Why We Believe in Gods - Andy Thomson - American Atheists 09

Andy Thomson gives his talk titled 'Why We Believe in Gods' at the go in Atlanta, Georgia.

Also see Richard Dawkins talk from this convention:

Produced by The Richard Dawkins Foundation and R. Elisabeth Cornwell

[incognito]

Holy cow this video is 14 years old. The truth never goes out of style. I am so happy I found it. It holds up even today.

[rajanogray]

"If God knows what I am thinking why do I have to pray."
Very good question!!!!

[MisterNarrador]

we believe in Gods because of Ego, we need the feeling that we are special. we fear not being special.

[Mad_S]

I was thirteen years old, crying in my room praying for my late grandfathers wisdom. Then I started to think about what I had been told, how he was always watching, and that made me feel very uncomfortable, the thought that my grandfather was watching my every action and judging me made me feel more shame than comfort. I also knew that a lot of my actions that I was ashamed of were natural. That's when I realized that the whole religion thing must be absolute bogus, I had no reason to feel ashamed and no one was judging me. I've always questioned all forms of authority so there wasn't a big gap between my parents and god. I realized that my perception of a god was the culmination of all the emotions I felt for my parents at a very young age, the reverence, the fear, the anxiety and the anger all stemmed from me building the mental image of a god based on what I was taught. It was a long night and I felt like I had grown a lot but I still find myself falling for the same sense of structure in times of high levels of self doubt. I really wish we could get rid of standard religions, I feel like if we did then it would be so much easier to teach these things, but with the current level of taboo around the subject it feels like we won't be able break past the veil and get to the actual dilemmas. The thought of a god might be comforting, but I feel as if it acts as a distraction from actual problems, which means people keep suffering but in silence rather than with support.

[earthn]

I chose not to be a martyr for my faith; after beating myself up in the second grade because I could not honestly avow to die for my faith, I raised my own daughter without religion and she is one of the most intelligent, kindest, most charitable and empathetic persons I know.

[MosesRabuka]

“The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist, " says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing” ~ Douglas Adams

[TheBeautifulWindsofAragon]

What was it Mark Twain said? Religion happened when the first con man met the first fool.

[fionagregory]

I rely on myself to overcome any problems and I do ok. 59 now and never been in debt.

[tinyspacesbigplaces]

Once your parents insert the religious head worms into your ear canal as a child your cognitive bias grows. Your only hope is to read broadly and learn about logic and reason

[janthys]

‘Life is a solution to the problem of death’. Pure genius.

[painter]

Someone said to Christopher Hitchens : ' I'll práy for you !'

And The Hitch answered: '
' And I THINK for yóu !'

[bretnetherton]

"Awareness is known by awareness alone, " is the sole irreducible axiom of reality. To put forth a syllable to refute it is to concede.

[jonathanmcmullen]

I believed in god at about the age of 5, but once I was able to actually differentiate fact from fiction and could start asking questions I became a hard atheist. With a belief that everything could be explained by science given enough time.

[suecopening]

Am I weird? I was raised in a church going family yet I never remember any time I believed in God. I would listen to them (parents, church people, minister) talk about God and pretend I believed because I didn't want to hurt their feelings by implying I thought they were stupid. This was my earliest memory on the topic, I was 6 or 7.

[PlatosPlaydough]

I remember vividly the exact moment my doubt, and therefore my journey to atheism, began. I was sitting in Sunday school, about 4 or 5 years old, and the "teacher" (a more appropriate designation would be professional child indoctrinator) began speaking of her opinion on God's presence. How he is everywhere, and sees everything. I wondered, to myself at first, then aloud, "If God is everywhere, why can we not see him right now? I'm sitting in my chair, is God also sitting here?"
The response?
"God is everywhere, even in your seat with you. We cannot see Him, but we can feel Him."
Even to my adolescent brain, this assertion seemed incoherent and unreasonable. From that day forward my doubt increased exponentially with each question I brought forth to the professional indoctrinators that could not be answered to my satisfaction. I was around 13 or 14 when I finally declared myself an atheist.

[ArtieTheStrongestManInTheWorld]

“Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." -Diderot

[AlchemicalForge]

My mother instilled such a fear and anxiety about this terrifying God individual that it still resonates deep within my subconscious to this day. I realize now that she is just a narcissistic parent and God is her subconscious or domineering side

[pixelpulse]

"If you understand the psychology of the Big Mac meal you understand the psychology of religion" Lol

Never expected to hear those two subjects in the same sentence, but I 'm glad someone made the connection.

[wg]

Short story:
God and man accidently meet
and both shout: "my creator!"

[flatulence]

I gave up the god B.S. about 2 years ago.. Immediately I felt empowered and my mind really opened up and now after 40 years I’m really enjoying life without any chains holding me back