Theism

[wizard69]

why do people still have a need to believe in a concept that we have no proof of (God).If you do have a belief in god,then what makes your god different from the 1000's of other gods that have been believed in throughout history?

[Catso]

Same reason frock-coats and top-hats are no longer considered 'fashion'?

A good Q, wizard, I've thought that before now. Is a god any less valid (or godly) just because they aren't worshipped any longer?

Of all the religions we have now, which one is the real one?

Even worse, what if the real god was usurped by some made-up trendy new god. He would be seething. And all the followers of the new god are destined for eternal damnation.

Which god/religion do you go for to be safe?

[Octavius]

It is human nature to question life the universe and everything, so there is nothing wrong with that.

Belief in God doesn't mean that he/she/it is different from all the others, different persuasions use different names. I respect any individuals right to believe in whomsoever they choose to, even if I don't personally agree with it.

[Jay70]

As an agnostic what really gets my goat is that I respect anyone else's religion but why cant they respect my beliefs and stop trying to convert me.

[wizard69]

I'll say "amen" to that Jay70...lol

[CLOWN TICKLE]

jay as a christian my church allows people to think and examine the evidence before finally choosing, more to follow wizard when I have composed an answer

[Octavius]

Whilst I would question someone elses beliefs and welcome their questions of mine, I would hardly call this 'trying to convert'.

[RATTER15]

I am an atheist and have been for many years, I really don't have a problem with people who follow god but I do often want to ask why. I don't see anything that would convince me or anybody else of a god.
I don't wish to be offensive or upset anybody but I sometimes wonder if some people really need to think that there is a god so they have someone to blame or to turn to when things go bad.

Do the believers in god ever actually ask themselves why they believe or do they just believe because that's the way they were brought up and never actually thought it out for themselves.

Please don't be offended by my answer, this is just how a non believer thinks, well this one anyway!

When it comes down to bare facts, what evidence is there of a god? Especially when there is such overwhelming proof of evolution.

[Octavius]

Equally Ratter we could ask, why you don't think there is a god, but that would be getting into deep theological discussions that I really can't be arsed with. It is not opffensive that you ask the Q, and most would agree that often we question our own beliefs, hence my 1st answer above. I think we (in the UK at least) should be grateful that we have the freedom to express our personal beliefs without fear of persecution.

Belief in God, a god or some gods is a personal thing really, and if you don't believe you don't believe, simple as that. I doubt any proof I could give would convince you otherwise. Simlarly if you gave me proof that he/she/it didn't exist, I would still believe in ... soimething.

My belief is not about superstition or blame, although most religions are based on this. It is just a mechanism for a means in those most painful and ectstatic times to call upon something that you may believe in for comfort or thanks, real or not.

[ummmm]

I think it's called having faith

[lady_p_gold]

What I really can't understand is where people still follow religious beliefs even though they can clearly see that they are bringing distress and cruelty and forgetting the original teachings. Look at all the things we have found out about catholic nuns and mother and baby homes, and all those mothers who had their babies ripped from them and adopted etc. etc. ... did those people really believe they were doing good? I recently got to know a young girl in my office and I found out that she was working full time and being forced to do so, giving all her wages to her brothers and then also having to take out loans on credit cards which she was working hard to pay off ... all to be 'sent home to help with the church'. Of course I know that there is a lot of genuine good done, however I do think that a lot of religion is all about control.

[lady_p_gold]

She also had a young child who she was longing to stay at home and look after but was not 'allowed' to.

[crete]

some people belief in God some dont , no one is forcing you in any direction, my issue is people who try very hard to make us think only what they believe is the right way. religeon is personal and we all have a choice.

[ladywoman]

I think everyones God is inside them, its called their conscience and that is what you are true to if you are a believer

[VannaB]

You have to believe in something-even if it's to believe that there is nothing. (can you tell I did Philosophy at Uni?)

As for evolution-thats us desperate to make up something to justify why we are here when really, let us all step back and be honest, our 'scientists' say that we evolved from apes into humans. I have HUGE problems with this which are (not that anyone cares, lol) the following:

1. Why apes? If apes evolve into humans, then why do apes still exist? Would they all not be humans now?

2. If yes, apes 'evolve' into humans, why are some not half way through this process now? (apart from those you see down the pub)

3. Is it just coz they 'look a bit similar'? Would we be less convinced of this theory if they said we evolved from zebras? Or that Penguins evolve into rhinos? SURELY one species CANNOT turn into another! Imagine if you came up with this as a theory in school, that apes turn into humans. You'd get zero marks from your teacher!!


Instead, they should just say....actually I haven't the foggiest! Monkeys indeed, tisk!

Ahem-sorry about that. Kinda steered off the topic....

[ladywoman]

VanaB - what about animals that evolve to adapt to their surroundings?

[VannaB]

Well they just adapt don't they? Maybe their tail would get shorter, or they would develop different teeth, etc. For instance,salmon adapted to their water conditions by learning to jump upstream against the water flow to breed. They didn't turn into cats so they could walk up stream...

Things just don't change into another type of animal. Yeh they adapt, but change totally, nah! It's the changing from an ape to a human I really just don't get! But people 'need' an explanation for some reason so I guess they are clinging to the monkey theory. In fact I LOVEThis debae so gonna post it!

[RATTER15]

VannaB, From my understanding about the apes evolving into humans, the specific species of ape involved, all evolved into humans, but it was only one species of many different species of Ape.

Whilst this theory is difficult to believe, there is a terrific amount of evidence to support it, though not prove it.

Where as the theory of god!! books written in the times where nobody understood much about anything that says God said let there be man and there was man, we can believe that ?

[crete]

you know when there is great disasters in the world on a daily basis, people say why could God allow this to happen, yet on a daily basis fabulous events are happening e g every minute of the day a new baby is born , perfect and wanted does God get any mention then ?

[Carakeel]

This has indeed been a very healthy debate so far. You have all made such valid points and yet nobody really has the answer, do they? For me personally - I had not move away from the catholic church I was baptized into as a baby. I had extremely good reasons for doing this and have never regretted it. I still have Catholic friends and I respect that they feel differently. I also have friends from other religions as well as atheist friends. I respect them all and feel no need to try to convince them of my beliefs. Buddhist philosophy is more to my own liking, but that is not really a religion as such. I do not need proof that there is a God or even that there are Gods. When I visit the beautiful Hindu Temple in Neasden (London) I greet the Gods as my Hindu friends do, not because I suddenly become a Hindu, but because when I am a guest in their house, I show respect for their beliefs. The only religions I myself cannot find respect for are those which condemn all who do not belong to them and call for violence against non-believers.