If religion was from God, wouldn't babies be born with it?\n\nOr, perhaps they are and God prefers atheism to any of the nonsense taught by God speakers.\n\nWhat do you think?
124979
People claim religion is 'from God' because they are deluded.  They have no rational reason to believe a deity exists, but they believe it anyway.  If religious claims had any basis in reality then we could reasonably expect babies to grow up with one true religion, rather than almost invariably absorbing the religion of the family or culture they grow up in.
663859
I think a lot of children are indoctrinated from birth.  Here's the thing, though:  It seems unfair to me to force your faith on a child.  It seems to be better for everyone if there is no religion in school or government, and that is just on a basic freedoms level.  What if there was a state-mandated religion, and you were in the wrong one?  What then?  I think that children should be free to learn about religion and spirituality, but never, ever forced to it.  And with the keeping religion out of schools, I should clarify.  I have no problem with extracurricular clubs, elective courses, or even a moment ofsilence at the beginning of the day.  I don't care if children pray throughout the day, as long as it isn't disruptive.  I just don't want a teacher to be able to tell my children what they think the true religion is, or having creationism part of science class.  My kids kind of lean toward not believing in God, and that's fine.\n\n\nedit:\n\nMarcia L. is clueless.
238813
If I am not mistaken, I don't think this was a generalization made that all non-beilievers are mean spirited and cruel.  (At least I hope not)  I think that each religion gets misunderstood at one time by those not of that religion, and some people just don't know how to address what they don't understand. There are those that do.  They respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.  I am a Christian, I believe, but i do not force my beliefs on anyone. i may share something about God, but I cannot judge anyone if they do not believe--and I don't think we should judge and ridicule each other.
564047
I'm not an atheist... but I'll take the hypothetical anyway and pretend that I'm being asked to convert to a particular religion, being as I am not religious at all. The question is, after all, would I convert and practice a belief system different from my own to save my daughter.\n\nWell, of course I would, generally speaking... but would it matter? As you say... if there's a God, He would know that I didn't really begin to believe anything different, and I'd probably make him that much more angry with me. I'd do an awful lot for a child of mine.\n\nI've decided to pose the question that gwad suggested, as I'd like to know what other religious people think. :)
230551
I have always thought that was an absurd thing myself.  How can an innocent child be damned like that?  Personally, I did not have my child baptized.  I have taught her to be open minded and if SHE wants to explore getting baptized into a religion of HER choice, she can do that when SHE deems to.
380528
YES YES YES!! THANK YOU! Someone actually put two and two together and figured this out!\n\nThe whole concept of religion is contradictory.  My favourite example is where the bible supposively says to love all of his childrem, but then goes on to contradict itself by saying except for gays, except for lesbians, so on and so forth.\n\nPeople are always all "Oh, God is a loving God who forgives all out sins...BUT WILL SMITE THE SINNERS!!"  Contradiction.\n\nPerhaps God has bi-polar disorder.\n\n\nYou made my day.
146133
As it is in life, different religions cannot live in harmony. I personally belong to no religion, and find it easy to tollerate and co-exist with people of other religions. Maybe this is a lesson the children of the future need to be taught.
587088
From one professor to another :), That he "walks with God" and takes his cues directly from the almighty, assuming of course if one believes in him/her. This is the kind of Neanderthal thinking that, in my opinion, exemplifies why church and state should ALWAYS be separate. Is that illogical enough for you?
516499
It tell me that those parents love their children and want to teach them right from wrong so they can make an educated choice when they get older\n\nThe parents that say, " I'm not taking them to church because I don't want to forse any religion on them and they can mkae their own choice when they get older....IMO, these parents are clueless, they turn their children over to world to be trained with NO right or wrong moral code upbringing.  How can they make a choice like this? they don't know both sides.\nThis is a cop-out by the parents \n\nThese children  that do make it are few and far between\n\nthat is so sad\n\nand our culture is reflecting this attitude these days too.....:-(
659581
My not believing in god comes from me. I was raised to think, believe whatever I wanted. I was exposed through my life to most religions, beliefs, sciences, and theories. After looking at all, I chose. I used logic, and observations to make my decision, atheism was the choice. I came into life a clean mind with no beliefs, and over time made my own, but only after many years. Most of the theories I believe are my own, and I am the only one who believes them. The only influence on my beliefs is me, my thought.
