The God Questions

[cobl04]

You should watch this:

"A Universe From Nothing" - Lawrence Krauss, Richard Dawkins - YouTube

[deep]

Originally Posted by Axver

I'm not terrified about the fact we're alone in the universe; I'm cool with it.

These terrified people need to get a life, I would recommend their own before it is over.

[nathan1977]

Fear can motivate faith for a time, I suppose - but sooner or later it must be replaced by something else or it becomes small. After all, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to...Jar Jar.

Or put another way..."perfect love casts out fear." (I John 4:18 )

[BonosSaint]

i'd say that Buddhism holds more appeal to me, and i find it very calming (as opposed to actually comforting) ... but not all of Buddhism is so nice. karma seems a little bit nasty to me, at least insofar as it's used to explain why bad things happen to (seemingly) nice people. i think it's best understood more as a practice and philosophy than a religion, and that's perhaps why it works best for

There are elements of Buddhism I've taken on as you noted--more as a practice, a philosophy. I don't meditate or subscribe to a lot of the beliefs of at least some schools of Buddhism, but I do try to practice mindfulness as often as I can (sadly it turns out to be few and far between but I am mindful of that) and I attempt, more successfully which isn't saying much, to monitor my thoughts and feelings without giving them more significance than I need to. I'm not particularly an emotional person, so it would be in my nature anyway, but I am more aware of it. And I think you made a great point of looking to Buddhism as calming and not comforting. But oneness has never been my desire. So I'll just steal what works for me which is my general modus operandi anyway.

If God hates all the same people I hate, then that's a bad sign. I think most people are really good at making a God that reinforces their beliefs, but for me, God confounds me all the time, in that He has compassion and patience and grace for people and situations that I would not choose to. Which forces me to have to grow and change -- which feels as it should.

I liked this response a lot. I left my religion (Christianity, but really any religion) because of doubt and rage and a lack of belief that there was anything after death. But another part of the reason I left the religion was that I could not meet some of the challenges I believe it required. I could not meet the challenge of belief or humility or change, the questioning, and being something other than the often self-satisfied prig that I was. So while I believe the religion failed me, I also believe that I failed the religion. I think I became a better person when I left. Except for belief, I found I could better meet some of the challenges away from the religion than in it. (It wasn't the people in the church. I liked the people, the music, the Bible stories, the ritual. I just did not like me in it).

[lemonfly]

I personally don't believe in God any more than I believe in the tooth fairy or Father Christmas. For all intents and purposes we ARE alone, there is no particular purpose of us being here, and nothing awaits us after death. We are hurtling through the vacuum of space on a ball of dirt, and I can understand why most people find that disconcerting and need to believe in an omnipotent being to make sense of it all. For me, not believing in God and rejecting religion allows me to take full responsibility for my own life. But I wouldn't describe myself as someone who believes science has all the answers. People like Richard Dawkins repulse me for their arrogance and for shoving their doctrines down everyone's throat. The universe is far too vast, complex and unknowable for humanity to ever make any sweeping conclusions. An ant thinks he has the world all sussed out - until someone steps on him.

[maycocksean]

1. Have your beliefs (or lack thereof) changed in the past five years?
Have the searchers found anything? If not, have they gone on to
another search?

Not a whole lot. I think I've been a somewhat more spiritually fertile time in my life in the past few months than I have in awhile. God feels closer these days, or maybe I feel closer to Him. We've gone through some pretty severe financial challenges in the latter part of this year and in the process I've found that trusting in God to provide for me has become more than just a nice sentiment.

2. Do you believe in anything beyond this life?

I do. However, in accordance with my church's teachings, I don't believe in a body-soul duality or an immortal soul. I believe that when you die, that's it. You're "spirit" doesn't float off to heaven or anything like that. I also don't believe in hell. Eternal life is eventual, I believe, and will become a reality when Jesus returns (and yes, I do believe that one day Jesus will return in a literal, visible way. In that sense, I'm very much an apocalyptic Christian though I know I don't sound that way on this forum. Maybe because I think of it is a good thing, rather than something scary? Maybe because I don't lead with that as I know that such a belief is often misunderstood). On that day those that will inherit eternity will be resurrected to eternal life and those who are alive at that time will also be given eternal life. Those that opt out of eternal life would not be condemned to an eternity in hell, but would die what in our church we call the "second death" from which there is no resurrection.

3. Where do you disagree with your specific religion, if you practice one?
Is your religion as much a cultural/social belonging for you as it is
personal belief?

I disagree mostly with church stances on issues, not so much with the theology of my church. I often disagree with the way my church interprets our theology rather than the beliefs themselves. I think the church is wrong on it's opposition to the ordination of women clergy (ironically we allow women to be pastors, they just can't have the title of "ordained minister." They can be ordained as an elder, but not as a pastor. Don't get me started). I disagree with my church's stance on homosexuality (though thankfully, the church avoids vocal public oppositon on this issue and most others). I don't like how the church tends to trumpet famous names who join our denomination. Little Richard was briefly a member of our church in the early sixties. The most recent high-profile convert was Two and Half Men's Angus T. Jones, which caused a stir for a bit.

I like that my church is pretty fractious and there is often a lot of disagreement internally on all kinds of issues. I think that's a good thing.

