Do you believe in God?

mondeo · 12-10-2019 12:17pm

I believe in some sort of powerful beings, not necessarily a GOD in the sense. There must be something big out there that contributed to us being on this big rock in space... No one knows how big space is or why it's there. We will find out when we die I guess.

Dr. Bre · 12-10-2019 12:17pm

WhAt if god was one of us?

Marhay70 · 12-10-2019 12:34pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

But He is real

Your interpretation of real.

12-10-2019 8:06pm

Wow I can't believe an AH thread on the existence, or not, of God hasn't finally and conclusively been settled.

It's almost like the existence of God is unprovable, and people should just let others have their opinion as long as they're not hurting anyone.

No, that can't be. I'm sure it'll be settled tonight and we'll all put it there, and then we'll start resolving the meaning of life, global warming, quantum field theory and whether Roy Keane should have stayed in Saipan. With a bit of effort we should be put of here before lunchtime tomorrow chaps. Let's focus now.

Fourier · 12-10-2019 8:08pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

WhAt if god was one of us?

Like a stranger on the bus?

12-10-2019 8:12pm

Does anyone believe in life and love?

zimmermania · 13-10-2019 2:48pm

mondeo wrote: »

I believe in some sort of powerful beings, not necessarily a GOD in the sense. There must be something big out there that contributed to us being on this big rock in space... No one knows how big space is or why it's there. We will find out when we die I guess.

I am glad you said guess,it is very likely that there is nothing after death and unles there is some evidence to the contrary i will assume death is the end.

beejee · 13-10-2019 2:51pm

Do you believe in life after love?

bnt · 13-10-2019 2:57pm

I'm surprised that there has been no mention here (in this or other threads) about the canonisation of John Henry Newman in Rome today. He converted from Church of England to Catholicism, came to Ireland and founded the Catholic University which later became UCD.

There are articles like this one complaining about UCD's lack of enthusiam in celebrating its founder becoming a saint, as if that's a symptom of the secularisation of Ireland. Well, maybe it is, and isn't that a good thing? We no longer think of UCD as a Catholic university, any more than we think of TCD as a Protestant university - which it was for most of its existence. Of all places, you would hope that universities would be above religion.

Bobblehats · 13-10-2019 4:15pm

beejee wrote: »

Do you believe in life after love?

I really don’t think I’m strong enough, no. The god question is a difficult one and should probably remain unanswered but I do often the urge to “repent” if I feel I am veering into bad territory. Will it absolve my sins, probably not but I get a sense it might help steer me back on the right track to a degree and so I do feel I need some semblance of “god” in my life.

Does anyone else still bless themselves when an ambulance goes by?

The_Brood · 13-10-2019 5:06pm

Well, the poll results quite accurately reflect the flavors, attitudes, and general environment of this forum, don't they...

Marhay70 · 13-10-2019 6:06pm

bnt wrote: »

I'm surprised that there has been no mention here (in this or other threads) about the canonisation of John Henry Newman in Rome today. He converted from Church of England to Catholicism, came to Ireland and founded the Catholic University which later became UCD.

Why would there be mention? It's a non event to most people.

railer201 · 13-10-2019 6:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Does anyone believe in life and love?

No time for that - too busy arguing on boards.

uck51js9zml2yt · 13-10-2019 6:58pm

Marhay70 wrote: »

But it's you and others like you who believe this stuff. We are just pointing out the reasons why the idea of what you portray as a loving and protective deity are contradicted by the very book you choose to evidence that.
When you are captured as a 4/5year old child and force fed this stuff by who you see as the most powerful and influential people in your life, with the threat of millenia of torment to come if you don't accept it, then it's easy to see why some of this stuff sticks. Were it not for this legal and state sponsored mental terrorism then I reckon that the poll in real life would be a lot more conclusive on the "no" side than the one on here.

Force fed is something I didn't experience.
Have you ever read the Bible? From the story you're telling me , I'd suggest you haven't

uck51js9zml2yt · 13-10-2019 6:59pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

WhAt if god was one of us?

He was and we killed Him.

gctest50 · 13-10-2019 7:10pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

He was and we killed Him.

Who's this we ?

I wasn't around then, anyway i wouldn't kill some guy just because he can "make" wine and do magic tricks.

