Do You Believe In God

[MagickMan]

I don't believe there is or isn't, "believing" one way or the other is a waste of effort and illogical.

 

[alzan]

What about buddha?

If I'm in Thailand and I pray to buddha am I going to hell?

If you're "praying" to Buddha, you're doing it wrong.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I don't believe there is or isn't, "believing" one way or the other is a waste of effort and illogical.

I was born like that, but eventually someone brought the concept of a God up, so I had to address it like I would any other proposition I got presented with. I suppose I still don't "believe" either way, but I do have an opinion on the subject. Except for things I don't know about yet, I have an opinion one way or the other on any given subject. If you bring up something I'll take whatever small or large amount of information I have on it and I'll come to at least a very tentative leaning in some direction. That doesn't mean that I am forever married to that opinion, and it may be such a weak opinion as to be almost indistinguishable from being truly agnostic about the subject, but I will pretty much never fall dead center between two opposing ideas. I find it hard to believe that anyone does.

I think if you took someone who had never heard of God and asked them if they believed in Him, they should still be able render an opinion on the spot. I wouldn't necessarily expect them to defend that opinion in any deeply involved way, but they should still be able to say "Now that you mention it, I guess I could believe that", or "Nah, prolly not". Neither of those responses are exactly indicative of strong conviction, but they still fall on one side of the scale or the other. Insisting that I lie on the exact center of those beliefs takes more effort than either of those responses for me. It allows me to sit in judgement of both opposing sides, but it also requires me to make strawmen of both of them to ensure that I don't fall on one side or the other. I would have to believe that both sides are completely composed of people who are steadfast and unshakeable in their absolute belief that God either exists or doesn't. I'd have to deny the obvious fact that there are weaker versions of both that allow for the possibility of their opinion being incorrect even while making a definite statement about what they think is probably the truth of the matter. While I may clearly not be a member of the absolute belief groups, there is nothing in my personal philosophy that excludes me from the weak theist or weak atheist group. All I have to do is ask myself "What do I think is the truth, however tentatively"? I think that there probably isn't a God, so I'm an atheist.

 

[MtnMan]

Yes, I do. Specifically the Christian God.......

But that means there are thousands of gods you don't believe in, so you are in fact 99.99% atheist :whiste:

 

[Retro Rob]

I don't "believe" in God.....I also don't "believe" water is wet.

 

[justoh]

Water isn't wet, individually

 

[Ricochet]

So many heathens in this thread. Count me in.

 

[amdhunter]

Water isn't wet, individually

If you were made of wax, water isn't that wet at all.

 

[02ranger]

But that means there are thousands of gods you don't believe in, so you are in fact 99.99% atheist :whiste:

This is true. Is there a name for that? Could I be a Christatheist? Athian? What could we call it?

 

[SlitheryDee]

This is true. Is there a name for that? Could I be a Christatheist? Athian? What could we call it?

I usually just call it arbitrary.

 

[alzan]

So many heathens in this thread. Count me in.

For most (all?) of the respondents who answered "Yes" to the poll; heathen or pagan are terms used in a derogatory or insulting manner.

Usually to establish a "superiority" or ranking; a "Them" to their "Us".

 

[biostud]

nope, atheist here.

 

[Jeff7]

But that means there are thousands of gods you don't believe in, so you are in fact 99.99% atheist :whiste:

And the many gods we have yet to think up. A timeless entity would probably see all of those as well, visible as easily as we would look along spatial dimensions. Does our species also have to atone for future disappointments?

 

[02ranger]

I usually just call it arbitrary.

Sounds about right. I know that's unusual to hear a Christian say, but I have no illusions about where my faith comes from. If I'd been raised as a Muslim I'd be Muslim now, raised as a Buddhist I'd be a Buddhist, etc.... I still believe because I do get something out of it, but I can't honestly say I have a rational way to justify my beliefs, it's all based on faith.

 

[moonbogg]

G-d is just respecting the prime directive.

 

[DownTheSky]

If, by God, you mean a higher entity or conscience then my answer is, unequivocally yes.

If, by God, you mean in a hokey organized religion middleman sort of way, my answer is absolutely no. However as long as it causes others no harm, I have no problem respecting any belief system one chooses.

This.

 

[bradley]

The question isn't whether we believe in a God or higher power. The question is whether it/she/he believes in us. I wouldn't.

 

[AFurryReptile]

I used to, but not anymore.

I could not sufficiently answer the question "why do I believe in god?" without simply answering "well everyone else does." As a skeptic, that didn't sit well with me.

 

[Jaepheth]

This is true. Is there a name for that? Could I be a Christatheist? Athian? What could we call it?

 

[Newell Steamer]

Do I believe in God? Yes.

Do I worship God in the manner the existing religious "institutions" expect me to worship? Abso-fucking-lutely not.

I wonder if those who don't believe are a result of the awfulness associated with most major organized religions. Meaning, if religion X didn't have a bunch of Herp-A-Derps to make you feel like a tool for being an X'er, then the person would still be an X'er.

 

[Ruptga]

Do I believe in God? Yes.

Do I worship God in the manner the existing religious "institutions" expect me to worship? Abso-fucking-lutely not.

I wonder if those who don't believe are a result of the awfulness associated with most major organized religions. Meaning, if religion X didn't have a bunch of Herp-A-Derps to make you feel like a tool for being an X'er, then the person would still be an X'er.

There's no doubt that's the case for a lot of people, but it ultimately wouldn't have made a difference for me. I do faith just fine, but not blind faith. All it would take to make me a believer is for an omnipotent immortal being to drop by for a BBQ and a drink. I won't accept anything less, such as dreams or feelings, those are far too unreliable to be trusted.

 

[moonbogg]

I believe in goat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnHADTAU0Jc

 

[zinfamous]

I did believe in a God, until he got killed by Frost Giants.

Now, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to take it that my God is dead and there is no longer God, or that I should start worshiping the frost giants now. You know, kinda how like when some army dude takes over some Middle Eastern country, they are the new default leader.

 

[02ranger]

I did believe in a God, until he got killed by Frost Giants.

Now, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to take it that my God is dead and there is no longer God, or that I should start worshiping the frost giants now. You know, kinda how like when some army dude takes over some Middle Eastern country, they are the new default leader.

I say worship the Frost Giants. They seem like kinda boring Gods, not much for partying or anything, they just sit around chilling all the time, but who's gonna mess with you when you say Laufe has got your back?

 

[norseamd]

stop with these weak imitations of the real mythology