# Why don't people believe in God? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766 "2013-08-21T00:49:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/742 "2013-09-03T19:58:15Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Crom does not answer prayers, as well you know. Still has followers, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/743 "2013-09-03T20:00:18Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Why do you bring it up? You know God is not like that. Yeah, we know. [Jessica Rabbit]He’s not a bad guy-he’s just written that way.[/Jessica Rabbit] edited to add: We can’t help how a character in a book is portrayed by the authors. If they want wanted him to appear all nicey-nicey, they should have done a better job describing him. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/744 "2013-09-03T20:26:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Still has followers, though. Facts, Wales, etc. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/745 "2013-09-03T20:31:26Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Why do you bring it up? You know God is not like that. quit confusing “your god” with “bible god” - or anyone elses ‘god’ for that matter. have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/746 "2013-09-03T20:32:17Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Why do you bring it up? You know God is not like that. We don’t know anything about what god is like because the books that talk about him are so demonstrably unreliable and contradictory. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/747 "2013-09-03T21:41:45Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > We don’t know anything about what god is like because the books that talk about him are so demonstrably unreliable and contradictory. Don’t read them. Tell me what kind of God you want. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/748 "2013-09-03T21:44:18Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Don’t read them. Tell me what kind of God you want. What do you mean “don’t read them”? Didn’t you just post something about accepting the teachings of Jesus? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/749 "2013-09-03T21:47:07Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Don’t read them. Tell me what kind of God you want. you make gods to order now? is there a wait time or is it immediate delivery? ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/750 "2013-09-03T22:58:16Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Don’t read them. Tell me what kind of God you want. I like my god with canadian bacon and pineapple. But honestly, don’t people already do this? They take the things they like and ignore the things they don’t. Every religious person can fit under the label of “cafeteria believer” picking what they want to follow and not worrying about the other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/751 "2013-09-03T23:40:21Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > I like my god with canadian bacon and pineapple. > > But honestly, don’t people already do this? They take the things they like and ignore the things they don’t. > > Every religious person can fit under the label of “cafeteria believer” picking what they want to follow and not worrying about the other stuff. I once used this cafeteria picking method in a philosophy class, it got me a C the lowest grade I ever made in college. I think you are mostly right. People all read the same Bible and get 6000 different denominations or interpretations out of it. The Bible is not to blame it is the people. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/752 "2013-09-03T23:41:39Z")
> [@simster](#): > > you make gods to order now? is there a wait time or is it immediate delivery? What kind do you want. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/753 "2013-09-03T23:54:36Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Don’t read them. Tell me what kind of God you want. I have no want of god(s). ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/754 "2013-09-03T23:58:13Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I have no want of god(s). quoting - but would extend it to be - I have no want nor need for god(s). ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/755 "2013-09-04T00:42:43Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > What kind do you want. I’ve invented several of my own. All of them are, in one way or another, better than the Biblical fellow, who has severe anger-management issues. From the menu of extant gods, I have rather a liking for Athena. Wisdom? Yes, please. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/756 "2013-09-04T10:32:58Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’ve invented several of my own. All of them are, in one way or another, better than the Biblical fellow, who has severe anger-management issues. > > From the menu of extant gods, I have rather a liking for Athena. Wisdom? Yes, please. How about all loving, all wise, and don’t punish you for anything. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/757 "2013-09-04T10:49:11Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > How about all loving, all wise, and don’t punish you for anything. How about one that has EVER shown a shred of respect and decency? One that cares a single iota for life and the living, here and now? One that doesn’t stand by while people suffer from innumerable causes through the millenia. And I know what you’re going to say next so save it. It’s a tired old trick to whitewash god by blaming people for all their problems or worse, saying that suffering in this life will serve them in the afterlife. Bullshit. No god, despite your creative imagination, exists and never has. And while we’re at it, stop making claims based on special knowledge you do not posess and offering up empty platitudes of things not in evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/758 "2013-09-04T11:10:17Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > How about all loving, all wise, and don’t punish you for anything. How about we’ve seen how the character “God” is described in the book about him, and your non-canon fan fiction about him doesn’t seem to mesh up with it very well. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/759 "2013-09-04T11:57:36Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > The Bible is not to blame it is the people. Actually, the Bible is to blame along with the people. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/760 "2013-09-04T12:10:23Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Would you please reference that? John 10 as in…The Good Shepherd and His Sheep…? John 10 verse 34…36. Jesus reminds them of the Psalmist calling them gods and son’s of god. Using as I see it to be Jesus never thought of himself as the Creator etc. but, believes as the Psalmist, they are part of a greater whole. Centuries ago the Word God seems different that it is today. Mot of the early gods were just men of power. and the Pharos could even name themselves a God. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/761 "2013-09-04T12:29:17Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Why do you bring it up? You know God is not like that. The Abrahamic god is described just like that in many cases, Because some adults are Bad(which he knew would be bad before they were conceived).He had people killed just so his favorites would get some land. He still( if the OT is correct), punish the babies and young children. There should be no good reason to bet with a Monster he created and in spite of heaven being a perfect place Satan still rebelled. The killing of Job’s children was not a fair test. God should have known that Job would be faithful and why he would try to explain any thing to Satan was unnecessary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766.md?page=39)