"Christian" scum lied to the Romans to get him killed because they saw there might be a lot of money in this craic

Typical filthy christians

uck51js9zml2yt · 13-10-2019 7:35pm

gctest50 wrote: »

Who's this we ?

I wasn't around then, anyway i wouldn't kill some guy just because he can "make" wine and do magic tricks.

"Christian" scum lied to the Romans to get him killed because they saw there might be a lot of money in this craic

Typical filthy christians

There were no Christians back then.

You really need to get acquainted with the story before you start making stupid comments.
As for we , it was "humankind". If He came again in the same form, mankind would do again.

gctest50 · 13-10-2019 7:47pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

There were no Christians back then.

........

That's why christians was in inverted commas/quotes , they were a group of scum that saw that there might be a lot of money in that craic, they called themselves christians later on

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

You really need to get acquainted with the story before you start making stupid comments......

Stupid comments ? It's a story of an affair that got legs and outta hand

God knocked me up

Marhay70 · 13-10-2019 8:20pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

Force fed is something I didn't experience.
Have you ever read the Bible? From the story you're telling me , I'd suggest you haven't

Well good for you, I know there wasn't a day in my school years when I wasn't exposed to some level of indoctrination. Even in secondary school there was prayers at assembly and several hours of religion during the week.
I've read enough of the bible to know that what I'm reading is nonsense.

Potential-Monke · 13-10-2019 9:38pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

There were no Christians back then.

You really need to get acquainted with the story before you start making stupid comments.
As for we , it was "humankind". If He came again in the same form, mankind would do again.

At least you admit it's just a story. And again, we and humankind. I had nothing to do with them, considering I was only born in the 80's. Religion likes to make out that it's everyone's fault, but their own. I am not part of your 'we'. If there really was someone who could do miracles, turn water into wine and magic up some fish, the last thing I would do is kill him, more like go on the never ending sesh, would just have to get him to figure out how to turn water into rum.

kerryjack · 13-10-2019 9:39pm

I do believe that we were around before I know my youngest girl who never met her grand mother and every time she sees a picture of her nan, her eyes light up as if she new her well.

Pherekydes · 14-10-2019 7:53am

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

He was and we killed Him.

Would you not be more concerned about the many genocides that "we" committed down the centuries?

Zubeneschamali · 14-10-2019 9:13am

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

Have you ever read the Bible?

I have indeed, cover to cover.

Religious Education was pretty harmless in my experience, but one day in Primary school, our regular teacher was out and a retirement age Brother (maybe 65 in 1975) was subbing for him. He came in and recited a verse saying that whatever you pray for, you'll get (Mark 11:24, I think), and asked who in the class literally believed that. None of us did.

He said he believed it, and that anyone who didn't was not a Christian.

We quizzed him on it, did he think he would get a Ferrari? A million pounds? And he said yes, yes he would. Of course, we were only 11 or 12, and in a Catholic school, so all of us had personal experience of praying for stuff and not getting it. We mostly thought he was just insane.

But he did put a doubt in my head - maybe he was right and I was not really a Christian. So I sat down and read the Bible from cover to cover, which taught me straight away that he was right, I was not a Christian and that Christianity itself is insane.

Iscreamkone · 14-10-2019 10:46am

kerryjack wrote: »

I do believe that we were around before I know my youngest girl who never met her grand mother and every time she sees a picture of her nan, her eyes light up as if she new her well.

Well there's no arguing with that, is there?

Marhay70 · 14-10-2019 2:20pm

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I have indeed, cover to cover.

Religious Education was pretty harmless in my experience, but one day in Primary school, our regular teacher was out and a retirement age Brother (maybe 65 in 1975) was subbing for him. He came in and recited a verse saying that whatever you pray for, you'll get (Mark 11:24, I think), and asked who in the class literally believed that. None of us did.

He said he believed it, and that anyone who didn't was not a Christian.

We quizzed him on it, did he think he would get a Ferrari? A million pounds? And he said yes, yes he would. Of course, we were only 11 or 12, and in a Catholic school, so all of us had personal experience of praying for stuff and not getting it. We mostly thought he was just insane.

But he did put a doubt in my head - maybe he was right and I was not really a Christian. So I sat down and read the Bible from cover to cover, which taught me straight away that he was right, I was not a Christian and that Christianity itself is insane.

