Why do people still believe in God? (178)
Bogart_1960: Why do people still believe in God? because we can think and do whatever we want. some people believes in God, others dont. tolerance only, accept that humans have the right to choose, even if it does not make sense to us.
Marcus Aurelius said it better: "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid."
Marcus Aurelius said it better: "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid."
Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy is very much part of me after reading it so many times.
Seems to me that lots of people never really made a choice. They just believe because that is what people do if they want to go to heaven and not to hell.
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ekself: In the beginning when the world was still filled with scary unexplainable stuff people needed gods to blame or give the credit to. Pleasing the gods were the only way to try and control the world around them. Later on they saw they can use God for a lot of other things as well...like controlling people. They always had rules within the community but that was man made rules so they added God and eternal punishment to give more authority to it. To explain the evil amongst them they created Satan and then the fight began between Satan and God.
Now we know so much more...in fact enough to see that the world can go round without having gods to look after it. Even though the gods are redundant large groups of people don't want to let go of them. They must realize by now that the percentage of prayers being answered is very low, but they still keep on praying.
Is it just a crutch to the weak, a way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, avoid facing reality or do they really believe God makes a difference in how things are?
Coming from a religious background and learning at an early age that the Christian God can't be trusted, I explored some other religions and their gods. My conclusion was if there are gods around they are not of much use. Maybe they are busy watching human sacrifices by primitive people on the latest planet they have created. Taking bets on who is going to become the supreme god of that planet.
I know I am more than just my body, my personality and my mind as I have the seed of life, that can't be destroyed, within me. When I die my body, personality and mind will rot and fade away. The spark of life will continue within some other living thing without any trace of me attached to it. My life is not empty and meaningless without a god or eternal life in heaven to look forward to. Life is filled with millions of opportunities waiting to be explored. So I live it as it comes along...sometimes reluctantly and sometimes with passion.
Bring me a god who is reliable, trustworthy, unconditionally loving, fair, available when needed and can manifest himself in a clear way so we need not doubt his existence. Then and only then will I believe again.
Now we know so much more...in fact enough to see that the world can go round without having gods to look after it. Even though the gods are redundant large groups of people don't want to let go of them. They must realize by now that the percentage of prayers being answered is very low, but they still keep on praying.
Is it just a crutch to the weak, a way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, avoid facing reality or do they really believe God makes a difference in how things are?
Coming from a religious background and learning at an early age that the Christian God can't be trusted, I explored some other religions and their gods. My conclusion was if there are gods around they are not of much use. Maybe they are busy watching human sacrifices by primitive people on the latest planet they have created. Taking bets on who is going to become the supreme god of that planet.
I know I am more than just my body, my personality and my mind as I have the seed of life, that can't be destroyed, within me. When I die my body, personality and mind will rot and fade away. The spark of life will continue within some other living thing without any trace of me attached to it. My life is not empty and meaningless without a god or eternal life in heaven to look forward to. Life is filled with millions of opportunities waiting to be explored. So I live it as it comes along...sometimes reluctantly and sometimes with passion.
Bring me a god who is reliable, trustworthy, unconditionally loving, fair, available when needed and can manifest himself in a clear way so we need not doubt his existence. Then and only then will I believe again.
If there really was a master of all creation then he's not going to spend his time revolving around us. Imo, a supreme being would barely even notice Humanity in the same way that Humanity pays no accord to the life of the ant, I really don't see this supreme being fulfilling the role of provider-husband for Humanity.
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ekself: In the beginning when the world was still filled with scary unexplainable stuff people needed gods to blame or give the credit to. Pleasing the gods were the only way to try and control the world around them. Later on they saw they can use God for a lot of other things as well...like controlling people. They always had rules within the community but that was man made rules so they added God and eternal punishment to give more authority to it. To explain the evil amongst them they created Satan and then the fight began between Satan and God.
Now we know so much more...in fact enough to see that the world can go round without having gods to look after it. Even though the gods are redundant large groups of people don't want to let go of them. They must realize by now that the percentage of prayers being answered is very low, but they still keep on praying.
Is it just a crutch to the weak, a way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, avoid facing reality or do they really believe God makes a difference in how things are?
