How is it that those who do not believe in God, came to that belief ?

I read the Bible with an open mind, I read apologetics to explain its issues from pro-Christian believers but I wasn't one sided and read the criticisms and scholarship on the other side too. As a believer at the time I also prayed that if there was a god and this was the truth I receive some guidance of it but I did keep in mind that what I might be doing is appealing to my own subconscious to direct me to confirm my own desires for what is true versus an objective examination of facts. Prophecy being fulfilled if you look at it objectively is a really weak claim. That is my take on it. I think your idea that the Bible is really structural cohesive and that a supernatural explanation is there is also not supported by my own research and analysis. You drew your conclusion and I mine. I think I was fair and thorough in my examination of the claims and reached a different conclusion for myself. If the Bible and god claims can't stand up to reasonable analysis I don't think its unreasonable to reject them. What kind of god would expect me to believe in unsupported, unverified bizarre claims with little credible evidence?

I studied the Bible, yes - with curiosity rather than fear and trembling. I did read as many of the theologians' commentaries as I could find, along with as many commentaries by atheists, agnostics and philosophers of all kinds.

I didn't call upon a spirit guide, no; I used the input from those who have - and I sought out a Jesuit priest to guide me. I read the history of the construction of the Bible, and read both apologetics and sympathetic views of its development.

I haven't yet finished this studying - but so far, I'm not convinced that it is anything other than mythology in which people (for want of somewhere to place their faith) believe. It does (at least so far) nothing for me: I don't feel the same inspiration that I get from reading science... But I accept that others do.

Hope I've answered sufficiently fully?

its because i believe that thinking there is an all-rightious creator in the beyond pulling strings, is really ignorant. God is a way for people to explain life, and make them feel better about death. Doesnt mean its true.

every culture has a different explanation that makes sense to them and what they would like to believe is the truth. nothing is wrong with that.

But its not for me to believe in old stories, or follow a book that was written by so many people and changed so much over all the years. Its garbage.

Bronze age mythology written by ignorant middle eastern goat herders is no different than mythology written in any other part of the world, it is written by those that were trying to explain what they did not understand.

It was written to control the ignorant masses through the use of fear and it is still working.

And yes I have read the bible, I found it to be not only a complete joke but it was beyond ridiculous and obviously very poorly written.

You know, a lot of atheists here studied the Bible their entire lives in order to come to a conclusion, but even if they hadn't, does it really matter? There are countless "holy books" of various other religions around the world. You probably haven't read 99% of them, and yet you reject their claims anyway. You don't *need* to read and study every single line of every single book of every single religion in order to come to a conclusion about it.

Heck, the believers of reincarnation could ask you the same questions. You presumably don't believe in reincarnation, but have you really studied it enough? Have you read every book on the subject? Have you spoken with every expert on the subject? Have you traveled to all the places in the world where they believe in reincarnation, and studied all the evidence? Have you *really* given it a whole lot of thought?

You haven't done all that, and yet you still reject the concept. And believe it or not, people can do the same thing as far as the Bible is concerned.

Wow, you don't know what your talking about whatsoever.

I know the Bible quite well, I was raised Christian and studied it for a good 15 years. The book as a whole is very flawed, God is inconsistent and has very human flaws (regret, jealousy, anger). Prophesies have not been fulfilled to the point you believe, Jesus was supposed to come back soon, yet it has been two thousand years and nothing.

I searched for the truth and religion was nowhere to be found.

Yea I studied the bible growing up in a Religious home, I wanted to know what the hell is up with all this religious crap as I used to call it. - didn't help me much cause I could not understand it, My eyes was blind and my ears death to the word of God. It all seemed like senseless stories to me. But after finding my life in a mess, I took a chance and in 2007 I Excepted Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and savior, It was a mindset I had to make, Going from Religion into a Relationship with God and received his Holy Spirit inside of me Giving me the understanding of his word, Making the word come alive in my heart. Looking back now I can see how living by faith the numerous ways Jesus has shown his Love and mercy in my life!

All the praise to Him!!!!

In my case, it was just as you said. My conclusion after bible college and learning to translate the new testament from greek. After praying,preaching and evangelizing for 20 years?

There is no God.

I looked it and saw a crude pastiche of universal stories and pagan myths by so many authors with so many contradictions that it has no worth but historical value to look at ancient customs.

I then took into account that it is one over other 500 belief systems and has no more proof to validate its claims then the others.

If they don't believe then they came at a status of not having any deity-related beliefs. Not believing in deity is not a belief of its own! That's an oxymoron!

And what you say is stained by blind religious zealotry. Too bad.