Well if that's the case then successive Popes, Archbishops and other Prelates in the various Christian Churches are no Christians either. How many times have they led the faithful in prayers for an end to war, famine and disease and yet we still have all three. Even Jesus himself prayed to be spared from the cross, to no avail, but no doubt somebody will come along to say that we're putting the wrong interpretation on things and that it means something totally different. That's a favourite move, apparently nothing in the Bible should be taken literally, it is all in a code which is only decipherable by the chosen. this is a somewhat similar position as that taken by the RCC pre Reformation

Thelonious Monk · 14-10-2019 2:23pm

I was listening to RTE Radio on Saturday and the f*cking Angelus came on at 12pm! Couldn't believe that still happens. How is this fair on the rest of us, why should non Catholics have to pay a licence fee for something that broadcasts Catholic nonsense?

nozzferrahhtoo · 14-10-2019 2:25pm

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

But He is real

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

Have you ever read the Bible? From the story you're telling me , I'd suggest you haven't

I can not speak for anyone else but I certainly have. Multiple times. Multiple versions.

What amazes me is how few Christians I meet who have bothered to own one let alone read it. I mean I do not think there is a god and I have read it a LOT. Yet people who profess to think this book is a glimpse into the mind of the being that created them and controls their eternal well being..... they can not be bothered?

Makes you wonder if people who SAY they believe in Christianity..... actually do. OR do they.... as Daniel Dennett puts it.... just "believe in belief".

Actually forget READING it many Christians I have met have not even SEEN one. They are shocked actually at how big it is. They have been fed the same cherry picked passages from school teachers and the pulpit all their life.... they seem to think that only those passages were in it. So when they see how big the full text actually is, and how tiny the font.... they find it literally jaw dropping.

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

He was and we killed Him.

If you want to plead guilty to a murder by all means turn yourself in. Do not drag us into it. I killed no one, least of all him. I was very young then.

Taliyah Vast Gofer wrote: »

If He came again in the same form, mankind would do again.

Not so sure of that. We are a much less barbarous society these days. At least in parts of the world. Maybe he should not show his face in the middle east. I doubt he is getting murdered here in Ireland though.

That said though there were people who were witnessed performing much of the same miracles as your Nazarene is claimed to have. Sathya Sai Bab for example. He died of old age I think, not religious murderous fanatics and mobs.

pearcider · 14-10-2019 2:49pm

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

<citations needed>

I can not speak for anyone else but I certainly have. Multiple times. Multiple versions.

What amazes me is how few Christians I meet who have bothered to own one let alone read it. I mean I do not think there is a god and I have read it a LOT. Yet people who profess to think this book is a glimpse into the mind of the being that created them and controls their eternal well being..... they can not be bothered?

Makes you wonder if people who SAY they believe in Christianity..... actually do. OR do they.... as Daniel Dennett puts it.... just "believe in belief".

Actually forget READING it many Christians I have met have not even SEEN one. They are shocked actually at how big it is. They have been fed the same cherry picked passages from school teachers and the pulpit all their life.... they seem to think that only those passages were in it. So when they see how big the full text actually is, and how tiny the font.... they find it literally jaw dropping.

If you want to plead guilty to a murder by all means turn yourself in. Do not drag us into it. I killed no one, least of all him. I was very young then.

Not so sure of that. We are a much less barbarous society these days. At least in parts of the world. Maybe he should not show his face in the middle east. I doubt he is getting murdered here in Ireland though.

That said though there were people who were witnessed performing much of the same miracles as your Nazarene is claimed to have. Sathya Sai Bab for example. He died of old age I think, not religious murderous fanatics and mobs.

The only parts of the world that have become less barbarous are the Christian parts but unfortunately that doesn’t fit with your narrative. As Jesus said by your fruits you will know them.

Atheists can’t stand the fact that of all ideas, it was Christianity that finally civilized the world and the overwhelming majority of the great western philosophers politicians and scientists were devout Christians. Now that Christianity is becoming persecuted again, like it was by the Roman Empire for three centuries, it will be interesting to see how long the supremacy and progress of the western world will last.

dashcamdanny · 14-10-2019 2:49pm

Lots of ignorant offending bashing as to be expected here.

