Feb 12, 2012 -- 5:09PM, Knowsnothing wrote:

My experience has been that most come from the Christian backround.  I've heard of the odd Jewish or Muslim turned atheist.

What would you say?  Also, does a Christian backround force a view of what God, if he exists, is?

Interesting question.  I don't know about most atheist backgrounds.  But as to whether a Christian background forces a view of what god is, well, definitely for me, YES.

And, even though I don't consider myself an atheist where "God"is concerned, I absolutely am an atheist where the God of my Christian background is concerned.

Peace

<'{{><

Feb 12, 2012 -- 6:15PM, Knowsnothing wrote:

Anyways, while most atheists argue against a God that uses hellfire as punishment, I grew as a Jehovah's Witness and don't have that idea of God in mind.

I'll argue against any god you can think of.

Do you still find the Abrahamic God (without hellfire) objectionable?

It isn't a matter of finding him objectionable. I just don't believe in him.

Knowsnothing wrote:

> Anyways, while most atheists argue against a God that uses hellfire as punishment,

> I grew as a Jehovah's Witness and don't have that idea of God in mind.  Do you still

> find the Abrahamic God (without hellfire) objectionable?

Are you asking about being immoral (morally objectionable) or about being believable (logically objectionable and/or supported by sufficient evidence)?  They're not the same thing, after all.  If you mean whether or not the god describes is morally objectionable, then please be aware that the doctrine of eternal torment in hell is not the only thing many atheists find immoral.  It varies a lot from atheist to atheist, but many atheists find the bits about the great flood, sending bears to rip apart children, killing the firstborn sons of Egypt, etc. to also be worth objecting to.

If you're referring to believability, though, then the doctrine of Hellfire doesn't really matter all that much.  An atheist doesn't believe in any deity, regardless of whether the deity is described as a nasty murderous bastard or an all-loving mother/father/what-have-you.  Removing the doctrine of Hellfire doesn't make your deity any more believable ... it just makes him a bit less morally objectionable.

Does that answer get at all at what you were asking?  If not, could you please clarify?

Feb 12, 2012 -- 6:31PM, Abner1 wrote:

Knowsnothing wrote:

> Anyways, while most atheists argue against a God that uses hellfire as punishment,

> I grew as a Jehovah's Witness and don't have that idea of God in mind.  Do you still

> find the Abrahamic God (without hellfire) objectionable?

Are you asking about being immoral (morally objectionable) or about being believable (logically objectionable and/or supported by sufficient evidence)?

Both.