why do yo think many people stop believing in god only because they lost someone or have other tragedy?
351345
I've lost loved ones and never blamed god or karma or the weather. I stopped believing because I couldn't stop laughing at the sheer solemn folly of religion.  (They really don't like it when you laugh in church.)
1041648
I don't think so.  I believe that people who do put alot of faith in god are giving the credit of their actions to another being.  God didn't create or plan your actions- you did!
642292
The blind faith that people have in a god is brought about by many causes:\n\n1.)  Their parents and family taught them to believe in God and participate in religious functions.  If they tell their family that God does not exist, they face rejection and persecution.\n\n2.)  God is a security blanket for some people.  Isn't it so nice to have someone that is always thinking of you and loving you and saving you (allegedly) from evil?  But don't forget that when your spouse dies in a car accident that it was part of God's plan.\n\n3.)  The fear of hell is a powerful psychological weapon used by the church to force people into believing in God.  Religious people fear that if they reject the concept of God that they will have an afterlife of eternal misery.  Parents pass this fear onto their children to convince them to "behave appropriately."  It is a vicious cycle that continues from generation to generation.\n\n4.)  Many people lack the intellectual capability to conduct an objective investigation of life and the universe.  For these people it is just easier to believe what soceity tells them and they are unable or unwilling to consider any possible alternative.  They do not want to step outside of their mental "comfort zone."\n\n5.)  And for the lucky religious leaders and people in power, the belief in God has endless benefits.  Pastors get people to donate money to their church, Bishops get prestige and admiration for being so holy, and even President Bush can get support (at least temporarily) for a questionnable war because he claims that God talks to him.
12111
I am also a Christian and the reason they do is because they're scared. To believe in god is to much for them. And that would mean not going to heaven they would want that. So for them it's easier to just believe that there is no god just a heaven. And that they are going there. E-mail me it would be cool to finally have another believer to talk to. Oh yeah don't listen to this "Skeptic Man".
1003190
people seem to think they don't need God in their lives anymore. So sad...
691758
WELL I'M A CHRISTIAN SO I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING. SOMEDAY WHEN THESE PEOPLE DIE AND ARE STANDING BEFORE GOD THEY WILL SEE. GOD STILL LOVES EVERYONE, EVEN THE NON BELIEVERS, HE GIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE TO ACCEPT HIS SON JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR, IF THEY DON'T IT BREAKS HIS HEART. WE ARE ALL GIVEN A CHANCE AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES, SOME WILL MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND SOME WILL MAKE THE WRONG CHOICE.\nWHEN MY GRANDMA WAS LAYING IN THE HOSPITAL SHE SAID SHE COULD SEE JESUS AND SHE POINTED TO THE CORNER IN THE ROOM, SHE SAID HE HAS COME TO TAKE HER HOME, THEN SHE PEACEFULLY PASSED AWAY. SHE WENT TO BE W/ THE LORD! PEOPLE ARE FOOLS IF THEY DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A GOD, I MEAN LOOK AROUND YOU AT THIS BIG WORLD, LOOK INTO YOUR CHILDREN'S EYES, HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THEIR IS NO GOD?
322987
People harden their hearts to God...they choose not to believe because if He exists they have to make a decision. It is much easier to call Christians crazy.
15045
I think everyone worships something whether they believe in God or not.  Some people even worship the idea of not having a God because they have to tell everyone about it.  I do agree with your idea about weakness.  I think that people who are insecure about their beliefs tend to try to recruit people to believe the same thing so they don't feel alone.  Those who are secure about their own beliefs tend to keep quiet and go on with their lives.  They don't need to feel justified that their beliefs are okay since they have their own truth.
533020
I think, and you can underline the words "I think", that its because people fear to take responsibility for their actions. So they conveniently place the issue in God's hands thus relieving themselves of having to take responsibility for the outcome. Like chemotherapy in your example. It doesn't always work. What then? Does the mother go around asking herself "Why did I put him through all that? He died in greater pain and it took longer and etc. and its all because I decided to ..." See what I mean? Its easier for people to let themselves off the hook. Makes it simpler latter too. God makes a good fall guy. He almost never takes up for himself. :-) ~ Peace & Blessings ~"
266774
OK WELL BEFORE ANYONE GETS AFFENDED IM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND JUDGE NO ONE IM JUST GOING TO HELP ANSWER UR QUESTION.THE WAY I SEE IT PEOPLE HAVE THERE OWN BELIEFS AND THEY GO BY WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD AND RAISED TO BELIEVE.WE ARE ALL HUMAN WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES AND IF SAYING THERE IS NO GOD JUST MIGHT BE A MISTAKE TO CERTAIN PEOPLE. I BELIEVE IN THE LORD AND IT IS TRUE THERE ARE SO MANY RELIGIONS WHEN IN FACT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD THAT IS WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND BUT SEE EXACTLY WHAT I SAID WE ARE RAISED TO BELIEVE IN WHAT WE ARE TOLD SO THAT IS WHY PEOPLE WORSHIP OTHER GODS. SO CHRISTIANS ,CATHOLICS EXT... ALL HAVE THERE DIFFERENT BELIEFS. YOU ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN GOD AT ONE POINT IN TIME BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED SO BAD IN THERE LIFE AND THEY PRAYED AND THEY FELT THEIR PRAYERS WEREN'T ANSWERED SO THAT CAN BE ONE REASON BUT THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT REASONS WHY PPL DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD. IT SUCKS BUT ITS TRUE!