Coming from a religious background and learning at an early age that the Christian God can't be trusted, I explored some other religions and their gods. My conclusion was if there are gods around they are not of much use. Maybe they are busy watching human sacrifices by primitive people on the latest planet they have created. Taking bets on who is going to become the supreme god of that planet.
I know I am more than just my body, my personality and my mind as I have the seed of life, that can't be destroyed, within me. When I die my body, personality and mind will rot and fade away. The spark of life will continue within some other living thing without any trace of me attached to it. My life is not empty and meaningless without a god or eternal life in heaven to look forward to. Life is filled with millions of opportunities waiting to be explored. So I live it as it comes along...sometimes reluctantly and sometimes with passion.
Bring me a god who is reliable, trustworthy, unconditionally loving, fair, available when needed and can manifest himself in a clear way so we need not doubt his existence. Then and only then will I believe again.
Because life would seem hopeless with out faith in someone greater than ourselfs!Now we know so much more...in fact enough to see that the world can go round without having gods to look after it. Even though the gods are redundant large groups of people don't want to let go of them. They must realize by now that the percentage of prayers being answered is very low, but they still keep on praying.
Is it just a crutch to the weak, a way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, avoid facing reality or do they really believe God makes a difference in how things are?
Coming from a religious background and learning at an early age that the Christian God can't be trusted, I explored some other religions and their gods. My conclusion was if there are gods around they are not of much use. Maybe they are busy watching human sacrifices by primitive people on the latest planet they have created. Taking bets on who is going to become the supreme god of that planet.
I know I am more than just my body, my personality and my mind as I have the seed of life, that can't be destroyed, within me. When I die my body, personality and mind will rot and fade away. The spark of life will continue within some other living thing without any trace of me attached to it. My life is not empty and meaningless without a god or eternal life in heaven to look forward to. Life is filled with millions of opportunities waiting to be explored. So I live it as it comes along...sometimes reluctantly and sometimes with passion.
Bring me a god who is reliable, trustworthy, unconditionally loving, fair, available when needed and can manifest himself in a clear way so we need not doubt his existence. Then and only then will I believe again.
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Obstinance_Works: If there really was a master of all creation then he's not going to spend his time revolving around us. Imo, a supreme being would barely even notice Humanity in the same way that Humanity pays no accord to the life of the ant, I really don't see this supreme being fulfilling the role of provider-husband for Humanity.
agree with you. When I work in the garden destroying nests and shelters and sometimes accidentally or deliberately killing living creatures, I cannot help but think if there is a god then maybe that is how he operates as well. Do what need to be done without really noticing the tiny little creature's distress because of that.------ This thread is Archived ------
I think it often boils down to the fact that the mysteries of the physical world are not personal enough for a lot of people. Why not? Good question. How life evolves, how stars form, how they make elements all positively fascinate me, but a lot of folks for comfort need this idea that there's some force in the cosmos that cares about their wellbeing. That to me is what it comes down to. And it's why they all (New Age, spiritual, or conventionally religious) usually either bristle or become incensed about ideas of randomness or coincidence. There is a need for something personal.
Faiths serve societal and communal functions (a ton has been written about that) as well.
Faiths serve societal and communal functions (a ton has been written about that) as well.
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tomcatwarne: Can't you read I said in my experience,
Yes but you didn't puit forward ant coccrete argument, or evidense, what does in tyouexperience entail, or are youj just waffling again ???
Yes but you didn't puit forward ant coccrete argument, or evidense, what does in tyouexperience entail, or are youj just waffling again ???
I can barely understand your post but let me explain this slowly so that you may get the gist. "In my experience" means just that...MY experience. It's not yours or anyone else's. Get it yet? Good lad
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Scott1812: Because life would seem hopeless with out faith in someone greater than ourselfs!
Scott...you are a true believer in my eyes. Good reason so never stop believing.
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memory_alpha: I think it often boils down to the fact that the mysteries of the physical world are not personal enough for a lot of people. Why not? Good question. How life evolves, how stars form, how they make elements all positively fascinate me, but a lot of folks for comfort need this idea that there's some force in the cosmos that cares about their wellbeing. That to me is what it comes down to. And it's why they all (New Age, spiritual, or conventionally religious) usually either bristle or become incensed about ideas of randomness or coincidence. There is a need for something personal.
