Reasons you believe God/don't believe God?

Chula Vista · 04-24-2015, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

I think religion or believing in a God can be great for people. But I've seen just as much harm come of it, it's not just all pretty and nice all of the time.

Belief with an open mind can be great. Belief with an already closed mind sucks.

The Batlord · 04-24-2015, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Belief with an open mind can be great. Belief with an already closed mind sucks.

"Keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out."

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 04-24-2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

I've seen this subject get so personal and ugly on so many different forums, that I cannot begin to count them all.

It's tough to discuss it because it's so easy for someone to get defensive, or take offense to something that someone says against it, or even a support of it.

My stance on this has been going through changes. And it has been the most progressive the past two years on where I stand on it. If I'm being honest with myself, even born in to a Christian family, and being raised as such. I cannot say that either side of this debate can prove irrefutably, that God does or does not exist. That includes science and its claims on the age old debate, theory of evolution and whatnot. But I'm not saying any of that is wrong, neither right. I stand somewhere between it all. I'm not an Atheist, not sure I consider myself a Christian these days, and being agnostic might fit me more than anything else. So I am open to things, I guess.

evolution is more or less a proven fact, these days

i mean yea people can still disbelieve it, but there are also people who disbelieve the moon landing or think the sun orbits around the earth

it doesn't disprove god, though. you can't really prove that anything doesn't exist. but it does mean that the beginning of genesis can't really be taken literally while still staying consistent with science, imo.

Quote:

just as much harm come of it, it's not just all pretty and nice all of the time. So it's easy to understand why someone wouldn't believe God exists, or that there is a God of any kind at all. People do want something to believe in. Religion being around so long is proof of that. But a lot of people also like to think that they decide their own life, nothing is predestined.

If you want to believe God is real. Do so. No ridicule should come of it. The same should be done with someone that is against religion. But in this world, opposing views lead to conflict more often than not. So it'll never be an issue of common ground.

Such is what it is.

i'd honestly prefer if a god did exist. maybe not the specific god of the bible, but any god that would grant me immortality would be a preferable scenario to an atheistic universe, imo. i don't believe one exists because it just doesn't seem true to me. it's basically a guess, though. i don't rule out the possibility. and i agree that people shouldn't harass other people over their religious beliefs. unless their beliefs are over-the-top crazy/viscous like isis or wbc etc. i actually really despise american atheist groups that spend their time and money lobbying against **** like nativity scenes... they really suck at PR.

Chula Vista · 04-24-2015, 09:03 PM

^^^^

Richard Dawkins is a dick and I'm an atheist.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 04-24-2015, 09:22 PM

he is a dick, but i have love for dawkins cause he actually contributes something intellectually. same with hitchens, who is an even more hardcore than richard. i don't mind them engaging the debate in brash way. like when i say people shouldn't be ridiculed for religion, that doesn't mean i don't think people should write books ridiculing religions and **** like that. just on a day to day basis when you deal with people you should'nt hassle them over their religion (or their politics, tbh). but yea if either of them are involved in that lawsuit business then i don't like that.

but i really hate the atheist alliance and all those groups whose sole purpose seems to be launching lawsuits over petty **** like that. and i hate the atheist experience cause it's a **** show and the hosts aren't nearly as smart as they seem to think they are.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 04-24-2015, 09:27 PM

also i thought you said you were a gnostic or something like that? i definitely recall you saying you believe in god.

Chula Vista · 04-24-2015, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wilkes Booth

also i thought you said you were a gnostic or something like that? i definitely recall you saying you believe in god.

I believe in the concept of a spiritual mythological God.

The Batlord · 04-24-2015, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wilkes Booth

i'd honestly prefer if a god did exist. maybe not the specific god of the bible, but any god that would grant me immortality would be a preferable scenario to an atheistic universe, imo. i don't believe one exists because it just doesn't seem true to me. it's basically a guess, though. i don't rule out the possibility. and i agree that people shouldn't harass other people over their religious beliefs. unless their beliefs are over-the-top crazy/viscous like isis or wbc etc. i actually really despise american atheist groups that spend their time and money lobbying against **** like nativity scenes... they really suck at PR.

This on both fronts. I disbelieve in God as much as the next atheist, and find the Judeo-Christian god and many others throughout the world to suck major balls, but that doesn't mean I have any desire to cease to exist sixty or so years from now. **** that ****.

And I think it's probably not the best tactic to get people to agree with you when you launch petty attacks against things like Nativity scenes. It pisses off the religiously conservative, and makes you look like juvenile dicks to the moderates.

@Chula - Don't forget Sam Harris. How he gets away with blatant Islamophobia is beyond me.

Wpnfire · 04-24-2015, 11:10 PM

The Batlord is a model infidel. Disbelievers take note.

DeadChannel · 04-24-2015, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

I believe in the concept of a spiritual mythological God.

What does that mean?

04-24-2015, 09:03 PM	#264 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	^^^^ Richard Dawkins is a dick and I'm an atheist. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

04-24-2015, 11:10 PM	#269 (permalink)
Wpnfire Dragon Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kansas, United States Posts: 2,744	The Batlord is a model infidel. Disbelievers take note. __________________ Last.FM My RYM Ratings *My Glitchwave Beta Profile*

04-24-2015, 09:22 PM	#265 (permalink)
~~John Wilkes Booth~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 2,235	he is a dick, but i have love for dawkins cause he actually contributes something intellectually. same with hitchens, who is an even more hardcore than richard. i don't mind them engaging the debate in brash way. like when i say people shouldn't be ridiculed for religion, that doesn't mean i don't think people should write books ridiculing religions and ** like that. just on a day to day basis when you deal with people you should'nt hassle them over their religion (or their politics, tbh). but yea if either of them are involved in that lawsuit business then i don't like that. but i really hate the atheist alliance and all those groups whose sole purpose seems to be launching lawsuits over petty like that. and i hate the atheist experience cause it's a ** show and the hosts aren't nearly as smart as they seem to think they are.

04-24-2015, 09:27 PM	#266 (permalink)
~~John Wilkes Booth~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 2,235	also i thought you said you were a gnostic or something like that? i definitely recall you saying you believe in god.