331341
Yep...I think some people just want to do what they want to do so they don't want to follow rules of religion. But when something bad happens, the idea of death seems so final that at that very moment it hits em!
728377
it may get depressing when u come to the fact that an atheist has no one to rely on for something like eventual salvation. a belief is a powerful thing even if its based on something false. it can give that reason to go on thinking u have a purpose. an atheist hasn't got that.
320657
I've been on the other side where I thought that people who didn't believe in god must feel lost.  (I was raised to think they are evil.)  So, I can kinda understand why some religious individuals think that non-believers feel some sort of void or are immoral.  However, I also view that stance as an immature belief.  It doesn't take a lot of looking around to realize that agnostics and atheists are very content with their worldviews and live ethical lives.
80533
NO, God is something that someone made up to give people a reason for things that happen. anything good god did. anything bad the devil did. whatever. Things happen, that's life. I stopped believeing in god and absolutely nothing is different in my life. except for more time on sundays, and no more deciding whether the things i do are "right" in god's eyes. This belief helps keep some people in line. it is all psycological, or in your mind.People think if you don't believe in god you will go to hell. what if you don't believe in hell or satan. will he hate you to? There are all types of religions that do nothing more than give us something to reason with how the world started.
901834
Everyone assumes that most Atheists had a bad experience with Christianity, and that's why they stopped believing.  That's really not the case for most people.\n\nI stopped believing when I grew up.  I became an adult, and was able to make my own independent decisions, away from family and friends.  Logic and common sense lead me to become an Atheist.  \n\nOn top of that, I don't agree with any of the beliefs I would have to take on as a Christian or any other religion, really.  I'm a gay rights supporter, I believe in pro-choice, I believe in evolution, I have no problem with pre-marital sex or living with someone before marriage, I smoke, drink, and have done drugs.\n\nI basically wanted to be an individual.  I don't believe there is a God, and I didn't fall into any of the religions I have discovered.  While I respect that everyone has a right to believe what they want, I expect the same in return.
121737
Not to preach or anything but I believe that God (or whomsoever one refers to) doesn't give us anymore than one can handle, good, bad or otherwise. He influences us from time to time, knowing what's best in the long run for all of humanity, leaving what is called reason.\n--------Humanity = Reason--------\n When something bad happens, people can't understand why. Well, maybe what may have happened down the line would have been much worse. Maybe if you would have come to a full and complete stop at that last stop sign, pausing only a fraction of a second more, that car coming wouldn't have hit you. Then, you wouldn't have been able to get out of your car to see if everyone was okay when you noticed you had spilled your drink down the front of you which led you to the shop across the street to buy a new one since now you were late for work. Just so happens that the person who was also waiting in line to pay was the person you spent the rest of your life with and had a beautiful child with. \nSomeone knew who you were meant to be with and found a way for your paths to cross. Knowing that you would never have stopped in that shop under any other circumstances. This was the closest you would ever be near each other without a little divine intervention or whatever.\nThen you may ask, why could we only have one child? Maybe if you'd had another something so horribly unbearable may have happened that you couldn't handle. Unfortunately causing what could have been the Nobel Prize winner of 2123 not to graduate high school because his parent wasn't there to encourage good grades.\nEach individual life seems so small but each has a very important role when you look at the big picture. Especially the credits at the end. \n--------Individuals = Chance--------\nStill, we all control our own lives. If you live too afraid to do things on your own you'll have the same results as those who live like they're invincible. Neither having the experiences that make life worth living thinking the outcome will be the same no matter what. Are we all so vein that we can't see past ourselves? HUMANITY!!! I am not all of humanity, nor is any other one person. There's a beginning and an end to everything and God has been and will be there for both events. He knows what final outcome he IS going to achieve no matter how long it takes. We are just a part of his trial and error process. It's up to humanity to get there. It's up to individuals to decide how we get there, leaving what is known as chance. It's our choice how to handle each thought we have. Each time, we take a chance, hoping our decision was a good one. But when those decisions don't point towards what "he" is wanting to achieve, he sets us back on track. It would be hard to decide which child lives a good life and which one doesn't. That's why he lets us decide that. The story isn't over yet so we couldn't possibly know the "reason" for anything yet, that's why we have to understand that when you take the "chance" of trying to figure it out, we must remember "Hey _ _ _ _ happens!"
408303
Because people who DO believe in god try to force their opinions down our throats.\n\nIn the UK we are often woken on Sunday mornings by god-botherers knocking our front door. "Have you heard the good news? God is alive and he loves you!"\n\nIt's not like we have to hear atheists knocking our front door and saying "Have you heard the bad news..?"\n\nWhilst small-minded, arrogant god-botherers and bible-bashers insist on trying to make me believe their twaddle, I reserve the right to poke fun at their beliefs. Believing in god, Jesus, Mary and the holy ghost is - to me - like believing in the Loch Ness monster and the bogeyman. It's all rubbish and not worth my time hearing, so don't hassle me and I won't hassle you.