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Post by Merge on Jun 5, 2016 18:46:03 GMT
Why do you have to believe in "anything"? Things just are. There is nothing to "believe in", it just is. I think that's scary and people need to believe in a man behind the curtain pulling the levers. The idea of randomness is frightening to them. Well there goes the idea that we could have an adult conversation. You could have stopped at the end of your second sentence. I'm going to push back a little on that. I think it's natural, when belief falls away as it has for some of us, to analyze why others continue to believe. Clearly if we don't believe, we're not going to accept that there's compelling evidence that persuades others to believe but has somehow been withheld from us, so we're looking for another reason. If you are Christian or Jewish or belong to some other modern belief system, you might have wondered why ancient civilizations believed in gods and goddesses who seem to be fiction to you. It's commonly held/taught that the stories of the gods and goddesses were used to explain things that could not otherwise be explained, and to bring comfort and order in dark and uncertain times. Why then, is it offensive for non-believers to speculate a similar reason for your own belief? I'd further point out that in these kinds of threads, it's common for Christians or other believers to make the comment, "I'm not brave enough to be an Atheist," or something to that effect - usually in conjunction with a statement about how their belief in God has gotten them through so many hard times. To answer the OP, I remain agnostic. I don't believe in the God of the bible and don't see him as a deity I'd want to worship even if he presented himself to me tomorrow. I don't care for organized religion. But I allow that there may be some force or power beyond my understanding - I just don't know what that is, and I don't really think it plays any part in our day to day lives. ETA: It's also true that many have negative feelings about religion and religious belief because of their own personal experiences. It's OK for them to state their beliefs about that without it having any reflection on current believers and their beliefs.
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Post by Ryann on Jun 5, 2016 18:48:08 GMT
I do not believe in god. PNWMom already said this upthread, but I believe in science and I believe in me. Simple as that. SaveSave
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 18:51:06 GMT
My vision of the benevolent Spirit is one of a caring parent, who created us, wants the best for us, but lets us do our own thing. One who cheers us, comforts us, cries for us when we make a mistake, once in awhile swoops in to save us from disaster. One who sees the good in us, even when it's hard to see it ourselves. But not a Being who has time or patience for petty entreaties to "please help me pass this test", or "win this contest", or "get those new shoes". Not a Being that punishes people who don't pray the right way or use the right words or perform particular rituals. I believe this Spirit is the basis for all the world's religions, and that our differences in belief are the result of different interpretations of the same Diety. I don't believe any of these interpretations is necessarily wrong, just different from the others. Maybe incomplete. We can only know the whole of it after this life. Guess we will know for sure when this life ends... grammadee said mostly what I believe. I had a long post typed but realized that what I was typing was not an answer to your qustion. I just want everyone to respect those who dont believe the same way they do. I try hard to do that.
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Post by pb on Jun 5, 2016 18:52:12 GMT
I believe that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I believe there are something's in this world we don't know yet and we may never know and I am very comfortable without knowing.
My brother is visiting and we just came back from a hike to a local waterfall. That hike was made of so many different parts, the walking, the scenery, my thoughts, the conversation, being together etc. and yet the whole experience was more than all those parts.
I know the world is a marvelous place and it can be dangerous at the same time. I know that people are capable of miraculous things and great cruelty. I know that science is sometimes beyond my understanding and yet will replaced by more advanced science in time.
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Post by Belia on Jun 5, 2016 19:00:45 GMT
I believe in my responsibility as a human being to be a good person... kind and ethical... to my fellow travellers on this journey.
I fervently wish that everyone felt the same responsibility, but alas, all you have to do is open a newspaper to see that is not the case.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 19:02:46 GMT
I'm another who doesn't feel a need to believe in some sort of supernatural entity controlling things here on this planet, nor am I mentally able to believe anymore. If there is such a being, then he/she/it is doing a pretty shitty job of it overall, imo. I do believe that personal choices and random luck, good or bad, determines what happens in our lives. I found when I stopped believing in an afterlife, I came to appreciate this life and the world and people around me so much more. I don't need a belief in god to get through the bad stuff, but I understand the comfort it brings to many who do believe in god, and don't begrudge anyone that. Just don't use your (general you) religious beliefs to try to make laws to force others to live by that fall outside The Golden Rule, or oppress others, and it's all good . Another
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Post by chlerbie on Jun 5, 2016 19:03:13 GMT
I'm an agnostic, not an atheist, as I'm open to a "creator", though not in the Christian sense of God. I was raised a Lutheran and pretended to believe, but it just never rang true to me and was relieved to let it go. I like to believe, though, that we're all connected. But not by a God who hears our thoughts, words and deeds and then makes judgement on them.
