Do you believe in God?

[Maximilian]

Do you believe in God?

Why, or why not?


I've never been able to believe there isn't some sort of God, since I was a small child. To me the idea of Atheism doesn't make any sense, I believe we are surrounded by evidence that the Universe exists for a reason. I don't think it's possible to comprehend what God really is, or the reasons or explanations why things the way they are, I think these are our own human interpretations of the Universe, and I think our viewpoint is somewhat limited to come to a conclusion on what we are currently experiencing while alive. I believe there is much more to the world than we know or see. When I get in trouble I ask God for help and forgiveness when necessary, I believe in the power of prayer. Various religions have formed their own interpretations of what they believe God is, and how we must obey God. In the long history of human beings, spirituality has played an important role, and all civilizations have some sort of God or Gods that they worship. I believe in a single, all powerful, and united God force, my best way of describing how I feel is that God is everything, and anything that ever will be. I have read several books on near death experiences, after one of my parents explained their own near death experience and decided to share this information with me. Their sincerity in the experience, and learning about all the people who have similar experiences is what I view as solid proof that there is life after death, and that we are in fact immortal souls.

[Eliscu2]

:nods:

[Samara]

Definitely not in a traditional, biblical sense. But the world is a magical, awe inspiring, pattern driven place. And fucked up, too.

Still, there is no way I can believe there is an omnipotent, all loving God up there on a perch. Definitely not an interventionist one. I'm kind of with Bill Maher on that one. Or George Carlin.

I am comfortable with uncertainty and don't believe in Jesus as a "get out of jail for free card."

[DannyB II]

Yes,
What I don't believe is humans can explain why, conclusively.

[SEKTO]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ25Ai__FYU

[DannyB II]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ25Ai__FYU

 Mr. Jung makes my point.

[Whooter]

I was brought up in a strict catholic family, knelt every night beside my bed to say prayers, was an altar boy who served 6:30 am mass and 9:15 mass every Sunday starting at age 9 or 10 for many years, catholic school.  Had family members who were nuns so we visited convents on weekends.  We took a family vacation to Canada to see the shrines and even visited a bridge supported by Rosary beads.  I carried rosary beads around with me.  But my parents were cool but I knew my mom really wanted me to become a priest.  They saw I didn’t buy into the whole religious thing  by the time I was in high school, and they didn’t push me (I tried, I really did).  I was too horny to become a priest when I was growing up so that was taken off the table and not to be disrespectful to other people of faith but I just couldn’t believe that there was some guy up there watching over us making the rules.  Life was just too unorganized to believe that crap.

I believe Religion evolved out of need.  People are thinkers and need answers to questions in order to sleep at night and religion filled that void.  All the stories of Moses and the apostles etc. were probably true stories but with a biased twist to suit or support a core belief.


I believe our DNA arrived via an asteroid or meteor a billion years ago and has spread onto a million or more other planets some of the DNA survived (like here on earth).  There are billions of other earths.  What it all means I don’t know.



...

[SEKTO]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ25Ai__FYU

 Mr. Jung makes my point.

That's Doctor Jung, Danny.

[psy]

It's impossible to know.  I'll find out when I die.  Until then it's kind of irrelevant.

[SEKTO]

It's impossible to know.  I'll find out when I die.  Until then it's kind of irrelevant.

Why?

[psy]

It's impossible to know.  I'll find out when I die.  Until then it's kind of irrelevant.

Why?

Because if god exists and merely pretends not to exist he might as well not exist at all for all intents and purposes.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

— Epicurus, philosopher (c. 341-270 BCE)

[Samara]

That Epicurus quote is exactly why I can't buy in the idea of an Omnipotent, all-loving God. My problem with religion is the people.

[DannyB II]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ25Ai__FYU

 Mr. Jung makes my point.

That's Doctor Jung, Danny.

I am very well aware that Mr. Jung is a Doctor of Medicine, he actually interned quite literally during WW1. His relationship with Sigmund Freud was a interesting one up until they split over the "unconscious". Mr.Jung believed in a deeper unconscious dealing with mythology. Mr. Jung, is well known for his psychoanalytic movement.
I am not a scholar by no means but I have been reading Jung for some time. Freud, was a great read for his interpretation of dreams.

[DannyB II]

That Epicurus quote is exactly why I can't buy in the idea of an Omnipotent, all-loving God. My problem with religion is the people.

and for millenniums it has been the people, thanks Psy and Samara.

[none-ya]

There is no choice at the the top to accommodate the optomistic agnostics among us.And though I havn't seen any evedence to the  contrary I still simply Hope there is a GOD.