1posted 13 years ago

   Just as it is amusing to an atheist, for a believer to believe, in the same manner, whenever a religious person comes across an atheist, who claims that they believe in no higher power, it is quite amusing because we do not understand, that in times of weakness where do you go?
   
   The state of helplessness strikes everyone and we, the believers normally find healing in prayer but an atheist too even if unconsciously, looks at the sky.
   
   So my question is what they look at? If they believe that there is no higher power.

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   wilbury4posted 13 years ago

   Because the people with strong religious beliefs think that they are always 100% correct, that their God is the only God, and that everyone should have the same thought as them...

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   reeltaulkposted 13 years ago

   Because people want you to believe what they believe, even if they can't prove or explain whatever they are claiming to believe.  If people were truly "open minded" or had logic common sense they really wouldn't judge you on your "beliefs".  To be quite honest to each his own.  I would question anyone who would be upset or find it hard to understand why someone doesn't believe what they believe.......Usually people could care less about the next individual, but when it comes to religion they want to care as well as want you to believe whatever they do.  Why do I sense contradiction and confusion.....oh well what's new!

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   jasoncox83posted 13 years ago

   To be brief, at least to those of us whom may not understand would cause much confusion. Also having studied many different religious aspects I know many feel like I do. (see below)
   For me personally, and I mean no disrespect to you by any means, but I find it difficult to grasp how whatever your religious choice may be is fine. To go through life believing in nothing is difficult to understand for most, myself included.

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   phiphiposted 13 years ago

   I don't choose to ignore the possibility of a god. I have considered it very, very thoroughly for decades. This website and others have proven to me that I am far more familiar with the contents of the bible than most Christians and that the overwhelming majority of Christians are completely ignorant about who wrote the bible, what other religions believe and of the entire field of philosophy.
   
   I am also continually amazed that the delight with which Christians - supposedly a loving and forgiving people - condemn everyone else and tell us we're going to hell. I am dismayed at the endless lies Christians tell about science, about atheists and about other religions.
   
   There is absolutely no evidence for any god, never mind the Christian god specifically. None. There are endless contradictions in every holy text. Christians have split into a thousand factions who disagree on fundamental issues.
   
   There is absolutely no reason for anyone with a brain or any kind of moral compass to give any kind of credence or respect to religion.

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   nightwork4posted 13 years ago

   fear. people pretend to believe in god because they fear death as the end. they also fear that they can't do anything about what's happening around them so they need god to make them feel more secure. so many people out there act as though they believe in god but when an athiest states their beliefs , it brings out the fear that the athiest is right. i honestly don't believe that any sane person believes in god but they want to because it make life easier.

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