Why do people reject religion? I think I know

[William Wallace]

When it comes to religion, people always want to be intellectually satisfied before committing to a set of beliefs. They generally don't change their point of view without reason to do. But I can't help but feel that a lot of people who flirt with the idea of becoming religious are turned away by the behavior of those who already believe. For example, I've witnessed some events recently in my local church that have really irritated me, almost to the point of leaving. I thought to myself today, "If I'm ready to call it quits over this (as someone who's been in church all my life), what is somebody new to Christianity going to think?"

So why do you think people reject religion? Is it because they see the faithful act like idiots or mostly for intellectual reasons, or both? I'd also like to hear what other Christians think about this subject.

[Quadrochosis]

I think people reject religion because they examine the logical and physical reasons or evidence and come to the conclusion that it isn't true.

The same way in which Religious people reject Atheistic arguments, Atheists reject Religious arguments.

It's kind of a theoretical trench warfare.

[ehra]

Both. I mean, like you said, some people have bad experiences with people of a particular faith which turns them off to that faith, others look into religion and aren't satisfied with the answers they are given. Both obviously happen, so both would be reasons why various people don't get into religion. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there, too (like just not caring).

[Adami]

I think agnostics and atheists reject belief for the same reason that believers reject agnosticism and atheism; it just doesn't speak to them.

[sneakyblueberry]

People reject religion because religion is just a set of rules that are impossible to uphold.

[Quadrochosis]

I think agnostics and atheists reject belief for the same reason that believers reject agnosticism and atheism; it just doesn't speak to them.

A much better way of saying what I was trying to say.

[kirbywelch92]

People reject religion because religion is just a set of rules that are impossible to uphold.

If religion was "just" that, then it wouldn't exist. The law does a pretty good job of covering that.

As for this question, it's kind of like asking why people prefer different colors, or enjoy other movies. Religion is a lifestyle choice, and few people rarely live the same way.

[Ħ]

Most people I know don't give much thought to their beliefs.  They just believe what their parents believe, the religious and nonreligious alike.  I don't think many people are "rejecting" anything; they are just not interested in seeking out the truth.

[Quadrochosis]

Most people I know don't give much thought to their beliefs.  They just believe what their parents believe, the religious and nonreligious alike.  I don't think many people are "rejecting" anything; they are just not interested in seeking out the truth.

People are stupid, but I truly don't think people are all this stupid. People don't talk about their beliefs a lot, but I think that the average person, deep down, has at least given it a little thought, and based on what they were taught or how they were raised plays a fairly large role, which is why a lot of people tend to just stay in their parents' camp.

[ack44]

I left religion because it wasn't satisfying. It wasn't spiritually satisfying nor intellectually satisfying. And I think that's also the best explanation for why people reject religion. Like Adami said, it doesn't speak to them, it's not real enough or deep enough. It doesn't live up to the language it uses, of eternity and love and justice, of great visions and excitement.

[El Barto]

Most people I know don't give much thought to their beliefs.  They just believe what their parents believe, the religious and nonreligious alike.  I don't think many people are "rejecting" anything; they are just not interested in seeking out the truth.

I don't know if that's the case or not.  Nobody has a lower opinion of mankind's individual intelligence than me, but I think that's a question that most people do consider.  Going along with what your parents think is great for a few years, but eventually you start to settle into your own beliefs.  Now, what religion you choose might well be determined by your parents, geography, or whatever, but the basic "does God exist" question is something that people work out on their own.  

As for me, I don't think I ever believed in God, and while I ponder it often, I've come to recognize that I'm not going to find a logical answer that trumps the one I already have.  That said, I have no use for religion.  It has nothing to do with the idiocy of others, since that's applicable to both sides.  I just have no need of that hypothesis.  

[orcus116]

I think agnostics and atheists reject belief for the same reason that believers reject agnosticism and atheism; it just doesn't speak to them.

Very true. As a person who has a knack for logical thinking I personally can't connect with anything based on faith because, to me, it seems silly and childish. On the flip side I do acknowledge that, on a human level, there are people that get more satisfaction and wholeness out of their life based on faith in a way I'll never be able to achieve.

