Atheists - is there anything about faith that appeals to you, would you like to believe?

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi, I've been reading a few threads and I've heard atheists say stuff in the past about belief in God. Stuff like they don't believe in God but they would like to or they can see why it would maybe give peace or would be nice etc. I am just curious how atheists feel a bout this and if they want to talk about it?

I am a Christian, I hope I am an open and tolerant person and I would not want to cause offence. I am just curious, as we come into Easter if anyone wants to chat about this.

If not, may I wish you a peaceful and happy Easter, even if all it means to you is some chocolate eggs.

Head in hands do I like ignoring all the false non-existent Gods? Yes I do.

Monster child, what makes one God different from the others... I would say the God of the Bible has a different way of salvation of all the religions. All the other religions/gods say "if you do x or y or z you get to Heaven". Only Christianity says "you are not good enough on your own, you need to rely on what Jesus did to get to Heaven". This sets Christianity apart from all other world religions. All other world religions are the sort of thing egotistical humans might make up because they all appeal to our innate sense of pride and self. Only Christianity is not flattering to pride because Christianity says "no you can't do this on your own".

That for me sets out the stall of Christianity in a way that makes it seem more from God than from humankind and thus it is more believable.

But that's just me.

seeker and SolidGoldBrass - I was only joking of cause but up to a point.

FYI - I am not a man the last time I looked.

I sincerely hope that I am not "a couple of steps above the status of domestic animal" either.. But I will check with DH just in case I missed something.

My point is that I find extreme feminism just as indoctrinating as some extreme cults/sects etc etc..

I honestly never felt any sex discrimination - not at home not at work not at church.

It is not not an issue to me.

I really don't know what are you talking about.

If the men in your life treat you as a lesser being - you made a bad choice.

Get rid of them.

The "important" personalities in Christianity are not priests or bishops - they are saints.

And there are just as many female saints as there are male ones.

I don't care what sex the bishop is - he is just a receptionist..

No Nettee I didn't think you were attacking my beliefs. Peace.

Funny but the way you describe the other religions is how I now see Christianity. The experiences you speak of, the depth of feeling, the way god sorts your problems out, a Muslim would say the identical things and also talk of equally powerful and intense emotions. How come?

"My point is that I find extreme feminism just as indoctrinating as some extreme cults/sects etc etc.."

Extreme feminism? What on earth do you mean?????????

A Muslim would not... They would talk about having to do good works to earn salvation. I know this from the sort of memes my Muslim work colleague posts about on Facebook. She is an observant Muslim and talks about all the different good works she could do like giving to charity etc.

As for powerful emotions and intensity and all that, yes they might. I am not Muslim so don't want to talk about that. Let the Muslims speak for themselves.

Well the would and they do, on here with as much conviction as you green. How could that be if their god is not real? How can they be having these experiences? How can they feel Allah in their lives guiding them?

I think God thinks we are worthy of love just for being ourselves and part of creation. I think it is unfortunate that people think of themselves as unworthy miserable offenders who need someone else to have been tortured as punishment for how bad we are. However for people who feel this way perhaps Jesus provides a way for them to believe they will be with God and a way for them to have more self respect in the here and now.

I'm an atheist, I have no desire to believe. Personally, I feel that believing in God, an afterlife, reincarnation, paradise, etc, etc. really undermines the life that we have. I don't feel a need to dedicate this life in the hope of another, I'd rather enjoy the one I know I have now.

Some people talk about belief and faith giving comfort in times of tragedy or sadness, but I'd rather be realistic about things. When someone dies, they die, they're gone. I'd find it pretty creepy to think of them looking down on me and actually I've seen people who have beliefs like this take much longer to recover from tragedy than people who don't believe, simply because they genuinely believe that they have some kind of spiritual connection to the lost.

I can honestly say I've never listened to an account of someone having a faith based 'experience' and thought I'd like to have that. I generally find it weird and a bit self obsessive. I'd much rather understand what's actually going on when I experience unusual things and I'm rarely disappointed!

I don't know head in hands. Do you think I was born yesterday? I know Muslims believe in Allah with much conviction. Why do think this is news to me??

It's not about how much conviction you have or how strongly held your beliefs are... It's about whether you are putting your faith in something that is true or not.

It's absurd. Imagine your kids coming in from school one day and you sit them down to explain that because they are sooo thoroughly evil and bad you have had to kill daddy so that you can allow yourself to tolerate being near them or something similar?

Great question (and very nicely put)

I used to believe. I say "believe" but I think I only did because most other people did. I even got married in church. But I never practised "my religion", didn't feel strongly about it at all. Eventually I knew that deep down I really didn't. I like tangible things, evidence etc and to me, there is none.

I do like the "feeling" of being in church, I find it very calming. I think that's more to do with the bricks and mortar though and any suggestion that the peaceful feeling could be in any way equated with "God" or religions way of appearing to me would not hold any water with me.

The only way I would believe there was a God would be if I could see him/her/it right in front of me, could touch and converse.

