This is why I’m an atheist.
Reasons to believe in God:
1. Not knowing what happens when we die is scary. It feels better to think that life never really ends than to think about the idea that it’s black when it’s all done.
2. The people I grew up with taught me to.
3. A lot of people I didn’t grow up with want me to.
4. There are many books that talk about God.
5. When I’m confused and don’t have answers, it gives me something to hold on to rather than saying, “I don’t know.”
6. It allows me to belong to a group that will accept me.
7. It gives me someone to talk to and ask for help when nobody else will listen.
Reasons not to believe in God:
1. All the evidence that God exists can be equally explained by other means.
2. I’m not sure which God to believe in, there are so many to chose from.
3. Believing in God doesn’t have a universal affect of making people nicer, kinder, or more compassionate.
4. Adding a god to my life gives me more to do.
5. Depending on which god, adding God to my life adds unnecessary guilt.
6. I’m not into sports, or competition, and don’t want to play the “my God is better than your God” game.
7. None of the gods available are all that nice or helpful.
8. If God is evil, why help the cause? If God is good, my deeds and behavior will be more important than my belief. So, it’s better to spend energy and time on better behavior, and belief is irrelevant.
To me, the reasons not to believe in God outweigh the reasons to believe in God. Also, the reasons to believe in God come from childhood fear and feelings, the reasons to not believe come from maturity and logic. Lastly, the reasons not to believe generally lead to a more liberating and compassionate life for all, whereas the reasons to believe lead to servitude and self-focus.
I choose not to believe, because it makes more sense and it’s better for myself and the world if I don’t.
I really liked this one. You do well to communicate to the pros and cons – commiserate with both sides. And then very succinctly explain why one side trumps the other in your view.
Best,
Stu
*like*
Wonderful. Loved #8.
very well said!
i just disagree on one point:
“I choose not to believe”
i find it impossible to choose to believe things–either the evidence is compelling, or it isn’t; it’s not up to us, i think…
Nice summary, taking the emotional impulses into account. Thank you!
It’s fine except for one thing, “If God is good, my deeds and behavior will be more important than my belief.”
Calvin argued that good deeds and behavior were not more important. Indeed, he argued that neither was belief. He taught that predestination was the will of God. Luther was similar but perhaps not as much so. So it is up to each of us to decide if that god is good. At least it means he doesn’t give a damn.
randay, if some being doesn’t give a damn, then it can hardly be called good; since Tammy’s contention was conditional on this purported god being good, your objection is irrelevant to it (and thus vacuous).