Thank God I’m an Atheist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG you religion lovers are too much.

You mentioned God twice, in the subject of your thread and saying OMG. Which exactly is the God of atheists?

If the poster had said "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" would you be asking if they believed in Murgatroyd?

I didn't ask if he believed in God. I asked which exactly God did he referred to in his post. I though atheists don't believe in God.

We don't believe in any Gods, which people generally know. Seems more like you're trying to nail an atheist than ask a legitimate question.

When I say God, it's meant generically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someones "triggered."

Why not have some love and tolerance for those who have different believes than you do?

Do you have love and tolerance for flat earthers? Anti-vaxxers? White nationalists?

Yes, I love all people equally. And tolerate their stupidity equally. Why don't you?

Because I see no need to tolerate what you refer to as “stupidity”, especially when it is harmful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG you religion lovers are too much.

You mentioned God twice, in the subject of your thread and saying OMG. Which exactly is the God of atheists?

If the poster had said "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" would you be asking if they believed in Murgatroyd?

I didn't ask if he believed in God. I asked which exactly God did he referred to in his post. I though atheists don't believe in God.

NP. It's just a phrase. Many of us grew up using "Thank God" and "Oh my God". It doesn't refer to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

Just coming on to correct a misunderstanding. I doubt any of DCUM's posters, or many people of faith at all, praise or blame God for their kid's soccer team or college outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

That, right there. That's the crux of it for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

That, right there. That's the crux of it for me.

+1. Me too. And beyond that, if you follow that thought logically, then it’s saying the god that you believe in decided to let your child come through the treatment. Which then presupposes that that god had the power to do that BEFORE the child got cancer and suffered. And that also follows logically that this god decided NOT to allow the other children to live at all. So if you assume that power at all, then you have to see the whole picture and it makes no logical sense and even if you believe there is some “reason” that is unknown to us for the level of suffering I know exists on this earth while a god sits there allowing it (by default when someone says they are blessed or grateful for gods intervention for the positive ), then that god is a monster and I for one will not worship him .

[Anonymous]

I just don't think religion is that potent a force in America anymore or in Western Europe for sure. It just doesn't seem that relevant to our lives.
I think the religion forum is good for asking which church should I go to that shares my views etc., etc. but that's about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

That, right there. That's the crux of it for me.

+1. Me too. And beyond that, if you follow that thought logically, then it’s saying the god that you believe in decided to let your child come through the treatment. Which then presupposes that that god had the power to do that BEFORE the child got cancer and suffered. And that also follows logically that this god decided NOT to allow the other children to live at all. So if you assume that power at all, then you have to see the whole picture and it makes no logical sense and even if you believe there is some “reason” that is unknown to us for the level of suffering I know exists on this earth while a god sits there allowing it (by default when someone says they are blessed or grateful for gods intervention for the positive ), then that god is a monster and I for one will not worship him .

For a long time now I have felt that if God were a person on earth he would be a manipulative, controlling, abusive jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

That, right there. That's the crux of it for me.

+1. Me too. And beyond that, if you follow that thought logically, then it’s saying the god that you believe in decided to let your child come through the treatment. Which then presupposes that that god had the power to do that BEFORE the child got cancer and suffered. And that also follows logically that this god decided NOT to allow the other children to live at all. So if you assume that power at all, then you have to see the whole picture and it makes no logical sense and even if you believe there is some “reason” that is unknown to us for the level of suffering I know exists on this earth while a god sits there allowing it (by default when someone says they are blessed or grateful for gods intervention for the positive ), then that god is a monster and I for one will not worship him .

For a long time now I have felt that if God were a person on earth he would be a manipulative, controlling, abusive jerk.

And a narcissist. Today I heard someone give the explanation for suffering on earth as “god wants to bring you closer to him through your suffering “. That concept disgusts me .

[Anonymous]

^ This kinda surprising because one of the main reasons people in the world believe in God is so he can cure their illnesses, make them walk again, give them a baby, make the crops grow and so forth. People believe in God for what he can do for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ This kinda surprising because one of the main reasons people in the world believe in God is so he can cure their illnesses, make them walk again, give them a baby, make the crops grow and so forth. People believe in God for what he can do for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to believe there’s a god who’s all powerful and yet allows so much horror and violence in the world.

That's what finished me.

Horrific child abuse.

A child born with a disability, and then dealing with cancer 4 times before he was even a teenager. Cruelty.

But... free will???? I don't get it, and never will. It's just some pitiful attempt to explain why there is such immense suffering and a god that doesn't do anything to alleviate it. And there isn't an excuse. No afterlife can compensate for some of the suffering I know people have experienced, and most of them don't deserve it. Yet the same people that use the "free will" card will also thank their god for being "blessed" by god in finding their soulmate, or having their layover shortened by 4 hours after praying about it. It's mind boggling, arrogant, self centered, and immoral to me. (these are real life examples of what a christian acquaintance counts as her blessings).

Parents of said child posted about how wonderful God is when the boy went into remission. I can't wrap my head around that. "Child just suffered through ANOTHER round of treatments, but YAY God is wonderful."

There are many children who didn't make it through that round of treatment. I think what they are saying that God is wonderful to them for saving their child's life.

This right here is the part of faith that I (as an atheist) just don’t get. I get being grateful that your kid was one of the lucky ones that made it through the treatment successfully. But how do you give praise to “God” for that rather than the researchers and doctors and nurses who made that even possible? And why do you not hold “God” responsible for putting your kid in this position in the first place?

I am so fortunate that to date both my children have been healthy and well. So I cannot understand at all what these parents are going through. But for much more mundane things (like a kid not making a sports team or a kid getting into the college of their choice), I neither blame nor praise anyone and know things could have gone differently. That is what I emphasize to my kids to build their resiliency.

That, right there. That's the crux of it for me.

+1. Me too. And beyond that, if you follow that thought logically, then it’s saying the god that you believe in decided to let your child come through the treatment. Which then presupposes that that god had the power to do that BEFORE the child got cancer and suffered. And that also follows logically that this god decided NOT to allow the other children to live at all. So if you assume that power at all, then you have to see the whole picture and it makes no logical sense and even if you believe there is some “reason” that is unknown to us for the level of suffering I know exists on this earth while a god sits there allowing it (by default when someone says they are blessed or grateful for gods intervention for the positive ), then that god is a monster and I for one will not worship him .

For a long time now I have felt that if God were a person on earth he would be a manipulative, controlling, abusive jerk.

And a narcissist. Today I heard someone give the explanation for suffering on earth as “god wants to bring you closer to him through your suffering “. That concept disgusts me .

I've heard that quite a few times. It is completely disgusting.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine a person of faith saying similarly hateful and often untrue things about atheism on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine a person of faith saying similarly hateful and often untrue things about atheism on DCUM.

It is hateful. But those things are true and I’ve had them said to me by fundamentalist Christians. I’m sure not all Christians or religious people feel this way but fundamentalists do.