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Drew B
  • Drew B
  • New York, NY
  • United States

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Why don't people believe in God?

if it were even the slightest possible chance that there is a hell and its a place of everlasting torment and hate wouldnt you want to make sure there isnt one by checking every possible source of information and proof that God does not exist or does?

And why do most people who ask themselves this question and go search for answers come back a christian?

yeah the whole idea can be denied with logical reasoning but you got to look at where this idea came from and how much we can trust this information. When you search for those facts they cant be denied and once you experience what God does in your life you will know its real. If you dont believe in it you should have proof andt the strongest possible evidence of everything that cant be denied.

I want to look at what you guys think and why you guys don't. Please dont attack other peoples ideas and thought and be open with every ounce of reasoning you can come up with.

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Topics: religion
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  • Kyle McCall

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    Jul 15 2011: Looking at human history, we have evidence that people buried their dead and respected all life around them. We call this animalism, and a common perception is that many "primitive" civilizations had similar beliefs throughout much of history. Early "civilized" people (the Greeks and Romans) thought that there were many gods, all of which were controlled by the Fates. The Abrahamic religions which seem so ancient to us are so young that Bishop Ussher claimed that the date of creation was 4004 B.C. based on the genealogies from the Old Testament. An alien observer who watched our beliefs grow and change over the past 10,000 years would conclude that we did not have all of the answers, and he would note that there is obvious human influence on all of our beliefs that we have at different periods taken as sacred. Judging religion based on its merits and evolution over the years, it is difficult to conclude that we have the one right answer. People look to God for answers, they look to get closer to nature and become spiritually one with our world, they seek something that will solve their problems. I believe that we ultimately have control over our own lives, and the religious concept of free will allows this. Everyone is free to believe what they will. You look to your God for answers, and maybe they are there. For me, I can only find solace in the empathy of another human, in that bond which we all share and develop as we grow. We can achieve great things and solve our own problems by working together, human nature be damned. I prefer to take responsibility for my own life, and I believe that this will help me achieve everything I can hope to be. Humanity is where I find my meaning, and I prefer to believe that life on this earth has more importance beyond being a gateway to the afterlife.
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      Tyrone Huckstepp

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      Jul 16 2011: I like the point about an alien observer noting that all our beliefs have a human influence, and how can there not be. How can you imagine and come to understand of something which doesn't lie in the realm of our own reality. If god is so awesome, how could we be so vein in thinking that we could possibly understand gods true nature when all our beliefs are constricted to human influence. The one thing we can be sure of is change; things change, beliefs change. What seemed absolute in romane civilization of of there being many different gods, for love, war, music, festivals, Water and so on, seems pretty silly these days. But what is to say that in a thousand years we will look back at our limited veiw about or current ideas of god and think how primitive they where?

      It is our free will to believe what we want, religion just seems to be a bit of a scape goat. I won't murder, rape, steal or hurt. I will love and be kind because that is what god told me to do. It seems to be excuses to do things, a reason to be moral. I respect that you have the attitude to take responsibility for your own life, we don't need a reason to help others, be kind and love one another. We look at ourselves as so separated from everything and everyone, but all humans have more in common and are more alike than another thing on this word, we are all just searching for the same thing, to find a life full of happiness, love, and free of pain, we just go about searching in different ways. Believe in your self and others, I like the point that life on earth should be more than a gateway to the after life, which seems to be a major point in most religions.
      Thank you
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        Malarie Howard

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        Jul 17 2011: "If god is so awesome, how could we be so vein in thinking that we could possibly understand gods true nature when all our beliefs are constricted to human influence".

        I've struggled with this concept ever since my first philosophy class two years ago. Even though I've grown up in a Christian home for 19 years, this concept rang true to me and it has constantly rocked the religious foundation I've been brought up on. I've come to believe that most religions want to tell "lost souls" that this particular religion has ALL the answers to all of life's puzzling questions. No one, I believe, has all the answers. Really strong Christians will say that the Bible has all the answers and though I believe that universal truths can be found in the Bible, I also believe that they are putting way too much time into a book and may wind up making things up about God that aren't really true based on human understanding, thus forgetting that God transcends human knowledge.

        I personally do believe in one God. In my mind, It's impossible for there not to be some sort of divine creator. I believe that he reveals his truth to anyone and everyone, and because he has made us all individuals, we see him how we are meant to see him. This is why religion bothers me...it takes away the intimate relationship we as individuals are supposed to have with him through searching, meditating, and loving the people around us.

        When a religious group claims to have all the answers, I feel like they start making things up or twisting meanings of religious passages to fit their standards. It is hard for me to trust any religious authority these days. I do however, trust in God - not to be my scape goat, not to be my ticket to Heaven, but to be there ALWAYS when people let me down, when no one comes to my rescue, when there's no one to talk to, no one to discipline me, no one to guide me. I believe this not cuz someone told me to, but because this is the truth I have experienced in MY life.
        Thanks :)
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          Tyrone Huckstepp

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          Jul 17 2011: It’s really great to hear that people are looking outside the box, especially when you hear about scientists admitting that there may be more than reductionism to explain the universe, and contemplating the possibility of there being something more to life beyond science; and when religious people start to question the things they learn rather just accepting everything with blind faith.
          This concept seems quite obvious, even to someone like me who is not a religious person and hasn't really ever believed in the power of the god referred to by Christians. It doesn't add up that people who have faith in god have not pondered this concept. I am to believe that Christians look up to god as an almighty spirit, and wouldn't consider them to be anywhere near his almightiness, so why do they think they can comprehend it with their limited little human minds?
          I believe that religion can be a good thing to guide people in the right moral direction, and tell them it’s going to be alright when they ‘miss the mark’; the world is filled with a lot of delusions. The harm occurs when people take too much trust in a religion and start to believe it as an absolute and defend it as if it were part of them, especially when those people are lost souls, and have a limited view of the whole picture and are defending something they themselves don't understand.
          That is a really beautiful way of looking at it, that you will see god in your own individual way, it make sense as well. I agree about religion taking the intimacy out of it, that is one of my own dislikes about religion, as it seems like if you are part of a certain religion, it takes away your right to think freely, and you have to follow a collective of other peoples beliefs and ideas; and they are all just ideas, because as you said that you believe “no one has all the answers”. If there was a single absolute truth, you would think that we wouldn't still be here having this conversation.
          Thanks T.
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        Malarie Howard

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        Jul 17 2011: I also like to see people stepping outside the box, it's exciting! Thank you for your positivity and not making me feel small for what I believe. It's great that two people can can have a civil conversation and learn from the other without being dogmatic and rude!

    • Carlin Covey

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      Jul 24 2011: Well said Kyle. I agree with you, and I wish I could say it that well.

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