It's not easy not to believe in God (and supernatural miracles) in Nigeria. Left, right, center, people are claiming miracles and supernatural intervention. Every Nigerian - politicians, businessmen, educators, beggars, and criminals inclusive - believes in the miracle working God, the devil, demons, witches, wizards, and 'spiritual attacks'!

Is there someone else on Nairaland who lives in Nigeria and does not believe in God? How do you manage to hold on to your unbelief in the midst of all these dogmatic believers? Whew, isn't this country too hot?!

- a concerned Nigerian unbeliever.

****hiss*** exit

I pretend to be a believer when I am around the sisters and brothers of my parents. Yeah, its definately not easy. I figure its a lot easier to fake faith, than to explain lack of faith.

Most of my direct-family just disregard any skeptical thing I say about the existence of god as fooling around.

What about the miracles that are 'happening' left, right and center with all the eyewitness testimony?

Did you ask about skeptics and atheists in Nigeria or abroad (like in NY)?

Only fools deny proofs, You looking for proof? go and ask the woman who had HIV for 3 years and got healed and try to convince her God is not real.

I enjoy telling people straight up that I have absolutely no belief. They will always try and convince you that you are heading down the wrong path and you should go with them to their church but by the end of the debate they have no shred of evidence except their faith!

I like to ask Nigerian Christians why God decided that they were going to be one of the last bunch to hear about him. Bit unfair that they were left not knowing anything till a bunch of British Victorian missionaries came along!

I was very amused to see a poll on satellite TV this morning which was asking the UK public if they cared what the church told them, 65% were saying they weren't interested!

I don't live in Nigeria. People around me know I'm Agnostic. I don't hide it especially from muslims considering the fact that they are really attached to faith and all those things.

mlks_baby, I am in Nigeria for part of the year, so my comments on the issue are valid.

Kenshin, I hope you are not expecting me to buy the lie about people being cured of HIV by God. If it is true, you should be able to recreate your claims. Anyone can make up all sorts of stories but that still does not make it true. Provide proof, and no, going to ask some lady with a questionable past how she supposedly got cured of HIV is not going to cut it.

Afeni:

mlks_baby, I am in Nigeria for part of the year, so my comments on the issue are valid.

I didn't sound like you're denied your citizenship, true?

Afeni:

Provide proof, and no, going to ask some lady with a questionable past how she supposedly got cured of HIV is not going to cut it.

Those who want proof are the ones creating conditions not to examine the claims. Sitting down comfy in a spot is not going to help - go there and see for yourself. Perhaps we might learn a thing or two if evidence can be given by the skeptic who takes the trouble to go to the woman to verify if she had a questionable past.

mlks_baby:

Perhaps we might learn a thing or two if evidence can be given by the skeptic who takes the trouble to go to the woman to verify if she had a questionable past.

Precisely, We can't stand afar and blast miracles as being false.

Precisely, We can't stand afar and blast miracles as being false.

I guess it's better to stand afar and accept every rumour as the truth.

@ Sexyness

A few hundred years ago, man thought that the World was flat and that if you sailed far enough you would fall off the edge!

There are and there always will be things that we do not fully understand.

It is only our minds and understanding that have yet to develop before we realize that what is a strange phenomena today, will have a perfectly simple scientific explanation tomorrow.

whats going on here worm??

I was seriously ill about 2 - 3 months ago. I was taken to the hospital and given some drugs, hoping that would do. Eventually, my condition grew worse. I was then taken to the hospital some days later (that same week) when my folks saw that my temperature was abnormally high, and I was unusally weak also. I underwent intensive care and treatment while at the hospital, with drips being passed into my veins for 8 solid hours. I was discharged and given some drugs again, but all proved abortive. There were still no improvements. The only option left was to be taken to church, and to my greatest surprise and expectation, immediately I was prayed for and took my bath with a specially (spiritually) prepared water at the church bathroom, every forms of weaknesses, headaches, high temperature just left immediately. (It was not that I hadn't been taking my bath before. As a matter of fact, I took my bath and slept for about an hour or two before I was taken to church that day; because when I even woke up, I was still so weak and my temperature was so high). I couldnt talk to anyone before, but I started smiling and even chatted with a few friends before I left church that afternoon. Looking at the state I was in when I was brought to the church, one would think I was going to collapse.

The whole thing was like magic to me, but God did it. It is only me who knows how I felt within me that day, so no matter what anyone here says to discredit my post, that's his/her problem.

Now, who will convince me that God doesn't exist?

One day a young, recently married man awoke in the middle feeling mischevious. That evening the young man had consumed copious amounts of the finest Scotch whiskey but had sensibly gone to bed on feeling the effects of the alcohol- the tightening grasp the drink was having on his person. Apparently only he was aware of his inner state as he left the main dining room in which the other guest were situated and left for his first floor bedroom.

On arrival in his room he happened upon his hosts pet cat. Now the young man was allergic to cats but was also partially afraid. Cats had been a bane on his life since the childhood he spent with his animal loving mother.

And on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.

See Goodguy- you're not the only who can tell (a pointless) story.

If everyone in the world tried to push their agenda with the amount of evidence that you so willingly provide then the whole world would like East Timor.

Wow, I can see my post is now on the home page. I wonder what he's up to.

exu:

See Goodguy- you're not the only who can tell (a pointless) story.

I didn't bother to go through your post. Only this line caught my attention while scrolling down.

