Atheism is a cocky move. It's mistaken… but it's incredibly gutsy.
First, how can someone say they believe there's no God? How do they make that claim, not having searched every corner of the universe at every point in time? How did they test this hypothesis exactly? At least an agnostic is honest enough to say he just doesn't know. But an atheist has such a big chip on his shoulder that he claims for himself god-like knowledge about the existence of God. In a way, he's saying that he is like God to know the truth about all reality everywhere and proclaim with authority that there is no God.
Like I said, cocky.
An atheist actually spends more time thinking about God than most believers. The difference is bitterness. The atheist believes in God so much that he blames almost everything on him. The atheist's response is to give God the silent treatment. Have you ever shunned someone? It takes a lot of concentration to not accidentally acknowledge them or speak to them. The atheist, consumed with bitterness over the pain they've experienced (probably from random events and the very human mess that people make), can't wish cancer, child abuse, failure, and broken hearts out of existence, but hey, God is already invisible. And why didn't he step in and give me a fairy-tale happy ending?! So the atheist's plan is to punch back at God by shutting him out.
Shun God. Stew in bitterness against him. Mock him. Ridicule him. Direct your angst and rage toward him.
Go ahead and try. I only wish Christians had this much passion about God.
The only good thing about atheists is, if they confront the real sources of their bitterness, they make powerful and devout believers later on. Some of the best Christians were trying hard to be atheists when they were 20.
3 comments:
First, how can someone say they believe there's no God? How do they make that claim, not having searched every corner of the universe at every point in time?
The same way I can say I believe there are no werewolves, even though I haven't searched every corner of the earth.
At least an agnostic is honest enough to say he just doesn't know.
I don't claim to know either, but I don't go around claiming that theists can't know for sure and should also be re-categorized as agnostic.
Theist: believes 1 or more gods exist.
Atheist: someone who is not a theist.
I'm not a theist. There are no gods that I think exist. I'm an atheist.
I'm also agnostic, because agnostic refers to knowledge, not belief.
But an atheist has such a big chip on his shoulder that he claims for himself god-like knowledge about the existence of God.
Wrong.
I assume you're an atheist regarding, say, Zeus. You don't think Zeus exists, or any of the other thousands of gods, except for one. I just don't stop at that last one.
Atheism is a cocky move. It's mistaken… but it's incredibly gutsy.
Cocky as opposed to believing an all powerful, all knowing being, that created the Universe, and transcends all space and time is personall interested in all aspects of your life?
First, how can someone say they believe there's no God? How do they make that claim, not having searched every corner of the universe at every point in time? How did they test this hypothesis exactly?
I'm assuming by "God" you mean the Christian god? Because there are a lot of gods I don't believe in. I don't believe in Zeus, Indra, Son Goku, Kami, Anansi, or Ahura Mazda either. I don't think you would disagree with me that those gods don't exist. We only disagree about the one.
As for your god, that's an easy one. You claim your god is omnipresent. You believe that your god is literally everywhere. Thus I only have to prove your god doesn't exist in one place to disprove your god. In all the places science has examined, your god has not been found. So that's that.
At least an agnostic is honest enough to say he just doesn't know. But an atheist has such a big chip on his shoulder that he claims for himself god-like knowledge about the existence of God. In a way, he's saying that he is like God to know the truth about all reality everywhere and proclaim with authority that there is no God.
Most atheists are technically agnostic. That is, most atheists believe there is the possibility of a higher power of some sort. There just isn't any evidence of one. So, assuming the negative, we say there are no gods. If you think you can provide some evidence, be my guest.
An atheist actually spends more time thinking about God than most believers.
And that fact doesn't give you pause? That most of the people who actually bother to think about the Christian god find no reason to believe in his existence.
The difference is bitterness. The atheist believes in God so much that he blames almost everything on him. The atheist's response is to give God the silent treatment.
This old line? Really? I don't blame anything on your god. How can I? I don't believe he exists. It would be like blaming the Easter bunny for me not getting any Easter candy. Maybe you should talk to some actual atheist or read some atheist blogs before you start lecture people on what atheist think.
[Atheists] can't wish cancer, child abuse, failure, and broken hearts out of existence, but hey, God is already invisible. And why didn't he step in and give me a fairy-tale happy ending?!
You know, you just stumbled upon the problem. How could a merciful god let such things happen? Does God desire to end suffering but is unable? Then he is not all powerful. Is God able to end suffering but not desire to? Then he is malicious. Is God both capable of and desiring of ending suffering? Then why is there suffering? Is he neither capable nor willing to end suffering? Then why call him God?
Ultimately, not believing in a higher power is liberating in this regard. There are no gods or devils, no angels or demons, no hungry ghosts haunting the shadows of the world. If suffering is of human origin then it can have a human solution. If suffering is of a natural origin, we can modify nature to prevent it. It shrinks all the seemingly intractable problems of the world to a more manageable size.
Shun God. Stew in bitterness against him. Mock him. Ridicule him. Direct your angst and rage toward him.
You have no idea how silly you sound. I'd really like to know how you think atheists rage against your god.
I recently told my little sister that there is no Santa Claus. I didn't do this out of anger. I wasn't directing my angst and rage against Santa. There is no Santa. I simply told her the truth. In the same way, I don't say I don't believe in the supernatural because of anger, angst, or rage. I say I don't believe in your god because I do not believe your god is real. You should give me the common courtesy of taking me at my word.
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