NationStates Jolt Archive

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
at a time when I doubted His exsistance, he knocked me on my ass and filled me with a joy I've never felt before or since.

Something simaler to above post.

I was raised presbyterian and until about 15, followed it. After that (basically in high school) I took some philosophy classes and talked with my friends and thought about religion on my own. So it was sort of a slow process that gave me questions that religion did not, would not, or could not answer, plus a lot of articles of faith just not making sense to me, and religion, on a whole, started to seem a little foolish and misguided.

About late junior year of high school, I just dropped the whole religion thing altogether.

Well once I said (in my head cus I’m not nuts or fond of my voice) if it snows tomorrow God you exists which it did so the next night I sat there thinking “okay I will believe you if it snows again”

….which it did! :eek:

So now I’m an agnostic out of spite:p

What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?

We had dinner. He burped and farted.

Nothing Earth-shattering... I just read more, became more familiar with science and history, began to see some of the uglier contradictions and implausibilities of Christianity and religion in general, and simply didn't believe in it anymore.

What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?

I didn't "come" to the "idea" of the non-existence of deities. I simply have never come across any reason to assume that they do exist. The default just stood.

Well once I said (in my head cus I’m not nuts or fond of my voice) if it snows tomorrow God you exists which it did so the next night I sat there thinking “okay I will believe you if it snows again”

….which it did! :eek:

So now I’m an agnostic out of spite:p
so you're welshing on a promise... nice... ;) :p

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.

no reason to believe. or proof. never brought up that way.
therefore i don't.

simple.

私はいままで常に無神論者だった. 私が覚えることができる以前から私はずっと懐疑者である. ああ、ラッフィ か。悪い状態をかぐ。

You asked for it.

Kudos to babelfish for managing to make my distorted first attempts at writing those sentences even more distorted and senseless.

Science.

Then again, even though I was baptised and went to a Christian high-school I have never believed in God. Even when I was in primary school I worked out that Christianity is wrong because life after death is such a ridiculous idea.

Unless somebody is indoctrinated to believe as a child, I don't see how any intelligent person could follow any organised religion.

Upon discovering that gods other then the Judeo-Christian one existed (around age 8) I decided that all gods existed, and were 'powered' by belief. When I was 12 I decided this this was silly, and that it was more likely gods didn't exist. I fought to reconcile this with my desires (I wanted a universe with gods) but eventually concluded I was denying reality. :D

Science.

Then again, even though I was baptised and went to a Christian high-school I have never believed in God. Even when I was in primary school I worked out that Christianity is wrong because life after death is such a ridiculous idea.

Unless somebody is indoctrinated to believe as a child, I don't see how any intelligent person could follow any organised religion.
Sadly, plenty of intelligent people prove us wrong everyday.

Also, Ruffy, it snowed here. And we're going to get smacked AGAIN sometime next week. :headbang:

Fass trifft den Nagel auf den Kopf. Dem hab' ich nichts mehr hinzuzufügen.

God and the State (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_archives/bakunin/godandstate/godandstate_ch1.html)

(Not really, it was more complicated than that, but if you want a single element, that was one of them.)

Fass trifft den Nagel auf den Kopf. Dem hab' ich nichts mehr hinzuzufügen.
Er tut den häufig.

I believe Man is God made and Religion is Man made.

There is no God.

It never snowed.
Now, for the thing I will regret..
What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?
Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.
But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.

When I began to actualy think. At around 7 years old.
Religion didn't seem logical neither did god.
Nothing in the last 44 years has changed my mind.

During childhood, when the brain developed the ability for rational deduction.

personnes hatte in Deutsch schreiben. Das gefaellt mir gut, aber, ich kann alles nicht verstait. Etwas an Fass hatte Neu Leonstein etwas an ihren Kopf antritten, aber ich koenn nicht was ein "Nagel" ist. Vor dass, hatte Neu Leonstein nicht mehr hinsufuegin.

Hehe. Ich hatte nicht in ein bisschen Zeit Deutsch schreiben, so enschudigung bitte mir boese grammatik und worter.

personnes hatte in Deutsch schreiben. Das gefaellt mir gut, aber, ich kann alles nicht verstait. Etwas an Fass hatte Neu Leonstein etwas an ihren Kopf antritten, aber ich koenn nicht was ein "Nagel" ist. Vor dass, hatte Neu Leonstein nicht mehr hinsufuegin.

Hehe. Ich hatte nicht in ein bisschen Zeit Deutsch schreiben, so enschudigung bitte mir boese grammatik und worter.
Sorgen Sie nicht sich um schlechte Grammatik: Sie sind nicht das mit einem on-line-Übersetzer, weil er nicht in irgendeiner Sprache anders als englisches wert einen Fluch sprechen kann.

Um ehrlich zu sein jedochWAR ich wirklich in der Lage darzustellen aus was Sie geschrieben hatten gerade indem Sie es nach wenig während betrachteten. Gut, kann mich zu kennen wirklich denken.

Holy Shit! :eek:

For some time, until I was about 8 years old, I didn't care, and wasn't really convinced either way. Then, the mild but successive indoctrination from my new-ageish mom and her partner at the time (who, unlike my atheist father whom I had moved from due to school being hell where I lived, was christian) resulted in me gradually building up a Christianity-based faith with an increasing amount of new-ageish elements.

Over the follwing years - as the rest of my time during primary school, with the exception of three relatively good years, quite hellish - it drifted apart somewhat from that of my mom, pieces of it breaking down, others being revised, and with a period of simplification where I sliced of some of the new-ageish stuff. I eventually moved back, and since, following a long period of increasingly independent thinking, gradually became more bitter (though it made little difference, taking the long-standing depression reoccuring every other year or couple of years until very recently, into accunt) and cynical, and finally got rid of all that naivety. I eventually did a major revision of my world view, "agnostifying" it to its very core during the blending of my old with a new, far more realistic one I had gradually contructed.

Since then, I have got rid of all the bullshit and become a hard-core skeptical agnostic, taking the possibility of things spiritual into account, but viewing it critically and never resorting to any measure of true faith. I can however say that I am quite firmly convinced that a god, as seen in all the common religions including one or more, does not exist. I have deemed it very unlikely. So unlikely that the idea has become irrelevant.

A statement I have grown very fond of that summarises my view of this existence very well is as follows:

Point is lifeless.

Holy Shit! :eek:

What?

Divine Imaginary Fluff: Fascinating story.

Fass trifft den Nagel auf den Kopf. Dem hab' ich nichts mehr hinzuzufügen.

Pas que je veuille vous décevoir, mais bien que j'aie appris l'allemand en école secondaire, je ne vais pas l'utiliser afin de ne pas montrer combien j'en ai oublié. Néanmois, j'ai compris ce que vous avez dit.

