Do you REALLY believe in God?

[Kuciwalker]

Yes, only very strong minds can withstand the internal inconsistencies of any of the major religions.

[Q Classic]

Re: Do you REALLY believe in God?

Originally posted by VetLegion
You believe that putting a hand in fire will burn the hand. You believe that falling from a great hight will kill you.

Actually, I know these things. I don't just believe them, I know.

Knowing is something that is obtained through physical experience and facts. Believing is something that is obtained through logical constructions and perceived consistencies in what appears to be.

These and other beliefs are so strong in fact, that one will never in his life voluntarily jump from a building, although it would save considerable time and possibly provide entertainment too.

WTC, 9/11/2001. People voluntarily jumped from buildings, knowing full well that odds of their survival were slim.

The only logical explanation is - we don't really believe in what we say they do.

Sins are just that. You believe you're not supposed to, but the call from grace is what tempts or even compels you to do something that you believe is wrong.

Nobody really believes that buying something he doesn't really need (>50% of the stuff we buy) will bring him unimaginable pain and suffering, (forever to boot).

The question isn't so much a matter of belief but a question of payoff. Immediate gratification now, or possibly a bit less joy tomorrow? Depending on what the immediate gratification is, it can overwhelm that. People are, when you get down to it, short-term thinkers. Few people consider the ramifications of their actions a week from now, much less at the end of their life.

All this, while the delicious, savory, wonderfully tangible pizza deluxe is staring them in the face.

[Q Classic]

Originally posted by Agathon
Belief in God is no more reasonable than belief in fairies.

Fairies exist. After all, look at MrFun, Asher, and Fez.

[Alexander's Horse]

all religions comprise kernels of truth in forests of human error and failure

but most people only scratch the surface. today many don't bother because they think they don't need God. they worship other things, have their own little false Gods, like the pride of intellect or their selfish nature, their TV or their car or their money or sex. but this is what makes them unhappy because all these things fail and the journey of life is the journey to find God and discover the awareness of God's presence in all things. this is the only thing that can make a human truly happy because we were made for God, perhaps to give consciousness to creation. In God there is peace, no longer any death or anything to fear

but for you atheist and other unbeliever types its like life has passed you by, you never got it, couldn't decipher the code of life, see what was staring you in the face.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

The serpent's story that it would "make her like God, and God lied to you to keep that from happening," is obviously far less likely than God actually having a valid reason for not wanting her to eat the fruit.

The serpent told the truth, that they would gain knowledge of good and evil. It isn't that the serpent lied to them, rather that the serpent encouraged them to disobey God.

Knowing good and evil by sinning is not knowing good and evil by wisdom. Had Adam and Eve told the serpent they would think about it, then talked with God in the cool of the evening, yes, they might have learned something about good and evil by wisdom.
The implication of the serpent's lie is that God jealously guards His wisdom and doesn't want anybody to grow and learn. No surprise, that is exactly what atheists and assorted God-haters think the passage means.

The lies never change; "There is nothing new under the sun."

[Edit: added original post to avoid confusion]

[Odin]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse

but for you atheist and other unbeliever types its like life has passed you by, you never got it, couldn't decipher the code of life, see what was staring you in the face.

BULL!

[Frankychan]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Buddhism and Hinduism and Islam all have similar lists and they are almost identical.

If you go to some Buddhist temples you can see the sins and hell punishments depicted.

What's weird is that I read this and was reminded of my Psych class professor. We were having a discussion about "life" and "individual development". When I spoke up and told her about my view about Life in general she asked me, "Are you Jewish?" I said no. But I AM one of those religions up there...won't say which one though.


Ok, but to play devil's advocate...how can you say that a religion that was founded waaaay before the "older" religions be the ONE AND ONLY RELIGION? Wouldn't that be considered arrogance on the founders of said religion? I think that many "atheists" are so fed up with all these religions saying that they are the true-and-only-one religion that they have chosen science as their religion.

