Is it normal to be afraid of being an atheist?

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14 Comments

I've been raised as a Christian since young and I've encountered some of god's works that has been evident in my life. However, as I mature in my thinking and logic I have begun to loose my faith in god to such an extent that I doubt his existence and I'm ready to convert to being an Atheist. It has come to my knowledge that "god's works" that I felt all these while were results that were made through coincidence and the fruit of my own labor.

I truly believe in evolution and that we evolved from a lower primate. I no longer believe in Adam and eve, the tower of Babel and Noah's Ark, there isn't any evidence at all and all the sites i've gone to displayed alot of bullshit through the twisting of words from the bibles to prove that the stories are real.

I however am afraid that there will be a chance where God turns out to be real and I will be sent to hell for eternity for being a non-believer.

What's worst is that my hyper, superficial, paranoid christian parents do not know it yet.

it's a recent revelation.

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81% Normal
Based on 42 votes (34 yes)
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Comments ( 14 )
  • bananaface
    11 years ago

    To me being an Atheist has always been a matter of whether you believed in God and an Afterlife. Do you?

    And they're your beliefs. In order to be an Atheist you don't have to go around openly declaring your opinions. It's pointless being afraid of your feelings, it won't make a difference. But, in my opinion, you sound like an agnostic.

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    • Clickclock
      11 years ago

      well, I no longer believe in the existence of God, just like I know that santa claus isn't real. I do believe in an after life however, but an after life that doesn't have a conscious.

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      • Zippy
        11 years ago

        That's interesting that you believe in some kind of afterlife, but you do sound more like an atheist to me personally. The word atheist literally means lack of a belief in a deity, so there's room for your non belief in God as well as your belief that there is some type of afterlife. What do you mean by an afterlife without a consciousness, by the way? I'm curious.

        Also, I think that your fear of God being real and punishing you is an irrational fear that comes from being told this for so long, even though it doesn't match your current beliefs. I've had this type of thing happen to me before. When I was younger I used to believe that ghosts might exist, and I was terrified of being alone in a dark room. As I got older I realized that this idea was pretty absurd, but I still felt this fear because it had been in my head for so long. It went away eventually, so perhaps the same thing will happen for you.

        If your parents really are those kind of Christians, it is reasonable for you to be afraid of saying something, especially if you are still going to be living with them for a while! My advice is to just do what you feel is best for you in your current situation regarding your parents. I'm not afraid to say that I'm an atheist if it comes up in a conversation, but I kept my atheism hidden from my grandmother for years because I knew how much it would hurt her. I never told her, and she is passed now. You know more than anyone here about what would happen if you came "out of the closet" to your parents, so that is up to you to decide.

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        • Clickclock
          11 years ago

          about an after life without a conscious, is that a person's awareness that he has reached an after life is non existent. For example, my name is Bryan and when I die, the person "Bryan" ceased to exist both physically and spiritually. These spirits will eventually go somewhere to join up with some other worldly force and that would be an after life.

          If the definition of "afterlife" is like a different plane where beings walk around and do stuff, then I do not believe in one.

          I see an afterlife as a destination of the essence, maybe soul of a person once it has left the body.

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  • emilydoll
    11 years ago

    God Ioves you, God is love.

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    • Clickclock
      11 years ago

      I'm really sorry emily, I know you meant well, but your comment has no relation what so ever to my topic.

      As a christian, its easy to say that god loves you and everyone and I get that. However, please spare a thought for the millions of misfortunate people throughout the world who were in that state despite god constantly "loving" them.

      if god has the power to perform miracles with people like us, why couldn't he create everyone without any serious problems to be hindered with?

      You may say that it's god's plan for them to be in this state from the beginning, but seriously, how is a plan made up by a loving being involving millions of people being created with misfortunes a valid plan?

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    • theaverageatheist
      11 years ago

      but do YOU love us??

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  • myboyfriendsbitch
    11 years ago

    You shouldn't believe in Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, etc. even if you are christian! Those are myths! Many cultures have similar stories as these, they are not just in the bible. There is truth in these myths, but I don't think they should be taken literally. Trust in what you believe God has done for you. Once such miracles pass, it's easy to pass them off as chance or coincidence or something that was just bound to happen anyway. But when you need them to happen most, you know they are the work of God. If you didn't need it so bad that you prayed for it, it might not have happened at all.

    I think you just need to expand your understanding of God. Don't limit him/her to what people tell you or to what's in the bible. Your own experiences tell you the most about the existence of God.

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  • Cheradenine
    11 years ago

    The christian said to the atheist, "how can you not believe in the lord? I shall pray for you". The atheist replied, "and i shall think for you".

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  • mightymouse
    11 years ago

    FEAR NOT

    It seems highly unlikely that an actual literal Hell exists.

    A place of torment for ALL humans who do not accept Christ as their savior, where they will be in constant pain and suffering for ALL time.

    It would take an unreasonable, illogical, unloving, malevolent, vindictive, vengeful, sadistic, and evil God to allow for such a situation.

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    | mightymouse |
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  • CosmicSlop
    11 years ago

    It's normal bc the religion itself sets up a belief totally based on fear with the illusions of unconditional love. But a burning hell, revengeful and jelouse god is not pure love which is why ur afraid lol sounds like an abusive brainwashing relationship now that it's put that way lol

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  • Amistrangeornuts
    11 years ago

    I'm kind of going through something similar. I have my doubts but there is always something taking me back, either fear or a calling. I believe that there is something out there, but I do not know. I don't like refering to the bible. If you've ever played the telephone game, you know why. So, through my interpretation, I go by the "God loves us"-mentality. I try to share the good feelings, not force beliefs. And 'fear of being an athiest', I'm afraid to be an athiest because I know that when people enjoy something, they don't want to ask "That's it?". I don't want that to be it. I think there can be so much more to existence than what we know.

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  • squirrelgirl
    11 years ago

    I'm in pretty much the same boat as you. Raised Catholic, and I pray to God every night, but there's always this nagging doubt in the back of my head about God's existence.

    What caused me to start doubting God was that my younger brother, who had once been so religiously devout and spiritual that he had considered becoming a priest, was easily converted to atheism in what felt like the blink of an eye. I thought, "My brother was a way better Christian than I ever was, and if something could cause him to lose his faith so easily, then what if his new beliefs are what's right?"

    Our parents are still Catholic though, and they are as firm in their beliefs as my brother is in his. Having conversions about religion with any of them (both my brother and my parents) gives me a headache, because I don't know who to believe. There are aspects of Christianity that make sense and there are aspects of atheism that make sense, but I don't feel like there's a foolproof, compelling argument for either side.

    Part of it is also a social thing, because if I side with my parents, I disappoint my brother, but if I side with my brother, I disappoint my parents. I'm so torn in so many different ways.

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  • theaverageatheist
    11 years ago

    1)you do realise that beliving the genesis is fact it not conected to beliving in god?
    beliving in genesis or not has nothing to do with beleving in god or not.
    but pastors woun't tell you that.
    2)anyway, yes it's notmal to be sckared, and you will get some shit thrown at you but you'll have to lern to deal with it, so be a proud atheist.
    3)by the way being a christian just so you are guarenteed a happy after-life is not a good reason to be a christian and you know it.

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