"You chose to not believe in God!" LOLWUT?!

[Karla Marx]

So, I recently figured out that I'm an Atheist. Nope. No more denying it. I hid behind a bible saying "Really! I do believe in God!" and felt as if I was lying to myself. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't believe in God, nor Jesus. I did not choose to not believe in God.
However, I keep being told otherwise! Particularly by Christians and the like.
They say "I chose to believe in Jesus! Why can't YOU?"
If I could choose to believe in whatever I wished, I'd believe in bubblegum fairies and the God and Goddess of Mushroom kingdom and our saviour Mario. But I can't.
I think this article pretty much summed up how I feel.
Did you "choose" to just not believe in God(s)/Godess(es)? Or do you no more "choose" to disbelieve in gods than you choose to disbelieve in those Elves in the corner of the room and the Invisible Pink Unicorn?  

[Baron von Turkeypants]

Soy un hombre muy honrado,
que me gusta lo mejor

It wasn't so much a choice as a realization.

Las mujeres no me faltan,
ni el dinero ni el amor

 

[Karla Marx]

Exactly!
You don't wake up one day and go "Hmm. I feel like not believing in God today!"
You wake up and say "Hmm. It feels like I don't believe in God at all. Thats odd."  

[ProjectOmicron88]

I never really grew up with a religion. When I looked objectively at it, I thought, "Hah! No." And here I am.  

[Redem]

Baron von Turkeypants

Soy un hombre muy honrado,
que me gusta lo mejor

It wasn't so much a choice as a realization.

Las mujeres no me faltan,
ni el dinero ni el amor

Hear hear!

I can no more choose to believe in god than I can choose to believe in santa.  

[Karla Marx]

Redem

Baron von Turkeypants

Soy un hombre muy honrado,
que me gusta lo mejor

It wasn't so much a choice as a realization.

Las mujeres no me faltan,
ni el dinero ni el amor

Hear hear!

I can no more choose to believe in god than I can choose to believe in santa.

Thats a good way to put it. Especially considering I felt the same way when I realized I didn't believe in God when I no longer believed in Santa. Well, actually, I was much more upset when I realized Santa wasn't real. He's nicer.  

[God of lunchboxes]

Karla Marx

Redem

Baron von Turkeypants

Soy un hombre muy honrado,
que me gusta lo mejor

It wasn't so much a choice as a realization.

Las mujeres no me faltan,
ni el dinero ni el amor

Hear hear!

I can no more choose to believe in god than I can choose to believe in santa.

Thats a good way to put it. Especially considering I felt the same way when I realized I didn't believe in God when I no longer believed in Santa. Well, actually, I was much more upset when I realized Santa wasn't real. He's nicer.

*giggle* santa *giggle* Morgan Freeman*giggle*
Belief is not a choice; it's when you get enough information and proof to make a decision. And if you don't base it on proof then you’re just a wee bit stooped.  

[Sanguvixen]

If someone where to come up to you and claim that an invisible gaurdian spirit that looks like a dragon is behind them, protecting them...is it a choice to not believe them?

Now, I'm just going with my own line of thought here, because it sense...

When you come to the realization that dragons are not real, and why they are not real, and take the process of that realization and apply it to religion...then you understand why gods and goddess are not real, and why you can deny thier existance without having to prove it.

When you disbelieve in elves, dragons, and the Invisble Pink Unicorn, you don't have to disprove the existance of those things. The person making the original claim that those things exist carries the burden of proof.

If you are presented with an extraordinary claim, and the one making that claim cannot present extraordinary evidence, it's only logical to choose to not believe them. I think many atheists and even agnostics reach this cross-roads where the claims made by religion are not backed up by any sort of solid evidence...and so they think..."Hmmmmmm."

 

[Becka Minato]

I dont believe that some almighty person or thing is sitting up in the clouds watching us humans trash eachother.  

[Arios V]

I can't say that when I decided to become an atheist it really was a choice. I mean at the time it seemed like a choice, but after several years and finally taking a moment to look back at it, it was definitely more of a realization.  

[Baron von Turkeypants]

Sanguvixen

If someone where to come up to you and claim that an invisible gaurdian spirit that looks like a dragon is behind them, protecting them...is it a choice to not believe them?

Now, I'm just going with my own line of thought here, because it sense...

When you come to the realization that dragons are not real, and why they are not real, and take the process of that realization and apply it to religion...then you understand why gods and goddess are not real, and why you can deny thier existance without having to prove it.

When you disbelieve in elves, dragons, and the Invisble Pink Unicorn, you don't have to disprove the existance of those things. The person making the original claim that those things exist carries the burden of proof.

If you are presented with an extraordinary claim, and the one making that claim cannot present extraordinary evidence, it's only logical to choose to not believe them. I think many atheists and even agnostics reach this cross-roads where the claims made by religion are not backed up by any sort of solid evidence...and so they think..."Hmmmmmm."

Soy un hombre muy honrado,
que me gusta lo mejor

So you're telling me you're capable of choosing definitively your beliefs one way or another when there isn't evidence to support either side?

Beliefs aren't choices.

Las mujeres no me faltan,
ni el dinero ni el amor

 

[Theophrastus]

Belief without evidence is called faith, right?  

[ProjectOmicron88]

Theophrastus

Belief without evidence is called faith, right?

Belief in something without evidence to support it is, by its very psychological definition, a delusion.  

[Mr woman]

well, i was raised into aithiesm(sp).
so i guess i got out luckey, except maybe for my parent clash.
dad: radical christian
Mother: no religion whatso ever.  

[Theophrastus]

At least you got some different perspectives.

Raising a child in an airtight secular vacuum is just as shitty as drowning them in religion.

ProjectOmicron88

Theophrastus

Belief without evidence is called faith, right?

Belief in something without evidence to support it is, by its very psychological definition, a delusion.

Oh yeah. Sorry, I always get those two mixed up.