SabrinaNene: omg, I'm so happy I saw this post. I understand some people's need for religion, because they don't want to feel like they are alone(even though they are), and people also want to belong to some group, which religion tends to provide...but the notion of a some supernatural diety coming down from heaven to smite us all..kinda seems like a threat. Plus in my opinion, religion is a key factor in Nigeria's current situation, cos people are taught to wait for God to come save them, and that God will provide, and hope like this might be fun to have...but its kind of baseless

Gbam!!! Just imagine for a second there is nothing like Islam and Christianity in Nigeria, there would not be Boko Haram to start with. Gej would not be saying God put him there. When most developed nations are moving public holidays to weekends, Nigeria is moving holidays to Mondays, in a year, we have close to a month in public holidays because of so many useless religion festivals yet we want to develop our economy.

If we look at global map, many countries that do not believe in this invented nonsense called God are the prosperous ones. They kill for their gods yet they label him/her powerful, omnipotent. Why can't they simply allow him or her to fight his/her battles? He is so powerful yet he has been wrestling with so called Satan for donkey years and we are made to understand that one day he ll finally defeat him on the day of judgement!

He created a world so perfect there are earthquakes here and there. If he knows everything and omniscience as claimed, why did he make devil in the first instance? He should have known devil would turned out to be traitorous, devilish and out rightly a bad as$s$. A wise and omniscience God would have avoided that. or did devil, satan or whatever just create himself?

A wise and omniscience God would have known the best structure of the earth without earthquakes and the likes. Did he deliberately design the world to be imperfect or was he simply incompetent to design a perfect world or are we simply deceiving people that one imaginary being designed the world?

Avicenna: I am a regular poster in other threads except religion. I have followed most threads here without ever commenting. I must say,I came here confused and ignorant about my former religion-Islam. But Nairaland religious section opened my eyes. I searched,researched and after deep reflections, I concluded that all religions are fraudulent and the notion of a almighty God is flawed and won't hold up to rigorous scrutiny.
I used a new I.D to post this because I still remain in the closet. As a religious leader of some of my peeps, it will come as too much of a shock. Their reactions may be harsh. The reason I posted this is that some people are also atheists but due to a fear of being ostracised,they remain quiet. I want you to know you are not alone.

I'd rather live my whole life assuming there is a God, only to find out that there isn't, than to live my whole life assuming there isn't a God, only to find out there is.

onye ego: The problem with people is that they try to understand God with human concept.

Sorry, no matter how hard you try your little Brain can not understand the existance of God.

Look around you, so you think everything just happened by mistake?
Or that you are descendants of the Ape?

It has been recorded in d Bible that the earth is round while WISE scientists had argued that the earth was flat.

These are things you can't comprehend with your small (undeveloped) Brains.

Can't you see how everything is perfect and complimenting each other?

There MUST be designer!

Sharapp there..the Earth is flat according to the bible...nothing is perfect or are you?

wirinet: Welcome to the real world.

Hmmmm!

fellis:
True. Thing is, we always lived. The nature of creation ensured that humans remained on earth, regardless of whatever plague or calamity they faced or whatever means they took to adapt.
The earth itself, is positioned at just the right distance from the sun that all living things on earth
tolerate temperatures. The combination of gases in the atmosphere forms Ozone which is supposed to protect us (before human activities started destroying it.)
The Sun rotates at an axis that ensures that sunlight gets to every location and ensures the growth of vegetation that carry out photosynthesis that provides the oxygen we need to exist.
That, right there is order that has being kept in place for millions of years.
Also, the sun's gravitational pull holds the solar system together, the planets, the comets and space dust are attracted and held together by that pull. If not for that pull, things will float off into space and the temperature of the earth will be too cold to support life and living creatures will perish. This gravitational pull, if it was greater than it is, the earth will be drawn so close to the sun that the temperature will be too hot for living things to survive.
How did that pull come about? How has it being kept at just the right amount over all these centuries to ensure evolution and survival?
If you maintain that these things don't prove the existence of a force behind creation then I have nothing else to tell you.

Sorry for the epistle, Avicenna but one last question; if living things came about by spontaneous generation, then every living thing came from inorganic matter, energy and space and if all things are made up of inorganic matter, energy and space, then where did consciousness come from?

Then,we will agree to disagree.
Spontaneous generation have been debunked by the way.
Abiogenesis or biopoiesis is more like it.

Welcome to reality Op
Here we believe we work hard for what we get,
No big dAddy to throw gifts down!