442321
People should base their belief in God/Allah/FSM on whether they think it's real or not.\n\nIsn't the average IQ of prison inmates lower than the average IQ of the population at large?  There's a proven correlation between IQ and atheism with few low IQ people being atheists - maybe the high number of lower IQ people in prison skews the numbers towards theists?  I would not take this to mean atheists are more moral, just that it takes more reasoning power to become an atheist if you were raised theistic than it does to just stay what your parents are.  \n\nOr the percentage of atheists in prison is representative of the general population but they, like many atheists in the rest of society, must be extra careful to hide their atheism for personal safety?  To be totally blunt, who would admit to being an atheist in prison?  I can't even safely admit to being an atheist at my job and there are no murderers or rapists in my office.
613834
They have been brained washed from birth just like people from many other religions.  I think it takes a certian amount of IQ to step back and see these things for what they really are.  They are a growing number of people however that can keep there faith but at the same time remain open minded about other posssibilities.  OH yea the bible quoteing thing ......... thats really annoying
652597
I think you've opened a *huge* can of worms here! But never being one to avoid discussion, I'll dive in......\n\nI agree.\nI think that religion was a device created by early mankind to explain the unexplainable, to create some social order and it was exploited by some people who had various socio-political agendas. \nI'm not denying that many, many people find their religion a source of comfort and I would not deny them their faith. I feel that religion has evolved with time, although some of the dogma has remained in the past.\nI'm sure lots will disagree, but that's just my own tuppenth worth.
513852
"It was obvious that he had no reason."\n\nPerhaps he just didn't want to explain it for the 5 billionth time.  It gets old, you know?  I mean, hey, if someone answers "yes" to whether or not they believe in God, NOBODY tries to make them stay put and explain themselves for half an hour.  Someone answers "no" and suddenly it's 20 questions.\n\n"he was not a good person ,he cheated on his wife ... So do you agree all the atheists are bad people"\n\nThat's quite a leap, kiddo.  Concluding ALL atheists are "bad people" because you know ONE atheist who cheated on his wife.  And no, I wouldn't agree that all atheists are bad people just because your ONE friend did a naughty thing.
391300
i had difficulty with this issue for a long time, till i came to realize, that in some religions, the basic tenets of their faith only have/show, one way to God,,, a certain/one path, and while i can read some of the writings their faith is based on and see how it allows for other paths, their religion doesnt focus on that, they are not taught that, and i guess just dont see it.       if you belong to a religion that feels there is only one way, certain steps, to salvation,,, then you must feel the others are wrong,,,,,\n\nand as to the comment above about baby-boomers, hun we are some of the most free thinkers ever!
45476
I think perhaps God should make decisions like those. Medical Science is great and all but God has power over all things. Choose your child. From the mother's stand point what better way to die, than by giving another life. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend. (I think baby relatives count too.) From the father's stand point what better way to show God you totally trust him? A friend of mine was told about six months ago that she should abort her child because he would never breathe on his own, his skull would not be formed,his facial features would be distorted, and the child's brain would be in essence.... dead.Pam and Mike were basically told to kill their unborn child because a medical test "proved" it would be for the best. Rather than putting their faith in medicine they put their faith in God and  today a miracle happened. Pam gave birth to a basically healthly child. He is breathing just fine all by himself, despite some minor physical abnormalities he is a beautiful healthy child. Praise God for this precious life! If Mike would have put his faith in science, or Pam had chosen instead to have her baby aborted because something might be wrong.... well the world would have missed out on this brand new perfect life. The real question is not who can I save? But, in whom can I put my faith? You have no control over life or death, which means YOU can NOT Choose who lives. ie. If the father decides "choose" to abort the child who is to say that during the procedure the mother would not also die? It has happened. an abortion requires a serious, though minimally invasive, surgical procedure.It's called a Dilitation and Curretage more commonly refered to as a D&C.(not only for decicive abortions, a D&C is commonly done on women who have had a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage to prevent uterine infections)I personally have seen (working on a surgical floor) women who have nearly died from complications of this "minimally invasive" procedure.If you put your faith in God he will direct your path.
615594
No, it doesn't make sense. It's another (of many) reasons people have non-belief. Why would anyone want to believe in a higher power that would punish them, even if they were good people and led very positive lives, just because they didn't acknowledge the existence of or worship that higher power? Not appealing to think the common example of a god is thinking "I don't care how wonderful you are, since you won't bow to me I'm gonna punish you". *shakes head*