There are many reasons why it is hard for a person to believe in God. There are many people who have chosen to believe that there is no God to believe in. On the other hand, those who believe in a god or a group of gods or that there is a god for everything that exists.
Believer and Non-believer
The difference between a “believer” and a “non-believer” has to do with a few things. First off, people tend to follow the beliefs or lack of beliefs that belonged to the people who raised them. This is likely unless their experience was hurtful or unmeaningful. Even the group that strays from their original faith tends to return to that faith.
Secondly, faith seems to fill a void in a person. When a person feels that there is something missing in their lives or had experienced a tragedy they will often look towards some kind of faith. It seems like many of this group stray away from that faith when their circumstances improve.
Those who don’t believe in God tend to look for strength in themselves or by themselves in other places. They attempt to make meaning out of life where there seems to be none. They might say that “There are very few things that a person can trust in this world, but certainly one can trust in themselves.”
Are atheists their own God?
Not in the sense that they believe that they have created the universe around them. They are their own God when it comes to what they do with whatever the, already existing, world throws at them.
The premise of a true atheist is to take the credit and the blame. They don’t play make-believe with the notion of God. If an Atheist were to meet God most of them would choose to live by his rules. But most atheists have not seen the evidence that is necessary to convince them that there is a God. Much of what an Atheist sees makes their disbelief in God even stronger.
They see that statistically, people of faith live no different than those who don’t believe in God. Even among the leaders of many faith Groups there is corruption and misuse of power, a sure violation of the biblical command to “not take the Lord’s name in vain.”
Some say that “Jesus walked on the earth and did amazing things that led a lot of people to faith in him.” Some say that “there are still people doing miracles in Jesus’ name.” Yet, the Atheist would say “I have not seen anything of the sort; if Jesus is still alive why won’t he show me thorough his people or some other means that he is real?”
An atheist is not overly concerned about discovering any supposed truth. They consider truth to be self evident. The lack of support for the existence of God leads an atheist to believe that there is no God.
There are many arguments for faith in God or a faith that there is not a God. Yet, faith has implications. Implications are the strongest influencers in our choices. We choose what we believe and don’t believe based on the consequences of that choice. The Atheist would say that the consequences for believing in God are that it could make a person weak for them always leaning on this invisible being. The person who believes that there is a God would say that the consequences of not believing are that of being misguided. Both arguments sound alike.
Both are a matter of faith, choices and the consequences that motivate a person to make their decision about what they will believe or not believe. Even the Bible has commands from God that shows the importance of not just sitting on the fence.
The New Living Translation (NLT) of the bible quotes Joshua as saying “then choose today whom you will serve (Joshua 24:17).” It also says in the book of Revelation (NLT) “But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:16)!”
What would a person choose if the consequences were not a factor? Is it even possible to disregard what we fear? Either way it is best to be certain and not just guessing.
