Religion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

1. "If God didn't exist, we'd create Him." "God doesn't exist."

Fri Feb 5, 2016, 07:20 AM

Feb 2016

In the space between those two sentences is the answer to the question in the subject line.

Nothing doesn't love you unconditionally.

Nothing doesn't hear your prayers, let alone answer them.

Nothing does not give you hope of seeing your deceased love ones again.

And on and on.

On and off, I have been a believer, and an atheist and back again to both. No matter where I was on the continuum, when something was very bad or very scary, I prayed or asked a believer to pray.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

62 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I’m an atheist. So why can’t I shake God? [View all] rug Feb 2016 OP

"If God didn't exist, we'd create Him." "God doesn't exist." merrily Feb 2016 #1

A thoughtful post. rug Feb 2016 #2

Believe it or not, I know the difference between thinking of God and praying. merrily Feb 2016 #5

In my case, it was also an unanswered question that drove me away from religion. DetlefK Feb 2016 #3

Religion becomes toxic when it preaches difference. rug Feb 2016 #4

Pardon my saying so, but that diagram was quite contrary to the words and deeds attributed by merrily Feb 2016 #6

The bible rjsquirrel Feb 2016 #7

Do you have anything at all to say that relates to what I posted? merrily Feb 2016 #8

Because most people don't have the simple-minded distortion of religion that you have. rug Feb 2016 #9

How is that a distortion? Major Nikon Feb 2016 #21

"Why do people believe any of this obvious woo?" rug Feb 2016 #27

I asked how it's a distortion Major Nikon Feb 2016 #30

If you are trying to be willfully obtuse, you are doing a good job. rug Feb 2016 #35

I have repeated that question twice now and you have twice failed to provide an answer Major Nikon Feb 2016 #38

I will indulge your willful obtuseness, for the moment. rug Feb 2016 #40

I understand the question hurts your feelings Major Nikon Feb 2016 #43

No, it offends my intelligence. rug Feb 2016 #47

If that's what you got out of what I wrote, it explains how your intelligence is so easily offended Major Nikon Feb 2016 #48

Gee, how could I so misundertand your words? rug Feb 2016 #49

Do you think those things are obvious woo? Major Nikon Feb 2016 #50

Absolutely - to a literalist. rug Feb 2016 #51

So are you saying you're a bible literalist? Major Nikon Feb 2016 #52

Er . . . no. Nice try. rug Feb 2016 #53

So I directly contradicted this yet you still insist on telling me what I think Major Nikon Feb 2016 #54

Except the comment that prompted this inane sbthread did not say that. rug Feb 2016 #55

Which is no less a valid question Major Nikon Feb 2016 #56

You are now forming concentric circles of diminishing diameter. rug Feb 2016 #57

if you're simply looking for a way out, take any door Major Nikon Feb 2016 #58

That's right. Orbital velocity was reached with yor post. rug Feb 2016 #59

Whatever that means Major Nikon Feb 2016 #60

Ground Control to Major Kon . . . . rug Feb 2016 #61

... Major Nikon Feb 2016 #62

Your excerpt misrepresents the article Brettongarcia Feb 2016 #25

The excerpt is the first four paragraphs. rug Feb 2016 #28

Why does your excerpt leave out the central point? Brettongarcia Feb 2016 #32

Because I didn't edit it. rug Feb 2016 #33

My point Brettongarcia Feb 2016 #44

I don't think there's been enough neurological research to say either way. rug Feb 2016 #46

You can say the same thing about quite a bit of mainstream Christianity Major Nikon Feb 2016 #22

Very true. My stomach starts to churn when I hear some things. merrily Feb 2016 #23

Actually, Jesus put loving your neighbor in 2nd place. Mariana Feb 2016 #24

True. However going to church and loving God are not necessarily the same thing. merrily Feb 2016 #26

Going to church is first on the list because SwankyXomb Feb 2016 #45

I find it much harder to shake the idea of luck than God. safeinOhio Feb 2016 #10

Unanswered questions nil desperandum Feb 2016 #11

"Turns out it's pretty hard to believe in nothing when your psyche is wired for faith " edhopper Feb 2016 #12

What we have is an explanation, not evidence. rug Feb 2016 #13

well, I didn't say proof edhopper Feb 2016 #15

Which is all the OP was to begin with Major Nikon Feb 2016 #16

Which doesn't explain why people raised as nonbelievers become believers. rug Feb 2016 #19

It wasn't intended to explain anything other than the flaw in the OP's reasoning Major Nikon Feb 2016 #20

It does point to the flaw in your indoctrination claim. rug Feb 2016 #29

That wasn't my claim, it was the author of the OP's Major Nikon Feb 2016 #31

This is your claim: rug Feb 2016 #34

Asking loaded questions is juvenile and I'd appreciate it if you would refrain from doing so Major Nikon Feb 2016 #36

I know precisely what you wrote. rug Feb 2016 #37

So why ask silly loaded questions? Major Nikon Feb 2016 #39

Listen, Major, if you're simply looking for a way out, take any door. rug Feb 2016 #41

If you ask a relevant question, you'll get a relevant answer Major Nikon Feb 2016 #42

Or... gcomeau Feb 2016 #14

People who never smoke before the age of 18 have a greatly diminished chance of ever smoking Major Nikon Feb 2016 #18

You don't have to deny the existence of god to be an atheist Major Nikon Feb 2016 #17