Yes it is quite hard to understand in our modern world where everyone feels a huge sense of entitlement. It wasn't ever thus. But the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing. It says so in the Bible, in other words, it sounds foolish to people who don't believe.

Nope, there is nothing at all about religious faith that appeals to me.

I'm curious how you explain them having the same strength of conviction that's all. If they are capable of convincing themselves of the reality of something that isn't there by your reasoning, along with all manner of powerful, life changing responses, aren't you just as capable?

But it would say that wouldn't it green.

Also for me the Christian god acknowledged the presence of others by saying thou shall have no other goods before me. This is not the same a false idols, its gods. So even he knows they're out there and legit our why bother mentioning them as gods and not a false gods?
Abraham's God is an extremely jealous one, which is pretty evident when you read the Bible/Torah/Koran. He's vindictive too and cruel, but so us the place he came from so it makes sense. And he's certainly not the only fickle God out there.

Thing is, Greencolourpack, you can't prove or demonstrate in any way that your imaginary friend is more real or more fabulous than anyone else's. There is no reason why your beliefs should be taken any more seriously than those of Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Wiccans, Scientologists - or the people who believe in ghosts, fairies and astrology.

There's no reason why you or anyone else shouldn't be allowed to believe whatever old rubbish you like. But other people are under no obligation to treat your mythologies with 'respect'.

Of course, gods were all made up by people, which is why they are all capricious, selfish, whiny, petulant, unreasonable arseholes.

I can see where you are coming from Green and humility is good. However I think we could feel entitled not to be tortured for all eternity for believing the wrong thing.

Psychologically people probably base their model of God on their experience of their own parents as children I suspect. Hence the loving but provider of Justice type ideas.

Wow, so many postings! I haven't had time to red them all. Can I ask a coulpe of questions please?

Slug do you really think it is easier to be a Christian and not have to apply yourself to think through dilemahs? I would never have thought of that as one of the things that non-believers would say about being a Christian, that it is easy. I do still think things through a lot. I think all the turmoil at the moment (good turmoil) is about Christians thinking things through.

seeker, can i ask which biblical promises you are thinking about in regard to prayer?

InNeedOfBrandy did you ever try and find God outside of a church, I mean by praying just by yourself, or maybe by just going to a thing that is very open and friendly and not in a church and not happy clappy? Just curious.

backonlybriefly99 what you say is very interesting

"For individual believers it's my opinion that practising faith (belief without reason) is unhealthy and potentially dangerous. Not just bombers - though they are one result of people acting because they have faith that this is what their god wants. There will be many more who simply believe that their creator wants them to be nice to people and that seems okay doesn't it. But I think it is better that people make up their own minds about right and wrong. Basing it on their own experience, knowledge and study. That's how we make progress. ""

but I am guessing you would judge by the results not the methods that got to that result. By that I mean that if "Basing it on their own experience, knowledge and study." led to cruel and horrible acts then you would feel less enthusistic about it, I am guessing of course, I have no idea what you would feel. In your words 'faith (belief without reason)' can lead to cruel acts but it has also led people to serve, to work for justice and to engage in all kinds of socially good things.

I am not really making any argument here, just pointing out that what people believe can lead them to do things from that, both good and bad.And it doesn't just get limited to religion, look at communism.

seeker

"Are there any bits of the Christian church where women are on a completely equal footing with men?"

Yes, according to dear old Wickipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_roles_in_Christianity

Full equality

African Methodist Episcopal Church
American Baptist Churches USA
Anglican Church in North America
Assemblies of God
Association of Vineyard Churches
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Christians for Biblical Equality
Church of the Brethren
Church of Denmark
Church of Iceland
Church of Norway
Church of Scotland
Church of Sweden
Episcopal Church
Evangelical Covenant Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland
Free Methodist Church
Mennonite Church USA
Presbyterian Church of Canada
Presbyterian Church USA
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) ? Quakers have always believed in the legitimacy of women's ministry, with only a few exceptions in the early years. In 1848 at a conference in Seneca Falls, New York, 100 men and women signed a declaration that "all men and women are created equally." Early leaders of the movement were women, including Lucretia Mott.
United Church of Canada
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
Uniting Church in Australia

Headinhands, yes it is a toughie, how come Muslims believe and I am right and they are wrong. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is The truth, ie the ultimate truth but that's not to say there aren't some truths within other religions. Religion has a great place in society for stability and social control, cohesiveness, good things. I have lots of respect for Muslims who are observant because in a lot of ways they are up against the same intolerance from the anti-religious as Christians.

I have become convinced that Christianity is true. Therefore in a mathematical, logical way, if Christianity is true then it logically follows all other religions are false. If you want to believe this you can too. But like I said I don't see the point arguing this because I am on my path and you need to follow your path. you and everyone else need to figure this out for yourself.

solidGoldBrass you said imaginary friend . This implies you are hostile and argumentative. I do not want to engage with such posters. Either amend your tone or expect to be ignored.