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Do you believe in God?

Do you believe in God?

  • Yes

    Votes: 21 48.8%
  • No

    Votes: 15 34.9%
  • Unsure

    Votes: 7 16.3%

  • Total voters
    43
T

The Real McCoy

Do you believe in God? (Whether it be the God of the Bible or just the creator of the universe in general)
 
I had to vote unsure, honestly, because I have no way of proving the existance of a divine creator, nor do I have any means to disprove it.
 
I was born a Catholic, but that never made me believe in God more or less than if I was completely away from the church. I did the Sign of the Cross, took my spot in mass, etc. etc...but I have never been able to confidently tell someone "I believe in the God of my Catholic church."

I do however, believe that there are some things about the world that are very difficult to explain without conceding that a supreme power must be at work doing things we can't understand. I actually plan on talking with a deacon at my old church about my mixed views to see what wisdom he can give me or if he can convince me to go back. I quit going a couple months ago.

However, no matter what, you'll never catch me saying "I do not believe in God."
 
McWilliamson said:
I was born a Catholic, but that never made me believe in God more or less than if I was completely away from the church. I did the Sign of the Cross, took my spot in mass, etc. etc...but I have never been able to confidently tell someone "I believe in the God of my Catholic church."

I do however, believe that there are some things about the world that are very difficult to explain without conceding that a supreme power must be at work doing things we can't understand. I actually plan on talking with a deacon at my old church about my mixed views to see what wisdom he can give me or if he can convince me to go back. I quit going a couple months ago.

However, no matter what, you'll never catch me saying "I do not believe in God."

I don't believe in a god per se.

Maybe a demiurge.

However I am firm believer in smurfs and smurfolism. I choose smurfs because, in general, they hold no homosexual and carnal interest in young boys.
 
Conflict said:
I don't believe in a god per se.

Maybe a demiurge.

However I am firm believer in smurfs and smurfolism. I choose smurfs because, in general, they hold no homosexual and carnal interest in young boys.

If you're talking about priests, then you might as well say all men are responsible for crimes of violence and that all women are ditsy, when neither of those is true.

Don't judge the whole by looking at the few.
 
McWilliamson said:
If you're talking about priests, then you might as well say all men are responsible for crimes of violence and that all women are ditsy, when neither of those is true.

Don't judge the whole by looking at the few.

It's a disturbing trend to say the least. Admittedly I was laying it on a little thick. I still think smurf are just as real as any God, though. I think a lot of people fear the possibility that when you die... you die completely... and there is nothing beyond that. I think many fear this concept fanatically
 
Conflict said:
It's a disturbing trend to say the least. Admittedly I was laying it on a little thick. I still think smurf are just as real as any God, though. I think a lot of people fear the possibility that when you die... you die completely... and there is nothing beyond that. I think many fear this concept fanatically

You're right; I wouldn't go to a church where the clergy is sexually active with the parishioners' children, but I've never been to a church where that has happened. I've only heard about it.

I've never met a person who admitted to being scared of what lay after death.
 
McWilliamson said:
I've never met a person who admitted to being scared of what lay after death.

That's exactly my point.

It's like asking someone if they're nervous.

More times than not people will deny their true feelings on such intricate personal objections, even to theirself.
 
Conflict said:
It's a disturbing trend to say the least. Admittedly I was laying it on a little thick. I still think smurf are just as real as any God, though. I think a lot of people fear the possibility that when you die... you die completely... and there is nothing beyond that. I think many fear this concept fanatically

McWilliamson said:
I've never met a person who admitted to being scared of what lay after death.

Conflict said:
That's exactly my point.

Wait--what?
 
No, I don't.

There's no evidence to support the existence of a god, nor is it necessary to include a god in the model of the universe. If religion finds a way to empirically prove the existence of god, I'll change my mind. But wishful thinking does not always match reality.
 
You certainly won't catch me saying "I don't believe in God." I tend to have Christian beliefs because that is what I was raised on. I have studied a little bit about Islam in my Middle East Politics class back when I was still in college and learned about Islam in Bosnia. I think people should be free to worship in whatever religion they so choose. This thread sort of reminds me of one quote where God says in the Bible "The fool has said their is no God." I still think that it is necessary to keep a seperation of Church and State so that differing religions may worship freely in the US.
 
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Kandahar said:
No, I don't.

There's no evidence to support the existence of a god, nor is it necessary to include a god in the model of the universe. If religion finds a way to empirically prove the existence of god, I'll change my mind. But wishful thinking does not always match reality.