I think we need to know all d oda atheists in NL..

ziccoit: Many of you have powerful handsets, cars, music gadgets etc. despite the cost and sophiscation of those equipment, would they function on their own? The way you are the one controlling those equipment the way Almighty God controlling your life. Don't be deceived God is in existence. That you questioned His existence is even one of the signs of his existent.

Arguments like this are weak and flawed in many ways. If you keep saying things like this,don't be surprised to see more atheists.

@Poster, CONGRATS! Your first hurdle to knowing the Truths of life has been completed. You're now a 'real' human. Disentangling with theism is indeed a liberation from orthodox maladies! I dis-enroled some 8yrs ago. And I've always lived in 'peacedom'. Iniatially, no doubt, that you may find it difficult externalising your present status against your former, but with time, you'll be freer. Experience wise, it may be difficult making friends with theists, because they will see you as an enemy, a non-conformist, a hell-goer and 'left-wing' fellow. Don't feel disconcerted. People shouldn't really attach themselves to people, but to the Truth; only the Truth matters! You must be ready to forsake friends(even families), for the truth, if the need arises. Better still, make friends with like-minded fellows. You can search for me on facebook(Babalola Lord Babs Oluwasegun). Plato said: "KNOW THYSELF". Your 'self' is the only irrefutable conviction you have henceforth; stay put. They will come to you(as they've been), in their ancient tongue, bandwagons of scaremongerers, telling you that you'll go to hell(built by their fore-fathers, I suppose), just tell them that you have heard, and will have them in mind. Hence, live freely: forget not the Protagoras' 'Man is The Measure Dictum': '...of those things which are, that they are; of those which are not, that they are not'. Finally, there is more to the Mysteries of Life than just unsuscribing to theism. So that, you have to be sure you know what you know or boast to know. Because, when you know, you don't doubt. When you know, you don't question. When you know, you don't panic. When you know, you don't get confused. Adiøs!
LORD BABS

9-zeros:
i dnt follow any religion cuz they all have flaws. however i'm convinced in my soul dat GOD is watching over me. i believe in GOD directly, nt thru any religion....

According to them all 'You are going to hell'

davidylan:

Considering how long it takes to develop that immunity, what do you think would happen to the population prior?

Your example, while valid, is just too simplistic. Imagine a single error mutation in the development of the heart or blood? Considering the millions of yrs it would take to correct that error... do you think we would have made it to the yr 2012? Statistically our chances would be a big fat zero.

I believe it is perfectly ok to not have a belief in "god", but to try to use science to justify that belief makes no sense to me. Much of your logic here is deeply flawed.

A close study of human population have shown a great dilation in numbers usually at times when we had to adapt to correct those error and remember that they occur one at a time over a long period.

fellis:
True. Thing is, we always lived. The nature of creation ensured that humans remained on earth, regardless of whatever plague or calamity they faced or whatever means they took to adapt.
The earth itself, is positioned at just the right distance from the sun that all living things on earth
tolerate temperatures. The combination of gases in the atmosphere forms Ozone which is supposed to protect us (before human activities started destroying it.)
The Sun rotates at an axis that ensures that sunlight gets to every location and ensures the growth of vegetation that carry out photosynthesis that provides the oxygen we need to exist.
That, right there is order that has being kept in place for millions of years.
Also, the sun's gravitational pull holds the solar system together, the planets, the comets and space dust are attracted and held together by that pull. If not for that pull, things will float off into space and the temperature of the earth will be too cold to support life and living creatures will perish. This gravitational pull, if it was greater than it is, the earth will be drawn so close to the sun that the temperature will be too hot for living things to survive.
How did that pull come about? How has it being kept at just the right amount over all these centuries to ensure evolution and survival?
If you maintain that these things don't prove the existence of a force behind creation then I have nothing else to tell you.

Sorry for the epistle, Avicenna but one last question; if living things came about by spontaneous generation, then every living thing came from inorganic matter, energy and space and if all things are made up of inorganic matter, energy and space, then where did consciousness come from?

They are other habitable planets apart from earth and ever heard of abiogenesis?

seguun:
Do you know Allah talks about the big bang in the quran?
The Miracle Of Quran-The Big Bang
Theory - YouTube
VIDEO - 2 min - youtube.com
rtsp://v8.cache7.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQmxONYl5fOVGRMYESARFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSARSBXdhdGNoYOvd75zhkcC3Tww=/0/0/0/video.3gp

Ha ha ha Resorting to big bang to prove allah woohoo

djeezy: I'd rather live my whole life assuming there is a God, only to find out that there isn't, than to live my whole life assuming there isn't a God, only to find out there is.

