Just throwing it out there. I always found it disappointing when I would find out that people that I thought were reasonably intelligent, and clear thinking, actually believe in this biblical nonsense for which there is absolutely no proof of ever taking place. I would think, that deep down, these individuals REALLY DO NOT believe this stuff...they are TOO SMART...in the back of their minds, if they are honest with themselves, they have to realize that these "tales"are not possible. The question I pose to my fellow Atheists, is could it be a superstition?? That if they DON'T go to church, and they DON'T believe, that something terrible will happen to them? That seems like the case to me... no matter how much anyone prays, or goes to church, it dosen't have any effect on whether good or bad happens to them, ( like George Carlin said, no matter who you pray to or worship, wishing wells, gods, statues, horseshoes, etc. the results are about 50-50...half the time you get what you want, the other half you don't ) but these people just continue to do their same routines, even though it is obvious it has no bearing on anything, as if they are afraid of something. Is it superstition...what do you think?
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I think we all face the same dilemma with people we know.
My parents were devout christians and routinely went to their church. My pop was a WWII and Korean War combat pilot who killed countless (thousands) of people on the ground yet he was otherwise the banner child for conservative piety. Go figure. My Mom was a similar character. She performed the catholic sign of the cross every time she passed a church walking or traveling in a car. Crap, that's total indoctrination.
Whatever.
I like to think no one believes in any of it deep down but conduct themselves as followers outwardly (just in case) for show. Some are truly believers, though, like they've been brainwashed from birth. That bothers me but the notion of a god gives them great comfort. Who am I to mess with that?
Now I just go about my life ignoring all the pageantry and ceremony of god-stuff, and the people who align themselves with it. I'm a better person for it.
Like I always said, church and religion...THE LAND OF HIPPOCRITES!!!!
Speaking from experience, I was a Christian and I actually did believe this stuff. Never did it cross my mind that it could be false, and I would debate it, of course, with the assumption of God. I think that there are people who sincerely believe it, I did. Having said that, there are also Christians who believe that atheists 'deep down' believe that God is real and are trying to cover up what they instinctively know to be true. It's an interesting round-about.
The people whose faith is so strong on their gods but rarely read the bible and yet acting so smart; they can surely make an atheist day filled with jokes.