Pas que je veuille vous décevoir, mais bien que j'aie appris l'allemand en école secondaire, je ne vais pas l'utiliser afin de ne pas montrer combien j'en ai oublié. Néanmois, j'ai compris ce que vous avez dit.

At least you can actually learn foreign languages. No matter how much I try, I only pick up a few words here and there. Believe me, I'd know quite a few languages if I had the skill.

...'course, it probably would help if American schools would put foreign languages classes in elementary school like most other countries do for their equivalent school levels...

I was a Christian, a born-again bible-thumping bought-it-all evangelical Christian. I read Thomas Paine’s Common Sense at some point about two years ago, which eventually led me to read The Age of Reason, which I hold singularly responsible for causing my “conversion” to deism. After learning more about the world and myself, I gave up belief in a higher power all-together, becoming a rather angry atheist. I’ve mellowed since then and am now comfortable with faith; I see it as merely another pathway to one's Will. There isn't a God in the traditional since, but there are most probably “spiritual” forces and maybe even a "Great Spirit" of sorts at work in the universe that human beings can not explain… yet.

I still call myself an atheist because “agnostic” is for those who can’t entirely handle the social stigma of being faithless, at least in the US.

At least you can actually learn foreign languages. No matter how much I try, I only pick up a few words here and there. Believe me, I'd know quite a few languages if I had the skill.
Same.

I was a Christian, a born-again bible-thumping bought-it-all evangelical Christian.
What's it like to be one of those? Why do those people act the way they do? What goes on inside their heads?

Holy Shit! :eek:

Come on now, his German wasn't that bad.. not really.

My family is nominally Lutheran, but religion really didn't play any part in how they brought me up. It was just never discussed. I think my first real contact with religion came in elementary school, where we had classes on Christianity and some other religious events.

Because I had not been taught anything about religion, I kind of had to find things out on my own, and the more I read, more silly it all sounded to me. I don't remember when exactly it happened, but by the time I was 12 I had already firmly established myself as an atheist.

As I got a bit older I once again started reading up on things and questioning the validity of my views, and for a couple of years I identified myself as an agnostic. Eventually I adopted the view that even though I cannot completely rule out the existence of supernatural powers, it does seem unlikely enough for me to take the negative stance.

Now at the age of 20 I once again identify as an atheist. I'll revise my view if credible evidence to the contrary surfaces.

EDIT: Nowadays the only religious aspect of me is that I have a habit of cursing in the name of Eris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discordianism). Hey, you gotta have someone, right?

I still call myself an atheist because “agnostic” is for those who can’t entirely handle the social stigma of being faithless, at least in the US.There's a wider social stigma for that over there? Not too surprising, I guess. Here atheists are atheists, agnostics agnostics, and that's it. Though there are plenty of religious people around, most are relatively mellow, and the rabid fundamentalists are quite few.

What's it like to be one of those? Why do those people act the way they do? What goes on inside their heads?It gives you a feeling that even I struggle to explain now, a self-delusion. You just feel like you’re so RIGHT about everything. You feel above the world. Simultaneous emotions of contempt and pity for those that are “wrong” are constantly swirling about your consciousness breeding a self-righteous hatred for anything that goes against what you know to be RIGHT. You want to save them, but at the same time you have no problem letting them burn in hell for all eternity. What is obviously hypocrisy to others makes perfect sense to you. After all, you are RIGHT. They just don’t understand because they don’t really know God. They don’t have that personal relationship that at times you doubt you have yourself.

Of course, like any normal person you question your beliefs, at times, and then you wonder if maybe you don’t really believe. Maybe you will burn in hell for all eternity along with those “sinners.” Maybe you’re no better than those you’ve judged to be immoral and tainted by the world. Those feelings pass, generally in your next episode of self-righteousness, but they always come back.

I would say the most prevalent emotion, though, is guilt. At church, they’re constantly telling you that you aren’t good enough as they enumerate sins. Every impure thought could potentially lead to hours of sorrowful prayers for forgiveness. In time, you learn to hate the world for making such impurities so prevalent.

It is a terrible and twisted way to live, and it rots whatever “soul” exists. Only the most heartless or stupid person could ever be content in such a mindset.

There's a wider social stigma for that over there? Not too surprising, I guess. Here atheists are atheists, agnostics agnostics, and that's it. Though there are plenty of religious people around, most are relatively mellow, and the rabid fundamentalists are quite few.
Sounds nice. Here, when someone finds out I’m an atheist, usually the best response I can hope for is “Why?” or a dismissive huff. At worst, they condemn me.
People assume that I’m an amoral bastard because I don’t have a God to tell me what is wrong and right, which I wouldn't mind if I didn’t think of myself as a good person.
And don’t even get me started on how hard it is to get laid.

It gives you a feeling that even I struggle to explain now, a self-delusion. You just feel like you’re so RIGHT about everything. You feel above the world. Simultaneous emotions of contempt and pity for those that are “wrong” are constantly swirling about your consciousness breeding a self-righteous hatred for anything that goes against what you know to be RIGHT. You want to save them, but at the same time you have no problem letting them burn in hell for all eternity. What is obviously hypocrisy to others makes perfect sense to you. After all, you are RIGHT. They just don’t understand because they don’t really know God. They don’t have that personal relationship that at times you doubt you have yourself.
So they believe that they have a direct line to God, who tells them to do things?

You were raised this way, you say? What is it that makes such people gravitate towards ultra-right wing Republican political views? Why do they support unnecessary wars, oppose helping the poor and generally other things which don't follow the teachings of the Lord?

People assume that I’m an amoral bastard because I don’t have a God to tell me what is wrong and right, which I wouldn't mind if I didn’t think of myself as a good person.

That's the best. I, an atheist, believe that a person can do a good, unselfish deed simply because it is the right thing to do. Christians seem to believe that every human is basically a sociopath, able to care about others only when motivated by a system of rewards and punishments. And somehow, in some, bizarre, backwards way, it's the ATHEIST whose glum and immoral.

Someone explain that reasoning to me, because I sure as hell cant' work it out.

Sounds nice. Here, when someone finds out I’m an atheist, usually the best response I can hope for is “Why?” or a dismissive huff. At worst, they condemn me.

And don’t even get me started on how hard it is to get laid.
Surely being an evangelical who takes a vow of chastity until marriage would be an even greater obstacle to getting laid?

Surely being an evangelical who takes a vow of chastity until marriage would be an even greater obstacle to getting laid?
Yes, but then you don't think you want to, so meh.
Also, I know plenty of evangelicals who've had sex. It was a "mistake" in their words.