Lol. You will need to make more than one assumption. You would have to absolutely assumed the right God, considering there are thousands of religions with innumerable gods, for the above statement to be meaningful. How do you then pick the right God when you are not even sure he exists? Assumptions upon assumptions do not translate to reality. In any case, God does not exist except that which you have picked, invented or chosen for yourselves.

ziccoit: Many of you have powerful handsets, cars, music gadgets etc. despite the cost and sophiscation of those equipment, would they function on their own? The way you are the one controlling those equipment the way Almighty God controlling your life. Don't be deceived God is in existence. That you questioned His existence is even one of the signs of his existent.

Haha what a joke! which öne come be freewill?

djeezy: I'd rather live my whole life assuming there is a God, only to find out that there isn't, than to live my whole life assuming there isn't a God, only to find out there is.

I used to think this. But then since religion manufactured God,which one lead to him? Then I answered by saying all religion are fraudulent(with obvious evidence). If you believe in God without religion, it is pointless. You will still live according to your notion of right and wrong. Different models of God are abundant. Will it be a kind one who will overlook your lack of religion but accept your belief in him? Will it be cruel one? Does he even exist?
People have advised me here not to completely discard God, I have unless that notion of God can be scientifically validated. Until then,I will take my chances,they are excellent.

na u sabi

Image123: Even atheists are exhorting one another. Very soon, you people will have choruses that you also sing o. Lost lot.

Thank you fellow. I wonder what gospel they'l preach to themselve and what would be their focus point.

why are u free

coolguy2002: why are u free

I m free. Its a thing of the mind. You won't understand.

A river dat 4gets its source wl soon dry. Okwu agwum na onu.

Christians believe all muslims will go to hell. Muslim believe all christians won't make heaven. Both religions believe the billion ppl in china who are buddhist are hell-bound. Whichever way, billions of people are gonna be in hell following the dictates of any of the so called religions.

Welcome op also an ex-muslim atheist here.
To seun since the atheist count here keeps growing can we have our own section on nairaland?.pretty please?

mkmyers45: They are other habitable planets apart from earth and ever heard of abiogenesis?

You and Avicenna mentioned abiogenesis.
Abiogenesis is an hypothesis, not a proven fact. So you're basing your entire belief system on an assumption just like the creationists.

Sister fatie: Welcome op also an ex-muslim atheist here.
To seun since the atheist count here keeps growing can we have our own section on nairaland?.pretty please?

You inspired me.

victorels:

Thank you fellow. I wonder what gospel they'l preach to themselve and what would be their focus point.

So both of you finally understand how religion starts.. one sect gets tired of what the other sects preaches, claims they know the truth and start off something... theists and atheists, 2 faces of the same coin.. 'GOD's the side that joins them...

fellis:
You and Avicenna mentioned abiogenesis.
Abiogenesis is an hypothesis, not a proven fact. So you're basing your entire belief system on an assumption just like the creationists.

Sooner or later,it will be completely proven to the point of replication. It is a theory.

At OP, welcome to the real world. Religion like you rightly identified is a man made tool used by few to control the mind of many. Its very difficult to be a non believer as a Nigerian staying in Nigeria, that is part of the reason I made up my mind to remain in Europe after my masters degree. My advice is graduate from medical school, start your life, get your absolute independence and come out of your closet if need be otherwise you will feel more like a hypocrite to yourself when you are being forced to indulge in religious rhetoric's. I personally made it know to my family many years(16 years) back that I don't want to go to church again that I don't like the environment but it wasn't until recently that I told them categorically that the god of every religion on earth is farce and were created by fellow men to control their life and extort the little they have from them with promise of some miracles and eternal life which have got no proof of existence and the threat of damnation to souls that refuse to accept. Its a practice based on nothing but threat that is why people cling on to it for fear of the unknown. Life style in the western countries is a proof to show that you don't need God/gods to build a good nation as compared to the likes of Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria and almost all African countries where people have refused to develop and give themselves a good life by using their brain to reason but instead they are waiting for some god to come help them solve their most basic problem.
My final advice to you is that you are the owner of your life so don't allow people to live it for you. Your happiness is your priority and should come before your family and societal satisfaction. Welcome to a new world where you view people as equals with no religious bias or difference.

U claim theres no God.then how do you explain certain unnatural events dat happens or u wanna say in ur years,u've not come across certain wierd stories.truth is,whether ur islam or christain,theres some questions dat cant be answered and the only hope man has in fufillment of such answer is in 'life after' which will reveal all but the sad things is dat it may be too late at that point to correct such mistakes.
Whether it does exist or not,the only way to know is by dying.of which many dont come back

[quote author=mazaje]I got this reasons from some where, I added a little to it and it completely sums up why I do not believe in God and religion. Here are the reasons. . .