There is one part of religion that I get to witness in my life on a regular basis that fascinates me because of where I stand. My parents always want something good to happen, as everyone does, and when they pray and pray for something to happen and there is does, their prayers are answered and their faith is, in a way, justified. If the result is negative, it's simply cast aside as "well God has a plan and everything happens for a reason". I've always wondered how many negative results must occur before a person starts to question whether or not their faith is really rewarding them. It's the same problem I have with faith based healing, especially the ones that end in death and the loved ones usually respond as if God had intended to take their lives all along.

[j]

^Although I could never in a million years bring myself to believe something like that, you have to admit that even if it is as horribly ignorant as it seems, it sure makes for a damn optimistic outlook on life.

-J

[orcus116]

It's only optimistic if you're the dumbest, most clueless sheep on the planet. You're essentially boiling your intelligence down to that of a dog whose master beats them daily yet remains happy and hopeful.

[Riceball]

...they pray and pray for something to happen and there is does, their prayers are answered and their faith is, in a way, justified. If the result is negative, it's simply cast aside as "well God has a plan and everything happens for a reason".

.
I've never quite understood this aspect to religion and prayer. Its pretty much a virtuous circle; it cant be wrong either way. To me, an atheist, it seems like a bit of a cop out.

The issue for me is when I'm told I'm going to hell when I die because I don't believe in God. I would consider this an assault on my beliefs - but this person is merely acting as a messenger from God and so is justified. If I were to do the same in reverse to a person with religious beliefs and tell them that heaven and hell don't exist and they'll become wormfood with me, I'd be looked at in a completely different light. Another virtuous circle.

Religion, at least from my atheist-goggled perspective, is full of virtuous circles designed to get around logical arguments that could be mounted against it.

At the same time, I try to look at religion whollistically. Many religions, when "digested" (couldn't think of a better word lol) appropriately, are great for those who believe in them - and for society more generally.

I normally try to shy away from religous discussion as it has a tendency to get a bit heated quickly. No doubt someone will sieze on my comments...

EDIT: Thanks for ensuring I'm second in line for the flak Orcus

[orcus116]

Heh, I try. I'm not trying to paint all people of faith with the same brush, though, I just feel that it seems faith is a very powerful tool that more intelligent people can utilize in a sensible way whereas a lot of other people use it simply in a "sweep it under the rug" fashion.

[Ħ]

Not all Christians believe that God intervenes in external circumstances.  I personally feel that if he does, it's extremely rare, but most of his attention is on inner man intervention.  I say that because I think people sort of lump all of faith together, when there are many different Christian beliefs....just look at hefdaddy for example.  He's Christian, I'm Christian, but I'd bet that we disagree on 90% of the issues out there.

I don't know what I'm saying, but to put it bluntly--don't dismiss the entire thing if you disagree with one aspect.

[Riceball]

Not all Christians believe that God intervenes in external circumstances.  I personally feel that if he does, it's extremely rare, but most of his attention is on inner man intervention.  I say that because I think people sort of lump all of faith together, when there are many different Christian beliefs....just look at hefdaddy for example.  He's Christian, I'm Christian, but I'd bet that we disagree on 90% of the issues out there.

I don't know what I'm saying, but to put it bluntly--don't dismiss the entire thing if you disagree with one aspect.

I agree with that -- I tried really hard not to come across as one of those whinging atheists too lol. Like I said, religion is great for those people who utilise it appropriately, its just some of the stuff that I mentioned gets my goat.

[Progmetty]

Slightly off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HlcM06m9XY
What do you think?

[rumborak]

I agree with the notion in this thread that it's almost an innate thing whether you will connect with religion or not. To me it never did anything; it doesn't explain anything well, and I never needed a bigger father figure to look up to. On top, I found many elements degrading and borderline offensive.

rumborak

[William Wallace]

The responses are all interesting. After thinking about it more, I realized that a lot of my friends have given up on Christianity for some of the reasons posted above. They aren't satisfied with what they're taught, like, for example, my friend being told his son's death was just a test of his faith. That's ridiculous but it also means, I think, that some people are turned away from church early on and then go find evidence to justify their position after the fact. That is, they never learn about the faith because some judgmental moron says something stupid. Then they go read The God Delusion and become full-blown skeptics. 

