Are people born to be atheist? Can u ever convert a religious person?

Atheos

2010-01-04 15:14:51 UTC

"Can u ever convert a religious person?"

religion is what causes most people to become atheist in the first place; not other atheists "preaching" that's just a little too christian and in violation of free will for most of us.

I think that reasoning and logical deduction are learned skills, just as being religious is an ideology that is taught, (usually parent to child). Those who grow up and remain unwaveringly pious also tend to be poor critical thinkers, and that is why they believe in a nonexistent entity that puts the universe on hold to concern himself with all of their petty problems; and they believe this despite a mass of evidence for a natural order. Also, if you are telling your daughter there is a god so that if you die she thinks that your some happy little angel rather then face the reality that you KNOW to be true;you are only projecting your own fear of death into what you teach your little one. This will only result in her being spiritually confused like yourself.You only try to convince yourself that there is a god with a thought process like,"this has forced me to try and believe in god to see if I have to lie. Unfortunately my brain wont allow me to believe in good / evil , the bible or divine intervention, but it will allow me to think there might be a higher being."

then you are lying to yourself just so that the concept of death is not as scary. Why live your entire life for the last 2 seconds? once you have excepted death as part of life, that is when you will be able to truley live....

Uncle Bullets

2010-01-03 12:49:56 UTC

I can't really explain why I am atheist instead of agnostic, but I'll try. I cannot believe that there could possibly be a god in the sense of the bible or any other holy book. There is no supreme being, in my mind, who looks down on us and takes interest in what we do and cares for us and waits for us to join her in heaven. All of that is just too ridiculous to consider possible. But as for the argument about who made the first atom; well, if it was some type of god, who made god? What is god made of? How was he born or created? The idea of "he always was and always will be" is just another simplification of a question that cannot be answered with logic.

I understand that you want your loved ones to believe in the hope of god and heaven and all that happy, righteous, you'll get what you deserve in the end stuff, but really, is that even a possibility? Isn't that just a means to cope with the reality that there is no god watching us, waiting to reunite us with past loved ones? Just because we'd like it doesn't mean it exists. It's a lot like the Santa Claus statement. By telling the truth, we disappoint. Well, life is pretty good, so you don't have to get pissed that you won't get your heaven.

?

2010-01-01 05:09:51 UTC

I don't think that you are born atheist or religion. Many people who are religious as children or even as adults become atheist and many adults convert into some sort of religion. I think each person converts themselves, each person at one point has to make a decision about what they truly believe. I don't think its different brain chemistry but when you are a religious person you have different priorities, morals, values, responsibilities that others just don't have, therefore they behave differently

as for your daughter, i think its nice that you want her to believe those things but you cant say things to her which you don't really agree with. You are just gonna confuse her, shes gonna wonder why you told her one thing yet you yourself believe another.

maybe instead of reading about religion you should go and see it first hand, go to a church or a mosque or a temple and observe... see what people are like, find out why they believe it. Religion and religious belief cant really be explained by science I think because its not a set of behaviors and symptoms that you can merely categorize. Its what a person chooses to believe and the way they choose to live their lives

?

2010-01-01 05:00:58 UTC

You and I have a lot in common, and I think you're better off for your current belief structure.

I was sort of the opposite of you, I was raised in a strong church environment, but I can't abide "brand name" religion, mostly because of what I was taught in church. I developed a close relationship with God the "Man Himself" and I see little need for brand name religion, though I would like to gather with other believers. As for the biology of believers vs. non-believers - there may be a little. I don't think there's a huge difference, and yes logic centers may have something to do with it. I am a very logical person - not much of a chess player but I tear up certain other games - I am a tech, I can work on just about anything you put in front of me, I'm very philosophical, I embrace science and I believe God and science are not mutually exclusive of one another. I have such a natural talent at extrapolation I've been accused of being psychic and of being able to see the future. The big bang and the explanation of the creation of the Earth in the Bible are very similar to one another if you compare them with an open interpreting mind.

I think it has to do with what we've made of the world. We would all be better off if we embraced that still small voice "in our heads", or at least learned to listen to it. I believe that voice to be the voice of God, and without fail I would have been better off listening to that voice when I haven't and I tend to do alright when I do. Some may believe this voice to be part of the subconscious that analyzes risk and gives the least risky answers - and of course the jack asses are going to call it a deranged psychotic personality, but they're just jackasses who want to push a view instead of using something akin to the scientific method which would seriously consider that voice. True scientist - and for that matter true believers - don't dismiss anything outright until they've applied logic and reasoning, and possibly even test/experiments.

?

2010-01-03 13:45:37 UTC

I dont believe people are born religious because I know so many people who came to Christ in later adulthood after having had no religion in their lives at all during their earlier years, or being staunch atheists their whole lives. The bible says we are to have faith like a child. Childlike faith is pure and doesnt demand that everything be explained perfectly. They understand that some things are just beyond their comprehension and believe that there is something higher than they are. These so called deep thinkers you speak of have to be able to see everything with their physical eyes, or be able to experimentally prove everything scientifically. What they aren't comprehending is that God is spirit, supernatural, and cannot be seen or scientifically proven. However, his ways and works can and are seen with our human eyes if we know Him and how He operates. Many highly educated intelligent deep thinkers believe in God as their creator and Jesus as their savior. You just have to acknowledge that there is more to life than what humans can see or sometimes even understand, and that God is one of those things. I have seen Him work wonders in this life. There were times in the past when I had doubts just like everybody else does, and lots of questions. From what I've seen over the years, I have no more doubts, no more questions. I know He is who He says He is. Keep seeking, keep asking, you will be able to believe.