I dont think I believe anymore, but did.

It brought me great comfort in bad times. And in general its a good way to lead your life.

People should respect other peoples believes.

Marhay70 · 14-10-2019 2:59pm

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

<citations needed>

I can not speak for anyone else but I certainly have. Multiple times. Multiple versions.

What amazes me is how few Christians I meet who have bothered to own one let alone read it. I mean I do not think there is a god and I have read it a LOT. Yet people who profess to think this book is a glimpse into the mind of the being that created them and controls their eternal well being..... they can not be bothered?

Makes you wonder if people who SAY they believe in Christianity..... actually do. OR do they.... as Daniel Dennett puts it.... just "believe in belief".

Actually forget READING it many Christians I have met have not even SEEN one. They are shocked actually at how big it is. They have been fed the same cherry picked passages from school teachers and the pulpit all their life.... they seem to think that only those passages were in it. So when they see how big the full text actually is, and how tiny the font.... they find it literally jaw dropping.

If you want to plead guilty to a murder by all means turn yourself in. Do not drag us into it. I killed no one, least of all him. I was very young then.

Not so sure of that. We are a much less barbarous society these days. At least in parts of the world. Maybe he should not show his face in the middle east. I doubt he is getting murdered here in Ireland though.

That said though there were people who were witnessed performing much of the same miracles as your Nazarene is claimed to have. Sathya Sai Bab for example. He died of old age I think, not religious murderous fanatics and mobs.

Even the New Testament you read is a cherry picked version of the Gospels, there were dozens of different Gospels but in the early years of Christianity it was decided that we would just have these four. All of these Gospels were attributed to disciples apostles or other contempories of Jesus but the ones which were left out did not suit the agenda of the RCC, they were attributed to people like St Peter and St Thomas but one of the arguments was that nobody knew who wrote them. Now, fact is nobody knows who wrote the synoptic Gospels either so their authenticity is no more or less than the rest. Basically what you have with Christianity is several ancient individual opinions of what you should believe.

Marhay70 · 14-10-2019 6:49pm

pearcider wrote: »

The only parts of the world that have become less barbarous are the Christian parts but unfortunately that doesn’t fit with your narrative. As Jesus said by your fruits you will know them.

Atheists can’t stand the fact that of all ideas, it was Christianity that finally civilized the world and the overwhelming majority of the great western philosophers politicians and scientists were devout Christians. Now that Christianity is becoming persecuted again, like it was by the Roman Empire for three centuries, it will be interesting to see how long the supremacy and progress of the western world will last.

Christianity civilised the world? Christianity was responsible for the most barbarous acts of colonisation the world has ever seen. The Inquisition, which incidentally still exists today,was the perpetrator of mass murder both in Europe and Latin America. Christian colonisation was responsible for the near extinction of native people in all regions of the world it touche. The Nazis were at least nominally, Christian, the Russian Pogroms were carried out by Christians.
There are people of all faiths and none, all over the world who are every bit as civilised as Christians and usually only become less so when their country, tradition and very lives, are threatened by the "civilised" and overwhelmingly Christian, West

realitykeeper · 14-10-2019 7:46pm

I know God exists without a shadow of doubt and on this I am resolute. Previously posters took issue with me for saying so with comments such as "Here, you don`t know, you only believe ..." but when I insisted I knew, my post mysteriously disappeared, as if by magic. Hence the necessity for this reiteration.

As for proof and empirical evidence, even the lawyers and judges know that miscarriages of justice happen because people cannot always prove what they know to be true. This is how it is for the faithful, we know God exists. We just cannot prove it. Without faith, things fail. Communism is the perfect example of failure and to the faithful, the reasons are obvious.

Still, some people cannot accept the fact that they are wrong and that denial of truth is why the wrong invented postmodernism.

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 7:51pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

I know God exists without a shadow of doubt and on this I am resolute. Previously posters took issue with me for saying so with comments such as "Here, you don`t know, you only believe ..." but when I insisted I knew, my post mysteriously disappeared, as if by magic. Hence the necessity for this reiteration.

As for proof and empirical evidence, even the lawyers and judges know that miscarriages of justice happen because people cannot always prove what they know to be true. This is how it is for the faithful, we know God exists. We just cannot prove it. Without faith, things fail. Communism is the perfect example of failure and to the faithful, the reasons are obvious.