That's the best. I, an atheist, believe that a person can do a good, unselfish deed simply because it is the right thing to do. Christians seem to believe that every human is basically a sociopath, able to care about others only when motivated by a system of rewards and punishments. And somehow, in some, bizarre, backwards way, it's the ATHEIST whose glum and immoral.

It's not like that. Christians feel right in the same way you do. We recognise that the altruistic acts that we perform come from the love of Christ that flows through us, that causes us to love all people as they are our brothers and sisters. I think that atheists just don't recognise this. However, this doesn't mean that atheist = amoral, that's just silly.

You were raised this way, you say? What is it that makes such people gravitate towards ultra-right wing Republican political views? Why do they support unnecessary wars, oppose helping the poor and generally other things which don't follow the teachings of the Lord?
That's what the people in charge say is RIGHT. Evangelicals believe there will always be war and poverty so trying to alleviate those problems is pointless. They believe the only thing that really matters is whether or not you believe in God the right way.

I do not believe in God, Allah, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Apollo, Athena, Hephaestus, Ares, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hestia, Dionysus, Hades, Andhrímnir, Baldr, Borr, Bragi, Búri, Dagr, Delling, Forseti, Heimdall, Hermóðr, Höðr, Hœnir, Kvasir, Lóðurr, Loki, Móði and Magni, Óðr, Odin, Ríg, Thor, Tyr, Váli, Ve, Vidar, Vili, any of the like 3 million hindu gods, Santa Claus, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster

It's not like that.

That's how it seems to me when in US not so long ago aknowledged atheists were prohibited from testifying in court or serving in public office because they had "no reason to be honest".

Also, einse mehr.

Ich war in einen "Christian" famili geborten. Nach hatte mir Ihren mein "Christianity". Wann ich in gymnasium war, ich habe gedenkt. Ich habe an Gott and viele personnen gedenkt, und ich habe dass gesehen personnen nicht oft mit ihren worter richtig waren. Gott auch, nicht dawarst. Weil dass, ich nicht mehr Gott andenken.



There, a simplified version of what I said earlier in German. Jesus, my vocab is still incredibly limited.

Nach die Deutsch sprachers daus: was denken Sie. Gut? order nein?

That's how it seems to me when in US not so long ago aknowledged atheists were prohibited from testifying in court or serving in public office because they had "no reason to be honest".
Why are we, two Europeans, arguing about US domestic policies?

I also merely gave my view of what you were talking about. I didn't exclude the possiblity of Christians who disagree, or Christians who are hypocrites.

That's what the people in charge say is RIGHT.
So they put the government in the same position of authority as God? If the government was left-wing and appealed to religion, do you think the evangelicals would support them?

Evangelicals believe there will always be war and poverty so trying to alleviate those problems is pointless. They believe the only thing that really matters is whether or not you believe in God the right way.
Oh, they're those types of Protestants. I find the idea that only faith matters, and it doesn't matter if you do evil on earth (as long as you have faith!) to be wrong, and contradictory to the Bible.

Why are we, two Europeans, arguing about US domestic policies?

I don't know how big of rift there is between the views of your average American and European Christian, but the situation in the US is a nice window for us to view what happens when the deeply religious hold actual, real power. You know, "judge them not by their words but by their actions" sort of thing?

So they put the government in the same position of authority as God? If the government was left-wing and appealed to religion, do you think the evangelicals would support them?
No, no. You misunderstand. The people in charge I referred to are the preachers and the RIGHT politicians, not the government.
Oh, they're those types of Protestants. I find the idea that only faith matters, and it doesn't matter if you do evil on earth (as long as you have faith!) to be wrong, and contradictory to the Bible.
Well, it matters if you do certain evils because those things mean you don't really believe in God. For instance, homosexuality, premarital sex, cursing in front of the wrong people, voting Democrat, believing in evolution, these things mean you aren’t really a Christian to them. Things like war, torture and capital punishment, they don’t really matter, but you better favor the RIGHT wars.

When I was a young man, I took a class in History. I learned a lot; but not least of what I learned was to expand my mind enough to have a real understanding of how long periods of time really are, in the scale of human history.

Not long after I had made that breakthrough, I came upon a book on beginning geology. It was harder, but eventually I came to understand THAT timescale as well.

I had been interested for years in Science, Space, and Science Fiction. I watched a show, then new, called COSMOS by Carl Sagan. And for the first time, I was able to get my head around the scale of the Universe.

I am no longer capable of accepting the level of hubris required as to believe that humanity has any meaning. We are on our own, in a universe that cares not one whit about anything we do, say or believe.

I do not believe in God, Allah, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Apollo, Athena, Hephaestus, Ares, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hestia, Dionysus, Hades, Andhrímnir, Baldr, Borr, Bragi, Búri, Dagr, Delling, Forseti, Heimdall, Hermóðr, Höðr, Hœnir, Kvasir, Lóðurr, Loki, Móði and Magni, Óðr, Odin, Ríg, Thor, Tyr, Váli, Ve, Vidar, Vili, any of the like 3 million hindu gods, Santa Claus, or the Flying Spaghetti MonsterBut surely you must believe in The Holy Broken Chair of Fluffiness (http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_Broken_Chair_of_Fluffiness), no?

I do not believe in... the Flying Spaghetti Monster

May He smite you with His Noodley Appendage.

What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?
The answer to your question comes from within. Those who believe know exactly what I am talking about. Belief in God changed my whole attitude and outlook on life for the better. If you seek Him, you will find Him.

Happy New Year all!! :)

At a very young age I though Who created the creator? And who created that creator? While I didn't know the term at the time, I was looking at an infinite regress.
At some point "something" has to just be there. What is more likely to be there? An anthropomorphic god that there have been 100s of different versions off, and monotheism is just the most recent version, and even the monotheists can't agree; or the big bang. Give me the big bang.

The other thing I couldn't accept. If a god does exist, I'm very pissed off at how lazy he is. I couldn't reconcile a good, all powerful god, with all the bad shit that happens on earth. Yes, yes, free will, blah, blah, blah. The traditional, all powerful, all knowing, god means you have no free will. He knows everything you do. He chooses how to make you. Thus every action you do is pre-determined by an all knowing, all powerful god.

The answer to your question comes from within. Those who believe know exactly what I am talking about. Belief in God changed my whole attitude and outlook on life for the better. If you seek Him, you will find Him.

Happy New Year all!! :)
Just let me say I respect you’re faith, I really do. It seems to make you happy, but I just can’t understand what you’re saying. If that were true, how can you explain someone like me who only ever found discontent in believing in God and was only ever truly happy after freeing myself from such notions?

The answer to your question comes from within. Those who believe know exactly what I am talking about. Belief in God changed my whole attitude and outlook on life for the better. If you seek Him, you will find Him.

Happy New Year all!! :)

Now see, if I could have that.. Well.. that faith.



