# What is your biggest problem with religion that prevents you from believing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500 "2016-05-10T19:01:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/21 "2016-05-10T21:23:20Z")
My biggest problem is the elaborateness of it. A religion is not just a single belief (for example, that there’s a higher power). Religion tends to be an entire story of how the universe came into existence, what happens when you die, what is considered a sin, how God feels towards you, what you need to do to get into heaven, etc. It just seems odd for a person to think that they understand so completely what the rules of the universe are and how the world works, based on nothing but hearsay handed down through generations. I don’t think anyone understands the universe as completely as religious people seem to think they do. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/22 "2016-05-10T21:49:51Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The three biggest religions in the world, Christianity, Judaism and Islam Those are not the three biggest religions in the world. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/23 "2016-05-10T21:50:37Z")
I have a problem with the vanity of it. Who is more vain? The supposed loving God, who consigns those to eternal torment for failing to kiss His ass according to vague and contradictory instructions that He can’t figure out a way to clarify? Or the faithful, for believing that the creator of the vast universe gives a sweet crap about their petty souls? ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/24 "2016-05-10T21:53:48Z")
I"m 69 and for as long as I can remember I’ve just found the whole idea of gods/religion stuff to just be dumb. It’s silly beyond imagining. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/25 "2016-05-10T21:59:20Z")
The multiplicity of religions. If there was one religion, I might conclude that such a universal belief must have some basis. But I can observe that people hold different and contradictory religious beliefs with equal sincerity. So what makes one religion more plausible than another other than the community you grew up in? With a hundred different religions, it doesn’t seem unusual that they all get rejected. What seems strange to me is that a person can reject ninety-nine religions and believe the hundredth one, without seeing any contradiction in their actions. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/26 "2016-05-10T22:12:52Z")
Evidence followed by logic, for me. While many religions are not logically consistent and so are demonstrably false, some may be consistent enough that if evidence bore them out I would believe. But it doesn’t so I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/27 "2016-05-10T22:21:05Z")
Nutty, and dumb as toast. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/28 "2016-05-10T22:22:27Z")
It doesn’t make sense for a God to populate a planet with ignorant bipedal animals with the capacity to imagine, lie, and misinterpret even the simplest information and then hold them responsible for knowing–on faith alone–which supernatural explanation for creation is the true one. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/29 "2016-05-10T22:33:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Evidence. There is no evidence for religion and that alone prevents me from believing. Same here. I wasn’t raised religious, but didn’t _not_ believe. I was never a literalist (didn’t believe Adam & Eve), and I admit I didn’t fully realize Jesus was actually supposed to be God (and not just God’s son) until high school, and him being his own son never worked for me (Jesus being God or God’s son made some logical sense, but not both). Later I read about the contradictions and historical inaccuracies in the Gospels and that increased disbelief there (Mark seems adoptionst, trials didn’t work that way, copying rather than independent corroboration, etc.). But it was reading about the origins of the Judaism (also became more familiar with the content of the Old Testament) that was the nail in the coffin of the “kernal of truth” idea. There was no evidence - nothing at all - to indicate it was any more inspired or true or real that any other religion in the world. Including specifically the evidence against Exodus and the indications that the religion was an outgrowth of the Canannite people). That’s when I realized “I don’t believe any of this.” There just wasn’t any _reason_ to believe it. No evidence supporting the truth of that God. I admit, I haven’t looked into the evidence supporting other deities. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/30 "2016-05-10T23:40:21Z")
For me, it’s just completely unnecessary. Everything that exists or has existed, everything that happens or has happened, it is all 100% exactly the same whether you believe in a higher power or not. Seeing the divine in good things and evil (or the divine’s testing you etc.) in bad things, it’s all just pattern recognition. It’s nothing more than seeing the face of the Virgin Mary in your grilled cheese, but big picture. Now that have (and have had for a while now) confirmation of both the micro-universe’s workings (chemistry, quantum mechanics, microbiology, DNA etc.) and the macro-universe’s (its incomprehensibly immense size & age and therefore the relative (in)significance of our world/planet/species) there’s really nothing that needs religion to explain it (or rather, to _not_ explain it\*!\*) 😃 Faith is a completely personal & self-fulfilling thing. If you have it, it literally exists. If you don’t it doesn’t. And that’s really the way it’s always been. And if it is there faith is pretty much universally a good thing. It’s just religion (that is, organized, quantified, specified, politicized, regulated and often enforced faith) which sometimes is not (a good thing)… ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/31 "2016-05-10T23:51:10Z")