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Post by bostonmama on Jun 5, 2016 19:06:13 GMT
After a lifetime of questioning the thing I most believe in is balance. For our planet to exist there had to be a tremendous amount of balance. To be our best, healthiest selves we need to achieve balance. I believe that there is a balance between positive and negative forces, good and evil. I believe the feelings, intuitions, warnings that I get are a result of being out of balance. I want to believe that someone or something creates that equilibrium, but it's really not that important to me,
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Nink
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Post by Nink on Jun 5, 2016 19:10:33 GMT
I believe in God, but I don't participate or believe in Church. It's been my experience to be filled with hateful hypocrites. I also don't think laws and legislature should be based on religion. Just because I believe, doesn't mean everyone does and they shouldn't be bound by that.
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zella
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Jul 7, 2014 19:36:30 GMT
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Post by zella on Jun 5, 2016 19:16:25 GMT
Nothing. I believe life is random and the only meaning to life is whatever meaning we ourselves give it. I don't believe in any kind of afterlife, and believe that once you die, that's it.
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Post by kellybelly77 on Jun 5, 2016 19:17:29 GMT
I don't believe in anything. I think life is what it is, there is no big plan or being behind it all. My coworker and I had this discussion not long ago and she was horrified that I don't believe in an after life. I think that when you die, you just die. minus the coworker discussion. Me three! Minus the coworker. Life is what you make it. No diety is going to help me make more money, or cure me or whatever else people pray for.
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Post by lumo on Jun 5, 2016 19:27:23 GMT
I do not believe in god. PNWMom already said this upthread, but I believe in science and I believe in me. Simple as that. SaveSaveYep. That exactly. In fact, those were the very first two sentences I thought of after reading the OP. I was put under general anesthesia for the first time recently, and I was telling DH that I thought that's very much what it would be like to be dead. Just...nothing. I'm cool with that.
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Jun 5, 2016 19:48:49 GMT
I believe in whatever supports deeper purpose and consciousness expansion.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 19:53:17 GMT
I'm not religious at all but I find this answer to be so rude every single time it is given. Why can't you just say you don't believe and give the reason why without insulting someone else's beliefs. Because that's all that this FSM bullshit is, someone trying to make a complete mockery out of another person's beliefs. Truth? I think way less of people when they do this.
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Post by vspindler on Jun 5, 2016 19:55:48 GMT
I am a "pantheist leaning agnostic." I believe that if there is a diety of some sort that pantheism makes the most sense.
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Jun 5, 2016 20:06:39 GMT
I believe in science. I also I believe in me I'm always curious when people ask questions like this, why did they choose the god they believe in. How did they come to that decision? Is it just what they grew up with or did they investigate other options and choose one? I was raised with religion. I had some bad experiences at the hands of people who were godly. I tried to believe, and explored other options before becoming comfortable with the fact that I just can't believe in an all powerful being who allows bad things to be done in his name. Same here I tried really hard to believe in the religious dogma that was forced on me as a child. It never felt right or true. Never. I also had bad experiences at the hands of people who thought they were "godly" or good Christians. This particular religion is not mainstream at all; and while I wanted to believe in God for a while after breaking away as a teenager, all the early and intense conditioning I had been subjected to just kept getting in the way. I started investigating options, and while there are lots of individual things about many religions I like and could even agree with, I've come to the belief that organized religion just gets in the way of spirituality and humanity. I'm not going to try and convince people that they don't need religion, and I sure would appreciate that same courtesy from religious people in return. I can so relate with so much of this!