Call it pointless, call it whatever you like. Your belief or disbelief does not affect or change the veracity of MY story in any way.

BTW, while I narrated what happened to me, you narrated a story about a young man. As you admitted, yours is really pointless. I don't even understand what you typed up there. You really don't have to make a fool of yourself because you want to discredit my story.

Did I mention the guy died of of AIDS?

sexy_nes:


people create the idea of a Godless world because they are unable to understand a world with God. The truth lies in what we do not understand

This actually makes a lot of sense. Atheists, look into this!

However, the sad truth is that these atheists have forced themselves not to believe in God, even when they're so close to knowing the truth.

Those who claim that there is no God are only deceiving themselves. Pure and simple. They mislead others that are young and weak at heart into believing there is no God but they constantly battle with their conscience over the truth. People like the late Tai Solarin. Most of them beg God for forgiveness, if they ever have the opportunity, at their dying moment. Keep on fooling yourselves!

TO BE NIGERIAN WITHOUT ANY STRONG CONVICTIONS ABOUT RELIGION BE IT CHRISTIANITY,ISLAM EVEN BABALAWO AND WITCHES IS
LIKE BEING WORSE THAN BEING BIN LADEN.
I DO BELIEVE IN GOD BUT NOT IN DIVINE INTERVENTION,I'VE ALWAYS  WONDERED WHY CLAIMS OF CURE OF AIDS IS ALWAYS FROM THIRD WORLD
COUNTRIES LIKE NIGERIA AND ALWAYS FROM CUSTOMERS OF MADE IN NIGERIA CHURCHES

What's this nonsense about people forcing themselves to not believe in God.

If you can't see something and you can't hear something then it's only logical to conclude that it isn't there.

I don't get it Exu
are you also of the opinion that there's no God?

exu:

What's this nonsense about people forcing themselves to not believe in God.

If you can't see something and you can't hear something then it's only logical to conclude that it isn't there.

Back to th old analogy. Can you see or hear the air around you? Ok u can feel it. Fine that simply means there are several ways of perception that goes beyond the 5 senses. God is real and you know it. Look within.

Hehe. Actually, layi, there is a sixth sense and it is called reason. Reason is the faculty that analyses information from the five senses - sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste - and draws conclusions about the true nature of the world. And there is a seventh sense and it is called imagination. This is how people experience God!

layi:

Back to th old analogy. Can you see or hear the air around you?

Yes

Ok u can feel it. Fine that simply means there are several ways of perception that goes beyond the 5 senses. God is real and you know it. Look within.

God isn't real and you know it. Look within.

mrmayor:

TO BE NIGERIAN WITHOUT ANY STRONG CONVICTIONS ABOUT RELIGION BE IT CHRISTIANITY,ISLAM EVEN BABALAWO AND WITCHES IS
LIKE BEING WORSE THAN BEING BIN LADEN.

Lacking a belief in the supernatural, and thereby fashioning a moral code based on the natural, that takes the teachings of love into consideration, makes you definitely worse than a guy that has alledgedly masterminded the murder of thousands. Yeah, I can see how you would think that.

Rottweiler:

Those who claim that there is no God are only deceiving themselves. Pure and simple. They mislead others that are young and weak at heart into believing there is no God but they constantly battle with their conscience over the truth. People like the late Tai Solarin. Most of them beg God for forgiveness, if they ever have the opportunity, at their dying moment. Keep on fooling yourselves!

Those who claim there is a God are only deceiving themselves. Pure and simple (just ask "Hear'say". They mislead others that are young and weak at heart into believing there is a God, but they constantly battle with their conscience over the truth. People like the late Henry Morris. Most of them renounce God when they have the opportunity, at their dying moment. Keep on fooling yourself.

By the way, the "no atheist in a foxhole" rubbish, is both insulting and stupid to boot.

@ KAG
I guess KAG means Keenly Against God. I don't want to join issues with you because I know your type. You are spiritually rebellious. All you do is misinterpret what is existing.

People like you follow Guru Maharaji, Olumba Olumba Olumba (OOO), Eckankar, etc. Sects that are like rudderless ships on the high sea. Just a few days back, Guru Maharaji, the so-called perfect master confirm to the whole world that he is the chief patron of OGBONI confraternity in Nigeria. A lot of his followers were dumbfounded!

My friend, were you born this way or you were unfortunate to have been brainwashed by association. I guess you are the perfect master of your cult

Rottweiler:

@ KAG
I guess KAG means Keenly Against God. I don't want to join issues with you because I know your type.

I sincerely doubt you know my "type", and it's a tad hard being against any God.

You are spiritually rebellious. All you do is misinterpret what is existing.

Spiritually rebellious? Misinterpret what is existing? Some examples would probably help.

People like you follow Guru Maharaji, Olumba Olumba Olumba (OOO), Eckankar, etc.

Should I know them?

Sects that are like rudderless ships on the high sea.

Like the Christian sect?

Just a few days back, Guru Maharaji, the so-called perfect master confirm to the whole world that he is the chief patron of OGBONI confraternity in Nigeria. A lot of his followers were dumbfounded!

Alritey then? What am I supposed to do with any of that?

My friend, were you born this way or you were unfortunate to have been brainwashed by association. I guess you are the perfect master of your cult

I am not your friend, pretty sure I'm not brainwashed (if I was I wouldn't know anyway - just like you don't know you are ), and I don't have a cult.