Are atheists afraid of God?

[Paul of Tarsus]

In response to Stephen Hawking's quip, "Religion is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," apologist John Lennox said, "And atheism is a fairy story for those afraid of the light."

Do atheists fear that light aka God? I would answer no assuming I knew atheists to be completely sensible and rational in their rejection of theism, but they very often aren't sensible and rational in their unbelief. In this forum, for example, an atheist said he lost his belief in God when he realized that there are different religions. When I tried to explain to him that those conflicting faiths can be explained as some of them getting a real God wrong, well, it did me no good! It's simply illogical to conclude that God doesn't exist because some people disagree about him. His atheism is obviously based on faulty logic. What's odd about these cases involving atheists using poor reasoning to reject God is that those atheists seem quite reasonable otherwise. My guess is that they fear God and wish that he doesn't exist. Atheism is for them a sanctuary from theism and a hope that reality harbors no scary God.

[Kylie]

the zenomorph cannot really exist,

Unsupported assertion #1.

God can exist

Unsupported assertion #2.

I can assure that neither atheist nor theist should fear an unsupported assertion, even when it is bundled with another unsupported assertion.

I didn't "support" either statement because I assumed that people can readily understand the truth of both statements. In any case, why don't you see that zenomorphs cannot really exist because they were created in Hollywood as fanciful monsters? As for the possibility of God, why would you say he cannot exist?

So the xenomorph doesn't exist because it was created by a guy to play a particular role in a movie?

I can just as easily say that God doesn't really exist because he was created by people thousands of years ago to play a particular role in their mythology.

[Goat]

In response to Stephen Hawking's quip, "Religion is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," apologist John Lennox said, "And atheism is a fairy story for those afraid of the light."

Do atheists fear that light aka God? I would answer no assuming I knew atheists to be completely sensible and rational in their rejection of theism, but they very often aren't sensible and rational in their unbelief. In this forum, for example, an atheist said he lost his belief in God when he realized that there are different religions. When I tried to explain to him that those conflicting faiths can be explained as some of them getting a real God wrong, well, it did me no good! It's simply illogical to conclude that God doesn't exist because some people disagree about him. His atheism is obviously based on faulty logic. What's odd about these cases involving atheists using poor reasoning to reject God is that those atheists seem quite reasonable otherwise. My guess is that they fear God and wish that he doesn't exist. Atheism is for them a sanctuary from theism and a hope that reality harbors no scary God.

A short answer is "NO". I would say that atheists, if they are 'afraid' of anything are more afraid of the actions and attitudes of a number of believers, not of any mythical God.

[Paul of Tarsus]

I didn't "support" either statement because I assumed that people can readily understand the truth of both statements. In any case, why don't you see that zenomorphs cannot really exist because they were created in Hollywood as fanciful monsters? As for the possibility of God, why would you say he cannot exist?

So the xenomorph doesn't exist because it was created by a guy to play a particular role in a movie?

The zenomorph does not exist as an actual space monster, obviously. It can't exist as a real space monster unless by some wildly improbable coincidence the makers of the movie Alien came up with a monster that really exists beyond the earth!

I can just as easily say that God doesn't really exist because he was created by people thousands of years ago to play a particular role in their mythology.

Your analogy here is a poor fit because unlike zenomorphs, God's attributes are not well defined. As a result, a God may exist who has traits that are very different from the gods that people have created and popularized. So while you are likely correct that we can conclude with justification that the gods of religion don't really exist except in the dogmas of those religions, a God that they didn't create might still exist.

And again, why do you say God can't exist?

[Paul of Tarsus]

Do atheists fear that light aka God?

A short answer is "NO".

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

I would say that atheists, if they are 'afraid' of anything are more afraid of the actions and attitudes of a number of believers, not of any mythical God.

I'm afraid of the actions and attitudes of some religious believers too, but in recent years I've become uncomfortable with the beliefs of a lot of atheists too. I am in particular concerned with their often irrational support of the euthanizing of the disabled.

