Has a Happy Person Ever Become Atheist?

[AntiKarateKid]

While procrastinating during my study time I was thinking...

How come I have never heard an atheist say, I was outside on a beautiful summers day gazing at the greenery when I said to myself, "There is no God."

It always seems to be:

1. I saw suffering
2. These people acted evil and hurt me or someone else
3. The world is a bad place
4. There can't be anything on the other side, we're just animals and will turn to dust.

On the contrary, people who become Muslims or Christians mention:

1. Someone did good to me or someone else
2. The heavens and the earth so beautiful and complex
3. There has to be something out there, we're not just animals, we have eternal souls.


Seems like more often than not, atheism sprouts from negativity, while theism from positivity.

Now you may say that you "logically arrived" at atheism, but new theists would say the exact same thing about their views. This doesn't change the pattern of negativity and positivity that I mentioned above.

[Joe98]

Seems like more often than not, atheism sprouts from negativity, while theism from positivity.

I say it is exactly the opposite.

1. All my grandparents have died otherwise nothng bad has ever happened to me
2. I have seen very little sufferiing
3. There are alwyas bad peole doing something bad
4. The world is mostly a good place

How come I have never heard an atheist say, I was outside on a beautiful summers day gazing at the greenery when I said to myself, "There is no God."

That is exactly how it happened to me - except it was not in 5 seconds it was instead over a number of years.

-

[AntiKarateKid]

Ah ok, which wonderfully positive event sparked your lifelong distaste for the Creator and your belief that we have no souls? Give me your happiest one!

[IbnAbdulHakim]

no happy person has any motive to disbelieve God.

only by failing tests and incapability to see Gods wisdom do they turn to disbelief!


may Allah protect us from it, Ameen

[Trumble]

Seems like more often than not, atheism sprouts from negativity, while theism from positivity.

I'd actually replace 'negativity' with 'realism' and 'positivity' with 'denial'. Maybe that's negativity in itself, though

[AntiKarateKid]

I'd actually replace 'negativity' with 'realism' and 'positivity' with 'denial'. Maybe that's negativity in itself, though

I say religion is more realistic. Did you read the bottom of my post?

I am purely talking about negativity and positivity.

[burdenofbeing]

Believing because someone did something good to you is at least as stupid as not believing because something bad happened to you. And I'll leave it at that.

[AntiKarateKid]

Believing because someone did something good to you is at least as stupid as not believing because something bad happened to you. And I'll leave it at that.

Brother, you have misunderstood my statement.

I did not say ANYTHING about the validity of the reason. I am talking about the trigger event that leads a person down each particular path. A person who has good done to them by a Muslim may then seek to understand Islam more. A person who "sees too much suffering in the world" may have that event disillusion him and LEAD to exploring atheism.

[Pygoscelis]

I would flip this completely on its head.

Happy people don't need Gods.

Its the people who go through hard times, death of a family member, tragic event, etc that tend to need to reach out for the comforts of religion. Can't accept your father died? Tell yourself "he's in a better place now". Afraid of death or having a tough life? Tell yourself the next life will be so much nicer. Afraid of the world around you? Tell yourself God is in control and is looking out for you.

Those are the bulk of the converts I've met.

Of course most religious people were programmed with it from birth, so we can't really look to them on this.

As for apostates (those who leave faiths), the bulk of ex-religious people I have met did not become that way due to any sudden event, but rather slowly over time. I'm actually pretty hard pressed to think of any fellow atheist who became atheist in a sudden epiphany the way some religious people claim to have come to their faith.

[burdenofbeing]

Brother, you have misunderstood my statement.

I did not say ANYTHING about the validity of the reason. I am talking about the trigger event that leads a person down each particular path. A person who has good done to them by a Muslim may then seek to understand Islam more. A person who "sees too much suffering in the world" may have that event disillusion him and LEAD to exploring atheism.

I agree with what you are saying. Still, they need to be the last straw on the back of the camel in both cases, and they need to be relevant to the image of god those people have.