[Durg]

Possible Reason 1:
A couple years ago I asked my pastor something very similar.  His answer was kind of interesting.  Because he has lived in urban America (Philly) and rural America (small town Indiana), he noticed very little faith in urban America and unwavering faith in rural America.  He went on to theorize that people that live in the cities see man made things all around them.  Their whole lives are surrounded by the accomplishments of man.  In contrast when you grow up in a rural setting you see the beauty of nature, the miracle of birth in farm animals, and the dependence on weather often for crops (those are just a few examples). 

Possible Reason 2:
Many people that grow up in religious homes and get an education and move to a big city have their faith challenged by those that never believed.  Also, it is commonly considered in academia (and on message boards ) to be weak or unintelligent to have faith.  An alarming percentage of young people never return to the faith of their youth after college. 

Possible Reason 3:
I think another reason for people turning away from their faith is the fact that the path is indeed narrow.  To abstain from sex until married and away from the partying in college is tough.  It feels like your missing out on so much fun.  Once young people give in to those things there's guilt and then a search to justify living that way until a point is reached where faith is replaced with doing what you want.

Conclusion
Ultimately, I think it comes down to personal experiences.  I have friends that I grew up with and worshiped with in church that no longer believe or have changed their belief's drastically to fit their new lifestyles.  I grew up in a religious home in rural America.  I'm educated (master's degree).  I've lived in big cities and worked with many people of differing faiths or no faith.  I'm 41 now and many times I've had to go back to my roots to remember why I believe what I believe.  It's easy to forget sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life.  But I've had too many experiences and situations where the hand of God was obvious to me in my life and the life of others I knew that have strengthened my faith.

[rumborak]

Possible Reason 1:
A couple years ago I asked my pastor something very similar.  His answer was kind of interesting.  Because he has lived in urban America (Philly) and rural America (small town Indiana), he noticed very little faith in urban America and unwavering faith in rural America.  He went on to theorize that people that live in the cities see man made things all around them.  Their whole lives are surrounded by the accomplishments of man.  In contrast when you grow up in a rural setting you see the beauty of nature, the miracle of birth in farm animals, and the dependence on weather often for crops (those are just a few examples).  

Good god, that is such a priest theory
"They have gone astray, lost their way! If they only saw the magnificence of God's creation, they would all be swayed!!"

Other explanation: Cities usually have more liberal and educated people in them, rural more uneducated and right-wing ones. Studies have shown time after time that educated and political left-ness correlates with lack of religion.

Possible Reason 2:
Many people that grow up in religious homes and get an education and move to a big city have their faith challenged by those that never believed.  Also, it is commonly considered in academia (and on message boards ) to be weak or unintelligent to have faith.  An alarming percentage of young people never return to the faith of their youth after college.  

Or, they learned critical thinking at the place they were supposed to learn it at. And they got exposed to different cultures and beliefs, and pretty soon saw that there's about 500 different beliefs out there, and all of them hate each other and want to kill the others. And then realized that it's all people's arbitrary culture in which they grew up in. That the guy in Wisconsin is not Christian because he is wicked smart, but just because he was born in Wisconsin. And the guy born in Kabul a Muslim because he was born in Kabul.

Possible Reason 3:
I think another reason for people turning away from their faith is the fact that the path is indeed narrow.  To abstain from sex until married and away from the partying in college is tough.  It feels like your missing out on so much fun.  Once young people give in to those things there's guilt and then a search to justify living that way until a point is reached where faith is replaced with doing what you want.

The infidel are weak-minded!!

rumborak

[Sigz]

It's very strange for someone to consider rural america 'more natural', seeing as how modern agriculture is nothing like the ecosystem in which it resides.

[William Wallace]

Or, they learned critical thinking at the place they were supposed to learn it at. And they got exposed to different cultures and beliefs, and pretty soon saw that there's about 500 different beliefs out there, and all of them hate each other and want to kill the others. And then realized that it's all people's arbitrary culture in which they grew up in. That the guy in Wisconsin is not Christian because he is wicked smart, but just because he was born in Wisconsin. And the guy born in Kabul a Muslim because he was born in Kabul.

What will it take to kill the genetic fallacy?

[rumborak]

Huh? What does genetics have to do with this?

rumborak

[bosk1]

Huh? What does genetics have to do with this?

