For all the religious people out there, show your arguments: Why should one stop

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   Lorena Gondomposted 8 years ago

   For all the religious people out there, show your arguments: Why should one stop being an atheist?

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   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   I am not religious.  Religionists aren't monolithic in scope.  There are  religionists who are progressive, enlightened, & liberal.  These religionists have no problem with atheists.  In fact, they may even consider atheists to be kind, moral, & even spiritual people.  They may even aver that atheists have the light of God in them. 
   
   However, there are conservative, dogmatic, fanatical, fundamentalist, & traditional religionists who assert that atheists are lost souls who will go to hell if they don't change their ways.  They will insist that atheists ought to change their ways because they are in deep, even grievous error because they don't believe in God.  They will go further to assert that atheists are willful blasphemers because they don't acknowledge God.  They will maintain that the majority of people believe in a Supreme Being which means that such a being exist, adding that humankind didn't make themselves. 
   
   These religionists argue that it is fallacious not to believe in God.  They attest that God definitely exist & that anyone who elects not to believe in God is in the utter form of darkness-spiritual darkness.   They will quote their particular religious books, citing that these books were divinely inspired for a ....reason.  They will proclaim that if there wasn't a God, there wouldn't be holy books which verify the existence of a God or Supreme Being.

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      Lorena Gondomposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      What a wonderful answer! I mean I did not expect this, I though some kind of Jesus will save you answer.
      Thanks!

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   LoliHeyposted 8 years ago

   You should stop being an atheist because there is a God.  Jesus is the only way to God.   Without Jesus, we are all headed directly for hell, for we are all sinners.  Only through Jesus will our sins be forgiven.  At the end of time, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess.  You can do that now or later, but you will do it someday.

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      getitriteposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Wow! That argument should surely change the minds of ALL atheists. I am sure they've never heard such a  "rational" and  "original" assertion.

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      TheOneClonedposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Who is God? Who is Jesus? What/where is hell? What do you mean by sinners? What do you mean by the end of time?
      Teach from the beginning before preaching the end. Lead others to Christ with the word not with the wrath.

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      LoliHeyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Good point Joe.  That is exactly what I should do, but I cannot do it here because I am limited to 250 words.  There is so much more Christianity has to offer that change your life for the better once you accept Jesus, and you don't have to fear God!

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      Taopiposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Why would one fear God?  That's an Abrahamic religious concept.  Buddhists and Hindus do not fear God, and live in greater harmony with themselves and with others.  Middle East religions don't hold the patent on God and they are always fighting.

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   Oztinatoposted 8 years ago

   I certainly don't believe atheists are "going to hell". That's plainly ridiculous.
   I do have misgivings about modern "new atheism" as it causes a rapid decrease in ethical standards and focuses on such negatives as nihilism and eugenics. It is this dramatic lowering of ethical vlaues that should stop people turning to atheism.
   The word "spiritual" is a religious word and would be difficult to apply to an atheist although many of them claim to follow Buddhism under the mistaken notion that it is not a religion. Buddhism is most definitely a religion, has temples, gods and goddesses, reincarnation, scriptures, rituals, meditation, etc. 
   It is clear that the majority of atheists are actually agnostics and that there are in reality only a very few hard core atheists.

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      getitriteposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      You are also an atheist...when it comes to all other deities except yours.

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      Oztinatoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      On the contrary, I embrace all religions as they all teach the same message of compassion.
      I don't have the narrow right wing mentality.

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   ValKarasposted 8 years ago

   Allow me to start answering this question with a question: why should atheists really care about their arguments? We are living in a free world in 21st century, Spanish Inquisition spies are not lurking from the dark.  So, let's see these words written in gold: "To each his own".
   
   Nobody is owing an explanation to anybody else what they choose to believe. The last time I checked, people had their heads for better purpose than just for wearing  hats, so which human being feels called upon to impose or preach to another human being his own beliefs or a lack of them? Don't we all have our brains to think for ourselves?
   
   If you want to believe in God, you have my blessing. And the same blessing goes to all those who couldn't care less if there is a universal intelligence orchestrating this global soap opera that we are proudly calling "civilization".
   
   If your question was "what religious people believe", I wouldn't even bother answering, because they have their right to share their belief with the world. But you asked "why should one stop being an atheist?" Of course, again, you have a right to ask what you want, but then we have something like the issue of normative nature on hands.
   
   No one is setting the norms. No one, no matter how much they fancy that they are backed up by a "being" who gives them some authority. We have enough our politicians to play authorities to us (even though they should be serving us), and media to mess with our minds  - we don't have to do it to one another. We should all stick together against anybody who is violating our basic human dignity, our  freedom to think, feel, and believe what we choose.
   
   To my understanding, someone telling me what I "should" believe or not, is like telling me what I should, or shouldn't have for my dinner today. It's sickening what I am reading from some participants in these religious discussions, when some of them call others "Hypocrites", "Satans", "Fools". Where is that "unconditional love" they are propagating? Where is that "tolerance", and all other slogans which should make them "better" people than non-believers?
   
   Isn't God supposed to be pure love, or is it a word that we mix with our saliva before we spit on others? Come on, folks, LET'S START LOVING for a change! Let's allow some freedom to others, maybe that would free us too!

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      Taopiposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Some insightful and humbling reflections you've offered, Vladimir.

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   Asa2141posted 8 years ago

   I wrote a Hub related to this question actually. If you would like to read it:
   
   http://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy … God-Exists

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      Taopiposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not a Christian, but you wrote a very nice Hub and I can appreciate where you are coming from upon reading it.

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      Asa2141posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Taopi.

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   jackclee lmposted 8 years ago

   The answer is simple. Having faith in a higher power will free you from all of life's challenges that are out of your control. Check out the Serenity Prayer and you will see the wisdom of believing.

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   Readmikenowposted 8 years ago

   The only reason I can think of is if an atheist has a change of heart and starts to believes in God.  That's it. Belief is very personal.  No external force can make an atheist suddenly believe in God.  It has to come from within. They would have to choose to believe in God.  This is called free will.  What an atheist believes doesn't impact me.  It's their business. Should an atheist want to know about my belief I will share.

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   jerrycarmanposted 8 years ago

   Romans 10:13 says If you call upon the name of the Lord you shall be saved. There is no argument there.

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