Why do you believe/not believe in God

[crazynewzealander]

I would like to know what reasons for believing in / not believing in a God are. This is for a research type project and I would be most grateful for as many relpies as possible.

Thanks

[AceVentura]

I don't believe in God because I don't have any reason to. I don't think that a belief in some sort of higher being should be an inherent belief, at least to my it seems really illogical.

I'm an existentialist, I believe that everything has an explanation behind it (we don't have a lot of these explanations obviously) and that there is no greater/higher meaning behind life or anything in it.

Sounds pessimistic but quite contrary, because of this I feel free to define my own meaning and purpose to life, I don't feel bound by some prescribed rules or opinions thought up by somebody else. It's free will baby.

This is probably overly simplistic, but I think there is some truth to it. But I truly believe that a huge factor in why religion is so popular is because an overwhelming majority of people just psychologically cannot deal with the fact that their life doesn't have some sort of predetermined higher meaning and that death is the end of their existance.

[theredshirt]

i dont believe in the human made religions because they oversimplify life into inherrent good and evil. i dont believe in the abrahamic religions, or hebrew scripture religions, because of how fairy tale like the stories are. I simply cant believe in the noah's arc myth. even as a child i was skeptical on that one. i dont believe the adam and eve story because eating an apple just isnt realistic to bring in sin in the world. i dont believe jonas was swallowed by a whale and survived in his stomach. I dont believe in the sory of exodus and 40 days and nights balogna. its all too much of a stretch. its gotten to the point where most believers say this is all metaphorical, but in the early days, no one thought it was metaphorical, and it was taken strictly as written. i think the metaphorical movement is an attempt to prolong the wishful thinking of having a loving god watching over us during our painful times. I truly believe everyone doubts these stories, and that is why there is such a strong movement towards only teaching the new testiment. some churches only have the NT in print at their churches.

also a human defined god doesnt pass simple logic tests. you cant be all knowing and all powerful at the same time.

however i feel there has to be something to this madness. I just dont know what it is. And for no logical reason, i believe that good things will happen to good people in the next life. And on that list of good people, includes people realizing that homosexuality isnt bad, that other religions arent bad, and that we are all living on this earth and no one race or animal is better then the other.

[Revolver45]

I was raised Christian, drifted away in my teens, particularly 14-18. Then I started to get over the whole "I'm too cool to be religious" thing around the time I turned 19. I think my teen years would have been a lot easier if I'd stayed more committed to God, you do notice a difference when you believe. Most people who don't believe in God say it's stupid, but I think that's mainly because they've never tried to believe. I've tried not believing and it just doesn't do it for me.

Plus I look out my window, and even though we have so-called explanations for everything, I refuse to believe that everything I see before me happened by chance.

[SYRIANKID]

Why do YOU believe what you do?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=657501

[joikd]

I have yet to believe in any higher power.

Even as a child it made no sense to me why people did. As a child I was very resistant to going to church (thought it was boring and a waste of time). I was forced to go to CCD and make my first communion. Finally, around age 11 or so, I flat out refused to go anymore (I was allowed to stay home by myself whenever the family went--not very often anymore).

As to why I don't believe--I have seen nothing yet that would make me believe otherwise. I'm a pretty logical thinker who can separate emotions when thinking. I also have no problem going against the opinions of the people that are closest to me, even when I was a kid. I understand that most people are raised to believe in a higher power, and are afraid to have a different opinion than their families and friends even as adults (especially their parents). I also know that people like to have a sense of belonging.

I will say this, though. I wish I did believe. I think it would give me peace of mind believing that there was something after death, or a higher purpose to my life. It make me sad to think that there is nothing for my loved ones when they die, and that I will never see or even think about them again when I die.
I say that if you really believe and are happy believing, go with it. Just don't try to push it on me because from my point-of-view, it seems ridiculous.

[Dr Triceps]

The first problem is getting everyone to agree on what God is...

[1dayIWillBeBig]

Same here.

I have absolutely ZERO reason to believe in a deity, or whatever else.

I need no reasons for not believing in a god, for it is the default position.

What I would need is reasons 'to' believe in a god, not reasons not to.




Religion is nothing more than a popularity contest.

It's about comforming as many people as possible all the while telling people that they are evil, sinful, and will burn in hell unless they believe everything they are told. Oh yeah, and make you sure keep paying(I mean, donating) the $$$ every month to fill their pockets(I mean, to better the community).

People hold on to the idea of god like a security blanket instead of facing the harsh realities of existance.

[Boxman]

"Faith is not a function of stupidity but a frequent cause of it."
- Wendy Kaminer

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

"Faith is believing what you know ain't so"
-Mark Twain

Funny quotes aside, I can't believe in any god for the same reason I can't believe in Santa Claus or monsters hiding under my bed. It's impossible for me to throw aside logic and reason; my mind would simply reject any attempt to do so.

