Why Atheism?

[Demagog]

Oops, i should know better, this debate never gets resolved...

However, I wonder if you would do me the curtesy of answering: Why believe in God?

Pretty sure I already answered that: Because I want to. I doubt there is any way I could justify it that would satisfy you though.

[Chemist]

If Qur'an is not a valid source of Islam, I don't know what is.

We're not talking about a source of Islam, we're talking about a source of knowledge of the way things really are. Let's say I go to the library and I see three books: Qur'an, the Bible and Harry Potter. All three books tell wonderous tales of magic and miracles, yet two of the three say their stories actually happened as described, as well as that I need to change the way I lead my life because of them (-Or else nasty things will happen to me after I die!).

Now could you kindly explain to me why I should believe one of these books is telling the truth? They explain how the world came to be (-God did it!), but science books can also explain that - and science in general is credible since it backs what it says with evidence.

Oops, i should know better, this debate never gets resolved...

However, I wonder if you would do me the curtesy of answering: Why believe in God?

Pretty sure I already answered that: Because I want to. I doubt there is any way I could justify it that would satisfy you though.

But if you believe it's true that doesn't make it true. Could you make youself believe 1+1=3 if you'd want to? Now when I can see that something is red then I simply won't believe it's green, even if it would be more convenient for me if it were green (-Nope, the bank account isn't in the red...).

[Demagog]

Belief does not require truth.

[Chemist]

Belief does not require truth.

It does require subjective truth (it needs to be perceived as true by the person believing in it).

[Demagog]

Well if that's the case then it's a true belief in my opinion.

[Artois]

OK then, you believe because you want to... now why do you want to know about Atheism?

[Demagog]

Because I want to, of course. It's something I don't understand, so to understand it, I ask the horse. I'm not calling anyone a horse, it's a figure of speech.

[Artois]

Why Atheism in particular, and not Agnosticism?

If you really wish to understand the other side, I highly recommend getting hold of a copy of Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion".  Dont be put off by the title, its interesting, without being too heavy going.

[Artois]

Almost all religions have a vital knowledgable fact in it. How else would people believe in that religion?

Then what happened to the vital knowledge of the ancient viking followers of Thor the God of Thunder?  I don't see his believers very often these days.

[Demagog]

Why Atheism in particular, and not Agnosticism?

If you really wish to understand the other side, I highly recommend getting hold of a copy of Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion".  Dont be put off by the title, its interesting, without being too heavy going.

I already understand agnosticism, of course.

[Kamietsu]

Almost all religions have a vital knowledgable fact in it. How else would people believe in that religion?

Then what happened to the vital knowledge of the ancient viking followers of Thor the God of Thunder?  I don't see his believers very often these days.

You aren't looking hard enough, they are all around you...right at this moment...they are also ninja vikings.

[Chemist]

Almost all religions have a vital knowledgable fact in it. How else would people believe in that religion?

Then what happened to the vital knowledge of the ancient viking followers of Thor the God of Thunder?  I don't see his believers very often these days.

You aren't looking hard enough, they are all around you...right at this moment...they are also ninja vikings.

Heh, so he's doing better than Odin? http://www.theonion.com/audio/viking-god-odin-down-to-last-4-worshippers,12963/