Faiths serve societal and communal functions (a ton has been written about that) as well.
Faiths serve societal and communal functions (a ton has been written about that) as well.
It is true...some maybe have a greater need for that something personal than others. But still...why a God who demands so much and gives so little in return except maybe the grand prize of a place in heaven.
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Because they need someone to blame!!
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ekself: That is one of the problems I have with especially Christians. Not taking responsibility as they can hide behind God or Satan.
generalization... and "one sided". some are like that, and some not. the same principle applies to agnostic, other credos, atheist, etc, as "humans" find excuses, some are just different.
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Bogart_1960: generalization... and "one sided". some are like that, and some not. the same principle applies to agnostic, other credos, atheist, etc, as "humans" find excuses, some are just different.
You are right Bogart should have said some Christians as I have known some wonderful Christians in my life.
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ekself: That is one of the problems I have with especially Christians. Not taking responsibility as they can hide behind God or Satan.
I've known some non- religious people not taking responsibility for their actions.
I also that people still believe in God because maybe they have nothing positive to believe in .Or maybe believing in God is their comfort zone.
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I have experienced a love greater than human love where I was taken out of the body and stood before two spiritual adepts. There outpouring of love was overwhelming. I felt that I was not deserving of this unconditional love. Just as quickly I was back in my bed.
This is all great. I have had many experiences with the light n sound of the eternal, all-pervading yet impersonal spirit which gives its love to all through these higher beings.
I have gained joy and satisfaction in all this by the grace of a spiritual teacher however, my ultimate questions will always be, "Why do we have to exist?" and "Why does God exist?" It baffles the mind and the self.
This is all great. I have had many experiences with the light n sound of the eternal, all-pervading yet impersonal spirit which gives its love to all through these higher beings.
I have gained joy and satisfaction in all this by the grace of a spiritual teacher however, my ultimate questions will always be, "Why do we have to exist?" and "Why does God exist?" It baffles the mind and the self.
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why does every one blame GOD for all the bad things going on . there is the devil who is the grand deceiver. and mankind is not perfect for sure.
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Ccincy: I've known some non- religious people not taking responsibility for their actions.I also that people still believe in God because maybe they have nothing positive to believe in .Or maybe believing in God is their comfort zone.
That is so the wrong reasons to believe in anything and I think lots of believers don't even realize they are not really believers...just scared people who hope they are safe within some religious believe system.
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stringman: why does every one blame GOD for all the bad things going on . there is the devil who is the grand deceiver. and mankind is not perfect for sure.
Why blame anyone. Nature does what nature does and if lots of us don't survive because of that then it is how it must be.
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AesopsFables: I have experienced a love greater than human love where I was taken out of the body and stood before two spiritual adepts. There outpouring of love was overwhelming. I felt that I was not deserving of this unconditional love. Just as quickly I was back in my bed.
This is all great. I have had many experiences with the light n sound of the eternal, all-pervading yet impersonal spirit which gives its love to all through these higher beings.
I have gained joy and satisfaction in all this by the grace of a spiritual teacher however, my ultimate questions will always be, "Why do we have to exist?" and "Why does God exist?" It baffles the mind and the self.
This is all great. I have had many experiences with the light n sound of the eternal, all-pervading yet impersonal spirit which gives its love to all through these higher beings.
I have gained joy and satisfaction in all this by the grace of a spiritual teacher however, my ultimate questions will always be, "Why do we have to exist?" and "Why does God exist?" It baffles the mind and the self.
It must be wonderful to have experiences like that.
To me it is simple...we have to exist just like every little ant on earth have to exist. In our brief time on earth we contribute in many ways that we are not even always aware of.
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nature is GOD. GOD made this world for mankind to take care of but I think mankind has lost his way.why i say nature is GOD because every once and a while he will send us a wake up call with a really bad storm or earthquake. his way of letting us know who is in control.
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Yes but you didn't puit forward ant coccrete argument, or evidense, what does in tyouexperience entail, or are youj just waffling again ???