Sidenote: I am a bit surprised to see how history came into consideration for beliefs..

If that were true, how can you explain someone like me who only ever found discontent in believing in God and was only ever truly happy after freeing myself from such notions?
At one time in my life, I thought I could live a happier existence without God in my life. I was wrong. The further away from God I got, the worse my life got.

My question to you would be:

Why do you blame God for your discontent?

At one time in my life, I thought I could live a happier existence without God in my life. I was wrong. The further away from God I got, the worse my life got.

My question to you would be:

Why do you blame God for your discontent?
I don’t blame God for anything, as I find the existance of an omnipotent being to be unlikely. I blame the belief in God for a number of past problems in myself, including guilt, intolerance, doubt and fear of eternal damnation. Without such a belief system, I am now free to live my life doing the things I feel are right and good and accepting death as a final end.

Now see, if I could have that.. Well.. that faith.
You can have that faith, but faith without works is dead. I know it is an old cliche, but it is also true. I pray and I try to help others. When I do so, my life is better.

I was raised presbyterian and until about 15, followed it. After that (basically in high school) I took some philosophy classes and talked with my friends and thought about religion on my own. So it was sort of a slow process that gave me questions that religion did not, would not, or could not answer, plus a lot of articles of faith just not making sense to me, and religion, on a whole, started to seem a little foolish and misguided.

About late junior year of high school, I just dropped the whole religion thing altogether.


All philosophy was written by human beings which God created. He knew they would question him and his existance, because humanity is naturally sinful. We always want to understand everything before we believe in it. Anything in your mind that says God isn't real, or that he doesn't care about humanity, is a lie from Satan. God won't force you to do anything, but those who do not follow him will be cast into an everlasting fire.

"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one that trusts in him shall never be put to shame." Romans 9:33

It snowed where I live and it almost never snows in the Seattle area! But I was in Las Vegas so I missed it. :mad:

I don’t blame God for anything, as I find the existance of an omnipotent being to be unlikely. I blame the belief in God for a number of past problems in myself, including guilt, intolerance, doubt and fear of eternal damnation. Without such a belief system, I am now free to live my life doing the things I feel are right and good and accepting death as a final end.

God doesn't end your troubles, he has never pretended that he will. He will, however, reward those that live through troubles through faith in him, and they will spend eternity in Heaven with him.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange where hapenning to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4: 12, 13

If that were true, how can you explain someone like me who only ever found discontent in believing in God and was only ever truly happy after freeing myself from such notions?

I don’t blame God for anything, as I find the existance of an omnipotent being to be unlikely.
Apparently, you at one time (according to the above post), had a belief in God?

I blame the belief in God for a number of past problems in myself, including guilt, intolerance, doubt and fear of eternal damnation.
Your belief that there might be a God caused you problems within, such as guilt, intolerance, doubt and fear etc? Do you not have any of these feelings today? I had more guilt, intolerance, hate, fear, and doubt when I disregarded the existence of God. Today, I try to do more good then harm, and while I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I do believe that I am doing God's will.

Without such a belief system, I am now free to live my life doing the things I feel are right and good and accepting death as a final end.
With a belief in God, "I am now free to live my life doing the things I feel are right and good". I certainly enjoy my life today far more then when I doubted God's existence. Is there life after death? God only knows the answer to that question, and I will accept whatever He has in store for me.

God won't force you to do anything, but those who do not follow him will be cast into an everlasting fire.

Hell of a way not to force me. It's sort of like a kidnapper telling his victim "You either do as I say, or I'll shoot you dead. The choice is yours". Would you say that the victim isn't being forced in that situation?

Apparently, you at one time (according to the above post), had a belief in God?
I wrote a lot about it in past posts on this thread. You're welcome to go back and read them. In summary, I was an Evangelical Christian.
Your belief that there might be a God caused you problems within, such as guilt, intolerance, doubt and fear etc? Do you not have any of these feelings today?No. I do not. Not to the same degree. For instance, I still fell guilty for things I've done, but because I think they were wrong, not some Deity.
I certainly enjoy my life today far more then when I doubted God's existence. Is there life after death? God only knows the answer to that question, and I will accept whatever He has in store for me.
I'm glad it makes you happy.

No. I do not. Not to the same degree. For instance, I still fell guilty for things I've done, but because I think they were wrong, not some Deity.
How do you reconcile your guilt?

I'm glad it makes you happy.
Thank you. :)

Neo Undelia is proof that God is eithe cruel or non-existent.

How do you reconcile your guilt?
By making it up to the person that I wronged. How else?

By making it up to the person that I wronged. How else?
That is good. Also, trying not to do that again is also beneficial.

Neo Undelia is proof that God is eithe cruel or non-existent.
How so?

That is good. Also, trying not to do that again is also beneficial.
Well, yeah. That too.:)

Neo, according to this post (http://forums3.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12154279&postcount=28), you are not truly an theist.

I also find it interesting that you would abandon religion to become an "angry atheist". Why were you angry and how would that be better then believing in a "higher power"?

Neo, according to this post (http://forums3.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12154279&postcount=28), you are not truly an atheist.
In the strictest sense, I am. I am without theology and do not believe in the supernatural. I merely acknowledge the existence of currently unexplainable forces that may appear supernatural through lack of explanation.
I also find it interesting that you would abandon religion to become an "angry atheist". Why were you angry and how would that be better then believing in a "higher power"?
It was only slightly better than believing in God. I still had all the previous symptoms of the time when I believed in God except for the guilt. I wasn’t happy then, either, and I never claimed to be.

As I said, I’ve mellowed and come to respect the decision others make in that area of their life. I overcame the existential crises, and have found meaning in life despite the fact that none of it really matters.

The anger, I suppose came form a combination of despising the way religion had made me feel and the intolerance I felt from others because I chose to be faithless.

I believe that the existence of supernatural beings is unlikely. On the other hand, if there are gods, whichever one is responsible for alcohol poisoning deserves a good kick in the ass.

As to the original question, I've never actually believed in God, much in the same way that I never actually believed that it was Santa and not my parents who were putting those presents under the tree.

Those who are religious seem to find it completely incomprehensible that I've never believed in a God, but I find it just as incomprehensible to believe in one. I was raised as a Christian, and I did want to believe, but I just can't honestly believe in it.

when I was 7 in Sunday school I'd ask questions.....if god loves us why does he let bad people hurt us? no answer.....there were more questions and never an answer to satisfy a 7 rear old, science did answer my questions and another convert to the truth(atheism) was born....

I believe that the existence of supernatural beings is unlikely. On the other hand, if there are gods, whichever one is responsible for alcohol poisoning deserves a good kick in the ass.

