# Atheists - Would you swap knowing the truth for beleiving in a loving God and Heaven? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682 "2009-10-22T00:07:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/21 "2009-10-22T02:13:03Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > So, what if there really is a God? Would you take a pill (or whatever) for knowing the complete truth of reality and the universe, if it meant that you might well find out that you were wrong? I imagine that first of all such a pill would be fatal to our mammalian brain, but if it wasn’t, who wouldn’t? This would be pride and ignorance taking priority over a search for truth. I’m sure you can see the irony if said pill was denied. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/22 "2009-10-22T03:11:32Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > So, what if there really is a God? Would you take a pill (or whatever) for knowing the complete truth of reality and the universe, if it meant that you might well find out that you were wrong? 😕 I’d still come out atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/23 "2009-10-22T03:42:36Z")
Nope. Like others mentioned, I’m pretty sure I’d end up back at atheism. I’d do something similar, with awareness and on a temporary basis, for the experience. A bi-directional POV gun would be quite useful, indeed. > [@dangermom](#): > > So, what if there really is a God? Would you take a pill (or whatever) for knowing the complete truth of reality and the universe, if it meant that you might well find out that you were wrong? I’d probably never believe such a pill (or whatever) could exist - what is it, really, that they’re trying to sell me? But, temporarily suspending my fight against the hypothetical, I’d definitely take that pill. In which case I’d probably wind up quoting Riddick: “Got it all wrong, holy man. I absolutely believe in God… And I absolutely hate the fucker.” So, again, atheist (albeit with a somwhat different definition of athe). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/24 "2009-10-22T03:45:50Z")
Not wishing to threadshit, I started a [pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11690447#post11690447) for my response. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/25 "2009-10-22T03:58:49Z")
I had a hard time getting my head around the OP. I voted “no” because “fuck no” wasn’t an option. I simply cannot imagine having the **ability** to **believe without question** anything, let alone that there is an imaginary old white dude with a beard sitting in an imaginary place called heaven. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/26 "2009-10-22T04:01:18Z")
I voted no because I wouldn’t want to tithe my hard earned money when I can keep it and spend it myself. ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/27 "2009-10-22T04:04:05Z")
> [@wmdkitty](#): > > Yes and no. > > Yes, because it would be an interesting experience… Okay. What if I told you that you are actually a believer who’s been swapped into an atheist by Mirror Lobsang? You’ve been given all the memories, thought patterns, personality traits, and continuity of consciousness of some Doper called **wmdkitty** and, of course, retain no memories of being a believer/mind traveller. Fascinating, isn’t it? (I wouldn’t do it. Of course, I wouldn’t swap lives/memories with another atheist, either because I’d get no thrill of adventure and no guarantee that my new self would have a decent life or be happy.) ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/28 "2009-10-22T04:38:58Z")
Alright. I’ll take the yes position. I’m terrified of death. Non-existance is beyond my ability to intuitively grasp and I have an irrational and huge level of fear of it even though on some level I crave it. I hold critical thinking and rationalism over all else in terms of viewing the world because it’s my nature. But this philosophy hasn’t done anything for me in life - I’m miserable knowing that it’s all just random, I’m a collection of molecules that is temporarily self aware, no meaning, no justice, no ultimate good. I can’t imagine I wouldn’t be happier if I weren’t so stringently rational. It would fundamentally change who I am, but I’m not happy, so it’s worth a shot. ---
**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:** [October 22, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/29 "2009-10-22T04:54:54Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Alright. I’ll take the yes position. > > I’m terrified of death. Non-existance is beyond my ability to intuitively grasp and I have an irrational and huge level of fear of it even though on some level I crave it. I hold critical thinking and rationalism over all else in terms of viewing the world because it’s my nature. But this philosophy hasn’t done anything for me in life - I’m miserable knowing that it’s all just random, I’m a collection of molecules that is temporarily self aware, no meaning, no justice, no ultimate good. > > I can’t imagine I wouldn’t be happier if I weren’t so stringently rational. It would fundamentally change who I am, but I’m not happy, so it’s worth a shot. Personally, I’d prefer to live forever as well. But not as the toy of a supernatural megalomaniac. There’s worse things than just ceasing to exist. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/30 "2009-10-22T04:54:55Z")
No frakking way, there’s no way I’d voluntarily give up rational thought for an illogical belief in “The Ultimate Invisible Friend\*\*” \*\*an “invisible friend” with a documented mean streak, signs of dysfunctional family life, delusions of grandeur and an un-deitylike sense of “needyness”, not to mention _terrible_ money sense, he never seems to have enough, just scraping by, _always_ looking for free handouts… ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/31 "2009-10-22T04:55:20Z")
Perhaps I’m not truly an Atheist, but I’ll answer anyway (agnostic deist of sorts) as I was at one time one. No. I could suddenly know with no doubt that the Christian God exists and I would still not be interested in what he/she/it has to offer. I’d rather burn in agony forever than be a freaking food source (singing praises and worshiping him/her/it forever and ever and ever). ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/32 "2009-10-22T05:33:52Z")
Sometimes I think that yeah, I would. I understand why people believe and sometimes I wish I could too. Like, I wish I believed I could help in some situations by praying. Even if it did nothing, sometimes I think it would make me feel better to think I was doing something where, right now, I’m completely helpless. And sometimes I wish I believed someone had my back- someone bigger and wiser than myself. Someone I could trust or blame or look to for help when things get out of control. And I sometimes wish I believed in Heaven. So that I could believe the people I’ve lost are still out there and happy and at peace and I may one day see them again. But as a rational decision, not made in a moment of despair, I don’t think I would change. As it is, I think most religions are incorrect and I would rather be (what I believe is) correct. I don’t want to believe things just because they’re nice to believe. Plus, atheists don’t have to go to church. That’s pretty worth it right there. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/33 "2009-10-22T06:00:36Z")
No, never. I’m perfectly happy being a tiny insignificant speck on a tiny blue dot racing toward oblivion, so I don’t see why I’d ever want to give up my rationality and freedom of thought. I _am_ my thoughts; making the switch would be like committing suicide. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/34 "2009-10-22T06:10:39Z")
The OP’s question contains the invalid assumption that I am not happy as an atheist. Thinking about what happens when I die is not some chore I dwell on, nor is the fact that we only get one life a burden. It is a liberation. I don’t waste my time wondering if I’m pleasing god, or engaging in any empty ceremony. I don’t waste my money on tithes or temple dues or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/35 "2009-10-22T06:27:53Z")
I’m sure I can find someone to give me a lobotomy if I really wanted to be a happy idiot. I’d much rather figure things out by reason. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/36 "2009-10-22T09:00:04Z")
I prefer to live in the now. I think being religious would entail all sorts of sacrifices to please your god almighty, which (you are promised) will be worth it when you get up there. I’d reather be an atheist who is not concerned with these things… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/37 "2009-10-22T10:10:20Z")
No in the same way that I wouldn’t vote to be permanently drunk or suffering some mild benign delusion. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/38 "2009-10-22T10:50:10Z")
I don’t see any benefit in worship, god or no god. I’ll stay right where I am, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/39 "2009-10-22T11:20:04Z")
Nope. Instead of my usual irrational neurotic feelings of inadequacy I’d now having to deal with the overwhelming feeling that I was a disappointment to God, which would be far worse. Horrible thought. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/40 "2009-10-22T11:32:24Z")
I’m happy as an atheist and enjoy my smugness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682.md?page=3)