Why don't you believe in God?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it doesn't ring true - there is no proof of a higher power. Awful things happen to people all the time whether they are religious or not. The Bible and other religious texts are full of utter hateful nonsense used to justify discriminating against women and the LGBTQ community. And if there was a higher power, who is to say which religion is right - they can't all be...

[Anonymous]

One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe in a Higher Power but have no use for any form of organized religion. The Roman Catholic Church is responsible for 75% of the world's atrocities.

That's a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been reading DCUM for a while now, and I feel steeped in broken marriages, angry/depressed/overwhelmed parents, misbehaving children, and general snarkiness.

Do you think non believers have the market cornered on these things? I'm on a Board of a Christian leaning organization and spent the weekend google Bible verses to try to get these people to be nice to each other, and refrain from anger.

BTW I do believe in God, but she's probably not the same God you are thinking of.

[Anonymous]

Oh - and here is a thread where OP thinks that atheism causes "broken marriages, angry/depressed/overwhelmed parents, misbehaving children, and general snarkiness".

"Believers" are so full of crap. You trash atheism every chance you get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

You know it's the same God, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

Hebrew Bible.....too much to unpack there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

Hebrew Bible.....too much to unpack there.

That’s how many Jews who read the Bible in Hebrew (like me) refer to what Christians call the “Old Testament.” As distinct from the Christians’ Greek bible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

No, as a Jew I assure that our (Hebrew) Bible and our religious tradition discourage anthropomorphising G-d by creating images. So no, an old guy in the sky is definitely not “a Hebrew Bible thing.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't need a reason to believe or not believe - belief is something you either do or don't. It's not really a choice. I just don't believe and that's it. Same way I don't believe in ghosts, or elves, or forest fairies. Sorry to all those who do believe, but it just seems really dumb to me and I can't understand how anyone can believe it. Well, the Christian God anyway. I can relate more to someone who has a belief in some kind of unknowable higher power or force, but the old man in the sky Christian God seems about as logical as Santa Claus.

Except that almost no Christians believe in a bearded old guy in the sky. That’s more a Hebrew Bible thing, along with clouds around the altar seraphim.

But carry on, don’t let your ignorance get in your way.

Hi, Jew here, and I can assure you that a bearded old guy in the sky is not a Jewish thing. The whole "no idols" thing in Jewish theology extends to not making depictions of God. While God is sometimes described as having "an outstretched arm" or other body parts, it's clear in Jewish theology that those are metaphorical representations of God's actions in the world and not literal body parts. Are you thinking of Charlton Heston as Moses in The Ten Commandments?

[Anonymous]

Well I do believe in more than just myself and what's face value. Whether I yr a God I believe in I don't know. I believe in the power of nature, destiny, faith, energy. I believe you can pray and change situations through power of prayer. But I don't know that I call it God. I don't go to Church and I most certainly don't have faith in organized religion AKA Roman Catholic Church. I also don't believe God really cares if I believe in God. I believe that faith is not to be discussed nor shared. It's a private thing altogether but it's soooooo much better to believe in something other than nothing. It's so obvious that there is something inexplicable that is with all of us. Just waking up each day and looking around you is proof there is power and mystery that exists we cannot fathom. That is what I believe. Some people call it God, Allah, Christ, Wicca, whatever that is it's the same. But I don't know it's really or just God as traditionally defined. And ironically, to talk about it for me, is to completely destroy the meaningfulness of that faith because it's so personal. I think we all should have something we believe in but not call it God.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I do believe in more than just myself and what's face value. Whether I yr a God I believe in I don't know. I believe in the power of nature, destiny, faith, energy. I believe you can pray and change situations through power of prayer. But I don't know that I call it God. I don't go to Church and I most certainly don't have faith in organized religion AKA Roman Catholic Church. I also don't believe God really cares if I believe in God. I believe that faith is not to be discussed nor shared. It's a private thing altogether but it's soooooo much better to believe in something other than nothing. It's so obvious that there is something inexplicable that is with all of us. Just waking up each day and looking around you is proof there is power and mystery that exists we cannot fathom. That is what I believe. Some people call it God, Allah, Christ, Wicca, whatever that is it's the same. But I don't know it's really or just God as traditionally defined. And ironically, to talk about it for me, is to completely destroy the meaningfulness of that faith because it's so personal. I think we all should have something we believe in but not call it God.

Do you consider yourself a deist?

Also, we have to be fair and ask why you believe those things, especially regarding prayer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I do believe in more than just myself and what's face value. Whether I yr a God I believe in I don't know. I believe in the power of nature, destiny, faith, energy. I believe you can pray and change situations through power of prayer. But I don't know that I call it God. I don't go to Church and I most certainly don't have faith in organized religion AKA Roman Catholic Church. I also don't believe God really cares if I believe in God. I believe that faith is not to be discussed nor shared. It's a private thing altogether but it's soooooo much better to believe in something other than nothing. It's so obvious that there is something inexplicable that is with all of us. Just waking up each day and looking around you is proof there is power and mystery that exists we cannot fathom. That is what I believe. Some people call it God, Allah, Christ, Wicca, whatever that is it's the same. But I don't know it's really or just God as traditionally defined. And ironically, to talk about it for me, is to completely destroy the meaningfulness of that faith because it's so personal. I think we all should have something we believe in but not call it God.

Do you consider yourself a deist?

Also, we have to be fair and ask why you believe those things, especially regarding prayer.

Seems like pp is talking about their beliefs, in much the way that a follower of a particular religion would, e.g., "It's so obvious..." "Looking around you is proof..." etc. The difference is that pp is not a part of an established religion with its own set of rules for people to believe and follow. PP has set up their own rules/parameters, believes them and simply assumes that they are real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I do believe in more than just myself and what's face value. Whether I yr a God I believe in I don't know. I believe in the power of nature, destiny, faith, energy. I believe you can pray and change situations through power of prayer. But I don't know that I call it God. I don't go to Church and I most certainly don't have faith in organized religion AKA Roman Catholic Church. I also don't believe God really cares if I believe in God. I believe that faith is not to be discussed nor shared. It's a private thing altogether but it's soooooo much better to believe in something other than nothing. It's so obvious that there is something inexplicable that is with all of us. Just waking up each day and looking around you is proof there is power and mystery that exists we cannot fathom. That is what I believe. Some people call it God, Allah, Christ, Wicca, whatever that is it's the same. But I don't know it's really or just God as traditionally defined. And ironically, to talk about it for me, is to completely destroy the meaningfulness of that faith because it's so personal. I think we all should have something we believe in but not call it God.

Do you consider yourself a deist?

Also, we have to be fair and ask why you believe those things, especially regarding prayer.

Seems like pp is talking about their beliefs, in much the way that a follower of a particular religion would, e.g., "It's so obvious..." "Looking around you is proof..." etc. The difference is that pp is not a part of an established religion with its own set of rules for people to believe and follow. PP has set up their own rules/parameters, believes them and simply assumes that they are real.

Yes - I'm the OP. I don't believe in organized religion and organized traditions around religion. I believe that there is an entity of higher power - some call God. But that's a personal belief. Some choose not to believe in God but what I'm suggesting is that I think life is ultimately easier if you do believe in anything other than yourself cause you know, shit happens and how are you gonna get through that? I also refer to evidence to the natural world around us - there's so much mystery and magic all around us every moment of every day - that it's hard to believe that it's simply without grand design or just there. However, that belief and faith is different than what the Roman Catholic Church or any religious tradition ascribes to - sin, forgiveness, worship, all that to me is where it has to be personal not automatic or mandatory.