Why don't you believe in God?

[Anonymous]

^ One more thing - I strongly believe in the power of energy.

Energy that you can drum up via power of prayer for example. The energy created through prayer and desire - that can be tangible. Emotions run deep. Willpower is real.

Different people have different energy levels so I wouldn't suggest everyone has the same level of power. But if enough people who have strong energy, are on the same wavelength, that could potentially create a great deal of energy to impact. Thus the power of prayer. You wouldn't see it often and you have to have a lot of people on the same wavelength typically but I very very very much believe on some level the power of commitment. Never underestimate the power of desire because the world conspires to give you what you ask of it IF you want it bad enough and will sacrifice everything for it.

I've seen it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

This represents your concerns, your opinions and your beliefs. Others cope with life differently - with or without religion. The title of this thread, is Why don't you believe in God? and instead of addressing that question, you're saying why you believe in God and why you think everyone should - much as an adherent of a specific religion would.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I guess we need to ask again: WHY do you believe this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I guess we need to ask again: WHY do you believe this?

Didn't think there would be an answer to this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I guess we need to ask again: WHY do you believe this?

I think the answer is in the bolded above. For pp, believing makes life easier. It has nothing to do with faith or evidence, just comfort.

[Anonymous]

You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

yeah, I have to agree with this. Some people just seem to have a God "gene." They are susceptible to supernatural beliefs and I think that's normal. It goes all the way back to the beginning of humankind. On the other hand, some people are very fact-based on everything they do, like that pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

yeah, I have to agree with this. Some people just seem to have a God "gene." They are susceptible to supernatural beliefs and I think that's normal. It goes all the way back to the beginning of humankind. On the other hand, some people are very fact-based on everything they do, like that pp.

Neither the laws nor the legal system of the United States don’t have any relevance to personal decisions about religious beliefs. The legal system doesn’t exist in the slightest to prove or disprove a person’s religious choice. Pp is making no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

yeah, I have to agree with this. Some people just seem to have a God "gene." They are susceptible to supernatural beliefs and I think that's normal. It goes all the way back to the beginning of humankind. On the other hand, some people are very fact-based on everything they do, like that pp.

Neither the laws nor the legal system of the United States don’t have any relevance to personal decisions about religious beliefs. The legal system doesn’t exist in the slightest to prove or disprove a person’s religious choice. Pp is making no sense.

No sorry you are wrong.

You use evidence, logic and facts to form all your beliefs. Except for one: the religion you believe in.

Name one other significant thing you believe based on the same criteria as your religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

You mean in a thoughtful way based on facts and evidence?

Yes, I certainly try to. You do too, I bet. (OK, maybe not when I am having fun in a casino, but I know I am likely to lose there).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

yeah, I have to agree with this. Some people just seem to have a God "gene." They are susceptible to supernatural beliefs and I think that's normal. It goes all the way back to the beginning of humankind. On the other hand, some people are very fact-based on everything they do, like that pp.

Neither the laws nor the legal system of the United States don’t have any relevance to personal decisions about religious beliefs. The legal system doesn’t exist in the slightest to prove or disprove a person’s religious choice. Pp is making no sense.

No sorry you are wrong.

You use evidence, logic and facts to form all your beliefs. Except for one: the religion you believe in.

Name one other significant thing you believe based on the same criteria as your religion.

art, music, philosophy -- all matters of personal taste. Facts are good for the legal system, but that's about it. Indeed, a recent example for me I made a big purchase. The facts were really against it, but I went with my heart. Happy I did. See the college forum for example where some people say the Return on Investment for that school is awful dont do it. And others, with a different value system, say you'll get a good education there and isn't that what college is all about? Stop being so close minded. And p.s. --mI understand you, as I tend atheist myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need a reason to believe or not believe. If a person doesn't believe, then they just don't - it's not a choice. It's just the way your brain perceives reality.

Ahhh, no that is decidedly NOT it. And you don't make any other decisions on your beliefs that way - you medical beliefs, laws, guilt or innocence - you look at the facts and evidence and decide. It's not some inherent "truth" whether someone is innocent or guilty. There's a trial, and the jury decides, and when there is a preponderance of evidence those trials are often unanimous.

It's the same standard you apply in those cases, and in the case of religion, the same you apply to all the other gods and supernatural things you DON'T believe in.

Why not apply that same simple standard to your god?

You treat every decision in your life like a criminal trial? Are you serious?

yeah, I have to agree with this. Some people just seem to have a God "gene." They are susceptible to supernatural beliefs and I think that's normal. It goes all the way back to the beginning of humankind. On the other hand, some people are very fact-based on everything they do, like that pp.

Neither the laws nor the legal system of the United States don’t have any relevance to personal decisions about religious beliefs. The legal system doesn’t exist in the slightest to prove or disprove a person’s religious choice. Pp is making no sense.

No sorry you are wrong.

You use evidence, logic and facts to form all your beliefs. Except for one: the religion you believe in.

Name one other significant thing you believe based on the same criteria as your religion.

art, music, philosophy -- all matters of personal taste. Facts are good for the legal system, but that's about it. Indeed, a recent example for me I made a big purchase. The facts were really against it, but I went with my heart. Happy I did. See the college forum for example where some people say the Return on Investment for that school is awful dont do it. And others, with a different value system, say you'll get a good education there and isn't that what college is all about? Stop being so close minded. And p.s. --mI understand you, as I tend atheist myself.

You think your post supports your premise, but it does the exact opposite.

art, music, philosophy -- all matters of personal taste.

If you are comparing your religion to an aesthetic, that does not say much for the foundations of a religion, does it? You know that other people can have a different aesthetic and it is just as valid. No religion I know of takes that position. We are talking about belief, not opinion or taste.

Indeed, a recent example for me I made a big purchase. The facts were really against it, but I went with my heart.

Yes, you evaluated the facts and made a decision that went against logic, and you were 100% certain that the facts were against you and bought it anyway. Are you saying you know the facts are 100% against your religion and believe it anyway?

Stop being so close minded. And p.s. --mI understand you, as I tend atheist myself

Lol, yeah, stop being so closed minded but close your mind to facts and evidence. Nice oxymoron.

So your post says, again and again, that you use facts in making all other decisions, and embraces open-mindedness, which is not a tenet of any religion I know. You seem to reinforce my point very nicely, and I sincerely thank you for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I guess we need to ask again: WHY do you believe this?

This. I don’t believe in God because, inter alia, I see no reason to believe in God. Moreover, nothing has caused more human suffering than religion. Crusades, pogromsn persecution, forced conversions, torture, Inquisition, Holocaust, prejudice. Religion? No thanks!