This.  WW, please don't engage in indirect personal attacks by insinuating that rumborak was born ignorant.

[GuineaPig]

 

[73109]

I have given up on religion for a few reasons.

One: I've examined the facts and the evidence around me, and from that, I can draw a conclusion for myself, and myself alone, that almost everything religion teaches is a lie.

Two: I grow up in a religious household. I innately dislike authority and being told what to eat, what to believe, who to marry, and who to keep as friends really fuck with that innate thing inside me. I naturally rebelled and shit has not been the same.

Three: I see what religion does to people and I can't help but be sick. I mean, if you trace it back, you can argue that almost every war ever fought comes down to religion and that is horrible.

The thing is, religion without a god is cool. Basic Christian, Jewish, Islam, Hindu, and Buddhist principals are the shit. They all tell you to love thy neighbor, to not kill, to not cheat, to not be a dickwad in general, but once they throw god in there, shit goes insane and everyone kills eachother. Not for me man.

[ack44]

Possible Reason 2:
Many people that grow up in religious homes and get an education and move to a big city have their faith challenged by those that never believed.  Also, it is commonly considered in academia (and on message boards ) to be weak or unintelligent to have faith.  An alarming percentage of young people never return to the faith of their youth after college. 

Academia definitely plays a role since it encourages questioning, which leads to doubt and further deterioration of the belief system's grip. I'd probably still have some fundamentalist views if it wasn't for university. Ironically, the uni I was at was very conservative and Christian, but even that sort of academia can get people to start to think in totally different ways. It doesn't take the godless liberal professors.

[73109]

I was just always a dude who asked "why?" and the simple, constant answer of "it is god's will" pissed me off to no end.

[j]

I was raised by a devoutly religious mom and a non-religious "rationalist" type dad.  However, they both always encouraged my inquisitive nature and my dad never badmouthed religion or anything.  Not to mention that my mom, despite her religiosity, was never EVER disparaging of other people's beliefs or behaviors, and she had friends that were all over the spectrum in that regard.

They weren't that great of parents in a lot of other ways, but in that regard I think I got a good balance of perspectives.

-J

[bosk1]

That's cool.  I can imagine that it's incredibly frustrating to constantly get the other end of the spectrum.  Don't get me wrong--there are times when "I don't know" or "because I said so" are perfectly appropriate answers for a parent to give.  But, IMO, those instances should be rare, and any parent that gives those or their equivalents as a standard, pat answer and discourages inquisition and independent thought is doing their child a disservice.  The last thing I would want my kids to do is go through the outward motions of Christianity just because mom and dad are Christians.

[Bonham]

Or, they learned critical thinking at the place they were supposed to learn it at. And they got exposed to different cultures and beliefs, and pretty soon saw that there's about 500 different beliefs out there, and all of them hate each other and want to kill the others. And then realized that it's all people's arbitrary culture in which they grew up in. That the guy in Wisconsin is not Christian because he is wicked smart, but just because he was born in Wisconsin. And the guy born in Kabul a Muslim because he was born in Kabul.

What will it take to kill the genetic fallacy?

I think rumbo has a point. There are thousands of religions practiced throughout the world, many of which have members who believe because of their "religious experiences," people who experience enlightenment just the same as Christians do, and therefore have just as much right to call their religion more valid than others. When you look at these conflicting religions in the big picture, it's hard to call any one of them better or more true than any other; I really do believe that it mostly comes down to the beliefs of those who raised you and the impact of surrounding people when considering what religion to follow.

For example, assuming you had some sort of religious experience (or that you simply see God in nature or science), what makes you believe that you'd have become a Christian if you were raised/lived in the Middle East? Most likely, you'd become a Muslim, and this applies to pretty much anywhere in the world. It doesn't have to do with genetics, it has to do with your social and cultural environment.

[millahh]

I reject it for two big reasons (one of which i admit is reactionary):

-I feel no connection or resonance with it intellectually, emotionally or spiritually.  Even when I was young, and wanted very badly to believe, I always knew deep down that it didn't work for me.

-The few truly evil people I've met in my life have been devout Christians.  I've never seen someone use agnosticism as a rationale for beating the shit out of their kids from ages 2-17, or carrying on a campaign of emotional abuse that lasts much longer.  And yes, I encountered multiple instances of this.