Do you believe in God? - Page 3

Lucifer · 15-04-2012, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Do you believe in God?

If not, why not. If you do, why do you?

And please, lets keep this respectful to others

There is no evidence, has anyone met him or met someone who has ?.

Karis · 15-04-2012, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer

There is no evidence, has anyone met him or met someone who has ?.

The Pope? ...

Lucifer · 15-04-2012, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karis

The Pope? ...

That's Skari.

Karis · 15-04-2012, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer

That's Skari.

Well, it's probably some kind of demon, anyway...

Not wanting to divert the conversation, but isn't it interesting how no one will bat an eyelid if I call the Pope a demon, but were I to even suggest the merest possibility that another "popular" current religion's leaders were comprised of the diabolic, then there'd be hell to pay.

Clearly, Catholicism has had its day.

Or something!

Lucifer · 15-04-2012, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karis

Well, it's probably some kind of demon, anyway...

Not wanting to divert the conversation, but isn't it interesting how no one will bat an eyelid if I call the Pope a demon, but were I to even suggest the merest possibility that another "popular" current religion's leaders were comprised of the diabolic, then there'd be hell to pay.

Clearly, Catholicism has had its day.

Or something!

The Catholic Church should spend more time preaching to its priests rather than its congregations.

harvey19 · 15-04-2012, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna B

Yes, indeed.

-Though the word 'God' could be used to describe a number of beliefs.

We are built to have a belief in something greater than ourselves, and an emptiness without it. It is something common to all humaniity, no matter where in the world they live, or in what culture. We all seek meaning, a purpose, a point to it all.

We need to nourish the soul. If we leave it to starve we become diminished, not fully rounded or complete somehow.

I believe this is nothing to do with religion or attending church, (though some might find that satisfying,) but a personal journey.

Very sensible post.
Many mix up a belief in God with relgions.

denlin · 15-04-2012, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaliRichard

If it is the God of the Abrahamic faiths not necessarily.

On two occasions in Genesis he strikes people down just for displeasing him (actually on one of those occasions it doesn't even give the excuse that they displeased him, it merely says he striked him down), and in Exodus Pharaoh was going to let the Israelites go on more than one occasion and God 'hardened his heart' so that he didn't, thus causing much more suffering including the death of each first born son.

Indeed God works in mysterious ways.

By the way, before I get lynched for not providing chapter and verse, I'm not sure of them from the top of my head, you'll just have to read Genesis and Exodus if you want them.

Grahame you're back

PaliRichard · 15-04-2012, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by denlin

Grahame you're back

That is lost on me completely

janie48 · 15-04-2012, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaliRichard

That is lost on me completely

Ask Rootsbooster he can explain.

I know you are not Grahame, I do love denlin's sense of humour though..

Tony · 15-04-2012, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrobbo

I began to lose my faith in a god just over forty years ago now.

I was by my own choice confirmed as a member of the Methodist church, where I was a youth club leader and Sunday school teacher.

Paul may have had an ephinany on the road to Damascus, but I travelled in the opposite direction, when during a personal crisis I found that god wasn't answering my prayers.

Not only did this engender doubts, but eventually it led to my ceasing church attendance altogether. I eventually became an agnostic. Over time though, more rational thought has led me to reject the idea that any god exists.

I now regard myself as an atheist.

What about you Tony?

My own path is uncannily similar to your own. I voted "willing to be convinced" but I don't imagine that happening.

irenewilde · 15-04-2012, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucyjackson

I used to but he deserted me when i needed him the most, left me alone to deal with something that i was emotionally,physically or spiritually prepared to deal with...
The scars are still present

God loves everyone.....my Ar8e!

And yet you're still here. What do you think God should with all of us who are going through hard times? Wrap us all in cotton wool so we don't suffer? Or maybe you think that Christians should not have bad times at all? Show me a Christian without scars. What a boring existence that would be with no experiences to make us grow emotionally & give us knowledge and understanding, possibly to help others through similar experiences or even to prepare ourselves for the next thing life throws at us.

irenewilde · 15-04-2012, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrobbo

Paul may have had an ephinany on the road to Damascus, but I travelled in the opposite direction, when during a personal crisis I found that god wasn't answering my prayers.

That sounds an awful lot like "God didn't make it work out the way *I* wanted it to?"

pattricia · 15-04-2012, 14:15

God is within us. We are our own Gods.

janie48 · 15-04-2012, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattricia

God is within us. We are our own Gods.

I like that definition, I think its a similiar concept to what is sometimes referred to as the Holy Spirit, God within , without necessary having a religious connotation. Being a mysterious presence that is open to believer or non-believer. Something beyond understanding.

Bloomdido · 15-04-2012, 14:49

It is interesting how God gives us a choice about whether to believe in him or not. He takes no active part whatsoever in the lives of the special people he created but several of them do seem to have very clear views (and often conflicting) about what God wants of us.

The fact that God remains quiet throughout all of this controvosy, which has led to many people dying over matters of faith, means that he is simply not worthy of my worship should I choose to believe in his exiastence.

Jim Graham · 15-04-2012, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Do you believe in God?

If not, why not. If you do, why do you?

And please, lets keep this respectful to others

I would like to think there is more than we can see. Just because nobody has got God's email address doesn't mean he isn't somewhere if not everywhere. I know people who have faith in God and that gives them a strength they can draw on in tough times. I don't have that faith but many times I wish I did.

That belief and faith is between them and their God. I can respect that. Where I have a problem is with organised religion. I find the idea that a man can claim to speak for God and tell another man what God is thinking and how He expects us all to believe, what to eat and drink and how to dress is utterly absurd and, as we have seen, very very dangerous. All I would ask of all religions is the freedom to choose to believe in any God or not. I am very tired of all their "My God's bigger and better than your God" c**p.

VideoPro · 15-04-2012, 15:02

I voted no and woke up this morning to find my living room full of frogs.

Ryedo40 · 15-04-2012, 15:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna B

We are built to have a belief in something greater than ourselves, and an emptiness without it.

Beliefs take form through experience, need, and knowledge -flawed or not.

Some of us may feel the need to believe in something greater than ourselves, others do not. Not having that need doesn't leave an emptiness - and neither does it mean you aren't fully rounded or complete.

I don't believe in a god - and I don't have a need to believe in a god. That doesn't leave an emptiness because the need isn't there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna B

We all seek meaning, a purpose, a point to it all.

I'm sure most of us do. But that doesn't mean we all go about that in the same way. For example, some of us use tangible evidence and reason to come to a conclusion about why we exist and whether there is a purpose to it all. Others rely on wishful thinking and poor evidence(if any) to come to their conclusions.

saxon51 · 15-04-2012, 15:36

I do not believe that children brought up in isolation, away from any 'god culture' would somehow suddenly develop a diety other than if they felt the need to control subordinates with the threat of a higher intelligence punishing them if certain laws weren't adhered to.

Indeed, I believe that brought up in isolation by mom and dad, the child would, when in fear of it's safety, shout, "Mom/dad help me!" as opposed to the kid from the outside world who says, "God help me!" simply because he was brought up hearing it.

Lucyjackson · 15-04-2012, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by irenewilde

And yet you're still here. What do you think God should with all of us who are going through hard times? Wrap us all in cotton wool so we don't suffer? Or maybe you think that Christians should not have bad times at all? Show me a Christian without scars. What a boring existence that would be with no experiences to make us grow emotionally & give us knowledge and understanding, possibly to help others through similar experiences or even to prepare ourselves for the next thing life throws at us.

I am here through sheer instinct to survive...

I prayed to god many times to lessen the load but he must have been busy.