why do you believe in god? - Page 17

Well, you might be right. What I wanted to say is: "I do know and I am sure in this - that there is no Hell, Heaven etc. (everything else I said). What I do not know is whether there is God after all - I mean some kind of a transcedental being that has a supernatural power over everything that exists." This makes me a half-agnostic I believe.

DonGiovanni said,

"I am an agnostic. I do not know whether there is a god or whether there is not. I also do not find the question relevant. What I believe is that even if there some kind of a God he is much too great to be understood, to be proved, etc. "

And he said, "What i do not understand about theists is: "Why do you think that God cares about you"? God must be beyond petty human morality. There is nothing like sin or righteousness. There is no hell, no paradise, no life after death."

This is probably the single most frustrating thing about the agnostic mindset. It is so self contradicting yet that fact can not be seen by those who have such mindsets. It appears to me DonGiovanni, that you have rationalized and compartmentalized all your thoughts and opinions to satisfy yourself with answers provided by yourself. Then claim you're open to new information? How can that be when you've already concluded that God, (who is too big for you to understand) doesn't care about you?

I've got a few reasons to believe in some creator(s):

1. The design of our place in this universe, particularly, but also, the universe itself. What is holding all the stuff therein together? And furthermore, how are energies sustained in the membranes, or atmospheres throughout the silences of space? Intelligent design is what I'm getting at. Our whole planet's cyclical nature, as well as our own, are of a specified and complex state of being.

2. From the moment we, or any animal, are born, we are nurtured by our mother. We are nestled in, nurtured, and sated by our creator, our mother. It's in our very nature. This is the cycle. What of our planet/universe then? What keeps it nestled in its place and sated?

3. The very fact that we can sit her and contemplate this is proof enough that, either way, we cannot prove, or, DISPROVE the existence of a creator. No one should be an atheist. Atheism is just as ignorant as theism in this regard. Agnosticism makes most sense for those who have no creator in mind.

4. Man cannot comprehend ending, for all we know from the moment we are born is existence. We can observe on this fine planet of ours energy never leaving, but changing form. Therefore, our energy will change form and we will carry on in some manner (I like to imagine returning to a glowing orb of energy that pulses like a heartbeat and being recycled back into the Earth). Anyhow, imagination aside, we cannot conceive of eternity or nothingness. We live in a temporal place, but one thing is for sure, our body will die and we will then know, or, not know what's up haha.

quote:

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(I like to imagine returning to a glowing orb of energy that pulses like a heartbeat and being recycled back into the Earth)

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Without 'bible thumping" I just wanted to let you know you got me thinking. Giving that matter & energy can not be destroyed; and the metaphysical journeys of Christ before and after his crucifixion; I think those things would definitely appear to substantiate your thoughts. Good post!

Thanks for making the thread, Manbible. It's always good for me to revisit and reaffirm my beliefs

I can't take credit for the thread DannyDuberstein. But I'm glad you were edified in your faith!

Why do I believe in God?

Well that would depend on what you mean by "believe" in God. If you mean do I believe he exist then the answer is because all that we see reveals that what we can't see. Meaning creation has his mark on it.

But why I believe goes beyond simple acknowledgment. I know he exist. He doesn't allow the passing on to others this knowledge except by witnessing.That is because he requires us to come to faith first.Then he rewards that faith with knowledge.This requirement is because our pride in self separates us from him. Now, my faith isn't that of acknowledgment but rather in knowing what he is preparing for us.Most reject this knowledge because it conflicts with the proud nature of the human psyche therefore they never open their minds enough to grasp its importance. Choosing to focus their attention on the simple, temporal things of the world.

If God did not exist, like all things intangible such as emotions and love being top. One would most likely have no emotions and all things would be quite chaotic.

There would be no conscience. For a conscience is rather a detriment to the self. And it is the self that modern times likes to put their faith in.
Mostly there would no law. The world would be uncivilized. In some parts of the world, without or where Christian missionaries did not work, the people were lawless.
Consider the joke about cannibal who told the atheist who was mocking him for reading the Bible, that if it were not for the Bible he would be cooking in his pot.

Truly, if the world did follow the laws of God, of Christ, the Decalogue...then the world would surely have peace.
The Decalogue was put in place for humanity to avoid doing harm to others and in first place to love God Who wants nothing more for all, that is every creature, to be happy even as we separated ourselves from Him.

As it is, if anyone here could undo God's Laws - they should ponder what a world it would truly be.

Where He proclaims we do not murder and we had no laws in all the world - - how many of our loved ones could be murdered and we without recourse, for no law would exist?

Its unimaginable to do two things.
1) Imagine a man made the rules in the Bible since they are for all purposes - self defeating.
2) That if no such laws were ever given to humanity and we had no Intelligent Creator loving us enough to let His perfect laws be known - it would be chaotic and I daresay, the world would have long ago self destructed.
Left to our own devices - humanity falls short of caring for others.

Peace be with you.

Each moment of time there are infinities of choices being made that guide the future.

From what I am given to understand, the conception of "God" is an all-powerful deity who acts as a source of comfort for the weak-minded. People blame the bad things in their on "God", yet attribute the good things to themselves. There is as much proof of "God" as there is of fairies or unicorns; in books.

Simple:I didn't create my self;

I believe in God and more importantly, Jesus. because of several reasons. One of them being that i believe in the afterlife and my religion, Orthodox Christianity, provides a great ensemble for a future afterlife for both me, and my living or already deceased relatives.

Does that make me immune to science and logic? I hope not... because I am senior year in electronics engineering and not being accustomed to logic and science would make me quite a misfit. Does being a Christian mean that I adhere to all the stereotypical, mainly american evanghelistical BS? No.. it doesn't mean that. Do I force my belief upon someone else? No... I don't do that as much as possible. And so on and so forth.

Atheists aren't people who put science above everything. Those people are called scientists. Not scientologists. to be an atheist means that you chose to follow a path that leads to nowhere once you're dead. To be faithful, to most of the main faiths, means that you chose to follow a path that may lead to a new life. How liberal you are with your belief in this life is a whole different topic. The notion that my deceased relatives are somewhere where I will meet them someday, and that they are not in pain or just... completely gone, is a comforting thought. Then again, that may be just me.

Everything else, regarding the power of religion and whatever. Islam has put a pretty high threshold on how F-ed up religion has to be in todays world. I feel bad for all the good muslims out there, who practice islam in peace and undisturbing of others, and have to take a lot of shit from other people.

As far as proof...
Think of it this way. Who are you that any deity has to prove himself to you? Who are you to be so important?

I breathe, I think, I live< I did not create myself, I see the stars and the heavens and the order in creation all around and it declares a Creator due to the mathematics, symmetry, and beauty everywhere!