[b]*[/b]There is not one iota of unequivocal evidence that any God exists.

[b]*[/b]God cannot explain all that exists because God itself cannot be explained. This claim just gratuitously swaps one mystery for another.

[b]*[/b]Religions do not explain any mechanism or process whereby God created everything. It is effectively an appeal to magic.

[b]*[/b]Religious faith is generally indistinguishable from gullibility. Trust and faith, as human concepts, are normally based on experience and reason. Religious faith is necessarily based on belief in unproved and unknowable things.

[b]*[/b]A god or anything that exists outside the realm of natural reality is necessarily unknowable, unintelligible and incoherent. It is therefore irrational to believe in something that is supernatural.

[b]*[/b]Religious scripture:
[b]*[/b]is man-made
[b]*[/b]contains many translation, historical and scientific and interpretation errors
[b]*[/b]is often self-contradictory
[b]*[/b]often contradicts known facts
[b]*[/b]promotes conversion by violence
[b]*[/b]calls for punishment and death to unbelievers
[b]*[/b]contains virtually no specific and unequivocal predictions
[b]*[/b]contains only vague predictions beyond its own time
[b]*[/b]contains many failed prophecies, predictions and unfulfilled promises of God
[b]*[/b]Scripture contains too much that is vague, metaphorical and symbolic to be instructions from a divine being to humans. A perfect being would be expected to be able to communicate much better than that.

[b]*[/b]In order to render most of scripture useful, it must necessarily be interpreted. This makes it easily twisted to support nefarious purposes.

[b]*[/b]The problems with scriptures outweigh any good messages they may contain. If read at all, they should be considered opinion and philosophy and taken with a grain of salt.

[b]*[/b]Morals are based on human sympathy and empathy not on divine guidance. it varies from culture to culture and is always evolving. Establishing moral codes based on theism is unnecessary, riddled with contradictions, and fraught with danger.

[b]*[/b]Religion is divisive in that it pits groups of otherwise indistinguishable people against one another. There are already more than enough differences for humans to fight over. And religion is the most intransigent of such divisions because many people feel it is a divine duty to revile those who believe differently than they do even if they don't see the reason in it.

[b]*[/b]Religions are generally intractable when it comes to substantive compromise with other religions or belief systems.

[b]*[/b]All suggested ways to perceive God rely on internal mechanisms that are subject to personal desires, suggestion, and mistakes. On the question of communicating with God, religion insidiously asks us all to deceive ourselves.

[b]*[/b]People are animals. We are only special due to our more developed brain. (We share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees)

[b]*[/b]Every culture that has existed has had God myths and other superstitions. This is often used as an argument for the existence of God. Rather than indicating that there is a true God, this indicates that people are simply attracted to the idea.


[b]*[/b]Goodness, truth, wisdom and all other purported attributes of God are human concepts. When applied to a presumed entity so completely different in kind as to be supernatural, they are meaningless. The idea of God is thus incoherent.

[b]*[/b]Infinity is a concept humans cannot comprehend except in a limited mathematical sense. If God is infinite, this also renders him unintelligible.

[b]*[/b]Belief in an afterlife is insidious, besides there is no evidence to show the human consciousness survives bodily death.

[b]*[/b]Organized religion wastes untold amounts of money and resources that could be used to care for people, promote real knowledge, and advance the human race.

[b]*[/b]Theism puts God above people thereby making people subservient, unimportant and expendable.

[b]*[/b]Religion relies on guilt, fear and outlandish promises to gain obedience.

[b]*[/b]Theism generally precludes any possibility of testing God or questioning his existence substantively. It is something like the wizard of Oz saying, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."

[b]*[/b]The methods used in proselytizing for religion bear an unmistakable resemblance to the methods of con men. But the scriptures consider this the great commission of mankind.

[b]*[/b]There are many good rational and logical arguments against theism but not one argument in favor of it that doesn't rely on a fallacy or assumption.

Ohh? No wonda they said, our wisdom is Godfoolishnes.i pity u

Avicenna:
You inspired me.

really i'm so glad i did. I hope more and more people would stop drinking religion's kool aid then nigeria would have a chance to develop.

Sister fatie: Welcome op also an ex-muslim atheist here.
To seun since the atheist count here keeps growing can we have our own section on nairaland?.pretty please?

Seconded