# Atheist: Do you wish there was a God?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 24, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363 "2001-05-24T04:48:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/1 "2001-05-24T04:48:21Z")
This is a survey. Nothing more.
As an antheist you believe there is no God. By “God” I mean any God, any supreme spiritual being: The Christian God, Allah, vishnue(sp), etc… You simply don’t believe any such being exist, right?
But do you wish one did?
---
### Author:  [@Sparteye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparteye)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/2 "2001-05-24T05:04:49Z")
You pose a complicated question. My simplest answer is, I wish I were God. Boy, would things change around here.
Otherwise, I wish there were a God if that God were a compassionate being who tended to his creation with care and attention. How nice to be in a universe of benevolence and fulfillment. However, if that God were the version which current religions explain (God permits evil because without it, there would not be free will, nor good, bla bla bla, and that’s why the baby has to suffer terribly and then die, bla bla bla), I have no use for him.
---
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/3 "2001-05-24T05:13:17Z")
Define “God”.
---
### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/4 "2001-05-24T05:18:56Z")
Two points:
Some people are atheists because they have no evidence of one. It’s not whether they want a God, just whether there is one, or not.
If God is defined as the creator of the Universe, but you don’t believe in Him, it seems a bit pointless to **hope** He is around.
Or do you feel it would be an encouraging thing to do?
---
### Author:  [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/5 "2001-05-24T05:28:50Z")
Hmmm…you theists come up with some interesting questions. I guess it would depend on the god. What would He do for me? If He could confer some sort of benefit I don’t currently enjoy, then I wish He would exist. If not, then I don’t wish He would exist.
This question, obviously, is completely irrelevent to whether He exists or not. Wishing isn’t going to make it so, one way or the other.
---
### Author:  [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/6 "2001-05-24T05:50:22Z")
I certainly wish there was an omnibenevolent God with my own best-interests in mind. I also wish I had a million dollars and a motorcycle.
By the way:
> [@](#):
>
> As an antheist you believe there is no God.
That’s incorrect. An atheist merely lacks a belief in God. They do not _necessarily_ believe there is no God. A subtle difference, to be sure, but an important one.
---
### Author:  [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/7 "2001-05-24T06:06:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by pkbites:
> **But do you wish one did?**
Sure why not? But I think I’d file that possibility away in my [“I said donuts!”](http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2001-02-16) drawer.
---
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/8 "2001-05-24T06:11:10Z")
If the universe is running just fine on its own, what difference would the addition of a “god” make?
---
### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/9 "2001-05-24T06:25:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \*
> \*\*If the universe is running just fine on its own, what difference would the addition of a “god” make? \*\*
All I really asked for is a yes or no answer. There isn’t a God. Do you wish there was? Yes or No. Your response smacks of a debate answer.
Without a God there is no afterlife. Death is automatically eternal. How sad, how horrible.
Without a God those who do evil could go unpunished. No judgement, no hell. Under this way of thinking, Hitler got away with it.
Isn’t it better to long for a divine being who will take care of these things in the end? Yes or no.
---
### Author:  [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/10 "2001-05-24T06:38:32Z")
Ok, no debate: no.
---
### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/11 "2001-05-24T07:11:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pkbites \*\*\*
> Without a God there is no afterlife. Death is automatically eternal. How sad, how horrible.
>
> Without a God those who do evil could go unpunished. No judgement, no hell. Under this way of thinking, Hitler got away with it.\*\*
First you say ‘no debate’ then make these claims. That’s like hitting someone and yelling ‘No tagbacks!’ :rolleyes:
That said, no, I don’t wish there was a God. If I did, I could very easily stop being an atheist and join a religion, where there are people who will assure me that ‘Yes, there is a God.’ Poof. Wish granted.
---
### Author:  [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/12 "2001-05-24T07:18:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Without a God there is no afterlife. Death is automatically eternal. How sad, how horrible.
>
> Without a God those who do evil could go unpunished. No judgement, no hell. Under this way of thinking, Hitler got away with it.
>
> Isn’t it better to long for a divine being who will take care of these things in the end? Yes or no.
Seems like you’re asking if we wished for “your” God. If I was going to wish for “a” God, I’d wish for one that would have spanked Hitler’s candy ass long before he gassed his first victim.
Your God: Hmmm, I’ll let him do these evil things, but one day, he’s going to pay.
My “wishful” God: WTF do you think you’re doing, mustache-boy?
---
### Author:  [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/13 "2001-05-24T07:22:42Z")
That’s just plain stupid.
Oh…I suppose my answer is, “no”.
---
### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/14 "2001-05-24T10:22:44Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pkbites \*
> Without a God those who do evil could go unpunished. No judgement, no hell. Under this way of thinking, Hitler got away with it.
Why would I want a God who
a) set things up to include such evil
b) has let it continue throughout human history?
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pkbites \*
> Isn’t it better to long for a divine being who will take care of these things in the end? Yes or no.
Well if the being doesn’t exist, there’s no point hoping, is there?
And if he does exist, are you saying he won’t deal with the bad guys, unless I believe in him?
And if the being will ‘take care’ of things, does that mean we should ignore evil?!
What sort of God are you asking us to believe in?
---
### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/15 "2001-05-24T10:33:38Z")
God? I really and honestly don’t care, I could give my ass!
heehee, I’ve waited months to use that. My ass, hee hee
---
### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/16 "2001-05-24T10:45:29Z")
The god I would want wouldn’t have made the world like this.
---
### Author:  [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/17 "2001-05-24T10:52:20Z")
Only if I can create a god in my image. Other than that, no.
–sublight.
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/18 "2001-05-24T11:38:45Z")
Absolutely not!
---
### Author:  [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/19 "2001-05-24T11:49:43Z")
No. What makes the universe a cool place to live is in figuring out how everything works. If the final answer was always ‘god did it’, it would be quite boring.
---
### Author:  [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2001, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363/20 "2001-05-24T12:13:55Z")
As a theist, do you wish there was no God?
> [@](#):
>
> Without a God there is no afterlife. Death is automatically eternal. How sad, how horrible.
I need not believe in any supreme being in order to believe in an afterlife.
Death is automatically eternal. I contemplated this when I was 12 years old, when my great-grandmother died. Death is eternal. I am mortal. I will die, and the world will go on without me. Unless I do something extraordinary in my life, I will be forgotten. Long story short, I dealt with it.
For some Christians, a belief in God and the afterlife allows them to deal with death as well. Aren’t we in the same boat? We’ve both come to terms with our physical mortality.
> [@](#):
>
> Without a God those who do evil could go unpunished. No judgement, no hell. Under this way of thinking, Hitler got away with it.
Replace ‘evil’ with ‘wrongdoing’, and then we can talk.
Wrongdoing does go punished. Judgement does happen. (And Hell does exist–just ask Matt Groening.) I just don’t think judgement and punishment can only happen the way Christian doctrine says they happen.
Hitler didn’t get away with it. The fact that we know his name and his actions nearly a generation later is proof.
> [@](#):
>
> Isn’t it better to long for a divine being who will take care of these things in the end? Yes or no.
No, because He might not settle things the way I want Him to.
So, short answer to your query: no.
Did you really think we’d all give simple, one-word answers?
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-do-you-wish-there-was-a-god/66363.md?page=2)