Atheists --- what do you believe in?

[BigBallinStalin]

Actually, jonesthecurl, that was Gahnorrus, god of public seating--ruler of all public seats, mobile and immobile.

[The Voice]

I wish I could locate the article--I don't even remember the publication--but it had said that a good number (I have no recollection of what number specifically) of atheists pray. I apologize if this is a little off topic. I would, however, love to know from atheists if they do and, if so, under what circumstances.

As a christian, I'm disheartened by the fact that I seem incapable of praying. It's like every time I try, I sound like Jake Barnes in "The Sun Also Rises."

I was forced to pray as a young child,a terrible thing to do to the vulnerable btw,but cannot remember ever doing it sincerely.
Of course hundreds of millions of religious atheists pray regularly,just not to a deity.
I can imagine extreme circumstances where even the strongest non religious atheists might be reduced to a pitiful cry for help or comfort in their dying throes.Hitchens alluded to this before his own demise,emphasising should this happen it would no longer be the authentic him speaking.There is no evidence of his succumbing to this,I can only hope for his strength.

That's terrible you were forced to pray, and I'm sure it happens all too often. I believe what alienated me from the ritual were creepy-ass prayers like the one below:

When I lay me down to Sleep,
I recommend my self to his care;
when I awake, I give my self up to his Direction.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I shall die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen

I would love to see how the article defined praying
Atheists have one thing in common , they dont believe in a Deity , so praying to one would be as logical as chatting to the fairy at the bottom of their garden.
For the record I believe in love , compassion and a lot of the stuff that Jesus supposedly preached.
Can't for the life of me understand why we need this message to be coupled with a load of supernatural mumbo jumbo

That's a good point. I really wish I knew! The "mumbo jumbo" from my perspective is the tendency to reinforce the ritual in spiritual, to the extent of fully immersing oneself in that aspect. It's hard to do something genuinely when I feel I'm just going through the motions as it is with praying.

[thegreekdog]

That's a good point. I really wish I knew! The "mumbo jumbo" from my perspective is the tendency to reinforce the ritual in spiritual, to the extent of fully immersing oneself in that aspect. It's hard to do something genuinely when I feel I'm just going through the motions as it is with praying.

I actually work to make it genuine since I feel better after praying. If I just rattle off prayers, I don't get the endorphine release (or whatever the scientists say happen to my brain).

[chang50]

I am glad that you brought this up. One of my best friends is Atheist but believes in ghosts. To me it seems weird, if their is no higher power then how do people go on after death. I would like to know if anyone else thinks this way.

It is quite possible for an atheist to believe in ghosts,my wife is a Buddhist atheist who believes in ghosts and reincarnation.It is probably quite unusual for an atheist raised in a theistic Western culture to believe in the supernatural,I certainly don't.

I know a few things about Buddhism, some see it as a religion and others as a philosophy. I know that their is a belief that if a person lives right they can achieve Nirvana or enlightenment, so does she believe that that is the way to reach the supernatural life, or am I completely wrong?

She isn't devoutly Buddhist,but coupled with Thais being very superstitious,she certainly believes in the supernatural and right living.Curiously she doesn't appear to have any concept of a personal God and all that entails.Although she speaks English quite well the one time I tried to explain the concept it was met with incomprehension.
The fact that Buddhist societies have developed arguably as strong an objective moral code seperately from societies influenced by the theistic Abrahamic faiths is an indication that a deity is not required for the existence of said morality.Just how objective morality really is,anywhere,is another debate.

[MeDeFe]

I believe in you.

Don't believe in me! Believe in the you who believes in me who believes in you!

[Symmetry]

I am glad that you brought this up. One of my best friends is Atheist but believes in ghosts. To me it seems weird, if their is no higher power then how do people go on after death. I would like to know if anyone else thinks this way.

It is quite possible for an atheist to believe in ghosts,my wife is a Buddhist atheist who believes in ghosts and reincarnation.It is probably quite unusual for an atheist raised in a theistic Western culture to believe in the supernatural,I certainly don't.

I know a few things about Buddhism, some see it as a religion and others as a philosophy. I know that their is a belief that if a person lives right they can achieve Nirvana or enlightenment, so does she believe that that is the way to reach the supernatural life, or am I completely wrong?

She isn't devoutly Buddhist,but coupled with Thais being very superstitious,she certainly believes in the supernatural and right living.Curiously she doesn't appear to have any concept of a personal God and all that entails.Although she speaks English quite well the one time I tried to explain the concept it was met with incomprehension.
The fact that Buddhist societies have developed arguably as strong an objective moral code seperately from societies influenced by the theistic Abrahamic faiths is an indication that a deity is not required for the existence of said morality.Just how objective morality really is,anywhere,is another debate.

Aye- there's a weird current in this forum that equates atheism with

1) not believing in God, i.e a monotheistic belief.
or
2) science in all its forms.

[Lootifer]

I dont get it; Science requires no belief, other than the hugely philosophical debate around existence; and then you dont believe in science anyway, you believe in existence.

Belief =/= assumption.

[Gillipig]

I believe in boobies because I know they exist and they're nice. God doesn't exist neither would he be good if actually did.