# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**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, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/41 "2009-10-22T11:39:44Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I don’t see any benefit in worship, god or no god. I’ll stay right where I am, thanks. To expand on the worship thing…I consider it one of the most selfish things a person can do. Its only purpose is personal benefit. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/42 "2009-10-22T13:27:17Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > 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. Wow, sorry you feel that way. I’m a hard core atheist but I pull tremendous meaning from life. The meaning I take from life is exactly the meaning I give to it, one hundred percent. And I see it as anything but random. I really hope you find your path someday. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/43 "2009-10-22T13:28:08Z")
I don’t “know”. I’m just comfortable not having to pretend that fables are facts, nor in having to try to make sense in all the inconsistencies that come from “knowing” that any particular incarnation of a deity is real. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/44 "2009-10-22T14:16:26Z")
Nope. Been there already when I was young and wasted a lot of time trying to reconcile reality with the beliefs I was given to work with. It sucks (really) that I won’t be doing the happy dance with the almighty for the rest of eternity but thems the facts. If I started over as a believer it would take me another 10 years to figure out why my beliefs were constantly at odds with reality and then I’d be right back where I am now. Sadly, ignorance may be bliss but people are always fighting against my bliss. Make this offer when I’m at death’s door and I may take you up on it. ---
**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:** [October 22, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/45 "2009-10-22T14:32:16Z")
Nope. I guess there would be some social benefits, since I live in the Bible Belt and will probably continue to do so until retirement, but that’s about the only advantage I can see. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Ice\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Machine)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/46 "2009-10-22T14:33:24Z")
Resounding no for many of the reasons outlined above. I would cease to be me and it would essentially be suicide. Reading this thread and this board in general is an odd experience for me as I’m firmly in the majority for most things and yet in real life I’m in the minority for almost everything. If co-workers even found out I was qualified to answer this poll I know a couple would certainly be looking for ways to make my life miserable and cease to even converse with me. Politics is almost the same although I’m further out of the closet there. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/47 "2009-10-22T14:40:29Z")
I think simple belief in a loving, active god is very quickly contradicted by watching the world happen every day. What people choose to do with that contradiction (develop more complex belief systems, shuck the belief but find useful bits of practice, or shuck belief and practice altogether) is probably up to a lot of factors including cultural environment, style education and eye colour. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/48 "2009-10-23T00:54:53Z")
I’m one of those unhappy atheists who would swap… But then again I was no happier as a theist. So maybe I voted wrong. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/49 "2009-10-23T03:35:56Z")
Athiest from \*way \* back. Also, as one person put it: “too smart for (my) own good”. I have often thought it would be a much happier life if I were something of a simpleton (NO, I’M _ **NOT** _ saying the faithful are simpletons!) who could believe all the little lies about God and Country being absolutly good things, and not be troubled by the observations I’ve made and the conclusions I’ve reached. A simple belief that everything that happens is because a benevolent God wishes it - damn, that would make life a LOT easier. Note to those who think we are talking about loving the god _you perceive_. This is about having NEVER doubted that the one, true god is a loving one. Not that nasty guy you are thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/50 "2009-10-23T05:27:01Z")
No. A false, meaningless paradise is no paradise. I would rather go into the oblivion. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/51 "2009-10-24T02:11:06Z")
I don’t know. I guess it depends on the type of belief system I would subscribe to. FTR, I’m an agnostic with one foot planted into atheist territory. I’m guessing no, but my lack of ‘faith’ in anything hasn’t been a completely smooth ride. I try hard not to stray from my ‘skepticism’, (what some may consider ‘cynicism’), I don’t know if a “God” could fill a void, but knowing there’s purpose might. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/52 "2009-10-24T07:03:10Z")
No Never. Besides it would invariably mean I would go through the whole atheist evolution again. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/53 "2009-10-24T08:09:44Z")
Voted yes. If, like most believers, I get to consciously cherry pick only the things that appeal to me and still believe them geniunely. I think I would be happier. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/54 "2009-10-25T01:03:04Z")
Before my husband died, I would have said exactly what most of you have said: My rationality is part of me, and to lose it is to lose me. Screw that. I would give anything to believe that Rick is in heaven and I will be with him again and forever. But I can’t. My brain won’t let me. This is one of the hardest parts of his death for me. A month or two I found a note he had written about possible SDMB topics. One was “what do athiest think happens after death?” He had written that note long before his diagnosis and never posted the question. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-would-you-swap-knowing-the-truth-for-beleiving-in-a-loving-god-and-heaven/514682/55 "2009-10-25T06:32:47Z")
Maybe if “God” intervened occasionaly, i could make it work, but most of the time i don’t see much evidence of a truly loving God when things like THIS happen to children. Links maybe NSFW http:// [mediatakeout.com/2009/19857-disgusting\_10\_month\_old\_baby\_is\_raped\_and\_murdered\_by\_mothers\_boyfriend.html](http://mediatakeout.com/2009/19857-disgusting_10_month_old_baby_is_raped_and_murdered_by_mothers_boyfriend.html) http: [//www.kyw1060.com/Father--Stepmother-Charged-in-Feltonville-Death/5500684](https://www.kyw1060.com/Father--Stepmother-Charged-in-Feltonville-Death/5500684) http: [//journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article\_5c8217fd-540e-5353-a78e-363eabdbdd66.html](https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_5c8217fd-540e-5353-a78e-363eabdbdd66.html) [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=2)