Do you believe in God?

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Where does that estimate come from?


I don't get the 'praying for good intentions' thing. Is there really a supreme being who dishes out the goodies depending on how hard/often you pray or beg? It seems awful needy on his part to me.

You should try it sometime, there may be a few goodies going like hi-viz jackets, helmets or a nice set of lights, or perhaps even a new bike.

railer201 wrote: »

perhaps even a new bike.

I think that's the other old beardy lad, the jolly one.

LuasSimon wrote: »

There’s 1500 living in the parish with circa 5/600 in total attending the 3 masses each Saturday night - Sunday morning . There is no doubt intentions and all that is unproven to put it mildly but rightly or wrongly it gives people hope . Attending mass for a share is also down to tradition , meeting neighbours even and definitely makes people part of a community . People could be doing a lot worse .

Man, like a lot of species, is a social animal. The same benefits could be gained from any social gathering with a common interest, religion doesn't have to be involved.

Marhay70 wrote: »

Man, like a lot of species, is a social animal. The same benefits could be gained from any social gathering with a common interest, religion doesn't have to be involved.

And even for religious social gatherings like Mass, they work just the same if God does not exist.

In fact, given the hundreds of denominations within Christianity, just one among many world religions, we can say that the only reason they all work equally well as social events is that there are no gods involved in any of them.

After all, if the Roman Catholic God was responsible for the benefits of 11:30 Mass in Ballydehob, who is behind the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela with its millions of participants? The Hajj in Mecca?

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Ah here, no you dont. That statement implies you can prove it.

You belive there is a god and afterlife, you dont and cant know there is.

To dismiss belief as not knowing is simply wrong. Certainly in a court of law, evidence is required but just because you cannot produce evidence does not mean you do not know something is true or false. Courts often pass judgements which are wrong because participants cannot prove what they know.

realitykeeper wrote: »

Now you are being facetious sir whilst I am reality. I know God exists just as I know Satan exists. It is so obvious. This is why it is so important that we separate good and evil. When people ask, does there have to be a right and a wrong? I always reply with an emphatic YES!

It's been said before but I'll say it again.
You do not know that god exists. You cannot know that god exists.
You believe it that existence. You may well think that you know but you are deluded in this matter.

I have complete belief that there is no god. I'm am unshaken in this belief. Still, I won't go around saying that I know this to be a fact because it would make me seem lika a bit of a twat.

YESSSSSSSSSS

Francisco Blue Detective wrote: »

Unshaken, without proof?
Sounds like shakey ground.

What about simple probability, or odds for the 'likely possibility' that there is lifeforms somewhere in the Universe, that may be considered 'god-like' (compared to humanity).

Highly likely there is other lifeforms out in the universe.Purely on numbers alone it's very likely.

I don't think we will ever meet them though due to the enormous times and distances involved.
Not to mention that we will probably extinct ourselves before we even try.

Why would you consider advanced lifeforms to be godlike..its like saying we need a master.

LuasSimon wrote: »

There’s 1500 living in the parish with circa 5/600 in total attending the 3 masses each Saturday night - Sunday morning . There is no doubt intentions and all that is unproven to put it mildly but rightly or wrongly it gives people hope . Attending mass for a share is also down to tradition , meeting neighbours even and definitely makes people part of a community . People could be doing a lot worse .

Maybe it's an urban /rural thing, but you don't see anything like those kind of numbers in Dublin.

Re the 'intentions', it's not that they are unproven, it is the complete absence of logic. What kind of God would cause or allow someone to get cancer, and then possibly decide to cure them if people beg enough?

Woke Hogan wrote: »

It's as much a part of the human condition to hope against hope for life after "the end" as it is to, say, participate in or watch sport. Virtually every society has believed in some sort of deity or afterlife, after all.

That's why I despise the obese, sneering internet atheists you will find on websites like this. The kind who giggle into their braided goatees about space teapots or flying spaghetti monsters. Their claims to be operating on a higher intellectual plain instead of jogging or believing in the supernatural rings a little hollow to myself when you see them indulging in their basest urges: sitting and eating processed food until they pass out. The kind with exotic colours and cartoon characters on the packaging.

I do respect that many people are desperate for comfort as they come close to death but ultimately there's no reason in my view to believe in god.

Can you show us on the doll where the atheist touched you?

I do believe in god but wouldn’t be devoutly religious. I believe in those tenants of religion that talk about treating everyone with empathy and loving thy neighbor and learning forgiveness. I don’t believe in the darker elements like the idea that homosexuality is wrong or that being a single mother is a sin. Nor do I condone the horrible crimes committed by the church.

I have struggled with my beliefs for a long time and tried to make myself not believe because I felt like I was in some way hurting the victims of the church but ultimately I cane to the conclusion that I do believe in god/ a higher power, I do believe in life after death and I do believe in the good teachings of the church.

I could care less what you do or don’t believe but I do take issue with anyone who thinks themselves above me because of their beliefs or thinks there’s something sinister or wrong about me for I believe.

I also can’t abide anyone trying to force their beliefs on anyone else.

Which GOD???