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carhoch
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Post by carhoch on Jun 5, 2016 20:20:24 GMT
I don't believe in God or the Devil I recognize that sometimes religion bring comfort to some people but I think that organized Religion lost his way a long time ago now it's all about money and power.
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raindancer
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Post by raindancer on Jun 5, 2016 20:22:08 GMT
I'm agnostic, rather than atheist, so I'm not going to say there is or isn't a God. I don't really care, to be honest. I'll find out when I die, or I won't...I don't stress about those things and I don't need a belief in a higher power. My husband is an atheist, which to me is almost like being religious. He's VERY sure that there is no God and when you die, that's all there is. He argues with me when I tell him he doesn't really know what happens after death, he just blindly believes that to be true. I am also agnostic but I don't believe there is anything g else. You die and that's it. But I would never argue that I have evidence of no god. To answer the OP, I wonder if you have considered why you believe I the god you do vs. A different god. What made you decide which God you should believe in?
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Post by nellej on Jun 5, 2016 20:29:22 GMT
Nothing.
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Jun 5, 2016 20:36:42 GMT
Nothing supernatural.
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scrapaddie
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Post by scrapaddie on Jun 5, 2016 20:43:01 GMT
Why do you have to believe in "anything"? Things just are. There is nothing to "believe in", it just is. I think that's scary and people need to believe in a man behind the curtain pulling the levers. The idea of randomness is frightening to them. Isn't this a belief.... That things just are? none of us know.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 20:48:18 GMT
I personally find more comfort in there NOT being a God vs there being one.
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Jun 5, 2016 20:57:50 GMT
I'm agnostic, rather than atheist, so I'm not going to say there is or isn't a God. I don't really care, to be honest. I'll find out when I die, or I won't...I don't stress about those things and I don't need a belief in a higher power. My husband is an atheist, which to me is almost like being religious. He's VERY sure that there is no God and when you die, that's all there is. He argues with me when I tell him he doesn't really know what happens after death, he just blindly believes that to be true. How does one blindly believe that something doesn't exist? Is there something he chooses not to see that supports the existence of that something? There are lots of unbelievable things for which there is no proof that I will argue (sometimes vehemently) don't exist - unicorns, Yetis, Russell's Teapot, possession, and a god/goddess. Do I know? No. But, until there is some concrete proof showing me otherwise, my default stance will be one of disbelief. What I don't think is that all of those beliefs/disbelief are equally likely.
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Post by anxiousmom on Jun 5, 2016 21:02:13 GMT
I read an article one time that talked about how our relationships with God was similar to the relationship we have with our parent(s). FOR ME, that made sense.
I am a faithful girl. I believe in God. I was raised in the Episcopalian faith which to me was not one that typically preaches about condemnation but rather joy, love and acceptance. As an adult, I still believe that the God that I believe in isn't one of exclusion but inclusion. I also grew up in a home with a parent who was always encouraging, always on my side, always treated me with respect and love and hopefulness and joy. That mirrored MY religious experience.
I am not much of a church goer though. I may not be a strong biblical scholar, but I don't always agree with what the Bible says. I look at it as a book, written by imperfect men with imperfect views and sins to explain the explainable. I believe that I can find MY God in the beauty of the world, the (im)perfection of life, and the wonder of everything around me. I also don't believe that MY GOD sits on a throne and acts as a punitive force smiting down the wicked and sinful. No thanks to that one-we all get to make choices and learn (or not in some cases.) We control our lives and all I can do is struggle to be as good as *I* can be. When I mess up, I don't think that God sits around and judges me for it-no more than my own my mother did when I screwed up as a kid.
(the caveat here though is that the way it works for me is that it is entirely compatible with the science of the world. Evolution? Oh heck yeah. I am all good with that one. Pro-choice? You betcha. LGBT rights? Absolutely.)