[1dayIWillBeBig]

"Faith is not a function of stupidity but a frequent cause of it."
- Wendy Kaminer

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

"Faith is believing what you know ain't so"
-Mark Twain

here's another for ya':

"One pair of hands working for good is better than 1000 pairs of hands praying for it"

[Melkor]

I love it when people who have no knowledge of religion speak about it like they are experts...

If you were going to get advice on bodybuilding would you ask someone who has never studied it, never done it and doesn't believe it works?

If you want to know if there is a God you can't expect to sit in your lazy boy and have Him come down and tell you. You have to look for Him, and if you do you WILL find Him.

[Couldbebigga]

I believe religion is useful for some people. it helps them be a better person.

I don't need religion to make me a better person. I tend to see things pretty clearly.

If the evidence for a god was overwhelming I certainly would believe. But there is no evidence. There aren't any testable theories that can prove a god exists. I don't need religion to be a good person, so therefore I don't believe. It has no use other than to slow me down

But, like I said, whether God is real or not religion does help some people so I have no problem with that.

[JBDW]

I love it when people who have no knowledge of religion speak about it like they are experts...

If you were going to get advice on bodybuilding would you ask someone who has never studied it, never done it and doesn't believe it works?

If you want to know if there is a God you can't expect to sit in your lazy boy and have Him come down and tell you. You have to look for Him, and if you do you WILL find Him.

Find him, but in what sense? In a warm, fuzzy feeling which many some theists tend to use as an example of how they 'know' God exists? I don't think you'd be able to find God in a purely logical and raitonal sense..which unfortunately is what most of us tend to be..

[Melkor]

I'm as logical and rational as anyone on this board. I'm going into accounting! lol

Believing in God is not illogical nor is it irrational. Scientists throughout time have believed in God, and only in the last 40 years or so has it become the "in" thing to do to NOT believe in God. All you people that think you are such free thinkers for not believing in God should understand that you are just riding the massive wave of popular thought, and really a lot less free than you think.

[AceVentura]

I'm as logical and rational as anyone on this board. I'm going into accounting! lol

Believing in God is not illogical nor is it irrational. Scientists throughout time have believed in God, and only in the last 40 years or so has it become the "in" thing to do to NOT believe in God. All you people that think you are such free thinkers for not believing in God should understand that you are just riding the massive wave of popular thought, and really a lot less free than you think.

Ok, so give me some logical and rational examples of why it isn't illogical and irrational to believe in God.

And saying that scientists have believed in God doesn't make it either.

The whole basis of religion is that it is based on faith rather than logic and rational thinking.

I don't think dropping adherence to religion is based on any sort of bandwagon, it's got a lot of reasons, but I think the biggest one is that in this day and age, we know more than we ever have in the past and people are more skeptical. Logic and reason are the concepts upon which a lot of people are starting to make their decisions, and religion flies right in the face of both of them.

[coontang]

Believing in God is not illogical nor is it irrational. Scientists throughout time have believed in God, and only in the last 40 years or so has it become the "in" thing to do to NOT believe in God. All you people that think you are such free thinkers for not believing in God should understand that you are just riding the massive wave of popular thought, and really a lot less free than you think.

Ahaha. If you think most atheists base their religious beliefs on what's "cool," you are a very simple minded person. You can't even see past your own perspective and realize that some people have very good reasons for disagreeing with you.

I didn't stop believing in God because he's not popular anymore. I stopped believing because I couldn't rationalize all the inconsistencies anymore.

[AceVentura]

Ahaha. If you think most atheists base their religious beliefs on what's "cool," you are a very simple minded person. You can't even see past your own perspective and realize that some people have very good reasons for disagreeing with you.

I didn't stop believing in God because he's not popular anymore. I stopped believing because I couldn't rationalize all the inconsistencies anymore.

Exactly. If basing one's views and beliefs upon what seems logical and rational is considered "cool", then I'd argue that we're moving in the right direction.

[riptor]

According to the book "Why People Believe Weird Things" by Michael Shermer here are the reasons why people believe in God. Though it doesn't actually address specific religions, it is still an interesting insight.

Why People Believe in God.

1. Arguments based on good design/natural beauty/perfection/complexity of the world or universe. (28.6%)

2. The experience of God in everyday life/a feeling that God is in us. (20.6%)

3. Belief in God is comforting, relieving, consoling, and gives meaning and purpose to life. (10.3%)

4. The Bible says so. (9.8%)

5. Just because/faith/or the need to believe in something. (8.2%)

Now look at why people think other people believe in God.

