Why do you believe or not believe in god?

[Mars Man]

If I may say something at this point:
I just make my own pictures, but enjoy others as well ;-). . .
(OK, painters and storytellers etc.. . .)

Yes, that is the point of study and research as well, to be able to enjoy all, believe none; and that is the point made by Mycernius. Let's enjoy all these fine works of the human imagination...no need to formulate a lifestyle or world view based on them, though.

(and please take note: by saying 'no need to v.' (where v.=infinitive form of a verb) one cannot interpret that to be saying 'must not' nor 'should not'--although I would argue for some degree of these too)

 

[Chi65]

Right, and not to forget, its fun to compare each other('s). . .
not so funny to destroy each other (in my opinion)

 

[yumeitsumo]

I don't know what to believe in at the moment. I really wish that I did, but I don't. Life has been a bit hard. I need to get back on track. Maybe I do need a God...

 

[Mars Man]

I would venture, and suggest, that maybe it is a goal that you need. If you wish to attach the word 'god' to that, I guess it would be fair. I would not suggest that there would be any great advantage in changing you lifestyle based on the doctrines of any system's god-model, however.

 

[MadamePapillon]

I think it's possible to not believe in god and still believe in life after death and reincarnation.
Rather than believing in one all-powerful god that pays special attention to each and every person I believe in multiple powerful beings that, while aware of us, don't bother with us and our problems.
So, in a sense, while I believe in 'gods' I wouldn't call it a religious belief. I believe it the same way I believe in life on other planets...it simply is, distant and generally unimportant to my daily life.

EDIT: lol, I just realized I already posted in this thread...and almost the same thing to. Well, a reaffirmation of my beliefs is always a good thing, I guess. XD

 

[Indiana Gardener]

I believe in God. I was brought up as a Christian and have remained. I think the main thing that has kept my belief so strong is the experiences I've had as a believer.


When I was 17 I saw a giant hand the size of a dinner plate cover my knee and save it from being broke by a huge piece of steel flying through the air. The hand was transparent, but had substance. Brighter than the sun, but didn't hurt my eyes. Most importantly, it had a cool backhand move that saved my knee.


Three or four years ago I was given warnings about a certain situation with bright white glowing signs with black block style letters. It was true and kept me from a lot of trouble.


I never told anyone and a couple days later my dad saw the same style signs. He started to tell me about them and I beat him to his story. LOL We were both stunned.


Then about two years ago I saw a demon following a kid around. Looked like death itself. More hideous than anything I've ever seen any movie special affects produce. Absolutely indescribable. That thing is literally trying to kill him. His life is so messed up now it's terrible.


I've seen and experienced first hand the act of being "slain in the spirit" as it's called.


So though I have never seen God Himself (and won't until I pass on, because He's not in this world but only by His spirit), I know beyond a doubt that His presence is in my life and it's too strong to deny.


I won't club anyone over the head with "religion" or force anything on them, but I believe.

 

[Mars Man]

One moment, please folks....I don't think it would be proper, really, to deal with it here in this thread...does mean just that, actually. The theme of this thread is simply to present reasons for believing or not believing in any god or gods, in the sense of considering such god-models to be external reality (external means an actual existence outside of the brain.

Embedding to support any presentation given on that would of course be fine, but it is clearly out the scope of said theme to be defending a position on why a religous belief-system is good, here on this thread. Please give me a little time, and I'll start a new thread, and move some of this there. Please. Thank you ! MM

 

[Annubis]

Here's my heaven poem as I promissed!
https://jref.com/forum/blog.php?b=167

I believe in heavenly beings.

 

[Asamayamaman]

When I first realized that religion in all its various forms was man-made and not god-made it was a great relief for me.

Each and every person who walks the earth is here by a massively complicated formula with statistical odds that are mind boggling. We are each and every one of us a very special miracle of the natural world.

Whatever actions we perform are all our own. We are not being judged by outside agencies who award points for good behaviour and condemn us to hell if we are particularly bad. However, mankind as a whole will likely benefit from our actions if we are good and will more than likely suffer if we are not.

In the long term, it is important for mankind if we are good as it will be much more likely that we, as a species, will survive if we look after each other.

Don't ask me ever to define being "good" as the world is filled with millions of books which all purport to make this definition and even if every one of them were combined into a single book they would still be short of the truth!

While we are here we can do whatever we want to - up to a point! We are a biological life form just like all the other life forms that roam the earth but we are rather better at adapting our environment to make our lives more comfortable and safe than many of our fellow beasties.

There is no life after death. There is no existence after death. You merely return your previously well ordered particles to the chaos of space. Be happy that you exist now and don't mourn the fact that when you die it ends!

If you don't want it to end when you die you only have a single choice available. PROCREATE!

Your children are your only link with the future. You do have a choice with them. You can have them and abandon them or you can have them and nurture them. If you look after them well, i.e. help them have healthy bodies and minds do you not think that it is more likely that they in turn will be in a position to have children and continue your particular line?

I do not know the link between you and your offspring or you and your forebears. There is one but as yet mankind does not understand it.

Maybe when understanding does finally come all religion will finally end and we will be free of the poison once and for all.

 

[Sensuikan San]

"I have seen God ..... she's Black!"
"I have seen Allah ..... she is a Caucasian .... !"
If either of these statements were actually true, and I had really had these experiences and declared them as such ....
... I have twenty dollars that says not one Christian or one Muslem would believe me in a million years. But who of them could argue with either statement, and on what basis? None, I would suggest.
Such, IMO, is the hypocritical dogma that is religion. People believe what they want to believe. And why not? It comforts them, it supports them; so let it be so.
But it is not for me. I have my own views on life. I tend to agree with Asamayamaman very strongly.
And why not?
Regards
ﾆ淡ﾆ停?｡ﾆ停?

 

[Tsuyoiko]

I know this bears no relation whatever to the thread, but I just can't help myself...

*runs at full tilt with arms outstretched* "Sen-san!!!!"

 

[sabro]

Hey Tsuyoiko!

And Indiana Gardener... I also believe.

I had two miraculous healings that I wasn't even looking for. It isn't the reason that I believe but a nice bonus. In both cases, people that I didn't know came up to me in Church during prayer and grabbed the affected area... (luckily my elbow and later my shoulder) that I was going to have surgery on. I figured that since it was fixable with surgery, then there really wasn't much reason to ask for healing. In both cases when I went in later on, the surgery was no longer necessary.