I don't believe in God because I've got no proof he exists. My family is jewish, and they expect me to share the beliefs and traditions. Yes, I still follow traditions and celebrate the jewish holidays, but I quit believing in God years ago when I just felt that if there was a real God, my life wouldn't be they way it is. I've told my parents that I don't believe in him and they could really care less. I don't think they take me serisouly about it. I also told them I didn't want to be buried in a jewish cemetary and that I wanted to be cremated.
worn-out astronaut. Had A Life Before GSB Age: 32 Gender: Female Posts: 28177
November 15th, 2006 at 01:06pm
NeoSteph:
evidently I am not a walking moron.
But there is a difference in having faith in a higher plane of existance and having faith that a bus will turn up.
Faith is spirituality.
I never said you were. I just didnt know how to explain it more specificly so it turned out to sound a bit stupid.
NeoSteph Basket Case Age: 37 Gender: Female Posts: 16494
November 15th, 2006 at 01:30pm
[Bittersweet] cant fail:
NeoSteph:
evidently I am not a walking moron.
But there is a difference in having faith in a higher plane of existance and having faith that a bus will turn up.
Faith is spirituality.
I never said you were. I just didnt know how to explain it more specificly so it turned out to sound a bit stupid.
sorry i wasn't trying to say you were accusing me of being one XD i missed off this smiley at the end --->
Matt Smith Admin Age: 33 Gender: Female Posts: 31134
November 15th, 2006 at 01:35pm
NeoSteph:
evidently I am not a walking moron.
But there is a difference in having faith in a higher plane of existance and having faith that a bus will turn up.
Faith is spirituality.
Can you be spiritual without believeing in god?
Because I think you can.
Which could mean that not having faith in god does not render you totally faithless.
NeoSteph Basket Case Age: 37 Gender: Female Posts: 16494
November 15th, 2006 at 01:50pm
Bloodraine:
NeoSteph:
evidently I am not a walking moron.
But there is a difference in having faith in a higher plane of existance and having faith that a bus will turn up.
Faith is spirituality.
Can you be spiritual without believeing in god?
Because I think you can.
Which could mean that not having faith in god does not render you totally faithless.
I didn't say you have to believe in god to have faith. But to have faith means you believe in something higher than yourself or else you would have no need for faith in anything because you believe you have total control over your life.
so yes faith is spirituality, because your accepting their our forces out there stronger and more powerful than you.
...
I'm sorry, I though this was the Thinking thread ;-;
Why Don't You Believe?
You thought that was the thinking thread? I think we need to refer you to a thread about Drug use in here...
anyways... Why Don't You Believe? It's not so much I don't believe as I don't know what I believe. its confusing, My mind is a scary place, how it functions is even worse. I was talking to Meg the other day on Msn and she said she Didnt believe in a God who punishes the evil, and rewards the good. Thats somewhat how I feel. If the God commonly associated with Christianity does exist, I don't feel the need to worship it. I can't worship anyone who has the power to end poverty and suffering, but doesnt use it. I can't seem to grasp that concept, because to me that doesnt seem like something worthy of praise.
robotchicken. Falling In Love With The Board Age: 34 Gender: Female Posts: 8423
November 17th, 2006 at 07:13pm
hhmm. So every religion in the world is not really fact, but a theory of how something happend?
o_0 Or something.
We are studying evolution in biology and the teacher made get into two groups one FOR the evolution theory and AGAINST it. [Which I think is totally irrelevent because it did cause some conflict :/] And the whole time we were "debating" I was wondering if Evolution can explain for our different personalities and also do people who believe in evolution not believe in souls? I didnt know where else to ask.
hhmm. So every religion in the world is not really fact, but a theory of how something happend?
o_0 Or something.
We are studying evolution in biology and the teacher made get into two groups one FOR the evolution theory and AGAINST it. [Which I think is totally irrelevent because it did cause some conflict :/] And the whole time we were "debating" I was wondering if Evolution can explain for our different personalities and also do people who believe in evolution not believe in souls? I didnt know where else to ask.
Maybe they believe whatever created them, created them to evolve.
fuck god
fuck jesus
fuck religion
fuck bible huggers
ok,thats all
I dont believe in god, and you are entitled to your opinion, but i think its a little harsh. I mean theres a lot of good Christians, doing a lot of good for people, and a lot of christian charities such as CAFOD giving aid to third world countries, and yeah you could say you dont need a religion to do these kind of things, but they have learnt their morals and their charitable ways from being a Christian. So although religion does have a lot of downsides it has its good points aswell.
I think I kind of understand why God, if He or She exists, would not do anything to stop evil humans. That's not God's job, it's ours. If God stepped in to right all wrongs, we wouldn't do anything, we'd just pray for God to stop all the bad shit going down in our lives. There would be even less personal responsibility than there is now! And nobody wants that, I'm sure.
No, I'm unsuure of the existence of a God because I have yet to see any evidence. This makes me an agnostic. I'm not too wild about that. I would like very much to be certain about one thing in this uncertain world. Until that happens, and I see some proof, I'm still on the fence. Call me all the names you like.