4. What causes you doubt?

Not a whole lot really. Not in the sense of doubting my faith in the deepest level. I'm always skeptical about what we think we "know" about God and how he operates. My motto is "I may be wrong." Sometimes, I find myself very skeptical of the traditional understanding of many of the stories in the Bible. But none of that affects the most important thing I believe about God which is that He is love. Because I feel a real and active connection to God, my faith is more than set of beliefs, ideas or philosophies. I find that most people who abandon faith don't feel any real connection to God.

5. Is there a war on Christmas?

No.

6. Do you believe in a personal, involved, intervening God or an indifferent
or detached God who lets things play out without intervention.

I believe in a personal, involved, and intervening God who sometimes lets things play out without intervention. Why he chooses to intervene here but not there is a question that has been debated for millenia, and I wouldn't be foolish to claim I know the answer. I know that as a teacher and a parent there are times when I let things play out with my students and children, but I am definitely not indifferent or detached. However, I realize that analogy is cold comfort at the level of tragedy where these questions are often raised.

7. Does your God judge? If so, does he judge on belief or behavior?

My God does judge. He judges based neither on belief or behavior, but on intent of our hearts.

8. Where do you succeed in your religion/spirituality? Where do you
fail?

I don't know that if I really believe in success or failure as such in my faith.

9. Did you continue in the faith you grew up in or did you change faiths?

I did continue in the faith I grew up with though I like to think I made it my own. I deeply admire people who change faiths. I think it takes tremendous courage.

10. Do you think people may create a God that mirrors them? Is God
subjective or objective? Is God open to interpretation, differences
in opinion?

Oh sure. None of us can really know God, at least right now. So a lot of times we end up making him over in our own image. I believe God is ultimately objective, but our knowledge of him is highly subjective.

[Cactus Annie]

Does anyone know what is meant when one claims to be an atheist, and they disagree with the Christian church that they grew up in, but that they believe in Spirituality? Does that mean that they aren't Christian but may lean toward the Eastern faiths (without subscribing towards one faith)?

I like Sikhism and there's some messages in Christianity that I agree with.

I don't know myself, tbh. Can I pass on answering? I find it very hard to explain.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by Cactus Annie

Can I pass on answering?

No. As you can plainly see, everyone else on the site had the decency to answer. You're no exception

[Cactus Annie]

but what about if I can't answer your question? Well not now anyways

[Jive Turkey]

It doesn't matter. Please answer the question as all others have

[Cactus Annie]

Have you? I don't think you have, have you?

[Jive Turkey]

Please, this isn't about me

[BonosSaint]

Originally Posted by Cactus Annie

I don't know myself, tbh. Can I pass on answering? I find it very hard to explain.

I'm pretty sure Jive Turkey is kidding. I started the thread. You get a pass.

An atheist believes in no god, Christian or otherwise, in any form, no higher power. An agnostic has some wiggle room.

[BEAL]

An atheist doesn't believe in any gods.


An agnostic doesn't know if any gods exist.

You can be both. As I don't know if any gods exist, as with unicorns. Guess they could. I just haven't seen any evidence to suggest they do. So I do not believe

[BonosSaint]

Difference noted. I've just seen more agnostics shift between belief and unbelief. An agnostic can be steadily indifferent/nonbelieving or vacillate between belief and nonbelief as one might not believe in fairies, but leave a treat for them just in case--or not believe in ghosts, but would rather not be in a cemetery at midnight. Sometimes logic and primal/superstition conflict. Hence, wiggle room.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by BEAL

As I don't know if any gods exist, as with unicorns. Guess they could. I just haven't seen any evidence to suggest they do. So I do not believe

Often referred to as a Teapot Atheist

[Cactus Annie]

Buddhists don't actually believe in God do they? They are few New Age groups that practice spiritual development, such as meditating, but don't actually believe in God. I've met a few of them in my life. Many are lapsed Christians.

Is it possible to be an atheist and a spiritualist or do you think that means your agnostic?

[Pearl]

Originally Posted by Cactus Annie

Buddhists don't actually believe in God do they? They are few New Age groups that practice spiritual development, such as meditating, but don't actually believe in God. I've met a few of them in my life. Many are lapsed Christians.

Is it possible to be an atheist and a spiritualist or do you think that means your agnostic?

The Buddha never explored the existence of a god. The most he did was say that it was too complicated and unnecessary to wrap one's mind around.

I've heard about atheists declaring themselves spiritual, though I personally find it hard to understand. I see spirituality as having a relationship with God and seeing the divine everywhere. But others have different definitions of spirituality though.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by Pearl

I've heard about atheists declaring themselves spiritual, though I personally find it hard to understand. I see spirituality as having a relationship with God and seeing the divine everywhere. But others have different definitions of spirituality though.

I'd probably consider myself more of an agnostic than a true atheist, and am probably as far from 'spiritual' as you can get, but I can kind of understand being both. I'm thinking of the weird 'mother earth' spiritual types.

[BEAL]

Buddha probably has the right thinking. The "what is out there" is so large that its most definitely infinite. Is there a god? Is there multiple gods? Who created them? What are they made of? It's just more complexity.

Live a good life. Everything else will sort itself out. If you need a belief, ok then.