Do you believe in God?

[Omnis]

Ask the people who put that not believing in God is a sin in the bible.

My religion places forgiveness of sin above its condemnation.

/tags out

 

[Sage]

That's the thing about "my" religion - you don't need to have faith. For most people its just a "People are good, so be good m'kay?" sort of thing. They have an ad campaign going around: "Is GOD keeping you from going to church?"

While friendship is an important part of it for me, it's also an identity and I feel good about being a part of it. The experiences I have drawn from my participation in the community has made me a better person!

I don’t understand the Unitarian thing at all – why do you need a church that promotes conglomerated hooey to do anything that you’ve described? Why not just get people together and call it the Atheist Pancake Breakfast Club?

 

[Omnis]

I don’t understand the Unitarian thing at all – why do you need a church that promotes conglomerated hooey to do anything that you’ve described? Why not just get people together and call it the Atheist Pancake Breakfast Club?

Because atheists generally don't like to talk about religion, except to say how foolish it is?

 

[TheCracker]

There are drug addicts, and alcoholics who cannot escape their addiction. Some of them spend months, even years in rehabilitation programs in order to completely "heal" themselves. Whereas in my personal experience, I've met and seen people with these problems, completely changed after a short amount of time (say, 2 months) because they reached the Lord, and they had the faith in Him.

That is the power of faith.

I'd actually call that the power of distraction.

 

[GT4 genius]

While friendship is an important part of it for me, it's also an identity and I feel good about being a part of it. The experiences I have drawn from my participation in the community has made me a better person!

Just like GTPlanet, and every other social community in the world. I dont think those occurrences are due to some special relationship you have developed with an actual god. Rather just between you and the other members or between you and the part of you who believes in god.

Dont get me wrong, I'm not a religious person but I will not try to persuade anyone to leave their religion for exactly those reasons and more which TopHat has mentioned, which is why I didnt want to post here. But I cant help putting my opinion across!

 

[Gil]

A lot of it may be in your head, if you think you are being healed or at least bettering your condition then your body seems to respond. I think many forms of illness have a metal factor to them. If prayer helps you achieve this then by all means use it.

I have a really bad right knee that was damaged several years ago. It flares up with extreme pain about once a month, although if I wear a knee brace during that time it seems much better. Countless doctors have told me though that the brace does nothing for me though. I believe it's purely a mental thing.

This is nothing more then me speculating though, and really that's all we can do as this would be very hard to prove since you could make a case for both sides.

You can't really be asking a nurse to believe that docs know what they are talking about all the time?

 

[ledhed]

Its almost a tie ..the poll is .

wonder if God willed it ?

 

[Shannon]

I find it hilarious that apparently God created the universe and has been the supreme deity since the beginning of time, yet the idea of Christianity and this all mighty ruler only came about some 2000 years ago. I mean, what makes the Ancient Greeks' or Romans' ideas of mythology and multiple deities (which were around thousands of years before Christianity) so crazy to believe that we've resorted to the idea of one supreme ruler? If God truly exists, and created the universe and instructed man of what rules to follow in life, I fail to see how we as a human race can have so many different ideas and flavours of religion over the span of our existence.

I'd like to believe in an afterlife of some description, however this idea of 'God' is absurd and, in my opinion, only around to give people a sense of false hope or meaning to life.

 

[Sureboss]

Why would you like to believe in an after life?

 

[Vasco]

Why would you like to believe in an after life?

Because realising that when you die you actually cease to exist in any form is quite a daunting concept don't you think?

 

[TheCracker]

Because realising that when you die you actually cease to exist in any form is quite a daunting concept don't you think?

No. It seems a totally natural concept to me. Some kind of utterly unknown afterlife that could be like heaven or could be hell (both of which have their pros and cons IMO) is a daunting and disturbing concept to me.

 

[Touring Mars]

Because realising that when you die you actually cease to exist in any form is quite a daunting concept don't you think?

Not really. I didn't exist in this universe for nigh on 13.5 billion years until I was born, and I can't say that it bothered me all that much. I expect the afterlife to be none-too-dissimilar to the 'forelife'... granted, neither sound like much fun when compared to life itself, hence all the more reason to enjoy life while you have it and not worry too much about what awaits you once it's over.

 

[Duke]

Because realising that when you die you actually cease to exist in any form is quite a daunting concept don't you think?

Quite frankly, I feel lucky enough to have had the 40-odd years I've enjoyed so far. I expect to be quite satisfied and grateful for the upcoming 30-odd years I assume I have left. It's certainly been an amazing thing to experience.

I don't see any need to want more than that hard enough to believe in a supernatural deity or some kind of mysterious life force that will live forever after my body dies.

 

[livemusic]

I voted maybe because I don't believe in God but I don't deny there might be one.

 

[Sureboss]

Because realising that when you die you actually cease to exist in any form is quite a daunting concept don't you think?

No, I'm perfectly comfortable with death. Obviously I don't want to be hit by a truck tomorrow, but it's inevitable. No point worrying over something you can't control. Enjoy the fantastic chance you have at life.

PS: Death being inevitable, not being hit by a truck tomorrow.

 

[Klostrophobic]

All after life is pain free.

What about those who worship masochism?

 

[Sureboss]

That's a point. Do masochists do what they do just so they can live with the devil post-life? Kinky gits.

 

[Omnis]

I believe a masochist's hell would be a sea of down and no limbs or lower jaw.

 

[boiltheocean]

I voted mabye because i back up science on most levels yet they still can't explain everything. And tbh to explain everything is rather dull, i'd rather make up something them get on with having fun in life.

 

[Famine]

I voted mabye because i back up science on most levels yet they still can't explain everything. And tbh to explain everything is rather dull, i'd rather make up something them get on with having fun in life.

Science doesn't claim to explain everything. That's kinda the point of science - we want to find things out rather than make up something. Organised religion, on the other hand...

 

[boiltheocean]

I never said they did claim to explain everything but after all that is what its for. anyways thats just my 2 cents(<< is that right see i'm not american)

 

[Famine]

Neither am I...

You misunderstand the nature of science, however. Science is not the explanation of everything, but the pursuit of knowledge that helps us understand more. Just because something currently has no scientifically valid explanation (say... ghosts) doesn't mean that there cannot ever be a scientifically valid explanation for it, nor that you must adopt a belief/disbelief stance of the concept - or make up something and go do something else.

 

[boiltheocean]

K i'll shut up about this one now, Famine wins

 

[Famine]

And, apparently, the nature of discussion.

 

[Sureboss]

Just because something currently has no scientifically valid explanation (say... ghosts) doesn't mean that there cannot ever be a scientifically valid explanation for it

I've heard some interesting and credible theories on ghosts - and their creation - from Psychologists.

 

[Wolfe]

And, apparently, the nature of discussion.

You saw what he said. He had to get on with having fun in life.

 

[Steele_obsidion]

i dont believe in god, i do believe in goddess and other gods, i believe that many higher powers run our society, but thats what you get when you follow the pagan lifestyle.

 

[GTP_rpm]

I am God.

 

[Famine]

I don't believe you.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Can you prove it with palindromic powers?

Dogma, I am God.