That would be Bilious - the Oh God of Hangovers.

and another convert to the truth(atheism) was born....
That’s the kind of arrogant rhetoric we don’t need.

My faith was shaken at a very early age. My family stopped going to church when i was about 4 or 5, then my parents got a divorce and i gave up on god.

Mush like Ruffy, lack of White Christmases have let me to the conclusion that there is no Snow God.

Well folks, we've gone 6 pages with a fairly non-offensive conversation about religion. Ruffy, only you could pull this off.

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue (http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Grue)-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/3/3c/Gruezilla.jpg/800px-Gruezilla.jpg

So much for another language. :gundge:

Wonderful.

That’s the kind of arrogant rhetoric we don’t need.

arrogant...name calling now, how mature of you.....when I care about your opinion I'll let you know....atheists have been shit on long enough by religious bigots I for one no longer care if their offended by what I have to say.....

When I was 6. That might explain a few things....

I do apologise for anything I post tonight, I'm feeling as low as a limbo dancer.

I had one of those rock bottom "I'm gonna die" revelations of God.

It's pretty circumstantial evidence though, and probably wouldn't hold up in any court of law (or science, or reality, or logic) so I guess I just decided that there is a God.

arrogant...name calling now, how mature of you.....when I care about your opinion I'll let you know....atheists have been shit on long enough by religious bigots I for one no longer care if their offended by what I have to say.....

I said your rhetoric was arrogant, not you. We’ll never accomplish anything as long as we stick to the stereotypical “angry atheist” caricature. We must prove that we are moral, tolerant people who are not hell-bent on destroying certain harmless religious foundations if we are ever to be treated fairly, taken seriously and allowed to fully give back to our community in civic roles.

Living in Mississippi, I've come not to challenge God on the snow issue. It just won't happen. :)

Hmm...well, I used to believe in God when I was very young...I went to church until I was five and said the prayer in the halls of my school every morning with the other people from my school who believed. It was an optional thing.

I think that my...conversion...to atheism began in grade four when I changed schools. At my new school, everyone believed and you were forced to say the prayer with the class every morning. You couldn't just stand there, you actually had to say it otherwise you'd get in trouble. So I think that I just wanted to be rebellious by not believing and it's possible I was just pissed because they were shoving religion down my throat.

When I returned to me old school mid-way through grade six, I was firmly set on the idea that "God does not exist". Many of my schoolmates frowned upon me for this (it should be stated that this school was in a very religious neighbourhood...in fact, it was right across from a convent) so I told them something to the extent of, "I believe in God subliminally but never really admit it to myself." I think that saying this may have made it true.

The true and final turning point for me was a discussion I had with a Christian friend of mine. We were having a debate over religion and then I said, "Well then if there is a God, why doesn't he prevent good people from getting horrible diseases like cancer? Why doesn't he prevent innocent people from getting convicted to life in prison?" and her response was, "Well, they must have sinned." I then realized that there was no God, for if there was, then why would he delude his followers into believing that if you get a terminal disease, then you're paying for a sin you must have committed? Especially if a murderer gets away with his crime and lives 'til he's 95. Murder would be a much worse sin then, say, pre-marital sex, would it not? Besides, I found that there was much contradiction in the little bits of Catholic or Christian faith I allowed myself to hear. Besides, where's the justice? That's always bothered me...

Sorry for the long post.

Early on, I was a Catholic Christian, and a liberal communist. I became more and more aware of the conflict between those two beliefs, mostly in Christian behavioral restrictions that made no sense - mainly those regulating what we can and cannot do with our bodies. Then I learned how deeply Christianity was opposed to leftist economics. This lead me to inevitably question my beliefs.

As I got older, wiser I would like to think, my thinking moved away from my gut-instinct politics to truer, logically backed philosophy. My politics softened somewhat, but in the end I could hold them up to rational scrutiny and come away fulfilled. Christianity, on the other hand, crumbled under the pressure of basic inquiry (Occam's Razor on God, the burden of proof falling on he making the outrageous claim, the irrationality in defining the will of the undefinable, the logical contradiction in omnipotence...et cetera).

The only position I can hold is that we can never know if there is a God or not, though the absence of evidence(and don't kid yourself, absence of evidence is evidence of absence) weighs against the old man.

No, no. You misunderstand. The people in charge I referred to are the preachers and the RIGHT politicians, not the government.
So if the preachers were left-wing, the evangelicals would would support a left-wing government?

I'm having difficulty accepting that you spent years of your life passionately arguing for political policies for no more reason than "a man told me so".

Well, it matters if you do certain evils because those things mean you don't really believe in God. For instance, homosexuality, premarital sex, cursing in front of the wrong people, voting Democrat, believing in evolution, these things mean you aren’t really a Christian to them. Things like war, torture and capital punishment, they don’t really matter, but you better favor the RIGHT wars.
What's the Biblical justification for this? Do these people read the Bible at all?

I don't know how big of rift there is between the views of your average American and European Christian, but the situation in the US is a nice window for us to view what happens when the deeply religious hold actual, real power. You know, "judge them not by their words but by their actions" sort of thing?
I strongly contest your assertion that American Christians are more deeply religious than European Christians.

Bush is not a fundamentalist. He's just another sly politician who found a voting block that's easy to exploit.

Just let me say I respect you’re faith, I really do. It seems to make you happy, but I just can’t understand what you’re saying. If that were true, how can you explain someone like me who only ever found discontent in believing in God and was only ever truly happy after freeing myself from such notions?
It's because your religion clearly wasn't about God, it was about a pile of bullshit cultural baggage.

I said your rhetoric was arrogant, not you. We’ll never accomplish anything as long as we stick to the stereotypical “angry atheist” caricature. We must prove that we are moral, tolerant people who are not hell-bent on destroying certain harmless religious foundations if we are ever to be treated fairly, taken seriously and allowed to fully give back to our community in civic roles.

A bit unfair, since the same is not expected from Christians. Something that for about 1900 years consisted mostly of hate mongering and promotion of ignorance, misery and fear - and only about 50 in which it is starting to behave really does not deserve as much reverence as it gets.

Nevertheless - agreed.

Pantheistic Multiple-Person Solipsism Anyone? :D

All philosophy was written by human beings which God created. He knew they would question him and his existance, because humanity is naturally sinful. We always want to understand everything before we believe in it. Anything in your mind that says God isn't real, or that he doesn't care about humanity, is a lie from Satan. God won't force you to do anything, but those who do not follow him will be cast into an everlasting fire.

"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one that trusts in him shall never be put to shame." Romans 9:33

Or did the philosophers create God through their own philosophy?

And if everything denying God is just a lie from Satan, why doesn't god do something about it?

I watched the news for 20 minutes to find out that if God does exist He's not on this planet.