1. Belief in God is comforting, relieving, consoling, and gives meaning and purpose to life. (26.3%)

2. Religious people have been raised to believe in God. (22.4%)

3. The experience of God in everyday life/a feeling that God is in us. (16.2%)

4. Just because/faith/or the need to believe in something. (13.0%)

5. People believe because they fear death and the unknown. (9.1%)

6. Arguments based on good design/natural beauty/perfection/complexity of the world or universe. (6.0%)

I think it is interesting that people claim to believe in God for more logical, less emotional reasons but when asked about why other people believe in God they say it is for more emotional, less logical reasons.

Another book by Michael Shermer is "How We Believe". If you need information for a school project it would be a good book to check out.

[AceVentura]

According to the book "Why People Believe Weird Things" by Michael Shermer here are the reasons why people believe in God. Though it doesn't actually address specific religions, it is still an interesting insight.

Why People Believe in God.

1. Arguments based on good design/natural beauty/perfection/complexity of the world or universe. (28.6%)

2. The experience of God in everyday life/a feeling that God is in us. (20.6%)

3. Belief in God is comforting, relieving, consoling, and gives meaning and purpose to life. (10.3%)

4. The Bible says so. (9.8%)

5. Just because/faith/or the need to believe in something. (8.2%)

Now look at why people think other people believe in God.

1. Belief in God is comforting, relieving, consoling, and gives meaning and purpose to life. (26.3%)

2. Religious people have been raised to believe in God. (22.4%)

3. The experience of God in everyday life/a feeling that God is in us. (16.2%)

4. Just because/faith/or the need to believe in something. (13.0%)

5. People believe because they fear death and the unknown. (9.1%)

6. Arguments based on good design/natural beauty/perfection/complexity of the world or universe. (6.0%)

I think it is interesting that people claim to believe in God for more logical, less emotional reasons but when asked about why other people believe in God they say it is for more emotional, less logical reasons.

Another book by Michael Shermer is "How We Believe". If you need information for a school project it would be a good book to check out.

Well all of those reasons for believing in God are born out of ignorance.

Arguments based on good design/natural beauty/perfection/complexity of the world or universe. (28.6%) - So because science hasn't proven the reason that everything in the universe happens, it's logical to believe that some magical higher power created it all? Science has explained so many instances of phenomena or concepts in the world that were previously compeltely inexplicable that it's logical to assume that there is a logical explanation for everything, we've just not found it. I think this idea is mainly ignorant because it's just because of peoples' inability or rather refusal to believe that everything that happens is random and doesn't have a higher purpose of meaning behind it.

The experience of God in everyday life/a feeling that God is in us. (20.6%) - Yeah, since this is totally unprovable one way or another, it's kinda hard to consider logical.

Belief in God is comforting, relieving, consoling, and gives meaning and purpose to life. (10.3%) - Ignorance is bliss?

The Bible says so. (9.8%) - Kinda self-explanatory

Just because/faith/or the need to believe in something. (8.2%) - So why don't I just choose to believe that everything is the way it is because I had the flu for a week 2 years ago? Doesn't make sense.

The reasons that people give for believing in God are all illogical. If somebody wants to believe in God because it makes them feel better about life, that's fine, it's their choice and not mine to criticize. But to argue that it's a logical choice based upon rational thinking is pure silliness.

I'm not critcizing your post, I'm not sure which side you're on, I'm just assessing that for Melkor to answer to.

[Boxman]

Believing in God is not illogical nor is it irrational.

Actually, it's insanity, but becuase everybody does it, it's legitimized. For some reason we let the normal standards slide when it comes to religion. If you talk to invisible people or see hallucinations, they lock you up in an asylum, but if these same behaviors are exhibited on behalf of an established relgion then it's "faith".

All you people that think you are such free thinkers for not believing in God should understand that you are just riding the massive wave of popular thought, and really a lot less free than you think.

WTF? Dude, unless you live in Burma, North Korea, or China that statement is total bull****. Religious people are the huge majority everywhere. The "massive wave of popular thought" is pro-religion. It's amazing how threatened and persecuted religious people feel, despite being the decisive majority and in control of the government. Despite their #'s they live in a constant state of uncertainty, because they know how tenuous their hold is. All it takes is for people to think a bit too much and the whole deck of cards starts to crumble. So the religionists are always trying to keep their flock feeling scared and threatened to create a sense of "us vs them", thus strengthening their faith.

A faith which rests on such shaky foundations that only constant conflict can sustain it.

[Neo_Anthony]

i do believe there is a god, just i dont believe in the praise everyone gives it. Your life is what you make it to be. Every action has a reaction and praying wont help u escape it. I think if there was a god, and he wants everyone to devote their entire lives to him then thats bs. He didnt create humans to have them bow to him forever. He would want people to live life, not bow to his feet. Kind of the reason i dont go to church. I think "you'll go to hell if u dont pray to god and jesus" is absurd.

[CerealKiller]

All this "believing!!!!!"

