# Atheist- would you take god away? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417 "2010-12-26T11:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/21 "2010-12-26T19:45:42Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I think, generally, people are happier without the stress of religion and faith and I don’t think it would take any time at all for them to understand and prefer the godless lifestyle. We’ll introduce them to sodomy later. 😛 Small steps. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/22 "2010-12-26T19:54:11Z")
> [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > Oh yeah, that’s another reason I don’t try to change theists’ beliefs. We atheists believe in a lot of weird stuff without proof, too. Like it or not, religion is [destructive to society](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article571206.ece). It makes people less moral, less well inclined towards others. Simple observation should tell you that. Just because religious people claim over and over that religion makes people moral doesn’t make it any truer than the rest of their nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/23 "2010-12-26T20:12:56Z")
I don’t actively go around looking to argue anyone of their faith, but if they want to _start_ the argument, I’m happy to engage them, and don’t feel bad about it if my arguments cause them to doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/24 "2010-12-26T20:53:15Z")
If God does exist and someone can show that to me using only reason and real evidence, I hope that they would. More generally, if I believed anything that wasn’t true, and someone could show that to me using only reason and real evidence, I hope that they would. I want to believe what’s true, regardless of what the truth is. Besides just being an end in itself, truth also helps in achieving other goals. If I’m trying to devise a better vacuum cleaner, believing that the dust is sucked up by gnomes won’t help. If I’m trying to do good and help people supernatural claims made by religion are relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/25 "2010-12-26T20:56:06Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Like it or not, religion is [destructive to society](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article571206.ece). It makes people less moral, less well inclined towards others. Simple observation should tell you that. Just because religious people claim over and over that religion makes people moral doesn’t make it any truer than the rest of their nonsense. Yes, but an individual is not society. What if you couldn’t know whether the person you logic bomb is a sweet little grandma or Pat Robertson? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/26 "2010-12-26T20:59:45Z")
Like some happy, small-town farmer who was just trying to live their life and never hurt anyone? No. Some religious fanatic or holy roller who was causing a lot of trouble, or getting people killed or something? I wouldn’t be opposed. But of course, the same pragmatic streak in me that would be fine flicking their god-switch also notes that I might just end up with a crazy fanatic who now wasn’t religious. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/27 "2010-12-26T21:02:38Z")
This is your brain: () This is your brain on godaway: (\*\*\*\*) So to answer your question, no, of course, I would never take godaway, atheist or not. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/28 "2010-12-26T21:59:26Z")
Keeping in mind my above-mentioned questions and remarks: On average, I see no reason to suspect that talking someone out of a personal (especially) or impersonal god by pure reasonable argument is going to do more harm than good, and I personally would like to have a convincing, civilized and above all reasonable argument with someone who could tell me when I’m wrong. And I agree the existence of some kind of god could be very important - again, depending on the type of god. So I’ll vote yes on both. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/29 "2010-12-26T22:07:31Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Is godaway anything like Amway? 😃 Godaway. Apply directly to the spirit Godaway. Apply directly to the spirit Godaway. Apply directly to the spirit Godaway. Apply directly to the spirit 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/30 "2010-12-26T22:16:53Z")
Sure. If nothing else we’d get rid of a parasitic class of clergy, and have some spare resources to contribute to schools or something that actually makes a difference in this world. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/31 "2010-12-26T22:33:18Z")
We do have an omnipresent, omniscient god called Google. Voting yes is blasphemy against Google-god. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/32 "2010-12-26T23:21:04Z")
> [@Walmarticus](#): > > Yes, but an individual is not society. What if you couldn’t know whether the person you logic bomb is a sweet little grandma or Pat Robertson? It makes little difference since the granny is directly or indirectly helping support people like Robertson. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/33 "2010-12-27T00:52:03Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > It makes little difference since the granny is directly or indirectly helping support people like Robertson. I’m supposed to take it on faith that granny’s beliefs supports Robertsonians? It’s quite possible that her beliefs support nobody but granny. I’m certainly in no position to know. Until I do, I’d prefer not taking a bet with a chance that I might rape her brain with my logical hocus pocus. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/34 "2010-12-27T00:58:10Z")
> [@Walmarticus](#): > > I’m supposed to take it on faith that granny’s beliefs supports Robertsonians? She supports him if in no other way than by supporting the same kind of faith based belief system he does, and by doing so promoting the idea that that is a valid form of reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Cammacdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Cammacdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cammacdon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/35 "2010-12-27T01:12:30Z")
Taking it away implies it was there in the first place.I don’t think anyone that is not a child is a 100% true believer. They’re just fooling themselves, and deep down they know it. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/36 "2010-12-27T01:15:06Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > If you could convince some one through prue logic and reasoning that god did not exist, would you do it? If they are using their religious belief to justify or support proselytism, evangelism, or any other form of jerkitude, then I would cheerfully crush it. It seems cruel, but then consider you’re also taking away things like the threat of eternal damnation and guilt over masturbation, so I think it would be very salutary. There is one exception… the people who apparently are just one Hail Mary away from being a sociopath; i.e. one of those people who goes around saying “If God doesn’t exist, then what’s to stop me from cheating, stealing, and doing whatever I feel like?” I would not take religion from these people unless I could also pre-emptively sentence them to prison so they couldn’t harm anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/37 "2010-12-27T01:41:59Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > She supports him if in no other way than by supporting the same kind of faith based belief system he does, and by doing so promoting the idea that that is a valid form of reasoning. Since you could not possibly articulate that in any remotely quantifiable terms, I suppose I should indeed take it on faith that farmer Ned’s basement baptisms are as destructive as Osama’s jihad. While I don’t object to faith based reasoning in any absolute terms, I think one should have more compelling reasons to justify wailing on the brains of sweet little old ladies with their logical jiu jitsu. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/38 "2010-12-27T02:36:56Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > What if you knew someone who is happy as a clam in the certainty that his race is superior to all others. If you could convince him that no race is better or worse than any other, would you? Remember, he might feel worse because he won’t feel superior any more. The difference between my Chinese neighbor and Jesus. Is that I know that my neighbor is real, seriously I shook his hand the other day when I wished him a Merry Christmas. Your going to have to come up with a better comparison than reality vs. Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/39 "2010-12-27T02:40:46Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I don’t actively go around looking to argue anyone of their faith, but if they want to _start_ the argument, I’m happy to engage them, and don’t feel bad about it if my arguments cause them to doubt. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417/40 "2010-12-27T02:44:56Z")
No, unless convincing them that God didn’t exist was an incidental result of fulfilling my professional obligations (i.e., giving college freshmen the intellectual tools to examine an argument critically and spot logical fallacies). Otherwise, it’s none of my business what other people believe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-would-you-take-god-away/565417.md?page=3)