Early on, I was a Catholic Christian, and a liberal communist. I became more and more aware of the conflict between those two beliefs, mostly in Christian behavioral restrictions that made no sense - mainly those regulating what we can and cannot do with our bodies. Then I learned how deeply Christianity was opposed to leftist economics.
How is Christianity, as a whole, deeply opposed to leftist economics? There are numerous left-wing Christian movements and organisations in the world.

So if the preachers were left-wing, the evangelicals would would support a left-wing government?

I'm having difficulty accepting that you spent years of your life passionately arguing for political policies for no more reason than "a man told me so".
Believe it. It isn’t just that "a man told me so," it's a man who’s close to God along with the rest of the congregation as well.
What's the Biblical justification for this? Do these people read the Bible at all?
Sermons are generally forty-five minutes to an hour. Before this sermon you have just been lolled in by a variety of hymns and “God-centered” performances. The Preacher will then follow a structured sermon/lecture focusing on one to three bible verses and elaborating onto them with often unrelated verses form different books in the bible, but when pulled together by a charismatic person who knows what he’s doing, makes sense.
It's because your religion clearly wasn't about God, it was about a pile of bullshit cultural baggage.
I really don't mean to offend, but unlike many of my fellow Baptists, I did read the Bible. It features some very cruel and unjust occurrences in both Testaments.

I've been through both belief and non-belief. The last time I really tried believing was because I was depressed and I thought that doing so would make me happy. It didn't.
Currently, while I like the idea of god, I don't believe, though I suppose that could change. I'm not sure what would change it, though.

I fought to reconcile this with my desires (I wanted a universe with gods) Understandable.

Understandable.

It is, isn't it?

I re-read much of Milton Steinberg's As a Driven Leaf a few days ago... and I found that the book that was crucial to ending my first bout of atheism remains just as powerful and effective as it was then.

Honestly, if I were convinced right now that the existence of an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God is even rationally possible, I would probably abandon atheism. My mood may change in a few weeks, though, knowing me.

I yelled at the sky "You don't exist!" and a voice came out of the sky "It hurts me when you say that." and then began the uncontrollable sobbing.

There is no God.[QUOTE]

QFT

[QUOTE=IL Ruffino;12153850]What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist

I just grew out of fairies intellectually at age four-and-a-half.

For me, it occured in Sunday School when I was first grade....it seems like yesterday.

This nun was lecturing about the creation of Earth, and I asked her,

"Who made Adam and Eve?" to which she replies, "Well, God does."

"Who makes God?"

"Er...he's always existed."

"What did he do before the universe was created?"

"Er...i dunno."

"You don't seem to know a lot."

Then it occured to me that religion was crap.

How is Christianity, as a whole, deeply opposed to leftist economics? There are numerous left-wing Christian movements and organisations in the world.

Christianity isn't opposed to leftist economics. In fact I would argue a proper reading of the religion supports cooperative, or at the very least humane economics. Christians however, especially American Christians - the community I'm most familiar with - veer towards the right when it comes to economics.

<snip>

I still call myself an atheist because “agnostic” is for those who can’t entirely handle the social stigma of being faithless, at least in the US.

That's a bit harsh. Some agnostics may be atheists trying to avoid the stigma, but agnostics like myself still have an open mind, and/or concede a lack of sufficient knowledge or means of knowledge to know whether there is a god or not.

我不相信神因为他没有给我理由相信他。

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue (http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Grue)-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/3/3c/Gruezilla.jpg/800px-Gruezilla.jpg

So much for another language. :gundge:
Um, I was expecting a reply, and yes, it was on topic!

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

Deciphering this shit was a waste of my time.

Deciphering this shit was a waste of my time.

Hey, he DID say I could reply in another language. And that happens to be UlTrA-1-33-7 right there. If you decipher it, though, i'll tell you this, that God does exist and we don't really need proof, and, if you do believe, then you will really get to see if He exists.
If you believe, you get to go to Heaven, but if you don't, well, you probably know.



The opposite of up when you die.

Deciphering this shit was a waste of my time.

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

It seems to read "You suck and so does this thread! God exists and you know it! This thread is a waste of everybody's time! I shall now summon Grue-Zilla on you for your crime!"

And the sad git actually seems to expect a reply. How about "gee that's very funny. Isn't it your bedtime?"

Hey, he DID say I could reply in another language. And that happens to be UlTrA-1-33-7 right there. If you decipher it, though, i'll tell you this, that God does exist and we don't really need proof, and, if you do believe, then you will really get to see if He exists.
If you believe, you get to go to Heaven, but if you don't, well, you probably know.



The opposite of up when you die.
If your post added substance to the thread and responded to the OP, I wouldn't say it was a waste of my time even if it was in 1337. However, it was just another bigoted "God exists because I say he does" response with no support. The OP's asking why you believe in God, not for the theists to be-little the atheists or try to convert them. I will respect your belief so long as you don't force your standards on me, like you did in the above post. There is something wrong with Christian values if an atheist has been a morally spotless person all his life and is thrown into hell for the single reason that he did not believe in a divine deity. You are Christian, many people are not. Deal with it and don't threaten people with a hell that they don't believe is existent anyway.

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

It seems to read "You suck and so does this thread! God exists and you know it! This thread is a waste of everybody's time! I shall now summon Grue-Zilla on you for your crime!"

And the sad git actually seems to expect a reply. How about "gee that's very funny. Isn't it your bedtime?"

I stopped trying to decipher it after the word "summon", but that's what I got too.

See above reply, though I normally prefer reason before sarcastic comments.

PS. Are you Hobovillia or am I going crazy?

i forget who it was, but someone said if god didn't exist, it would be necessary for mankind to create him.

people need something to believe in just to get by. i suppose whatever god you have works for you just like what i believe in works for me.

personally, i don't believe in god. just bob dylan.

i forget who it was, but someone said if god didn't exist, it would be necessary for mankind to create him.

people need something to believe in just to get by. i suppose whatever god you have works for you just like what i believe in works for me.

personally, i don't believe in god. just bob dylan.

Voltaire: If God didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him.

`/o|_| s|_|(|< a|\|[) so [)oes t|-|is t|-||2ea[)! Go[) e><ists a|\|[) `/o|_| |<|\|o\X/ it! T|-|is t|-||2ea[) is a \X/aste o|= e\/e|2`/ |}o[)`/'s ti|\/|e! I s|-|all |\|o\X/ s|_||\/||\/|o|\| Grue-Zilla o|\| `/o|_| |=o|2 `/o|_||2 (|2i|\/|e!:

It seems to read "You suck and so does this thread! God exists and you know it! This thread is a waste of everybody's time! I shall now summon Grue-Zilla on you for your crime!"

And the sad git actually seems to expect a reply. How about "gee that's very funny. Isn't it your bedtime?"