So atheists can be scary too.

[Goat]

Do atheists fear that light aka God?

A short answer is "NO".

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

I would say that atheists, if they are 'afraid' of anything are more afraid of the actions and attitudes of a number of believers, not of any mythical God.

I'm afraid of the actions and attitudes of some religious believers too, but in recent years I've become uncomfortable with the beliefs of a lot of atheists too. I am in particular concerned with their often irrational support of the euthanizing of the disabled.

So atheists can be scary too.

No, not at all. Your anadoctal story is just that, a story. If someone is an atheist, they don't fear god. If they fear god, they aren't an atheist... by definition.

Do you fear Voldemort? How about the boogey man, or werewolves?

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to Paul of Tarsus in post #135]

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

Sounds to me like he feared death.

[Tcg]

Peace to you,

[Replying to Paul of Tarsus in post #135]

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

Sounds to me like he feared death.

Exactly. Additionally, an individual who calls out to God for help is not an atheist.


Tcg

[Paul of Tarsus]

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

No, not at all. Your anadoctal story is just that, a story.

My story demonstrates that there is at least one exception to your generalization that no atheists are afraid of God because they cannot be afraid of God. Some atheists evidently can be afraid of God.

If someone is an atheist, they don't fear god. If they fear god, they aren't an atheist... by definition.

So you define an atheist as a person who does not fear God. I don't think that's a good definition because a person might believe in God yet not fear him. If we use your definition, then some atheists believe in God!

Do you fear Voldemort? How about the boogey man, or werewolves?

Not really, but it's possible for anybody to fear what they don't believe in. The human psyche can be divided into the rational and the emotional, what we think and what we feel, respectively. These two parts of the psyche can be and often are in conflict when a feeling contradicts a thought. That's why people are afraid when they ride a rollercoaster. They know they won't be harmed, but they still feel fear.

[Paul of Tarsus]

[Replying to Paul of Tarsus in post #135]

I assume you mean that most atheists don't fear God, but you allow for some exceptions. One exception I know of is an atheist who attempted to take his own life by downing an overdose of sleeping pills. When he began to lose consciousness he thought he was dying and became terrified of that prospect. He began calling out to God to save him, and he survived his suicide attempt. While the role that God took in these events is debatable, this atheist clearly feared God.

Sounds to me like he feared death.

He was obviously terrified of death, but he has informed me that he also feared damnation for his apparently impending suicide. He was a "baby atheist" at that time having left Christianity only a year or two prior to his trying to take his own life. This incident occurred in 1987, and he has never returned to belief in any Gods. He explains the paradox of his terror of death (and God) and being an atheist as his not being in his right mind at the time. The emotional part of his mind temporarily overrode the rational part of his mind vanquishing for a time his reasons to be an atheist replacing those reasons with a fear of God. Such conflicts in the psyche are actually very common. (See my rollercoaster illustration above.)

By the way, this experience has convinced him that contrary to what a lot of atheists think, suicide is rarely if ever an option. When you face the grim reaper and an eternity of oblivion, you will want life and whatever it has to offer. Just listen to what those eminent philosophers Queen have to say about suicide:

Don't do it don't you try it baby
Don't do that don't don't don't
Don't do that
You got a good thing going now
Don't do it don't do it
Don't
Don't try suicide
Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide
Nobody cares
Don't try suicide
You're just gonna hate it
Don't try suicide
Nobody gives a damn

[brunumb]

If someone is an atheist, they don't fear god. If they fear god, they aren't an atheist... by definition.

So you define an atheist as a person who does not fear God. I don't think that's a good definition because a person might believe in God yet not fear him. If we use your definition, then some atheists believe in God!

I sense you are being disingenuous here. Tcg did not redefine God as you have implied. It is quite clear that the implication is that if someone does not believe that God exists, then they don't fear it.