Anonymous wrote:NP here. OP, there is an assumption in your question that people choose their beliefs. I don't think people can choose their beliefs--like that.

For example, you say you do not believe in God. So if I were to ask you to believe in God for 5 minutes, you would not be able to do it. People can't "choose to believe."

This is why Pascal's Wager is a fallacious argument to believe in God. You cannot just decide to believe in God to CYA.

Now if I said, "Hey, OP, the sun is not going to rise tomorrow," you would not believe me. If I said, "just believe it for 5 minutes," you still would not believe me. BUT--if you turned on the TV, and news reporters everywhere were saying that the earth was hit with a meteor and it slowed down on its rotation, or that there was a volcanic explosion and the ash would float over and block out the sun tomorrow, then you might change your belief.

So we can't change our beliefs absent new information. That's the key.

Therefore, some rational people believe in God based on their information. Some seek God, and end up believing in God, because they got some new information that changed their beliefs. And vice-versa.

For me, I find that my rational brain does not believe in God--even if there is a God--there are different types. And to make me care, it would not have to just be a creator, but a *personal* God who cares about me and wants what's best for me. That being said, when I'm out in nature, at times I am so happy and feel so blessed--I am so thankful, and if I am thankful, who am I thankful to? This OTHER part of my brain does believe in God. I let these two parts of my brain co-exist. LOL like the bumper sticker, but in my head. Because you know, there are limits to the human brain, and to my brain, and I do know that I cannot really ever figure it out, nor do I need to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I subscribe to the idea that we are all going to be with God, if we want to. Some will prefer Hell to God. Read 'The Great Divorce' to see what I mean.

by the author of the Chronicles of Narnia

fantasy writer

Thanks for providing evidence for the atheist's side.

The Narnia series is a Christian allegory, of course. Looks like you don't understand what an "allegory" is. Your loss.

You're an uneducated troll, too.

It's fun reading. Let's read for entertainment and perhaps learn a simple lesson or two.

How is THAT evidence of a god? stories . . . just like those in the bible

FWIW, I can read Aesop's fables instead.

uneducated troll - lol!
nope
just not one to be easily swayed by ignorant beliefs

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot understand why people who are otherwise very smart and logical people believe in god. The idea of a god has never made sense to me, even as people in my family taught me about god and religion. I exclude the religious nut jobs from this question and want to address Those who are educated and feel they have a good deal of common sense in other areas. What makes you believe? Is there any LOGICAL reason behind your beliefs?

Maybe because those people smart and logical? I am educated (three degrees), speak 3 languages fluently and two at the basic conversational level. I can't see how any educated person can deny the very existence of God? Before you accept or reject the idea of God, read his word, the Bible. You can't reject Plato or Machiavelli without reading at least several of their works? Sometimes you have to re-read it to understand, right? Sometimes you even need to talk to the Philosophy professor to accept their position (or not to accept). Try the same approach with God. Educate yourself before you reject it (not what your family taught you about religion, because God has nothing to do with religion). Read his word, and re-read it. Talk to people with degree in theology if you don't understand certain things or with pastor you trust. Maybe then it will make some sense for you.

Simply reading the bible will not offer you answers. The answers are found in researching how religion evolved over the ages. And what has religion done for us? the Crusades? the Israeli-Palestinian dispute? Should I go on and on?

Finally, why is everyone so fearful of the connection btw our "God" and the pagan gods?

So during the next big summer storm, thank Zeus or Jupiter.

Anonymous wrote:OP: Are you the same person who, when people ask why people are so nasty on DCUM, you answer that you are nasty because you get pleasure from being nasty? Your syntax and word choice are similar to that persons? And when you say things like "just not one to be easily swayed by ignorant beliefs", what emotions do you imagine the recipient of that message feels? Do you think they feel a sudden revelation that their believes were as stupid as the most childish fairy tale? Do you think they go "wow! that poster sure is smart!"? Do you think they feel pain and humiliation? Anger? What emotions do you think the people reading this thread feel when they see your posts?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I subscribe to the idea that we are all going to be with God, if we want to. Some will prefer Hell to God. Read 'The Great Divorce' to see what I mean.

by the author of the Chronicles of Narnia

fantasy writer

Thanks for providing evidence for the atheist's side.

The Narnia series is a Christian allegory, of course. Looks like you don't understand what an "allegory" is. Your loss.

You're an uneducated troll, too.

Anonymous wrote:

I subscribe to the idea that we are all going to be with God, if we want to. Some will prefer Hell to God. Read 'The Great Divorce' to see what I mean.

by the author of the Chronicles of Narnia

fantasy writer

Thanks for providing evidence for the atheist's side.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is "objective". Everybody skews toward their personal feelings.

Anonymous wrote:
Why believe in God? Because the evidence supports it.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/eric-metaxas-science-increasingly-makes-the-case-for-god-1419544568[/quote

WSJ - Need I say more?

Three months later, on August 1, 2007, News Corporation and Dow Jones entered into a definitive merger agreement.[25] The US$5 billion sale added The Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch's news empire, which already included Fox News Channel, financial network unit and London's The Times, and locally within New York, the New York Post, along with Fox flagship station WNYW (Channel 5) and MyNetworkTV flagship WWOR (Channel 9).[26]