Does God exist? (3 Viewers)

[kobz]

Because maybe faith tells them that. See when it comes to religion, facts and logic are not needed for some people cos it's all about what they believe in. Maybe their beliefs/hearts or whatever tells them that there's only one god, or more than one god.

to me religion is all about FAITH.

p.s don't know if what I just said actually makes sense but anyway.....

u dnt just get faith from nowhere....4 u 2 have strong faith in a religion, ur religion must be very firm wid answers, not just have faith n dnt ask

 

[_dhj_]

u dnt just get faith from nowhere....4 u 2 have strong faith in a religion, ur religion must be very firm wid answers, not just have faith n dnt ask

Can you please refrain from using textspeak?

Seriously it makes you seem stupid and what you say hard to comprehend.

 

[kobz]

Yes, it does make sense. But to be honest, I would have no idea what faith is. Does this mean I am missing out on something you people have? I have never been touched by God, why isn't he touching me? -in a non-sexual way.

bcuz you havnt found him, ull never see God bcuz that would be limiting him, but ur heart will see him if u find him, just need 2 find good enough reason y he is so great

 

[kobz]

Can you please refrain from using textspeak?

Seriously it makes you seem stupid and what you say hard to comprehend.

if u dnt like it dont read it, ur the only 1 complaining

 

[Generator]

if u dnt like it dont read it, ur the only 1 complaining

dhj may be the only person complaining but he's not the only person suffering.

It would be great if you could try and type out each word in full. This isn't MSN, after all.

 

[UnIqUe_PrInCeSs]

Yes, it does make sense. But to be honest, I would have no idea what faith is. Does this mean I am missing out on something you people have? I have never been touched by God, why isn't he touching me? -in a non-sexual way.

it depends on how you feel. Those who don't believe in god aren't missing out on anything cos they feel that they have chosen the right decision. Same goes with those who believe.
----------
With me, I believe in god cos I was born in a religious family. But it's not like I'm forced or anything. I just naturally don't have any doubts about god's existence. It's just the way I feel.

if u dnt like it dont read it, ur the only 1 complaining

I'm not trying to insult you, but it's true though. I didn't understand your post either.

 

[transcendent]

bcuz you havnt found him, ull never see God bcuz that would be limiting him, but ur heart will see him if u find him, just need 2 find good enough reason y he is so great

God is about as useful as a sword with no blade.

 

[transcendent]

God is irrelevant. He's existence is a placebo for the weak minded. The concept of heaven is a monotonous boring existence trapped in a form for the rest of eternity. The only truth is that we are alive here on Earth and should make the most of it. Not squander it away praying to a God that isn't there and doesn't care.

 

[Mc_Meaney]

you people are just ignorant....goo and study religions...or if u wana sit der and use watever ur lil mind can think off ( btw is the work of the devil ) and wait till u die and risk ur soul over being 2 lazy 2 search for God thats all i can say 2 u

:rofl: Study religions? but doesnt the christian/cathlic god preach that it is against god to believe in another god? So wouldnt that mean studying another religion would be thus mean some level of belief in that god (otherwise why study them + their religion?), therefore going against, hmm the 1st commandment?

 

[poloktim]

:rofl: Study religions? but doesnt the christian/cathlic god preach that it is against god to believe in another god? So wouldnt that mean studying another religion would be thus mean some level of belief in that god (otherwise why study them + their religion?), therefore going against, hmm the 1st commandment?

To understand something is not the same as to believe in it.

 

[Ennaybur]

"Originally Posted by kobz
bcuz you havnt found him, ull never see God bcuz that would be limiting him, but ur heart will see him if u find him, just need 2 find good enough reason y he is so great "

but isnt our puny little hearts just limiting him a bit too? and what does "just need 2 find good enough reason y he is so great " mean exactly?

 

[c_james]

Even if God does exist, one need only look around to realise that he is non-interventionist. Supposing the existence of some supreme being, this being merely set the chain of events which created the universe in motion (these are the views of the deist, essentially). He clearly has no active role in attending to His creation. Therefore, the question regarding the existence of God is one of pure curiosity, for it's clear that even if such a being did exist, prayer and institutionalised religion do nothing to change our lot in life. Anyone who believes in miracles apart from those of the human kind is, I'm afraid to say, a wishful thinker.

 

[Mc_Meaney]

To understand something is not the same as to believe in it.

But wouldnt you have to accept some level existance (thus belief) if you are willing to study it?

 

[ur_inner_child]

Once again, I find it offensive that certain religious people assume that non-religious people never bothered to study religions.

It is completely false.

