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The ONE THING?

Started by Mousetrap, July 04, 2018, 03:09:20 AM

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Mousetrap

I would like to know:
What was the ONE THING that made you decide that there is no God who created everything?
If it was a collection of issues that build up to your decision, don't give it all to me, tell me what was the last straw that broke the camels' back.
Evolution, the religion whereby one believes your children more human, and your parents more ape, than you!

The Human Mind, if it has nothing to do with Evolution...What an incredible entity...
If it does, what a waste!

Atheism, what a wonderful religion, where one believe to believe is erroneous.

Mr.Obvious

Quote from: Mousetrap on July 04, 2018, 03:09:20 AM
I would like to know:
What was the ONE THING that made you decide that there is no God who created everything?
If it was a collection of issues that build up to your decision, don't give it all to me, tell me what was the last straw that broke the camels' back.

If it was a last straw... I would guess: finally reading the bible,
though before I'd already kind of stopped believing, I think. I was trying to rekindle the magic with one desperate last attempt.

I failed hard.
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

pr126

Critical thinking, first and last.

I never had a religion.

Baruch

Quote from: pr126 on July 04, 2018, 04:07:33 AM
Critical thinking, first and last.

I never had a religion.

Critical thinking is good, no matter what conclusion you come to.  Too many adults are gullible.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

aitm

When I started to really grasp the immensity of the universe, it became a rather simple idea that there is no "room" for a god.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

Sal1981


SGOS

Quote from: Mousetrap on July 04, 2018, 03:09:20 AM
I would like to know:
What was the ONE THING that made you decide that there is no God who created everything?
If it was a collection of issues that build up to your decision, don't give it all to me, tell me what was the last straw that broke the camels' back.
What makes you think I decided there is no god who created everything?  I just don't believe in one.  There are many gods that are alleged to have created everything, and each one sounds as nuts to me as the ones you don't believe in.  This is a place to start in your quest for knowledge.  I don't think there was a straw that broke the camels back for me.  I just came to realize after 50 years of searching that I was no longer willing to pose absurd questions without answers in an attempt to convince myself that the mythology of the Bible might be real.

I never decided anything about god.  There was no decision I reached.  However, the biggest epiphany about the whole coming to atheism thing was realizing I didn't believe in a god, and that I never had a good reason to when I was a confirmed Lutheran.  This was a realization, not a decision, and that's where I stepped over the imaginary line.

Mike Cl

Kind of a blend of Sal and SGOS.  Looking back I cannot remember a time when I was a believer.  I WANTED to believe because that would make life so much easier to explain.  But the full realization came when I realized there was not one shred of evidence that any god existed. 
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Mousetrap

Quote from: SGOS on July 04, 2018, 09:01:00 AM
What makes you think I decided there is no god who created everything?  I just don't believe in one.  There are many gods that are alleged to have created everything, and each one sounds as nuts to me as the ones you don't believe in.  ... an attempt to convince myself that the mythology of the Bible might be real.

I never decided anything about god.  There was no decision I reached.  ...realizing I didn't believe in a god, and that I never had a good reason to when I was a confirmed Lutheran.  This was a realization, not a decision, and that's where I stepped over the imaginary line.

It might me a lack of clear communication from my part when I asked what made you decide that there is no God.
I do however see you are clear about the fact that you don't believe in God, and this was the intend of my question to know why.
You do answer that it was a realization that there is no God. And this is what I wanted to know.
When and Why.
So forgive me if the question was not suitable, your answer is great.
Thanks
Evolution, the religion whereby one believes your children more human, and your parents more ape, than you!

The Human Mind, if it has nothing to do with Evolution...What an incredible entity...
If it does, what a waste!

Atheism, what a wonderful religion, where one believe to believe is erroneous.

Mousetrap

Quote from: SGOS on July 04, 2018, 09:01:00 AM
I just came to realize after 50 years of searching that I was no longer willing to pose absurd questions without answers in an attempt to convince myself that the mythology of the Bible might be real.
This is the type of answers that I am glad you are giving as reasons too.
Evolution, the religion whereby one believes your children more human, and your parents more ape, than you!

The Human Mind, if it has nothing to do with Evolution...What an incredible entity...
If it does, what a waste!

Atheism, what a wonderful religion, where one believe to believe is erroneous.

Mousetrap

Quote from: Mike Cl on July 04, 2018, 09:14:42 AM
...but the full realization came when I realized there was not one shred of evidence that any god existed.

I love this comment as a finality on the possibility of a Creator
Evolution, the religion whereby one believes your children more human, and your parents more ape, than you!

The Human Mind, if it has nothing to do with Evolution...What an incredible entity...
If it does, what a waste!

Atheism, what a wonderful religion, where one believe to believe is erroneous.

Baruch

Their answers have all been consistent with their deeply held personal views (I know because I have been here three years now).  Realization is one way, or never having been in that frame of mind is another.  Few probably got there thru Descartian argumentation.  Philosophy is as unpopular here as theology is.  Generally ... "my personal experience is" ... "therefore that is what is real".  I agree, that is why I am a theist ... I have the same existentialism, though not the same epistemology.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

#12
Quote from: Mousetrap on July 04, 2018, 10:11:52 AM
I love this comment as a finality on the possibility of a Creator

If one is a materialist, then a-priori there can be no gods.  But the claim that materialism is not a philosophy, or that materialism is the only reasonable choice ... isn't true.  It is simply a claim of omniscience by a deeply convinced individual.

A rigorous materialist position would say that there is no life and no consciousness ... which are obvious absurdities.  For them, reality is a pseudorandom mix of atoms ... not completely random, because there are atoms, and they follow weird statistical laws (chaos and quantum theory) ... they have a limited order to them.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Mermaid

A cynical habit of thought and speech, a readiness to criticise work which the critic himself never tries to perform, an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life’s realities â€" all these are marks, not as the possessor would fain to think, of superiority but of weakness. -TR

pr126

#14
No one is ever born with a religion.
It has to be inculcated, family, peer pressure, culture.

Some religions are worse than others.  Example Islam vs Buddhism.

Also, it does depend on the environment.
Religions created in harsh regions; e.g. the Middle East are more brutal than those from areas of plenty where the competition for survival is not so intense.

The "Abrahamic" gods originated from the worst climates on the planet.

Remember, all religions, gods are human creations.