Just because their is no evidence to prove the existance of something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Science cannot prove and explain everything. Faith in and of itself is powerful.
 
When their is no God, their is no faith and when their is no faith, their is no hope.
 
TimmyBoy said:
Just because their is no evidence to prove the existance of something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

It doesn't prove that it doesn't exist, but it does mean you should remain skeptical and doubtful until you find some supporting evidence for the god hypothesis.

TimmyBoy said:
Science cannot prove and explain everything. Faith in and of itself is powerful.

The idea of a "God of the gaps" - the idea that science can't explain X, therefore God is responsible for X - has a long history of spectacular failure. The ancient Greeks thought that thunder was the gods expressing anger. The Egyptians thought that the gods put the sun in the sky every morning and took it down every night.

In reality, science CAN explain everything, and eventually WILL explain everything. Scientists make mistakes, but these mistakes are always replaced by better science. When religions make mistakes, they almost never admit them...and are replaced by better science anyway. Science certainly has a much better track record than faith of discerning the nature of our world.
 
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I do not believe in God at all. Frankly, I am stunned at how many intelligent people believe in God.

I think the whole idea of religion is to make people strive to be decent people while they are on earth. I was raised Catholic. I never really gave it much thought about how throughout mass, I was constantly saying what I a sinner I am. “I confess to almighty God and you my brothers and sisters that I have sinned through my own fault…..Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.” I my admitting that I am a sinner throughout mass supposed to be a positive message? Oh brother. Some people need that kind of thing in order to strive to be decent people.

This whole thing about heaven and hell. Just not credible. OMG, I have to be a good person in my life in order to go to heaven? Oh, if I’m imperfect (which we all are), I have togo to purgatory and pray away my sins? Oh, and if I am really bad, I will go to hell. Give me a break.

McWilliamson said:
I do however, believe that there are some things about the world that are very difficult to explain without conceding that a supreme power must be at work doing things we can't understand. I actually plan on talking with a deacon at my old church about my mixed views to see what wisdom he can give me or if he can convince me to go back. I quit going a couple months ago.

What things in the world do you find difficult to explain?

TimmyBoy said:
When their is no God, their is no faith and when their is no faith, their is no hope.

Sorry, but that is not true. I am an atheist, and I do not know many people who are religious and are more hopeful and optimistic than I am.
 
aps said:
I do not believe in God at all. Frankly, I am stunned at how many intelligent people believe in God.

I think the whole idea of religion is to make people strive to be decent people while they are on earth. I was raised Catholic. I never really gave it much thought about how throughout mass, I was constantly saying what I a sinner I am. “I confess to almighty God and you my brothers and sisters that I have sinned through my own fault…..Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.” I my admitting that I am a sinner throughout mass supposed to be a positive message? Oh brother. Some people need that kind of thing in order to strive to be decent people.

This whole thing about heaven and hell. Just not credible. OMG, I have to be a good person in my life in order to go to heaven? Oh, if I’m imperfect (which we all are), I have togo to purgatory and pray away my sins? Oh, and if I am really bad, I will go to hell. Give me a break.



What things in the world do you find difficult to explain?



Sorry, but that is not true. I am an atheist, and I do not know many people who are religious and are more hopeful and optimistic than I am.

Hmm, that's funny, I know quite a few people who are religious and very hopeful. My dad's side of the family is a good example. When you visit them, their is a fullness and wholeness. They live out in the country. When I return to the city, I see people in the big city are empty, self serving, shallow, superficial, deceptive, fake and cynacil. But when I go to the country and meet with my relatives who are religious, they are hard workers, they are much more moral than the people in the city, they are genuine, when they shake your hand and smile, you know they really mean it. It is not like what I saw in the hometown where I grew up where people give fake smiles. They teach their kids about God and how to be hopeful for the future and to look ahead and look forward to living life. Very happy people. I think that no matter how hard atheists try to justify their beliefs, their will always be some kind of emptiness to them.
 
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I am quite sure the answers would be different here, had the situation been dire, and the person was facing his/her demise. As they say, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" but I am also certain some will never acknowledge this fact, or simply never faced that reality. I guess what I am trying to say is, yes I do believe, but it's more to be on the safe side, and this realization sometimes bothers me.
 
