Why are you an atheist or agnostic?

I don't like the idea of knowing what's out there, and don't claim to know. I was raised, for the most part, catholic, and it left a sour taste in my mouth. Everything was about spending a ton of time doing things I didn't want to do or I'd go to hell. I heard about going to hell a lot. If you don't believe a certain religion, you'll go to hell. If you curse, you'll go to hell. If you diddle yourself at night when everyone's sleeping, God will watch you, and you will go to hell. Why should I be condemned for acting how I see fit? I'm not causing any actual harm. It's unnecessary and caused me more bad than good. Religion isn't bad, because I know some great people who participate in a religion, and are probably better from it, but it's never been for me. So I'll continue to have a potty mouth, while still being civil about it, and I'll live my life the way I want to, because I'm not hurting myself or others, and that's probably the most important thing.
 
There is no difference between an atheist and an agnostic. An atheist doesn't hold to a deity and an agnostic doesn't know if there is one- both in practicality are the exact same thing.

But

I take a look through this thread, and I mean, it's no wonder some are so against God. The attitudes are ridiculous- has the most powerful and controversial histories of the world been reduced to things like this?

When you come to me with a theory that there is an invisible man wizard in the sky that grants wishes and blows shit up, I want to see some proof. I can't go up to you and tell you that I shit solid gold without proof.
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There comes a time when one should discern the difference between reason and prejudice, and how one should think a bit deeper before throwing around the word 'proof'.

I've seen thousands of physicists with a blank check the past 40 years try to come up with something different then God, and they have failed miserably. They have resorted to looking for particles that only exist in theory, and yet have openly admitted that they have hit a wall.
It doesn't take a genius to do the math there- they never had any evidence to conclude there is no god, but have somehow shaped public appeal to atheism and that they are on the brink of finding some magical key that will unlock that reality.

And that doesn't sit well with me because it's basically a facade- the high hopes and ambitions of scientists corroding societies' ability to think in a more clearer light about God.



There was a time when I was an atheist, until I realized that the Catholic philosophy is a gem of thought and started to find myself deeper and deeper in it. It didn't take very long before I eventually became part of the Church.
 
Being my mother a communist, atheism has always been kind of natural to me. I remember thinking about religion when I was a kid, looking at my christian friends and wondering: do they really believe this? I used to think that, maybe when those kids grew up, their parents would actualy confess God didn't exist, just like they had done with Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. I was genuinely shocked when I realized that the parents also believed that God was real! lol
 
Personally, I tend to look at it like so:
If there is a god, and this god requires prayer and devotion, then they are not a benevolent god. A benevolent god will judge each individual based on their actions towards their fellow man, based on what's in their soul. If a person's soul is full of love towards their partner (if any) and love for mankind as a whole, that person should not burn.
If there is a god, and this god does not require prayer and devotion but merely that I manage to be a good person, then they are a benevolent god and will judge me fairly.
If there is no god, I have not spent time needlessly following "out of the ordinary" customs such as going to church on Sundays, Ramadan and so forth.

That being said, if someone is religious and uses their religion as a moral code and/or to feel like a part of something greater, then more power to them :) As long as they respect the notion that others don't see things the same way and doesn't use their religion as an excuse to be a shitebag (e.g. "you'll burn if you don't believe" or "your love is an abomination"), then it's all good :)
 
because no matter what religion it is, there are always extremists trying to enforce the beliefs of their favorite imaginary friends on everyone even if it means war. it's just easier to not give a fuck and try to live in peace with everyone regardless.

the reason why Christianity is so big in America though, for example, is because what children are taught in church and by christian parents are generally good values and rules to live by. it's not really about worshiping the lord jesus christ for a lot of people.
 
I'm an atheist because I don't believe a loving, all-knowing, all-powerful god would create such widespread inequality among it's children. I also don't believe a deity described as so would allow for the principles of its religion to be used as a discriminatory tool (as Christian principles have been used in the United States against homosexuals). I tried to hide these beliefs from my family for a long time because many of them hold very negative opinions of atheists, and I'd say the Midwestern United States (where I live) is very unfriendly to the idea in general. I try to live my life and make decisions using empathetic thinking. I try to treat people well and how I would want to be treated, while still make the best decision for myself, my friends, or my family. In my eyes that's enough of a code for me to live by without needing to subscribe to a higher power.
 
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