For instance, to say that Chrisitianity is the one and only religion on the planet despite, say, Hinduism being an established religion with millions of followers, wouldn't that be conceived as arrogance?

My point is that if all religions preach peace and civility towards one another, isn't that what the Creator intended?

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Frankychan


Ok, but to play devil's advocate...how can you say that a religion that was founded waaaay before the "older" religions be the ONE AND ONLY RELIGION? Wouldn't that be considered arrogance on the founders of said religion? I think that many "atheists" are so fed up with all these religions saying that they are the true-and-only-one religion that they have chosen science as their religion.

I don't think any of the major religions actually claim that when you boil it all down - Buddhism is a theist philosophy which accomodates other belief systems, one of the secrets of its success. Hinduism recognises all religions as alternate paths to God, it acknowledges many deities but actually in essence these are all regarded as manifestations of one Godhead. Islam talks about "the people of the book" which includes Jews and Christians. Christianity says Jesus is ultimately the only way to God but practicing other religions does not exclude one from salvation.

All the main religions have sects which say their religion is the only path to God but this is not the mainstream opinion.

When you look at the main religions the differences tend to disappear unless you get hung up on the detail.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
all religions comprise kernels of truth in forests of human error and failure

but most people only scratch the surface...

Dunno, AH. Some religions, I think, are void of truth. IMO Scientology is the prime example. You can read in the man's own hand, Hubbard invented the religion because it was the surest way to wealth and power over people.

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
When you look at the main religions the differences tend to disappear unless you get hung up on the detail.

Originally posted by Frankychan
My point is that if all religions preach peace and civility towards one another, isn't that what the Creator intended?

Not if some aren't the Creator's work.

If you took your son's doodling to a fancy art gallery and put a thousand dollar price tag on it, it wouldn't sell even though it might well be qualitatively equal to much of the dreck sold there.

On the other hand, if somebody wanted you to take your son's doodling off the 'frige and buy a print of a famous painting of great beauty to replace it you'd smile and say no thanks.

The gist of Christianity is that God prefer's His Son's work over the philosophical masterpieces of man. However great their thinking, they cannot reach God, only gaze dimly through the mist.

[Alexander's Horse]

scientology is a cult imo.

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


If the 'real world' is what hell would be like, then hell isn't much of a torture.

You got that right. It's like thge old saying goes " Life s***s, then you die."

[Frankychan]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse


I don't think any of the major religions actually claim that when you boil it all down - Buddhism is a theist philosophy which accomodates other belief systems, one of the secrets of its success. Hinduism recognises all religions as alternate paths to God, it acknowledges many deities but actually in essence these are all regarded as manifestations of one Godhead. Islam talks about "the people of the book" which includes Jews and Christians. Christianity says Jesus is ultimately the only way to God but practicing other religions does not exclude one from salvation.

All the main religions have sects which say their religion is the only path to God but this is not the mainstream opinion.

When you look at the main religions the differences tend to disappear unless you get hung up on the detail.

Bingo. And you've pretty much nailed the nail on the head. BUT many religions nowadays seem to say that 'Following Christ is the only way to get to heaven', or 'Following Muhammad is the only way to get to heaven'.

Sure, in essence, they all preach the same thing. And, unfortunately, it's like a 21st century crusade again. One religion trying to exert its dominance over the other....even though both religions are saying the same basic root thing. It's the fundies that are messing things up here. At least some people can be objective and see both sides of the same coin.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
It always fascinates me how AH's trolls can be successful even when he has the "cool" smiley in the upper-left corner of his post

Theben still has a lot to learn about trolling

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Of course. The leap of faith is required. Unless you make that leap, all belief in God is falsehood and fraud.

So, why YHWH? Why not Odin, Ra, Zeus, Brahma, Umguf the invisible Purple with Pink Polka Dots Unicorn, the Giant Banana, etc?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kidicious
I don't think there's anything different between believing in God and not believing in God. Both are leaps in faith.

Not believing is the default state. It requires no leap of faith to not believe in something.