Deegan said:
I am quite sure the answers would be different here, had the situation been dire, and the person was facing his/her demise. As they say, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" but I am also certain some will never acknowledge this fact, or simply never faced that reality. I guess what I am trying to say is, yes I do believe, but it's more to be on the safe side, and this realization sometimes bothers me.

You are absolutely right about that. Their are no atheists in the foxhole heh heh. Those who suffer alot tend to look up to God and to religion. When I was in Sarajevo it was wrecked and destroyed city, yet you could find alot of spirituality and beauty to the place. In alot of beautiful looking European cities which saw no war, you could find alot of emptiness, shallowness, deciet, lies and self serving people. You could find an ugliness beneath the surface off these cities while you could find some beauty underneath the surface of Sarajevo. Just like out in the country. You can find alot of beauty and spirtuality in the country as opposed to the big city.
 
TimmyBoy said:
Hmm, that's funny, I know quite a few people who are religious and very hopeful. My dad's side of the family is a good example. When you visit them, their is a fullness and wholeness. They live out in the country. When I return to the city, I see people in the big city are empty, self serving, shallow, superficial, deceptive, fake and cynacil. But when I go to the country and meet with my relatives who are religious, they are hard workers, they are much more moral than the people in the city, they are genuine, when they shake your hand and smile, you know they really mean it. It is not like what I saw in the hometown where I grew up where people give fake smiles. They teach their kids about God and how to be hopeful for the future and to look ahead and look forward to living life. Very happy people. I think that no matter how hard atheists try to justify their beliefs, their will always be some kind of emptiness to them.

My point, TimmyBoy, was that you don't have to believe in God to be hopeful. You stated that if there was no God there was no faith and without faith there is no hope. So I was pointing out that you don't have to believe in God to be hopeful.

What is your point about city people? You assume that they are not religious? Honestly, that is just plain ridiculous.

Huh? You think I would change my answer if I was on my deathbed or I was suffering? Well, I have been there and done that, and it didn't change my atheism at all.
 
aps said:
My point, TimmyBoy, was that you don't have to believe in God to be hopeful. You stated that if there was no God there was no faith and without faith there is no hope. So I was pointing out that you don't have to believe in God to be hopeful.

What is your point about city people? You assume that they are not religious? Honestly, that is just plain ridiculous.

Huh? You think I would change my answer if I was on my deathbed or I was suffering? Well, I have been there and done that, and it didn't change my atheism at all.

I wasn't assuming that city people are not religious, I am just saying the live in a very empty society. They city is full of lies, deciet, crime, self servance, greed, back stabbing, superficiality and above all emptiness. I personally think that athesists don't have any real or genuine hope because they base everything on logic and science and do not have any faith at all. They demand that everything must have proof. You can't prove everything that exists. Science can't prove or explain everything.
 
Deegan said:
I am quite sure the answers would be different here, had the situation been dire, and the person was facing his/her demise. As they say, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" but I am also certain some will never acknowledge this fact, or simply never faced that reality.

People often abandon rationalism during moments of panic...so what? That hardly proves that the irrational is correct.

Deegan said:
I guess what I am trying to say is, yes I do believe, but it's more to be on the safe side, and this realization sometimes bothers me.

Pascal's Wager has been logically debunked for centuries.
 
Kandahar said:
People often abandon rationalism during moments of panic...so what? That hardly proves that the irrational is correct.



Pascal's Wager has been logically debunked for centuries.

"So what?" The question was, do you believe in God, most do when that fateful day is upon them, or so they think. It's an observation, nothing to get in a twist about, no one will ever know until the end, so there is really nothing to prove, but faith, to yourself.

There is also absolutely nothing I have said, that could be "logically debunked":confused:
 
No.

God is an invention of the human psyche to explain that death isn't death. It's an escapist mechanism to avoid facing one's mortality, nothing more.

One doesn't have to worry about where one came from, God's been invented to explain that.

One doesn't have to worry about not existing any more, God's been invented to explain that, too.

And in-between birth and death, god is used to keep the population in line.

All in all, a most remarkable human invention, God is.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
No.

God is an invention of the human psyche to explain that death isn't death. It's an escapist mechanism to avoid facing one's mortality, nothing more.

One doesn't have to worry about where one came from, God's been invented to explain that.

One doesn't have to worry about not existing any more, God's been invented to explain that, too.

And in-between birth and death, god is used to keep the population in line.

All in all, a most remarkable human invention, God is.

Woo hoo! You explained exactly how I feel better than I did. :rock :2bow:
 
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