The Doctor Falling In Love With The Board Age: 35 Gender: Female Posts: 8786
November 18th, 2006 at 01:44pm
Religion just doesn't get me. No...strike that reverse it. I don't get religion. I know people are wondering "Why are we here" and jazz like that. But I just don't believe really. I like the idea of angels and crap like that. I like that idea. It's just the whole punish thing.
Besides, war breaks out - sometimes- cause of religion. If they people paid more attention to what their religions writings and less to the people saying them, then they will see that we should just relax and get along and not try and start the Crusades part 2.
robotchicken. Falling In Love With The Board Age: 34 Gender: Female Posts: 8423
November 18th, 2006 at 05:35pm
I thought the Crusades was just a quest to get land but they slapped a religion title onto it didnt they? :/ That a pope wanted land and he said "God wants us to take it" so they went and did it.
Plug In Baby. Addict Age: 34 Gender: Female Posts: 11334
November 18th, 2006 at 06:11pm
Sheepo@_@:
I thought the Crusades was just a quest to get land but they slapped a religion title onto it didnt they? :/ That a pope wanted land and he said "God wants us to take it" so they went and did it.
It was because of Jerusalem, basically, the Muslims had control of Jersulaem, because it's also a holy place for them, and they weren't allowing Christians in or something to that effect, so the Pope rallied everyone and was all "Let's take back Jerusalem!" and so they went to take back jerusalem. So it was holy in nature.
Sylar Falling In Love With The Board Age: 35 Gender: Female Posts: 5703
November 18th, 2006 at 08:36pm
Bloodraine:
1) NO BLANK QUOTES. That is considered spam. You can't blank quote without giving your opinion.
2) DO NOT insult other peoples religious beliefs. That includes calling their God a cunt. No. Not cool. It can really upset people.
3) Don't make claims you can't support. That includes claiming to be God, you need a source for that. ()
Just read the last paragraph if you want the whole gist of this. Okay, I have some knowledge on this now (I read a bunch of philosophy books, so I apologize if I make no sense). I feel like I can post without being stupid. Most people here go "I don't believe because it's not my God" or "I don't agree with them" or "I need some proof." It is impossible to have a universal religion. No two people can believe in the exact same god. Religion and faith are things that are intensely personal.
I could set up a religion based on music. Let's say certain songs give me chills/make me cry/laugh. Since these songs have such a profound effect on me, I decide that everyone in my religion must stop what they're doing and listen every time they hear one of those songs (if possible, sing along too).
The first problem is that not everyone is going to experience the same thing I do when I hear those songs.
Second thing, if you don't like to sing or have some other qualm, stopping what you're doing and belting out a tune is going to get kind of inconvient and pointless.
But, I have no problem with this, so you shouldn't either, if you're in my religion. Here's where we fall upon the main issue. That whole religion is based on my beliefs. So, you might like songs that you feel you could stop and sing along to, but I hate them so I make them the equivalent of sins. Even though listening to your songs gives you the same kind of rush that my songs give me, your songs don't give me a rush. I see that you like those songs and are trying to change my religion. So, I make them sins to keep them out of my religion.
You get mad at me, and start your own religion with a few people, but you label my songs as sins. We start little spats, "Yo Momma is so fat that..." then, "Your followers are so stupid that I can take over their houses." Which I do, and you do in turn to me. You get really fed up and get on the roof and screech "Yo religion sucks so bad that..." At this point, I get annoyed with you trying to pervert my "one true way" and decide you need to be taken care of permanently. You shouldn't convert more people to your twisted ways. Things get ugly because each of us believes that our conviction is stronger, and divine right will lead us to victory.
There's no black and white, just shades of grey. Take a look at wars and suchnot. The Romans excuted the Woads because they were pagans who wouldn't convert and give up their evil "rites". But, from the Woad point of view, the Romans were the pagans, and following a hellish god that wanted the Woads dead. So, both the Woads and Romans come across as evil if you change perspective. You have holy wars, sometimes the god you believe in wins, sometimes it loses, but your opponent is always the evil.
That's why a lot of people don't fit into organized religion. The rush "true believer" church-goers feel when they pray, could be very similar to the rush I get from playing a perfect song. Thing is, me standing and reciting a bunch of words doesn't do much for me and playing a song right probably doesn't do much for them.
A great deal of people don't believe in God because they don't get anything out of it. Of course they don't. They don't believe because they have not had a personal interaction with this "god" that everyone talks about. So what if you see a statue cry blood? It has no relevance to you. That's not proof for you.
Like I said, the music thing, it's both music, but they're not the same. They're both "religious experiences" in terms of the feelings, but the songs (aka situations) are different. You can't fit into another person's religion! Religion is personal. You can relate, but as completely unique individuals in your experience, no one will ever feel the same as you. To go out on a limb, I will say that you make your own religion, and sometimes it fits just fine with the ones already established.
evidently I am not a walking moron.
)