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Post by christine58 on Jun 5, 2016 21:04:23 GMT
grammadee said mostly what I believe. I had a long post typed but realized that what I was typing was not an answer to your qustion. I just want everyone to respect those who dont believe the same way they do. I try hard to do that. I agree with this 100000%
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Post by Zee on Jun 5, 2016 22:21:00 GMT
I'm agnostic, rather than atheist, so I'm not going to say there is or isn't a God. I don't really care, to be honest. I'll find out when I die, or I won't...I don't stress about those things and I don't need a belief in a higher power. My husband is an atheist, which to me is almost like being religious. He's VERY sure that there is no God and when you die, that's all there is. He argues with me when I tell him he doesn't really know what happens after death, he just blindly believes that to be true. How does one blindly believe that something doesn't exist? Is there something he chooses not to see that supports the existence of that something? There are lots of unbelievable things for which there is no proof that I will argue (sometimes vehemently) don't exist - unicorns, Yetis, Russell's Teapot, possession, and a god/goddess. Do I know? No. But, until there is some concrete proof showing me otherwise, my default stance will be one of disbelief. What I don't think is that all of those beliefs/disbelief are equally likely. Who the hell is Russell and what's his teapot got to do with it? Seriously though, we know that atheists KNOW that they're right. You explained why you are sure you're right, because unicorns. That's the same thing he'd say to me but you really don't know that nothing happens after you die or that there is no God. We'll all find out eventually, and I'm not going to waste time worrying about it. Or arguing about it here, because I could do that at home more easily and there's beer there.
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Post by dulcemama on Jun 5, 2016 22:33:39 GMT
I don't believe in God in the traditional sense. I believe in a sacred connection between myself and the rest of the world. This is what I am talking about when I talk about God and this is what guides my morality. As for what happens when we die....I don't really have a belief about this but I don't really feel a burning need to know either.
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Jun 5, 2016 22:48:02 GMT
How does one blindly believe that something doesn't exist? Is there something he chooses not to see that supports the existence of that something? There are lots of unbelievable things for which there is no proof that I will argue (sometimes vehemently) don't exist - unicorns, Yetis, Russell's Teapot, possession, and a god/goddess. Do I know? No. But, until there is some concrete proof showing me otherwise, my default stance will be one of disbelief. What I don't think is that all of those beliefs/disbelief are equally likely. Who the hell is Russell and what's his teapot got to do with it? Seriously though, we know that atheists KNOW that they're right. You explained why you are sure you're right, because unicorns. That's the same thing he'd say to me but you really don't know that nothing happens after you die or that there is no God. We'll all find out eventually, and I'm not going to waste time worrying about it. Or arguing about it here, because I could do that at home more easily and there's beer there. Now, beer is something we can both believe in. Russell's Teapot is actually the most important part of my post. It's kind of the precursor to the FSM - a teapot that orbits the sun between the Earth and Mars (mostly it's an analogy that illustrates that the burden of proof lies with the person making the extraordinary claim). It's the answer to the whole 'prove to me God isn't real' thing. L
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jun 5, 2016 22:53:25 GMT
How does one blindly believe that something doesn't exist? Is there something he chooses not to see that supports the existence of that something? There are lots of unbelievable things for which there is no proof that I will argue (sometimes vehemently) don't exist - unicorns, Yetis, Russell's Teapot, possession, and a god/goddess. Do I know? No. But, until there is some concrete proof showing me otherwise, my default stance will be one of disbelief. What I don't think is that all of those beliefs/disbelief are equally likely. Who the hell is Russell and what's his teapot got to do with it? Seriously though, we know that atheists KNOW that they're right. You explained why you are sure you're right, because unicorns. That's the same thing he'd say to me but you really don't know that nothing happens after you die or that there is no God. We'll all find out eventually, and I'm not going to waste time worrying about it. Or arguing about it here, because I could do that at home more easily and there's beer there. FYI Russel is a philosopher - one Bertrand Russell who used the example of stating that there was a cosmic teapot circling the sun and as no one could disprove it, didn't mean it exists - or something like that - my philosophy class was a long, long time ago. ETA - I see Dalai Mama was answering for herself while I posted, excuse the interruption.
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peabay
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Post by peabay on Jun 5, 2016 22:54:19 GMT
I believe there is something, just not in the "ultimate being" sense. It is something so intricate that I can't begin to understand it. I'm on this bench.
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