Why do some people believe in God?

[Mercenary 10]

Seeing as the overwhelming majority of believers just so happen to believe in the exact same deity as their parents in most cases the answer is; most people believe in 'insert name of deity/ies here' because they were brought up to do exactly that.

 

Exactly- children's minds are designed to believe whatever their parents tell them to believe. It's natural evolution. So when it's no surprise that children automatically start to believe whatever their parents do.

[jfish1936 10]

The way human society works, certain "ethical behaviours" make life better for everyone.

With an intelligent bunch like us forummers, we could sit down and agree on these behaviours, and we'd set up our own ideal society. Unfortunately, someone would come in and say "But I can get more for ME by .....", and we all start competing.

 

Long ago, someone had an idea: "There's this almighty bloke living in the sky, watching you, and if you don't keep his laws he'll strike you dead!". So people obeyed the laws, their societies flourished, and the "God Idea" sped - because it worked!

 

Now, of course, some of us believe that ethical behaviour can only come from a God religion, where God exists as a sort of high powered human male. I believe ethics come from the nature of society itself; if you live by the "grab all you can" rule, you'll live in an impoverished society, and you will end up impoverished.

 

But imagine Moses trying to exlain all this to the Hebrews, and on top of that "Let's go for a trek across the desert, too". Much easier to convince them that:

1/. Yahweh existed (OK, you can use the wrong vowels and call him Jehovah)

2/. He wanted to set them up in their own country;

3/. So get off your (donkeys) and start trekking to the Promised Land.

4/. And, by the way, here's five books of laws for you to get your heads round.

[prioryx 10]

It is for christians, to others it's just a seasonal celebration with optional religious aspects.

 

Is a non-Christian celebrating Christmas ( a religious festival) like a non-union member accepting the benefits gained by a union ie. pay rises?

[pk014b7161 11]

because believing in a god for some poor unfortunate people is all they have

[jfish1936 10]

Is a non-Christian celebrating Christmas ( a religious festival) like a non-union member accepting the benefits gained by a union ie. pay rises?

 

No, he'll probably end up paying the bill for the food and drink, and he will get no points toward his soul's salvation!

[flamingjimmy 10]

Is a non-Christian celebrating Christmas ( a religious festival) like a non-union member accepting the benefits gained by a union ie. pay rises?

 

There's a difference, union membership is paid, religious people are just silly. I'm certainly not gonna go to work while a religious person gets a holiday because of some childish belief that they hold. Besides the benefits of christmas are presents and being with your family and neither of those things have anything to do with religion anyway.

[F. Sidebottom 10]

Is a non-Christian celebrating Christmas ( a religious festival) like a non-union member accepting the benefits gained by a union ie. pay rises?

 

Two bold assumptions there:

 

1. That non-Christians see Christmas as a Christian Religious festival. Most don't - they see it as a time of year for simply having a good time. It comes off the back of the the Christian Religious festival, but the ability and right to celebrate a time of giving once a year is by no means exclusive to Christians.

 

2. That without Unions there would be no pay rises.

[Mercenary 10]

The way human society works, certain "ethical behaviours" make life better for everyone.

With an intelligent bunch like us forummers, we could sit down and agree on these behaviours, and we'd set up our own ideal society. Unfortunately, someone would come in and say "But I can get more for ME by .....", and we all start competing.

 

Long ago, someone had an idea: "There's this almighty bloke living in the sky, watching you, and if you don't keep his laws he'll strike you dead!". So people obeyed the laws, their societies flourished, and the "God Idea" sped - because it worked!

 

Now, of course, some of us believe that ethical behaviour can only come from a God religion, where God exists as a sort of high powered human male. I believe ethics come from the nature of society itself; if you live by the "grab all you can" rule, you'll live in an impoverished society, and you will end up impoverished.

 

But imagine Moses trying to exlain all this to the Hebrews, and on top of that "Let's go for a trek across the desert, too". Much easier to convince them that:

1/. Yahweh existed (OK, you can use the wrong vowels and call him Jehovah)

2/. He wanted to set them up in their own country;

3/. So get off your (donkeys) and start trekking to the Promised Land.

4/. And, by the way, here's five books of laws for you to get your heads round.

 

Are you implying that Moses was an atheist?

[Cynic 10]

I don't believe in god but I do always wonder where the bible came from. Someone must have collected the stories and put it together and knew exactly what they were doing.

 

I also think Jesus probably existed but more as a type of David Blaine character who could do a few tricks. Over the years the stories got exaggerated.

[NEKRO138 10]

Even if I went to church every week and lived as a Christian, I still wouldn't believe in God, it's not in my nature. You don't have total control over what you believe.

[Saff 10]

I wasn't brought up religious but I always had this kind of feeling of knowing that I couldn't really explain. I don't know when God was first mentioned, probably at school but my feelings or beliefs fell into that template I suppose. I had no idea about the teachings or anything. My best friend was atheist as were her parents and influenced by her I rejected the God idea. Later I converted again to Christianity after watching my brother be a choir boy. I agreed with the teaching and had some wonderful experiences of joy. However there were some elements of teaching I didn't agree with. I also studied RE GCSE and A level which contrary to popular opinion taught me all about non-religious perspectives, paricularly Marxim etc. I began to be very frustrated by the evident hypocrisies in church. I continued to attend but felt more and more frustrated. However the feeling has never gone. For me religion and belief can be entirely separate.

I believe in God because I do, because I feel something, but I don't believe in the God that most people imagine! I have no guilt or expectation but it does support me. I think great things can be achieved through prayer, or positive thought. I believe in a loving energy flowing between us. Why some people like to call that 'silly' or 'weak' confuses me. I'm not stupid, I got 3 grade A A-levels, a degree, PGCE etc. but I do think belief in God with stipulations and fixed preferences is far fetched. My belief is more general, with no rules.

That's why I believe, well, you did ask!

[Ousetunes 10]

I'd guess it's to do with comfort and maybe security. We're a long time dead and it would be nice to think that when we leave this place we're going to a place where there's no more pain, no growing old, no wars and no worries.

 

It's a comfort to me to think that when my father died from cancer ten years ago, the shocking, horrific form of my father (reduced to brittle, dry skin, an old man, a pathetic sight) was now free from pain. To believe that at the end of life, there's something else.

 

I stare down at my little sister's grave - she died tragically aged 2 and a half years before I was born - and there's some comfort in the fact that her short life was not all there was for her. To know that she's safe in God's company and that fingers crossed, one day in the future I might well get to cuddle my little sister.

 

It's a nice prospect to meet up with all my old relatives in a nicer place than this. I predict some wild celebrating.

 

On a deeper level, I believe that my being here is more than just a coincidence. I firmly reckon I am a product of God and that when he calls me back then I have to respect his wishes. I also find sections of the new testament comforting and they can reassure me and relieve tensions and anxieties.

 

But that discussion is perhaps, best saved for another day.