I think this whole problem...(and it is a problem)...would be cleared up if you folks would all stop using that word.

Some of you are making guesses that a God exists...and some of you are making guesses that there are no gods.

All of you are basing your guesses on inadequate information.

Just stop it.

The world will be the better for it.

If you truly do not KNOW....just acknowledge that you do not KNOW.

It won't hurt.

If you feel compelled to guess...guess. In either direction.

But have the ethics to acknowledge that you are guessing.

[Boxman]

Well of course - that's why we have the term "agnostic".

There are virtually no "atheists" if you define atheism as a dogmatic, unyielding disbelief in any god or higher power.

Most of those people who call themselves "atheists" are actually "agnostic". Either way I don't much care as long as they aren't succumbing to that horrible blight on humanity called "faith".

Faith, by the way, doesn't have to be about dieties. There have been ideological movements which used religous methods to brainwash and control their populations. There was a time when many communists believed in their idoelogy with the same reflexive, unthinking faith that religious people have for their gods.

Faith, the ability to suppress reason and blindly believe in something (be it religious or ideological) is the single most destructive emotion possessed by mankind.

[JBDW]

I'm as logical and rational as anyone on this board. I'm going into accounting! lol

Believing in God is not illogical nor is it irrational. Scientists throughout time have believed in God, and only in the last 40 years or so has it become the "in" thing to do to NOT believe in God. All you people that think you are such free thinkers for not believing in God should understand that you are just riding the massive wave of popular thought, and really a lot less free than you think.

I'm not saying that you as a person are not logical or rational. Just that your idea of simply seeking god and letting him find you, is not a logical or rational way to justify the existence of God.

As others have said, atheism/agnosticism is far from popular thought, considering how most of the world is religious..

[Mr.Olympia23]

LOL! You all need to go to church more often...and btw, you all are wrong..there is a god.

[Ruhanv]

I don't believe in God because I don't have any reason to. I don't think that a belief in some sort of higher being should be an inherent belief, at least to my it seems really illogical.

I'm an existentialist, I believe that everything has an explanation behind it (we don't have a lot of these explanations obviously) and that there is no greater/higher meaning behind life or anything in it.

Sounds pessimistic but quite contrary, because of this I feel free to define my own meaning and purpose to life, I don't feel bound by some prescribed rules or opinions thought up by somebody else. It's free will baby.

This is probably overly simplistic, but I think there is some truth to it. But I truly believe that a huge factor in why religion is so popular is because an overwhelming majority of people just psychologically cannot deal with the fact that their life doesn't have some sort of predetermined higher meaning and that death is the end of their existance.

Could not have said it better myself. Exactly what he said!

[londontko]

WTF? Dude, unless you live in Burma, North Korea, or China that statement is total bull****. Religious people are the huge majority everywhere. The "massive wave of popular thought" is pro-religion. It's amazing how threatened and persecuted religious people feel, despite being the decisive majority and in control of the government. Despite their #'s they live in a constant state of uncertainty, because they know how tenuous their hold is. All it takes is for people to think a bit too much and the whole deck of cards starts to crumble. So the religionists are always trying to keep their flock feeling scared and threatened to create a sense of "us vs them", thus strengthening their faith.

A faith which rests on such shaky foundations that only constant conflict can sustain it.

Paranoid much? As a Christian I can tell you that at least at my church we aren't sitting around talking about how 'tenuous our hold is' on you non-believers lol that's so ridiculous I don't even know where to begin. However what we are thinking and talking about is how we can reach out to people like you and how we can deliver the good news that there is someone out there who loves you more then you can possibly know and came and died for you and has a purpose for you.

I think that one of the problems with people today is that there is a general paranoia and mis-trust of religious people, authority figures etc. People always think someone is out to get them or the people in power are trying to keep them down. I used to be exactly like most of you, my 'logical' objections to the christian faith (or any other) kept me from believing
in anything. My suggestion to some of you would be to do some reading up on the subject and see just how well verified Christianity is before you start passing judgement, a couple books I would recommend are A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel and always A Case For Faith.

One thing that is very true is that if Christianity is wrong it's of no importance whatsoever, none, however if it's true it's of infinite importance. I recommend that some of you out there that don't believe or are searching, take some time to research it, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[Stander, Emile]

I believe in God, just not it's religion(s).

[Mr Beer]

I don't believe in an omnipotent, loving God who condemns people to eternal torment, since the concept is clearly self-contradictory. Likewise, myths are myths, whether or not they are touted around as some kind of holy text. Furthermore, large organised religions are run by people who believe mainly in furthering the power of their organisations above any other priority.

I'm not going to say there's definitely NOTHING out there, but God as described by organised religions is a crock.

[Mr.Olympia23]

I dont understand, would there have been any knowing of a "God" if there werent any religions?