∞

2010-01-01 04:58:11 UTC

No, I don't think they do. I don't know many people who have converted, but I know that if you think about it deeply and are open-minded enough to realize what you just have (who created the 1st atoms, there has to be a higher being, etc.). You have taken the first steps in believing in God!! So, don't worry, you are getting there!!

Hope this helps!!!!

Good Luck!!!

by the way, I am not a christian, but I do believe in God!! (i follow a different religion!!)

2016-04-03 08:40:45 UTC

You're absolutely right, except for one tiny little detail... Other people. Atheism is indeed the natural state into which we are born, so there should be no need for a word to describe it... except that the vast majority of the people who surround us are not atheists. We are a vulnerable minority in the US, and in several other parts of the world. That in itself would be fine, as it doesn't make a difference to me what the guy next door believes... until he votes to put his religious beliefs into the laws of my secular nation, and a bunch of other believers vote with him. Or until the majority of believers that make up society look down on me and discriminate against me for being an atheist. Or until someone tries to force their beliefs on my (as-yet hypothetical) children. Or uses their beliefs as an excuse to try to take away my rights, or the rights of others. When those things happen, that's when it becomes legitimate to have a word to set you apart from that majority group, to declare your identity as a minority and stand up for your right to exist. That's when it becomes valid to challenge the privileged status that religious belief holds in society, and to try to make people honestly examine their beliefs. That's when it becomes necessary to push back against the forces that try to legislate religion and strip away rights in the name of what you yourself call a "false belief." That's when it becomes incumbent on us as atheists to scrape away at the sacred status of religion, to show that religious belief is not above criticism or even mockery, any more than any other idea. We're not "concerned with God." We're concerned with the effects that a belief in God have on the world in which we live. If every man were an island, completely unaffected by those around him, you'd have a very valid point about the motivations of atheists. But since that is not the case, you've got nothing but empty sophistry and BS.

Smart_Guy

2010-01-01 06:01:01 UTC

How can you not believe in good and evil. Just look around the world and its obvious their is evil in the world. Rapists, child porn and so much more. If that isn't evil then what is? You can't be an athiest if you are questioning things. If you ask me your confused about the existence of God. You need some questions answering and I don't think this sight will help much. You'll get confused and that won't help. Why not email me and see if I can help with your questions?

In The Image Of DNA

2010-01-01 05:04:58 UTC

I don't want to be overly blunt, but false hope (re afterlife and such) is no hope at all.

Regarding brain chemistry and belief, yes--there are differences. I don't remember the actual neuro-anatomical differences, but in study after study believers tend to over-interpret patterns in randomness. Andrew Newberg has some very good books on the subject.

There's also a social component involved as one interesting thing is that Autistic and Aspergers afflicted individual are very, very unlikely to believe in gods and their primary impairment is "mind-blindness" where they don't have the ability to utilize "theory of mind" i.e. they are incapable on an intuitive level of realizing that minds other than their own exist.

Much of the latest cognitive science of religion sees gods as simple theory of mind applied to domains it didn't evolve for such as natural events. In other words gods are simply an over-application of a natural cognitive faculty.

a Real Truthseeker

2010-01-01 05:09:50 UTC

What you believe is your choice.

Atheism is not in-built, it is chosen. In fact it takes a lot of will power to believe in atheism - when it contradicts our natural in built awareness of God!

As the Bible puts it:

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1: 20

2010-01-01 04:59:20 UTC

We are all born with a free will to make decisions based upon what we learn and observe on this planet. Unfortunately, you cannot believe in the God of the Bible without having some faith. In my view, the Bible (when understood) has most (not all) of life's answers. If God gave us all the answers to every conceivable problem or issue ... there would be no such thing as free will or faith. People, whether intentionally or not, obstruct a clear view of the God of the Bible. I have seen, experienced and studied enough in my life to not only question my own faith ... but, to find it to be solid. Hope this helps.

good tree

2010-01-01 04:59:39 UTC

Many former atheists have become believers, usually through intelligent reasoning. I don't know how many people click on links, but I will give you links to a couple of these people. It's always a good idea to ask questions. Why not try an alpha course (they are free) and ask any question you want?

Ms. Narwhal

2010-01-01 04:54:08 UTC

Unitarian Universalism.

2010-01-01 05:00:27 UTC

You are a classic example of a religious person, you believe out of fear. Like I have always said, religion is for the people that can't handle the truth.

illuzion30

2010-01-01 05:03:01 UTC

Sort of.

Genetics will play a part in a person's religiosity, but thorough indoctrination can override that.

2010-01-01 05:04:28 UTC

Well, whenever I step up to the plate, my theme song that plays is "Born to Be Aaaa-theee-ist".

Sly Phi AM

2010-01-01 04:54:27 UTC

"...but still my consciousness..."

so how were your past lives?

"...She will always be my baby and I wouldnt want her in pain any more than I would tell her santa doesnt exist and spoil her 1st few christmases..."

But you would willfully lie to her.

2010-01-01 05:04:07 UTC

Your mind is corrupted by wishful thinking.

2010-01-01 05:07:03 UTC

Try Quran. The muslim holy book. You will get the big picture.

Gregory

2010-01-01 04:55:30 UTC

no people are not born to be atheist

every one chooses what they believe

depends on the religious person and what they believe.

a true christian would never convert since jesus said he is the only way to heaven and eternal life.

Into D.M.

2010-01-01 04:53:14 UTC

Everybody is born with the love of Jesus, some are unfortunately led astray by Satan in later life