It requires courage to be an Atheist.

It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, because for a religious person death is a transitory phase . However, for a non- believer death is the end and therefore dying for a cause requires an infinitely bigger sacrifice. What of the Jesus character? The bible said he performed miracles, spoke with supernatural beings, he had more support for his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, ...[text shortened]... r his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." -- John 15:13. KJV

This is certainly obeying Jesus' command to "Love thy neighbor as you love thyself."

"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." -- Luke 23:39-43, KJV

Surely, they will be with Him today in Paradise.

The heart is the best gauge of a man.

But cheapening everything a Christian is or does, simply because he is a Christian, doesn't help your case, though.

Yes, the Atheist must take extra steps to receive extra benefits, but if your heart is right in the first place, why not do yourself and your Judge a favor and meet Him halfway, like the one of the two crucified with Him?

"Religious people" aren't "side-stepping" any "hard truths". They already go the extra mile by respecting their Creator in life and making the effort to acknowledge Him and accepting His sacrifice for them. If this is just "too difficult" for you, then why whine about having to go the "extra mile"?

And please, before someone goes off half-cocked about this being about Pascal's Wager, no, it's not. You must speak your heart when asking Jesus to save you from your sin. You cannot fool God. Mouthing the words with nothing in your heart will NOT save you.

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, ...[text shortened]... r his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

It takes no more courage to be an atheist than it does to eat a mars bar.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
It takes no more courage to be an atheist than it does to eat a mars bar.

That surely depends on which country the atheist lives.

I take great delight informing the Christians who come knocking on my door that I am a 'devout' atheist. Sometimes they get the joke, more often than not though they're that brain dead it goes right over their head.

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist.

Nonsense.
Atheism is a "null" position, it does not require doing anything,
thinking about anything, believing in anything or preaching anything.
It therefore does not require any attributes of atheists.

Having said that thee will be circumstances where "coming out"
does require some courage but that is because of circumstance
and not atheism per se.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
It takes no more courage to be an atheist than it does to eat a mars bar.

A whole Mars bar? Deep fried? That takes real courage!

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, ...[text shortened]... r his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

Beliefs are not derived primarily from choice, but things like evidence, experience, intuition, reason, etc. The theist cannot simply choose to believe that they will have an afterlife full of loved ones any more than the atheist can simply choose to believe they won't.

Thus, it makes little sense to claim a person is courageous merely for holding a belief. Now, if they say the 'wrong' belief out loud, that is another story.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Nonsense.
Atheism is a "null" position, it does not require doing anything,
thinking about anything, believing in anything or preaching anything.
It therefore does not require any attributes of atheists.

Having said that thee will be circumstances where "coming out"
does require some courage but that is because of circumstance
and not atheism per se.

An atheist or agnostic still has to contemplate the problem of existence, come up with their own meaning or accept that life is meaningless. Contemplating existence is more difficult if you don't believe in a God, you have to come to your own conclusions rather than simply being able to answer difficult questions with "God did it". God was a solution to the problem of existence and none so satisfactory will ever be found again. In my opinion a leap of faith is overly optimistic (and egocentric).

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, ...[text shortened]... r his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

It requires courage to walk the walk -( after you have talked about it ... seemingly endlessly in some cases)

edit: this could apply to a theist or atheist depending on their situation

Originally posted by Proper Knob
That surely depends on which country the atheist lives.

I take great delight informing the Christians who come knocking on my door that I am a 'devout' atheist. Sometimes they get the joke, more often than not though they're that brain dead it goes right over their head.

And how many of them step away with an "Okay, have a great day, sorry to bother you."?

Not many, I imagine, but that's exactly what I would do.

To me, calling oneself atheist means something. I mean a lot of people who do not believe in God might just say they are "not religious" or something similar. But for someone to come out and say they are "atheist" means they have chosen to take a stand to accept the label of "without belief in God" or "not a believer of God". They choose to make their stand against God part of their own definition of themselves. This, to me, is more than just being "not religious" which sounds like someone who just never thought much about God. To label oneself "atheist", they have taken it upon themselves to say they are "against God" or "against the concept of God". That seems like more of a commitment to the idea than someone who just says they are "not religious".

To me, someone who is just "not religious" could find religion.

But an atheist is probably not going to be converted even if you spend all day talking to them. In fact, the person talking to them is more likely to be converted than they are, usually. I've found most atheists to be 'devout', actually.

That's just how I see the difference.
But then, maybe it's just me. 🙂

Originally posted by OdBod
It requires courage to be an Atheist. To accept that you will end, runs contrary to all your self preservation and survival instincts. To have to accept that you will not see your loved ones again is heartbreaking. Religious people are able to side step these hard truths, and that makes religion an easier option. I would also extend this thinking to martyrdom, ...[text shortened]... r his belief than anybody. How does this compare to a simple man or woman dying to save another?

Have courage, don't be a coward. Just do it !!!

Originally posted by Suzianne
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." -- John 15:13. KJV

This is certainly obeying Jesus' command to "Love thy neighbor as you love thyself."

"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not t ...[text shortened]... our sin. You cannot fool God. Mouthing the words with nothing in your heart will NOT save you.

The courage he is talking about is the courage to go against the grain in counties or times when just saying you are atheist gets you killed. You have to admit that would happen even in Christian countries a thousand years ago and today in ISIS controlled territories and probably even in countries like Pakistan.

What about you, would you stand on a street corner in Yemen and proclaim your Christianity? That is the courage he is talking about.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Nonsense.
Atheism is a "null" position, it does not require doing anything,
thinking about anything, believing in anything or preaching anything.
It therefore does not require any attributes of atheists.

No, agnosticism is a null position. Atheism is an intentional minus position.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
It takes no more courage to be an atheist than it does to eat a mars bar.

There are bars on Mars? I did not know that. Although how you would eat one is a mystery to me...

Originally posted by Suzianne
And how many of them step away with an "Okay, have a great day, sorry to bother you."?

Not many, I imagine, but that's exactly what I would do.

To me, calling oneself atheist means something. I mean a lot of people who do not believe in God might just say they are "not religious" or something similar. But for someone to come out and say they are "at ...[text shortened]... devout', actually.

That's just how I see the difference.
But then, maybe it's just me. 🙂

I am neither 'against God' nor 'against the concept of God'.