You can study communism but not accept it. I can grow up in a Chinese household but dismiss certain values, yet you cannot say I do not understand my culture.

And yes, I use those examples because like religion, it is a system of values and beliefs.

Mc Meany, I find it hard to believe that you've believed in everything you have studied. Surely you must have disagreed on a theory, concept or value during your years of highschool?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Once again, I find it offensive that certain religious people assume that non-religious people never bothered to study religions.

Well it's quite offensive when it's obvious that they are wrong, if they are justified tho (i.e. I haven't studied hinduism at ANY great length) then fine, bring that up. What annoys me most is that they seem to think that further knowledge of a religion means that you're more likely to understand their justification for a belief in God, where what I've found is that religious text's so little to justify a belief in the supernatural.


Anyway, If this forum is anything to go by, often the atheists/agnostics seem to have a better knowledge of both religion in general and in particular christianity.

 

[c_james]

Some general points on the concept of faith: I've personally found that those most "faithful" of people are almost always looking for a 'safe' way out. Faced with uncertainity and an underlying fear that they'll be damned to hell if they don't believe unswervingly, they are most hostile to any rational analysis of their religious tradition.

That said, there are more understandable and self-respecting stances to take. Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard essentially agrees with agnostics in that theology is impervious to human reason, claiming that all religious belief requires a "leap of faith", much like that leap of faith taken by Abraham when God instructed him to kill his son, Isaac (Ishmael in the Qur'an). Although it pained him to obey his command, Abraham was fully prepared to sacrifice Isaac. There is a point, believed Kierkegaard, where one must realise the tenuousness and unverifiability of their beliefs but nevertheless stand by them. I can respect this stance, which doesn't claim any absolute truths about the existence of God.

One more point to ponder: aren't all believers agnostics at heart? Think about the term 'believer' - it's one who accepts something as true or real. They are not 'knowers'. The mere fact that one believes does not preclude them harbouring doubt, however miniscule - in fact, I'd say you'd have to be pretty uneducated and narrow-minded not to.

 

[Mc_Meaney]

Once again, I find it offensive that certain religious people assume that non-religious people never bothered to study religions.

Mc Meany, I find it hard to believe that you've believed in everything you have studied. Surely you must have disagreed on a theory, concept or value during your years of highschool?

Being taught and studying for purposes of school is different to studying for the purpose of extending ones self spiritually, yes?

 

[transcendent]

One more point to ponder: aren't all believers agnostics at heart? Think about the term 'believer' - it's one who accepts something as true or real. They are not 'knowers'. The mere fact that one believes does not preclude them harbouring doubt, however miniscule - in fact, I'd say you'd have to be pretty uneducated and narrow-minded not to.

Who says they aren't? The ones I've come across believe it so wholeheartedly you'd have think there was no other possible belief available and that they've been indoctrinated from birth.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

One more point to ponder: aren't all believers agnostics at heart? Think about the term 'believer' - it's one who accepts something as true or real. They are not 'knowers'. The mere fact that one believes does not preclude them harbouring doubt, however miniscule - in fact, I'd say you'd have to be pretty uneducated and narrow-minded not to.

Do you believe that believers actually do believe? A little bit earlier in this thread I made a few posts explaining that I don't really think believers believe in God. I based this on that their actions/decisions do not seem to be those of a person whom accepts god's existance as a reality just as much as I accept that the earth revolves around the sun.

IMO the only believers are the extremists that are willing to die for god, the nutjobs whom really do think they hear god talking to them etc. The rest are just people that really, really, really want to believe, or whom believe belief in God is a good thing.

One more point to ponder: aren't all believers agnostics at heart?

See this is why I call myself an atheist, any fairly intelligent person will accept that you can't know objective reality. Beyond that tho the 'reality' of our universe is something that changes with our knowledge as more evidence is found, always accurate in the present, but at the same time always open to change due to further revelations.

The same can be true for some christians, however unfortunarely there are many out there that do believe they know 'the objective truth'.

As for faith:

Religious faith is the absense of reason, critical thinking and thought its self.

The root of all evil:

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=6193866746249268230&q=richard+dawkins
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-8239331458224461127&q=richard+dawkins

 

[c_james]

Who says they aren't? The ones I've come across believe it so wholeheartedly you'd have think there was no other possible belief available and that they've been indoctrinated from birth.

Those kinds of people - which truly are a minority, I have to say - really are a joke. I make it a point to avoid them at all costs, especially the ones that flaunt their religion to anyone and everyone. Any attempt at intelligent conversation inevitably leads to them saying "It's like that because God made it that way!" AIDS, poverty, war, famine - whatever the grim occurence, it's part of some 'master plan'. That I just can't buy.