I think it is one reason among many, but it is a good one. Churches can and do perform excellent social work and provide communities with much value, but some other aspects of theological nonsense really are off-putting. I think this is also a reason that people may 'shop' for a religion that they are comfortable with.

Absolutely! I'm not sure about God, but I am sure about religion. To quote singing legend James Taylor, "you just can't kill for Jesus" Religion has been the cause and justification of too much human suffering.

C.S. Lewis said that theology is like looking at a map of the ocean. On the other hand having a religious experience is more like actually being at the ocean. His point was that being at the ocean is much more interesting than looking at a map of it. But the map is useful too, as it helps you to decide where to go. The important thing is to find a good map (theology), and then enjoy the experience it leads you to.

One reason, but not the only one. It seems to me that people are adept at inventing many and varied reasons why they will not believe. As someone who has studied theology, I can understand why some people might be afraid of it, but it is really only a codification of belief. Every grouping of humanity, from the water cooler to the UN has a "theology" of sorts. You can have a basic knowledge and watch the goings on, but if you really want to get into the thick of things, it's necessary to grapple with the concepts.

The obvious theological nonsense (rituals, dogma, myths, etc) is without a doubt the first thing that would turn a believer into a non-believer, yes. Then, they stop believing in God because they realize that belief in God itself is part of that theological nonsence. It just takes more thought and distance to make that final distinction.

"Isn't theological nonsense the reason why many humans stay away from believing in God?" Excellent observation, and quite possible it is. After all we live in a scientific age, an age of the informaton highway, an age of open questioning. However, I don't think the original personalities who brought religion to mankind taught theological nonsense. That was the work of those who followed, who in writing down those teachings or interpreting them turned them, for various reasons, into theological nonsense. But all is not lost. We can still discern the teachings of Jesus from the Gospels. And when we compare these extracted teachings of Jesus with those in the HQ, which Mohammed himself dictated and checked, we find they are compatble in essence, and THERE IS NO THEOLOGICAL NONSENSE in them. "Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from God," to get in exchange for it a miserable gain!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and woe to them for the gain they make thereby." HQ 2:79

intolerance (theirs, not mine) keeps me away from organized religion. Science and logic keeps me from believing in god.

all religion is based in thought. you are right, that all it does is add confusion amongst the people. But the main reason people don't believe in God , is that they can't find God. Because everyone is looking through thought. thought is controlled by ego, so everyone is going to have a different idea. God is beyond thought. Many people have discovered this , and have found a way through the veil of illusion. We think constantly and weave a veil of illusion that we think is real. When the thoughts slow down, the light begins to shine through. When thought ceases, the veil dissolves and the full glory of God is seen.

Your assertion is for most part accurate. I myself--to some degree--fall into that category of people; with the exception that I have never said outrightly "I don't believe in a God". My arguments have never been whether or not there is a Supreme Spirit. My [conviction] that there is a Divine Living Intelligence is unquestionably strong and it's already been established. For the existence of the universe neccesitates a preceding cause, and this cannot be "Inanimate Matter", for the latter does not posses the qualities of living things. However, in all of my researches I haven't found one single religion which could provide any earnest and genuine seeker with a rational and comprehensive concept of the Divine Spirit whom many believe to be a deity. The concept of a God developed by theology, for example, is, in my opinion, the most absurd and childish attempt of mortals to explain a non-emperical phenomenon that utterly transcends finite beings's capability to conceive. In all of my researches I haven't found any source capable of presenting enlarged concepts and advanced ideas to expand, enrich and nourish men's perception of the Supreme Spirit and their spiritual connection to IT. What I have found is nothing but pitifully dramatized motly concoction of pre-extant pegan delusions for which reasonableness cannot vouch. I just can't see, for the life of me and my children's, how stories detailing animal-butchering rituals, incest, pornography, and the fostering or brook of slavery--among other things--could possibly help any one in his/her spiritual evolutionary process and bring us close to some understanding of the concept of a Divine Living Intelligence.

You might be right. On the other side, I am wondering if it could not just be this theological nonsense that makes so many people believe in God. Like children, many adults seem to need fairy tales.

I believe in God, but find I don't agree with too many of the teachings of the church.

"Theological non-sense" is certainly part of it. The sinfulness of man causes him to reject God. Jesus said that "men loved the darkness because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). People choose not to believe God because the darkness of their sin scares them from drawing near to His light. Remember also, much of what unbelievers consider to be "nonsense" of the gospel may actually be the true gospel itself. "But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it..." (1 Corinthians 2:14). Sometimes they just can not receive the gospel truth because they are not quickened by the Holy Spirit TO understand.

I think you have a point. I know in my experience, it was "theological nonsense" that pushed me away from the church. After that, I was freed to explore the world and the universe. In my explorations I stopped believing in god. I cannot say that I would have come to this realization if it had not been for "theological nonsense."

I'm thinking you have a really good point, although such a thing as belief is also part of the problem it seems. Most people have a natural sense of what idol worship is even when they might not be able to speak it into the face of all the established idol worshipers. Who wants that kind of conflict - the kind that is a set up for wars and such? Religion is almost de facto idol worshipping even when the original teachers warned against such a thing. The undivided knowing awareness that people actually are is content to watch, impersonally, all this push/pull going on. I sense that this original nature - outside the scriptures and churches - can be known and is recognized in a heartbeat when given the chance. I feel that it was what we all were as infants and something of the memory lingers as a pure and uncorrupted knowing. Only the religiously sophisticated are compelled to frighten and manipulate others from inside their own fear based insecurity. Maybe, just maybe, things are changing a little. Check out the writing of Meister Eckhart, a 14th century monk and teacher, who advised strictly against the theological nonsense which you seem to be bringing up here.

Perhaps for some that is true, it isn't in my case.

Who ever said this summarized my feelings well. "I don't have any problems with God. It's God's fan club I have issues with."

It really depends on how you define your terms. I have seen theological nonsense in the form of dogmatic teachings from religious institutions that make no rational sense when applied to real life. When any institution, like a religion, reaches a certain level it generates a bureaucracy. Where it concerns explaining intangible things like beliefs these bureaucracies are tasked with setting boundaries that do not truly exist except within ancient writings and second hand accounts of dubious authority. I have also read several religious texts that mix rational philosophy with theological context in an attempt to link the two. The problem with these is that they only use logical language up to a point and then use one of many fallacies that can support their theology. Whenever the sacrosanct status is lifted from any theology and rational thought is applied, the claims of religion can be seen to be either false or subjective. The fact is that our current civilization is founded on the advances of rational thought. In my own experience I have seen that people are waking up to that fact that modern culture and morals make much more sense when grounded in rational thought rather than mythology.Furthermore, I believe people are losing their belief in gods because we no longer need them as a driving force in our society. If this rejection of "theological nonsense" is what you are referring to then my answer is yes.

Yes it is. That is why Satan has fostered so much theological nonsense. His hope is that most will never encounter God's own church, which is NOT nonsense. Failing that, those who encounter it will be sufficiently confused not to recognize it.

Well, there is also that thing about The Bible being total lunacy.

Usually when pressed, most atheists will admit that their issue is mainly with "organized religion" (but not disorganized ones?) and/or its followers rather than the existence of God.