Why do you believe in God?

Yeah, you're even more ignorant than the average bible thumper.

 

I don't. I'm well educated.

 

While I do not necessarily believe in an afterlife, this argument appears to me entirely unfounded. One fears death because one recognizes the idea of a universal dimension to all occurrences: it is true that the person will not experience the effects of death, but -- in an objective sense -- there has still been a shift from a desirable state to an undesirable state. At the same time, focusing more on the personal implications of that undesired state, the person will indeed not suffer any detriment or benefit in death itself, but they will no longer experience life. It is this that I fear.

 

Spending your limited time here fearing something that is going to happen will just reduce the level of happiness you have. Trying to not fear death will just make your life better.

 

damn doublepost. sorry, bad net.

 

Ugh, so many ignorant Athiests in this thread.
inb4 people call me a theist or something along the lines, no i'm Agnostic.

The Big Bang and Evolution are theories just as much as the theory of their being a God. I don't really pay close attention to science and it's recent findings, but until I see physical proof that over-time either people, or animals change over a long period of time, i'm not going to believe it.

Also, don't expect a response from me, I don't have time to deal with religion threads, cause I honestly don't give a fuck.

 

Evolution is a scientific theory which differs in meaning from the everyday use of the word "theory".

Evolution, in some form or another, is very likely to be true. The big bang has less evidence for it but I will still choose to believe in the bing bag over a god because scientists have found evidence for it. Agnosticism is the cheap way out. Its just saying I am not willing to choose a side so I say choose neither.

 

I personally don't know anymore. I used to be an Atheist, but now I've begun to see that as too arrogant a position.

I do, however, not believe in the existence of any of the gods of organized religion, or their concepts/beliefs/traditions regarding deities.

I think there might very well be some universal, indescribable force that governs the laws of time, space, nature.

I just don't know, and that's why I stepped down from the Atheist pedestal of claiming to "Know there isn't a god," and adopted "man cannot grasp the true concept that is 'god.'"

 

I've met athiests who believe in reincarnation. If they believe in that than how can they not believe in a God.

 

what part of reincarnation requires a god?

 

Atheists can believe in anything, as long as they do not believe in a god. Reincarnation , heaven, etc, don't need a god to exist.

 

I believe in God, Heaven, and Hell because I like the reassurance that good things I do will be rewarded and to keep me from from committing atrocities

And for other reasons that I don't want to discuss.

 

I don't agree. I lead an extremely happy life -- it's not like I'm constantly depressed and hunched over the idea of no longer living. If someone asks me if I fear it, however, I would say that I do. One of the greatest challenges of our existence is reconciling ourselves with the inevitable end. That cannot be done overnight.

 

Weren't you taught as a child to do good things to make others' lives better, to make them feel better? Not so that you can have 'the good life' when you die.

And the fear of punishment in the afterlife shouldn't be the only thing that keeps you from going about killing people.

 

i dont believe god i am a atheist

 

I have a couple of reason's why I do. My parent's made me go to church from when I was 7-14. Every Sunday pretty much.
Also, there is no downside imo to believing in God. If religion is false and when we die, we just die, so be it then. On the other hand, if God is real and there is a heaven, I get to live eternally in heaven, while all the atheists are in hell.

 

Your first point.
If your parents taught you that water was bad, would you abstain from drinking water even though science and other people disprove and do it just the same? Or would you try to research the foundation of your beliefs?
There is no downside to not believing in God either.

God is the all forgiving right?

 

I have an issue with a lot of people in this thread, and it's not because they believe in God. It's because they are IGNORANT. If your primary reason for believing in God is that you were RAISED to believe in God, then you have not reached a point where you should be entitled to have an opinion. I have beliefs about various things, sure, but the difference is that I can take a step back, look at my beliefs, and say "why?". Most of you refuse to do that, and in that refusal assert that your view is truth, but just because you refuse to SEE the alternative view doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

Plenty of you said that you believe in God because evolution and the big bang are just theories and until you see proof of them, you're going to assume there's a God. Well, there's two things wrong with that.

1: There IS proof of it. It's not definitively damning evidence of confirmation, but it's proof to at least build upon. The reason you're not seeing it is because you REFUSE TO LOOK. What will it take for you to believe? Does a scientist have to knock on your door with his Nobel prize and hold your hand while he teaches you all about evolution? Jesus people, go online, search for some science journals and LEARN. I recognized that I wasn't in an educated position to try to argue against someone else's religion, so instead of just making assumptions, I READ THE BIBLE. Return the freaking favor and stop posting out of ignorance. It may be bliss, but a lack of knowledge in a subject isn't a quality that makes you capable of discussing it.

2: WHY GOD?! Seriously. I haven't seen proof that Harry Potter isn't real, so does that by default make him real? I haven't seen proof that monkeys don't have ethereal wings protruding from their backs that are invisible to human eyes and only allow them to fly when no one's looking, so does that by default make flying monkeys a reality?

A lack of disproof is NOT evidence of truth. I can't prove that God doesn't exist. Sure, I have enough humility to admit it, but there is absolutely no proof whatsoever that he does, except for a 4000 year old book that inspired the creation of a 2000 year old book, and a 1200 year old book. That's it. That's all of the proof. Just because I can't show you proof AGAINST God doesn't mean that God exists by default.

This is something that irks me to no end. If you're going to present an argument, understand why you're making that argument. If you're going to have a belief, have the humility to take a step back and question your own belief. If you're going to reject other people's beliefs, take the time to understand them before you dismiss them.

Faith is something I can handle. Religion is fine for those who believe it with good intentions, but I HATE ignorance, and it's never a justification for misinformation.

/rant

 

There is evidence for God, mainly the vast numbers of people that believe. While this does not proof that there is indeed a god, but it does increase the likelihood of being true. Along with this fairly substantial proof there is proof that manifests within people's personal experiences with God. Scientists can not simply dismiss these experiences because they are experiences. Doing so just shows that the person has a bias against these types of evidence because they go against what they believe, mainly verifiability and falsifiability, which themselves have no evidence for themselves. You can not simply dismiss these forms of evidence.

 

In the world of science, we can. There's anecdotal evidence of bigfoot, but that doesn't mean he's real. It applies the same way with anything spiritual. The thing is, people will see what they want to see. That's how the human brain works. If someone wants to attribute something to God, they'll see it that way. However, until such an experience is quantified and qualified, there's no substance to it. You said yourself, there's a vast number of people that believe. Of those people, isn't it a bit odd that not one person has captured definitive proof of their claims?

Numbers are proof of social grooming. 99% of Americans will tell you that communism is terrible, but I'd be surprised if even 15% actually knew what it involved. This is no different. People accept principles based on upbringing and out of fear to question. Not only that, but people seek to fit the norm, so when posed with the option to disbelieve without a damnable reason to disbelieve, most people will choose to cling to the beliefs they were raised with. It's generational and societal, not instinctive.

Raise a kid without ever informing him of religion. Teach him all about science and then, in adulthood, teach him about god. I can almost guarantee that he'll find the concept asinine.