The fact that evidence doesn’t support the idea of a creator. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/32 "2016-05-10T23:53:12Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The three biggest religions in the world, Christianity, Judaism and Islam all worship the same God. A supposedly peace loving God who clearly and repeatedly directs his believers to live in peace with their neighbours, treat them as brothers, have tolerance for others in your heart, judge not, etc, etc. > > 2000 yrs and they haven’t been able to do so yet. As has been pointed out already, at least Judaism does not count as one of the three biggest religions in the world. Also, the G\_d of the old testament repeatedly urged the Jews to fight and reportedly supported them in wars against all those un-Chosen peoples. Finally, regarding your last statement, that can be attributed to human weakness. To reverse the usual maxim, God(s) propose(s) (the rules of living) and humanity disposes (by frequently ignoring those rules). For me, once I approached the age of reason (12 or so) I realized the religion that I was being fed (milque-toast Methodism) made no sense. As I learned about other religions, they made the same no sense. I was never inclined to believe in something that made no sense. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/33 "2016-05-11T00:28:10Z")
I know a lot of believers, and religion appears to breed a lot of drama, judging, and hypocrisy in their mental landscapes. Faith doesn’t appear to be a healthy state to exist in, if a person has a choice, so I don’t exist in it. ---
**Author:** ![erocked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f08c70/32.png) [@erocked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erocked)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/34 "2016-05-11T00:30:40Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > My reason for not worshiping is because I don’t care what the gods want me to do. It’s my life. Apparently, you gave me the freedom to choose what to do with it, so that’s your cross to bear, not mine. According to Christianity, God gave you free will. So technically (at least as technical as religion gets) it IS your cross to bear. The original sin cascading through generations has made your sins (not worshipping in this example) the cultural norm. Christians would say you know not what you do. I am not Christian, but I’ve become not Christian after studying the religion. I’ve read the bible cover to cover and many other articles relating to it. I realize the purpose of it and I’m completely accepting of anyone who is religious. I just don’t find that it suits reality. I honestly can’t stand those bible thumper types who feel that it is their duty to do their gods work. If you feel someone will be judged by God, then let your God judge them and mind your own. I also can’t stand the right wing claiming religious authority. Jesus wouldve been about the most socialist person to ever walk the earth. (And no I’m not going to be looking up passages to support that. ) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/35 "2016-05-11T01:20:53Z")
I cannot consider any religion that believes in invisible beings and magic. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/36 "2016-05-11T02:03:12Z")
In words attributed to Pierre-Simon Laplace: “Je n’avais pas besoin de cette hypothèse-là.” I have no need for that hypothesis. Trying to believe in the supernatural for me (I used to be conventionally Christian) was always a study in frustration and disappointment. In the end, it (Christianity) doesn’t make any sense, and I see no evidence for anything in the universe that requires a supernatural explanation. Lots of good answers in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/37 "2016-05-11T02:17:08Z")
The biggest problem I have is it’s all fairy tales. All of it. There was no Jesus. There was a Muhammed, but accounts of him are bogus. None of it is real, just candy coating to disguise for the sad rubes the fact that there is nothing out there. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/38 "2016-05-11T02:29:56Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I think the lack of evidence is probably the big thing, but if I’m going to play along, I’d say it’s [this](https://ci.memecdn.com/531/8616531.jpg). The idea that God would create this massive universe 14 billion years ago Hold on, I’m gonna have to stop you right there. God did his “in the beginning” thing a mere 6000 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/39 "2016-05-11T03:11:02Z")
I think the real reason for me is that I don’t need a god in my life. I’m ok emotionally without it. I think the logic and evidence based arguments, while being entirely correct, probably came second. ---
**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:** [May 11, 2016, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500/40 "2016-05-11T05:47:39Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > As has been pointed out already, at least Judaism does not count as one of the three biggest religions in the world. > > Also, the G\_d of the old testament repeatedly urged the Jews to fight and reportedly supported them in wars against all those un-Chosen peoples. That’s not an argument against God. In that day, any God telling his followers not to fight wouldn’t have any followers left before too long. What is an argument against God is that he didn’t pitch in to help. Too many chariots of iron, perhaps. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-biggest-problem-with-religion-that-prevents-you-from-believing/754500.md?page=3)