I WAS RAISED TO BELIEVE IN GOD, DUMBA$$.

And how did you figure that out?

我不相信神因为他没有给我理由相信他。

So true.

Hey, he DID say I could reply in another language. And that happens to be UlTrA-1-33-7 right there. If you decipher it, though, i'll tell you this, that God does exist and we don't really need proof, and, if you do believe, then you will really get to see if He exists.
If you believe, you get to go to Heaven, but if you don't, well, you probably know.



The opposite of up when you die.

Babe, atheists don't believe in hell, either.

<snip>
PS. Are you Hobovillia or am I going crazy?

I'm not. I've never posted anywhere on Jolt except with my current handle. If I do, I'll mention it in the sig, because experienced posters making a new account just to troll really annoys me. Worse than genuine noobs.

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.

Though it might sound silly, I can feel his presence. I can feel his power. I can hear his voice. I can see things not of this world. But I probably never would have been able to, if I first had not gone through the darkness.

After all, how can one enjoy the light, when one hasn't first felt the darkness?

What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?


That's an easy one.
You and some other psycho got on about scraping up Ladamesansmerci's DNA or something after she made the mistake of leaving her corpse unattended, and you guys gussied up some kind of weird hybrid that ran around squeaking weird sayings and running through threads.

It occurred to me that i could do what you did and become some kind of god, since we could skip all the suffering and rules and jump right into the manipulation, abominations and rampant sexual innuendo.

Thanks! You guys did the world a service!

I WAS RAISED TO BELIEVE IN GOD, DUMBA$$.

And how did you figure that out?
IMHO this is no way for a good Christian to behave. It is okay to believe in God and shout it from the highest mountain top if you wish, but it is not okay to talk down to non believers. Remember it is God that makes the judgement calls, not you.

For those that want to skip to the story part and go straight to the reasoning, just go to the paragraph before the quote. For those of you bored enough to listen to my (short) life story in terms of religion, here it is:

I was raised Catholic, but I was never very interested about it. Church was always a chore to me. When my parents divorced, my dad slowly stopped going (I'm fairly certain that he stopped after my grandmother died) and my mom renounced denominations. I was allowed to choose whether or not I wanted to continue going, and I decided against it. There was one time two years ago that I went, but I was as disinterested as I always had been, despite being able to understand what the priest was talking about.

From there I was a nondenominational Christian until I decided one day, "You know, miracles sound like a load of crap. Why can't we (humans) be the ones responsible for the good as well as the bad?" But I still liked the idea of the big man watching over us, so I kept him and became a deist.

After that, I slowly let go of the idea of God. Then I was an agnostic. My view was that it couldn't be proved either way, so agnosticism was the only logical choice. Theists and atheists dealt in too many absolutes to be sound. I settled down there nicely for a while. I made one quick escapade back to deism, but today I think of it more of a thought exercise than a serious belief.

Fairly recently (in the past few months), I've become an atheist. First I thought from an ethical standpoint, atheists and agnostics were on level ground. We don't believe that we derive morality from a deity. This was a more important step than it seems because for a long time I felt that atheists weren't being reasonable and that they had as much to prove as theists did. So I hadn't considered the question for a while, as I was pretty content where I was. Soon after that, I heard some version of Russell's teapot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_teapot), and something in my head started turning (I'm guessing that I had heard the argument before - so many arguments make sense once you believe in what they're arguing for, sometimes it just takes a good phrasing). I had the point roll around in my head for a few days, and thought about whether I really would classify myself as an atheist or an agnostic. I finally solidified myself as an atheist after I talked about it with an atheist friend.

The argument for my atheism essentially is the previously mentioned Russell's teapot, but here's the long version: I start with the asssumption that there is no evidence for or against God that I had from agnosticism. But take something absurd, say, giant invisible space monkeys that push the planets and stars through the universe, and any normal person would say that it's false. Why? Because there's no evidence for it. You don't need to bother to see if there's evidence against it because if you don't have any evidence to base your belief, then from an empirical standpoint there's no reason to believe it to be true.

Yes, but then you don't think you want to, so meh.
Also, I know plenty of evangelicals who've had sex. It was a "mistake" in their words.
*unf* *unf* *unf* *unf* *unf* .... Whoa, wait a minute. How the hell did I get here?

Christianity isn't opposed to leftist economics. In fact I would argue a proper reading of the religion supports cooperative, or at the very least humane economics.
Correct. Which was what I was questioning you about.

Christians however, especially American Christians - the community I'm most familiar with - veer towards the right when it comes to economics.
American Christians make up probably less than 8% of Christians in the world. I don't see how this is relevant, even if true.

Besides, do you think that your idea of what Christianity is about, be guided by other Christians (who could easily be hypocrites), or by the Bible?

I was raised to be Christian, and i'm afraid it stuck.

my parents and my step dad gradually became atheists growing up... because it made sense to them basically. I'm an atheist and one could credit it to my parents raising me but I take it a lot more seriously than they do and I do research and think about it a lot. my reasons are basically the typical ones that were talked about in that other debate thread (the ones you didn't want us to mention)....

I'm not. I've never posted anywhere on Jolt except with my current handle. If I do, I'll mention it in the sig, because experienced posters making a new account just to troll really annoys me. Worse than genuine noobs.
So I'm going crazy then?
That's an easy one.
You and some other psycho got on about scraping up Ladamesansmerci's DNA or something after she made the mistake of leaving her corpse unattended, and you guys gussied up some kind of weird hybrid that ran around squeaking weird sayings and running through threads.

It occurred to me that i could do what you did and become some kind of god, since we could skip all the suffering and rules and jump right into the manipulation, abominations and rampant sexual innuendo.

Thanks! You guys did the world a service!
Care to inform me where the hybrid is now so I can go kill it? I won't allow for some pathetic mimickery of me with my genes running around.

That's a bit harsh. Some agnostics may be atheists trying to avoid the stigma, but agnostics like myself still have an open mind, and/or concede a lack of sufficient knowledge or means of knowledge to know whether there is a god or not.

Which makes you an atheist. I can’t entirely rule out the existence of God, but I can’t entirely rule out the existence of the tooth fairy either simply because anything is technically possible. That doesn’t make me agnostic on the tooth fairy, as I can honestly say I don’t believe in it.

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.


Heheh what a strange question? I mean disregard all of those that have learnt their faith from their parents. A one sentance answer. Then all those that have made thgeir own minds up about it, will have to explain every little lifes incednedts that draw them to the conclusions thay have. In my case almost 40 years worth of lifes experainces, have you got 40 years to listen to it?