Pygoscelis' arguments are valid as well. I think most of the time that's the case. People tend to go to religion, to be happier, and more content. Atheism don't promise any happiness at all. Maybe except the lack of eternal pain, but that's hardly happiness. It's famously said that, there are no atheists in a sinking ship. That's not because something beautiful is happening.

I think being happy is a good thing though. I have atheist friends who say, I wish I could believe.

[cali dude]

I am not atheist but last year, something happened and it comvinced me that no religion, that I know enough about, is perfect enough to be a message of The Almighty Lord.

For some reason, I have been very relieved since this happened and I am much happier now...

[glo]

How come I have never heard an atheist say, I was outside on a beautiful summers day gazing at the greenery when I said to myself, "There is no God."

But you may find an atheist sitting outside on a beautiful day, pondering in awe how life evolved to such beauty and complexity, and how s/he came to be alive her/himself against all statistical odds!

[Jtherva]

If your happy you think, this belief i have is working why change it if im happy. You'd have no need stop bleiveing as it could risk you losing your happiness that might be caused by you believing in god. So its safer to just stay as you are.

However if your unhappy and believe in god, you might want to not bother sacrificing having to believe in something that isnt adding any value you your life.

Believeing in something means you have to sacrifice the assertion that your brilliant and smart as your doing something that you dont know if right for sure. You are showing yourself your not so brilliant and amazing as youd like to think. As your faced with having to do something your not certain about.

It seems there more to lose by stopping believing in god if your happy than stopping believing in god if your unhappy.

[ATHEISTofPEACE]

I was on a beatuaful green hill, standing on grass that evolved to be as it is, staring at a perfect night sky. thinking about the inner workings of reality, and thought, "God is not needed for all this," its beauty then increased ten fold.

@AKK this thread is made in ignorance.

[ATHEISTofPEACE]

I would flip this completely on its head.

Happy people don't need Gods.

Its the people who go through hard times, death of a family member, tragic event, etc that tend to need to reach out for the comforts of religion. Can't accept your father died? Tell yourself "he's in a better place now". Afraid of death or having a tough life? Tell yourself the next life will be so much nicer. Afraid of the world around you? Tell yourself God is in control and is looking out for you.

Those are the bulk of the converts I've met.

Of course most religious people were programmed with it from birth, so we can't really look to them on this.

As for apostates (those who leave faiths), the bulk of ex-religious people I have met did not become that way due to any sudden event, but rather slowly over time. I'm actually pretty hard pressed to think of any fellow atheist who became atheist in a sudden epiphany the way some religious people claim to have come to their faith.

I did not become an atheist in such a way but the event that started the whole chain of events and led me away from my original Chatholic faith was quite sudden.

[ATHEISTofPEACE]

AKK stop confusing nihlism with atheism.

EDIT: Also not some people have become happyer since becoming an atheist, even though it does not promise that.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ happiness? for how long?


if its not a lifetimes worth its not worth it. All their happiness is, is a respite till their doom or guidance.


this is more a reminder to the muslims then a statement towards the atheists.

[memories]

I do not think that a Atheist can be happy, sure they can have a family life as normal as everyone, and think they are happy, but inside there will always be somethig missing, God.And when they get to the end of the road they will regret.One can not dismiss the existence of god, it is illogical in my opinion.

[أبو سليمان عمر]

I do not think that a Atheist can be happy, sure they can have a family life as normal as everyone, and think they are happy, but inside there will always be somethig missing, God.And when they get to the end of the road they will regret.One can not dismiss the existence of god, it is illogical in my opinion.

i agree happy outside inside missing somthing how can anyone be happy not know who created them and for what they are created for the best and true success is to know who your Lord is and Know why He created you

[memories]

indeed, you cant just float about cruising trough life enjoying the pleasures of life,it sounds like a fun calm and peacefull highway to nowhere. you need god in that life in my opininon, you need to find him and have faith. one of the arguments the Atheist use often is: well if god exists why dosent he come down here and eradicate misery and suffering, well i would awnser to that that if god would in fact come down and shower us with mircales what would be the use of faith ? the world would only sayh well there he is performing miracle thank you,thats all. no ,you need faith, you need to proove to a loving god that you are worthy of his love. thats what i think