Still, some people cannot accept the fact that they are wrong and that denial of truth is why the wrong invented postmodernism.

What kind of God exists?

Timberrrrrrrr · 14-10-2019 7:56pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

What kind of God exists?

And which one?

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 8:02pm

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

And which one?

Indeed. So many to choose from.

realitykeeper · 14-10-2019 8:06pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

What kind of God exists?

The one and only and he is good.

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 8:07pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

The one and only and he is good.

Does he have a name?

peddlelies · 14-10-2019 8:10pm

What I don't get is how certain people can be so dismissive. There's a huge universe out there that had to have started somewhere and had a beginning. Why isn't there just pure nothingness. I'll never wrap my head around it and Science can't explain it either.

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 8:12pm

peddlelies wrote: »

What I don't get is how certain people can be so dismissive. There's a huge universe out there that had to have started somewhere and had a beginning. Why isn't there just pure nothingness. I'll never wrap my head around it and Science can't explain it either.

Indeed. The problem starts when people make up their own stories and sell them as truth and reality.

realitykeeper · 14-10-2019 8:13pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Does he have a name?

God is three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are called God.

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 8:14pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

God is three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are called God.

Oh right. So there's three Gods. How about Allah?

peddlelies · 14-10-2019 8:15pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Indeed. The problem starts when people make up their own stories and sell them as truth and reality.

That's different alright and I agree with you, wasn't referring to your posts in what I wrote.

Timberrrrrrrr · 14-10-2019 8:21pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

God is three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are called God.

You wrote earlier

I know God exists without a shadow of doubt and on this I am resolute.

There are billions of people all.over the world who would use the exact same words as you have above but will be talking about thier god. What makes your god more believable then thiers? Do you concede that thier god also exists or are they following/worshiping a false god?

AndrewJRenko · 14-10-2019 8:35pm

dashcamdanny wrote: »

Lots of ignorant offending bashing as to be expected here.

I dont think I believe anymore, but did.

It brought me great comfort in bad times. And in general its a good way to lead your life.

People should respect other peoples believes.

People should respect other people.

AndrewJRenko · 14-10-2019 8:36pm

peddlelies wrote: »

What I don't get is how certain people can be so dismissive. There's a huge universe out there that had to have started somewhere and had a beginning. Why isn't there just pure nothingness. I'll never wrap my head around it and Science can't explain it either.

Have you any idea why your God created a universe where children die of cancer on this particular planet?

realitykeeper · 14-10-2019 8:38pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Oh right. So there's three Gods. How about Allah?

Three persons in one God like three leaves in the shamrock.

Professor Moriarty · 14-10-2019 8:38pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

Three persons in one God like three leaves in the shamrock.

Okay. How do you know this?

realitykeeper · 14-10-2019 8:47pm

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

There are billions of people all.over the world who would use the exact same words as you have above but will be talking about thier god. What makes your god more believable then thiers? Do you concede that thier god also exists or are they following/worshiping a false god?

Billions of opinions do not make billions of truths. The truth may sometimes elude people I grant you but there is always only one truth.

Some people think that Schrodinger`s cat proved there can be more than one truth but of course it did no such thing. The cat was not both dead and alive, it was either dead or alive. You see? Only one truth.

Timberrrrrrrr · 14-10-2019 8:49pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

Billions of opinions do not make billions of truths. The truth may sometimes elude people I grant you but there is always only one truth.

Some people think that Schrodinger`s cat proved there can be more than one truth but of course it did no such thing. The cat was not both dead and alive, it was either dead or alive. You see? Only one truth.

So your truth is the only truth because you say so? The reality is that your "truth" is in fact really only your opinion and as you say yourself "opinions do not make truths"!

AndrewJRenko · 14-10-2019 8:58pm

realitykeeper wrote: »

Billions of opinions do not make billions of truths. The truth may sometimes elude people I grant you but there is always only one truth.

Some people think that Schrodinger`s cat proved there can be more than one truth but of course it did no such thing. The cat was not both dead and alive, it was either dead or alive. You see? Only one truth.

Can you please explain the need for childhood cancer within your 'one truth'?

Do you believe in God?

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