Atheist Life vs Religious Life

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Some argue that religious life is the best way to live. They claim life without a god is sad and depressing. Statements like "I could not imagine my life without God", and "My life would be meaningless without God", are common defenses for a religious life. The following is a list of advantages atheists enjoy over a religious life. I invite the religious viewers to submit a response video with the advantages of a religious life.

1. Atheists can make moral decisions based on the specific context. Having absolutes like "Though Shall not Lie" stops people from thinking for themselves and making the right decision based on the situation at hand. In what situation would be okay to lie? Most religious people would say, never. Atheists would disagree. For example: If you were living in Germany hiding Jews in your attic during the holocaust, and Hitler's Nazis knocked on your door and asked if you were hiding Jews, would it be okay to lie to save the lives of the Jews in your attic? I believe trying to save their lives would the moral and proper choice. Atheists have the power to do what's right for all humanity, rather than the forced perspective of doing what is right for a god.

2. Atheists can experience healthy outrage at the outrageous without fear of questioning God's plan. We can be outraged when a friend dies of a horrible disease, or is killed in a car accident. It is okay to be upset at disasters and horrible events. It is not a part of any plan. It is just a horrible event. Atheists try to learn from them and not just chalk it up to God's Plan. We use science to understand catastrophic events like hurricanes, and tsunamis. This gives us the ability to save lives. If we think a magical plan is going to happen no matter what, then why try to stop the events or make things better. Atheists do not wonder if a god is punishing us. Yes, there is cause and effect, and our actions effect how we live, you should save for retirement, and if your diet is bad you'll end up fat, or sick, or both. But if an airplane part falls on your house, it is an accident. If you find a 5 dollar bill on the sidewalk, it is an accident. No magical intervention, no magical wrath, these are just accidents. Life has an element of chance. This may not seem comforting, but here is another way to look at it: Your loved one dies in a completely random car accident where nobody could possibly be blamed. Is it more comforting to know the accident happened because of bad luck or is better to think the accident could have been prevented by an omnipotent being that could have stepped in and saved them from an untimely death, but your god decided to just let them die? You don't have to be frustrated thinking "Was it because I didn't pray enough?" "Was God mad at me or them?" "Maybe I should have prayed more." Atheist take comfort in knowing there is no plan.

3. Atheist can be friends with everyone without having the thought in the back of their mind that this person's lifestyle may be evil. You have the power to accept people for what they are. Enabling you to enjoy their quirks rather than chastise them for being unique. Atheists can have relationships with people who have alternative lifestyles without feeling like they have to save them from some deity that is going to condemn them for being themselves. After all, if there was a creator, then he has made everyone the way they are. Atheists don't fear that a large part of the earth's population is going to hell for being true to themselves.

5. Atheists do not live with the fear of hell. This is one of the hardest things for religious people to shake and one of the best rewards. Religious people love the thought of heaven, but fear hell as a consequence. In order to lose the fear of hell, you have to let go of the false hope of heaven. Atheists have done both.

7. Atheists raise freethinking children; let them pick a religion, or none. What would you have picked? This is hard for parents. If a child wanted to be another religion, or even atheist, it would be devastating to most religious parents. Why not teach them about all religions and tell them why you believe the one you do, and then let them choose? Atheists do not force atheism on their children. We simple let them see the evidence for and against religion and let them make up there own mind. They may change there mind several times. This is okay. Atheists love their children no matter what belief they are drawn too. That is the beauty of free thinking. You can raise your children according to your values without feeling as though you have to defend Bible stories that even a child can see are fiction.

Channel: People & Blogs
Uploaded: May 10, 2007 at 7:33 am
Author: FightingAtheist

Length: 00:09:56
Rating: 4.34
Views: 521058

Tags: atheist atheism religion jesus church bible god faith christian satan science creationism evolution islam mormon

Video Comments:
meljane1970 (October 12, 2008 at 12:59 pm)
Everyone is capable of fear. Even heroes, but all I was asking was if that person asked had to answer this question by this totally out of their mind would be murderer, then how would they answer it? Would they lie and say yes? Or would they risk countless lives by telling the truth. That's all I wanted to know.
adarmalter (October 12, 2008 at 12:50 pm)
you seem to hit on this fear issue a lot and half baked hypothetical situations. I'll give you one. Lets say a gunmen approaches you in a dark alley and demands that you recite the abc's 3 times. I'd be surprised if you can make it to the second set. I'd think it would be easier think clearly without the fear of retribution. Fear does not promote moral behavior or rational thought it simply serves to stop an activity or thought. It is a negative reinforcer
Smadlin01 (October 12, 2008 at 12:49 pm)
in the time the 10 commandments where supposadly written the jews didnt have a writing system...therefore god dosnt existget over it dumbasses
adarmalter (October 12, 2008 at 12:38 pm)
they would go where they go.hell heaven or nothingness. in a religious sense it is god who dictates the outcome of our souls not people. athiests would say our morals come from laws, the constitution, etc. either way a response to that question would be inconsequential. By the way posing that hypothetical question implies we have more moral character and ability to think critically than god. Thats kind of athiest dont you think.
adamisthereinventer (October 12, 2008 at 12:10 pm)
Hack that, theyre showing up now, lets see lol
adamisthereinventer (October 12, 2008 at 12:07 pm)
I dont see any video responses...hm lol
meljane1970 (October 12, 2008 at 11:47 am)
What I'm saying is, if there is no fear of retribution, it would be easier to commit such and act, than if you DID believe in an afterlife where you'd be punished. But if atheist don't like people saying God exists without proof, then it's fair to say that the same applies to those who are of a belief. And as no-one wanted to answer my hypothetical question below, I'll be on my way. Thanks for replying anyway.
tubehax (October 12, 2008 at 11:09 am)
stop being smart
1878MrWhizz (October 12, 2008 at 11:08 am)
What you seem to be saying is that you only don't commit mass murder because you're scared of what God might think when you meet him. I'd rather that you didn't commit mass murder because you thought it was morally wrong to do so. I'm an atheist and know that when I'm dead I won't meet God and I don't go around killing people because I consider it morally wrong to kill people - regardless of whether or not I believe in God.

You shouldn't need fear of God to make you behave yourself.
1878MrWhizz (October 12, 2008 at 11:05 am)
The point of staying alive is that you only live once so it's important to value it for what it is. As for the mass murderer, nothing can happen to them once they're dead but that doesn't mean that everyone is mentally crazy enough to commit mass murder. If there WAS a God then why doesn't God intervene to prevent the mass murderer being born in the first place?