Thomas Jefferson is once credited with saying the "I believe in ONE god, but I have nothing against those who believe in three..."
I don't normally post about religion. Not because I am afraid to but because I wouldn't want to dissuade anybody who finds comfort in believing that that there is an omnipotent being who will protect them and who loves them. However, some people that I know who cling to their religion hardest have the worst possible things happen to them. Why would a God who loves them not protect them from harm? My oldest brother was an atheist. He didn't often tell anybody that because people here would have been horrified. He probably would have been shunned. He did tell me once. We could talk to each other honestly. Here are some of the adjectives I would use to describe him; Good, decent, totally unselfish, generous, kind to everyone he met, extremely intelligent, unjudgmental, to just name a few. He was more Christlike than many Christians I know.
I would think that by our age, we are pretty secure in our beliefs. Years of knowing ourselves and what we believe in. Agree that mostly younger folk might jump on a certain belief to fit in or just to rebel. No 'fad' or such for me, my journey started in the early 70's and still as strong as ever. I would think that most of us want for others to be comforted by their beliefs and to live a life that is a help to society. As long as you are a 'good person', I'm not concerned about what your beliefs are.
No matter how hard I try I just cannot conceive of an atheist having Faith. To me it is their lack of Faith that makes them an atheist. And yes I know some who believe they are atheist but to me what they say just proves they don't know what they believe.
It does to me Sheldon...but maybe I should try to explain this a different way. The ones who told me they didn't believe in God...didn't know what they believed in. They were like the wind blown one day one way...and the next day another way. Yet they never took the time to do any research or read the Bible, etc....or do anything to try find out what they believed. They just didn't care one way or the other if there is a God or not.
I don't see how people who do not believe that the universe could just happen as a natural occurrence but can believe that a living being can exist before there was a universe and make it happen by pointing his finger or saying shazam. Think about it, if you will. Which seems most likely?
I have thought about it @Sheldon Scott and the big bang theory makes no sense to me at all and never will. People create...and we are people made in God's image...I have no problem believing He created the Universe and everyone in it.
Know any no I do not met 2 though and did not care at all for the attitudes they had in live, continual complaining, no thanks for me.