Muuuuhahhhahhahahha;)

Which makes you an atheist. I can’t entirely rule out the existence of God, but I can’t entirely rule out the existence of the tooth fairy either simply because anything is technically possible. That doesn’t make me agnostic on the tooth fairy, as I can honestly say I don’t believe in it.

I think I would be about equally surprised about finding out that the tooth fairy is real than finding out god is real.
So you don't believe in the tooth fairy. Fair enough. You do, however, firmly believe that there is no god. You have faith in the perceived fact that there's no supernatural being. I don't. I don't have any faith either way. I just don't care.

Oh no ... not AGAIN !!??

In my opinion, God does not take part in affairs of this world.

And what kind of hypocrit are you anyway?! Yeah, there a re insane dictators all over the world, killing thousands, that's fine, but it doesn't snow and OMFG! THERE IS NO GOD! HE WOULDN"T DO THIS TO ME! what's wrong with you?

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.

Probably, there would be a good number of Christians here who feel that their personal experience of God is far to holy and precious to expose to all, where fools and mockers can say what they like. Might be worth keeping that in mind when asking such questions.

Christians are the reason I don't believe in God.

I just don't care.
I wish I had the luxury. Unfortunately, I live in the US.

I never believed in a God in the first place...therefore, nothing to stop believing in.

Care to inform me where the hybrid is now so I can go kill it? I won't allow for some pathetic mimickery of me with my genes running around.

I think Ruffy gave some disconcerting news to the tune that the hybrid couldn't come to terms (har, har) with its existence and opted, in some fashion, to halt its progression into adult sentient autonomy. :(
*sniff*
Although ... i haven't seen any pix of the corpse. Or corpse-s.

Basic concept:

To me, I think a guiding force and an intelligence that has existed forever doesn't make much sense.

On the other hand, a never-ending cycle of an expanding and contracting universe where everything that currently exists does so by utter luck (oh, and has existed forever, too)... makes even less sense.

Crappy options to work with, but the God option makes a bit more sense to my mind somehow

I post this in another thread I suppose it works here as well;

The biggest thing for me from going from an atheist to a Muslim was the more I thought about universe and life. And how niether of which could have been created by accident or otherwise without a creator. Once I realised there was a creator little signs and events over a course of months brought to Islam and I knew and still know Islam is the true faith for having a connection with the creator and the best guide for how we should for how we as humans should live.

direct personal experience of the supernatural. not "oh, god filled me with joy" - but "oh, the posessed medianic priest just did something scientifically inexplicable". occultists don't need faith to believe in life after death and supernatural entities.

When I was about six, my school minister told me in assembly that regardless of how trivial it was, God would always answer every prayer. So I decided to test this out. I gave him an easy one to start with:

"Dear God, please may I not have ratatouille for tea tonight."

You can guess what happens. My mum, who knows I hate the stuff, only makes it maybe once a year, for the sake of everyone else in the family, and it turns out to be that exact night! Conclusion:

1)God is dead/There never was a God/God doesn't believe in Nova Boozia.
2)I am a sinner/God just plain has it in for me.
3)God is testing my faith.

One and two suggest that belief in God is not the best idea, and when you think about it, testing the faith of a small boy in this fashion is not the best way to get a believer. So either God only wants truly faithful believers, in which case its better for everyone of I opt out, or he's a bit stupid.

Of course, back then, my thoughts were more like "This "God" thing sucks. How come Abdul is allowed to sit out on assemblies? He believes in God more than I do!"

Basic concept:

To me, I think a guiding force and an intelligence that has existed forever doesn't make much sense.

On the other hand, a never-ending cycle of an expanding and contracting universe where everything that currently exists does so by utter luck (oh, and has existed forever, too)... makes even less sense.

Crappy options to work with, but the God option makes a bit more sense to my mind somehow

Well its a good thing that the never ending cycle of an expanding and contracting universe looks pretty unlikey to most astronomers now then isnt it?

Well my parents are both Atheist so I grew up as one. But I gradually moved away from Atheism and towards Anti-theism.

Aside from the gaping holes I discovered christianity has within its logic, as I got older I learned a bit about various religions and can see them for what they are:

behaviour modification systems for the masses.

Religions have rules to follow, these usually entail a series of ettiquette to follow, and probably exstensive guidlines regarding who owes who money and respect.
Conviently, they also address annoying spiritual questions that we cant answer "why am I here?" "who bit off Tyr's hand?" "Why does Shiva hate me?"
etc...ad naseum.

This is why the first copies of the bible written in english were severely edited.

see: "Book of Common Prayer".

Back then, the average citizens that could read, werent taught Latin.
You had to be rich, or noble to speak Latin.
Thus, services were taught in Latin.

So..you print a copy of the bible in English so Average Joe can read it, but you only put the parts of it you want him to read.

Now he more or less behaves how you want him to.

I had no exposure to any religion until I went to a religious high school, up until then I had never discussed the topic and I doubt I had even thought about it. By the time I was forced into a church and religious classes I was old enough to think for myself anyway. I'm thankful I wasn't told what is/isn't true until that stage, otherwise I may still be going to church.

The only person who cared about my atheism was my year 9 religion teacher, who organised a meeting for me with the head chaplain when I one of the essays I handed in was full of satirical remarks about the "evils" of abolition, feminism, non-conformity and (of course) homosexuality. He failed me when I didn't to attend.
I now realise that the essay was a rebellion against the school rather then against Christianity in general. Since then I have come to believe that it doesn't matter if a religion is "wrong" about the existence of a divine being or the creation of humanity. If somebody finds comfort in a religion that promotes a healthy set of values then there is no point trying to to argue with them, they won't listen anyway.

Other then that, I have never had a problem. Australians generally care as much about my lack of religion as they do about almost everything else. That is to say, they couldn't care less.

i went for a long walk out in the woods by myself and she had sex with me!

ok, slight exageration, but i have felt a loving, nontangable presence, ok, i mean not feely felt like sex exactly.

what convinced me that it was real, i mean aside from it telling me that it was, is how little it resembled anything anyone had ever told me they believed about it, or for that matter, about anything else.

well ok, i beleived sort of, you know, the way anyone does, that there's something, but i also beleived just about everything anyone told me about it.

what i expereinced though, was just all so completely different, from what anyone or any belief or any of that has ever said.

=^^=
.../\...

There is no God.

It never snowed.


Now, for the thing I will regret..




What made you come to the idea that God did--or didn't--exist?



Your reply may be serious, or silly--hell, it can even be in a different language.

But please, no bible debates.
EDIT: And.. no evolution/creationism debates either.


For me, the beauty of everything around me makes me feel personally in touch with God almost every day. Sometimes there are coincidences that feel like random chance, and others feel like they're divine in some way.

I've never believed in God because I was told to. I believe in God because I know there is one, I found my faith on my own. It's just a matter of my faith, I guess.