Is it normal not to want to be an atheist ?

You can be an atheist without being smug. I'm and atheist because I find it impossible to believe in anything, but I do wish I could. It just seems like it would make life easier. But, however you choose to live your life there's going to be a struggle that come along with it. I don't shout my beleifs from the rooftops or rub them in peoples faces, and I certainly don't try to believe in something that I know deep down I can't. So your struggle is normal for an atheist, I would say...it's about learning to be at peace with your decisions.

being an atheist is depressing. nothing to believe in. I am an atheist... What I do is try to make others lives happier. they believe in god so maybe you can assist them in their goals.

Read accounts of people that have had near death experiences. It helps you believe. I run into people all the time that have had these experiences. We are more than our physical bodies and minds. Hospice nurses say that invariably people that are near death will see dead relatives standing by their beds. They also report enormous beautiful angels in their rooms. This happens in all cultures, in people of all ages and very intelligent people. It happened to my father in law when he was about 3 and to my brother in law as an adult. I really hate hate religious people that have all the answers and no one else's ideas have credence. They are actually afraid that there may be more than we can understand.

Try finding a great church nearby and go there at least once to see if you like it. I'm a Christian and probably wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for my faith. I recently became depressed and attempted to commit suicide. Just as I was about to cut my wrist so deep that I would bleed out, I thought of God. Committing suicide is like murder. And murderers go to He'll. Do I asked God to forgive me for even considering suicide, and to give me the strength to find happiness. Now, a month layer, I'm barely depressed. My faith in the Lord made my whole life seem worth living. God has a plan for everyone, each person (even atheists) will achieve great things, if you just trust in the Lord. After all, he dis save my soul.

It's the non belonging that's the clincher. Theists have a special social gathering, networks of people, shared philosophy .... Atheists don't really have that, put thirteen of us in a room and you get thirteen different arguments and a few sour faces.

There's no need to be so depressive about your worldview. Be a happy atheist. You don't need to believe in God to be happy. Admire the beauty and complexity of this universe, find a hobby, enjoy music, love those around you, be open and let others befriend you. Don't be a know-it-all bigot like Richard Dawkins, be the friendly atheist everyone wishes to meet.

But you should consider getting some sort of therapy. Talk to someone about it. Trust me, it helps.

I'm a deist by the way :)

It's nice to have some kind of spirituality or faith, it doesn't necessarily need to be a religion of some sort. Just knowing that there is more to life than just the here and now is good enough. I am Catholic but I don't consider myself hard core...there are aspects of my faith that help me to try and be a better person and there are some aspects that can keep someone closed minded...so I try to avoid that.

If you want to believe in superstitious twaddle like life after death, why the "heaven and hell" scenario preached by Christianity? You'll never have sex again for all eternity! And you'd spend forever genuflecting in front of a throne, worshipping the selfsame god who presumably designed things like the food chain, aging, and parasitic worms, as well as ordering "his" (Does God have a penis?) followers to commit genocide and rape little girls (read the "Book of Joshua" if you don't believe me.) Now me, I'd go with reincarnation if I was in the market for an afterlife delusion, you'd eventually get to see and do EVERYTHING. (Pretty cool IMHO.)
I hate to break this to you, but the reason you can't believe, because you're not enough of a SIMPLETON to believe. You have been blessed (or cursed?) with a sharp, critical mind. What can I say? Deal with it.
Not to mention, if Christianity is true, all your friends and loved ones who failed to check their brains at the church door and pray "the sinner's prayer" are going to be tortured in Hell forever after they die. (Be careful what you wish for!)

Being an Atheist doesn't mean you have to see the world in a negative light. As an Atheists I think the world, people and my life in general is pretty beautiful.

You can still enjoy a beautiful garden without having to believe that there are fairies behind the shed. :)

I feel pretty much the same way. I can't believe but wish i could. More than anything, I wish that I will be reunited with my beloved pets and a few other family members in a beautiful and perfect afterlife. But how can all that be possible in a way that makes sense to me without a body and brain? Have you solved your dilemma yet?

dude, chill

Learn about islam from the right books , not the people , it answers all , logic and science.

I understand what you say.

Honestly, I think the best thing for you is to talk to some close christian friends, perhaps find a church, maybe ask someone to pray for you, and just try to keep an open mind and make sure you're doing this because you genuinely want to believe.

Circo you are incorrect. While Noah's Arc is not proven Historical scholors of no religios affiliation have documented that Jesus of Nasaric (sp) did exist and was a missionary. The argument is if Jesus was in fact the son of God. They also documented numouros sighting from large crowds of him after his burial.

I think that's you wanting to become apart of special group of people who will have a blessed life in God and with him. Just go to your local church it won't hurt just get saved once it happens you life will be changed you notice things that a atheist will never be able to see unless they convert from their ways. God and Jesus will change your life in so many ways and happiness will come along with being saved and once you accepted Jesus into your life you will experience a happiness that some people will never know just go to church and open the word of God (bible). I love you my sibiling in Christ. :)

I am an atheist, I get non-religious amazing feelings of awe and comfort when I read about how the universe works. It is possible.

I gave heard this before despare do to lack of faith yes quite common I suggest you convert to budism it's in the middle between faith and skeptism I am a true athiest though

I don't actually want to convert myself. It's not possible. Every single religion seems simply ridiculous to me.

I'm just saying that I find atheism depressing, and I find myself wishing of being able to believe sometimes. Maybe it would make me happier. Or maybe not.
I'll never know since I'm not able to think in an other than the one I'm using.

The bread and butter of all God-believing religions is faith; if you don't have it, there's no sense in being a part of it. And not just any kind of faith, either--it has to be childlike and completely and wholly accepting. If you're looking for scientific reasoning like I think DuckMan is trying to tell you to do, I suggest you check out the Hollywood religion--Scientology. God and Jesus and Heaven and Hell are for those who are blessed (not cursed) with the ability to believe and have faith. You've got that gift; please try and harness it.

And I personally recommend Catholicism, although any form of Christianity is awesome. Good luck.

Why do you have this idea in your mind that you have to be an atheist? If you are longing to seek a religion, no one is holding you back. Do some research, ask other believers, find something that feels authentic to you. Honestly, even if some or all of religious beliefs are untrue, it feels so much better knowing there's a reason for life and reality as we know it.

IMHO, I think you might feel like you "want to believe" because it's in human nature to find God. Different people find their god in different ways and every religion fights with the other, demanding that they found the "right" god.
Another question is, why does everyone who is atheistic or any other religion, fight the hardest and be the most critical of Christainity or the belief of "creationism" or "intelligent design"? And how many atheists have really read the Bible?
It's just a thought. Maybe your question is the most important question: why do you find yourself wanting to believe it? If you are curious, what would it hurt to ask a "Christian" what do they really believe and why?