Would you prefer if there was a god?

TeddyTedson · 16-02-2012 04:27PM #1

Obviously a lot of religious people believe in god because they want to believe in it.
But how do people who have made up their minds that a god doesn't exist feel about it.

If you could flick a switch and create a god, afterlife and everything that goes with it would you?

If someone close to you tragically dies or kills themselves, do or have you ever began to reassess your beliefs in a lack of god in the hope of meeting the person again.?

I'd just like to get some thoughts from people who have come to the conclusion that there is nothing after death.

kylith · 16-02-2012 04:33PM

On one hand, no. I think that the afterlife would be boring and full of awkward moments with people you don't really like.
On the other hand, yes. It would be good to have someone to complain to about all the design faults in the human body, the unfairness of wealth and food distribution, and the fact that really bad things often happen to good people.

excaliburhc · 16-02-2012 04:39PM

well it would lead to more then an afterlife wouldnt it ? i believe if there was it would lead to all life changing - perhaps for the better - perhaps not. we are an illogical species.

if there was a "god" then surely he/she/it would have to get involved in the day to day life of people - stop the massacres / starvation and such - can you imagine if there was a proven god and he/she/it did nothing . people with change from acceptance and love to hate and anger . -i.e why is he/she/it allowing this and so on .(in my opinion) .he/she/it will become the focal point for all the bad things that happen . fickle like that we are

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Dr. Loon · 16-02-2012 04:41PM

No. I wouldn't. The idea of an afterlife is, to me, hell. Eternity with people? No thanks. Sweet eternal sleep when it comes is just fine with me. I'll know nothing about it.

The idea of a god would be great, if that god sorted out the inherent evil in the world, and protected us from earthquakes, floods and so on. That'd be nice. I often wonder how the religious justify the problem of evil.

magicbastarder · 16-02-2012 04:43PM

what sort of a god? the christian god is already out.
it'd be like having a permanent parent.

nozzferrahhtoo · 16-02-2012 04:48PM

I think it has been asked a few times before. The answer I generally give is "No" because I think the idea of eternal life cheapens this one and makes a mockery of much of what we hold dear. Life is precious because it is rare and the only one you have. If you had another next one for all eternity, then this one would be relatively worthless.

Think of the sacrifice people have made when they have died for a Person or ideal. What do such sacrifices even mean in the face of eternal life? Not much.

Take the Jesus myth for example. We are told this guy made a huge sacrifice. But he simply exchanged a mortal temporary life for an eternal one of bliss and ruling in an eternal kingdom. How is that a sacrifice? It is an insult to all our intelligence to be told to worship this as a "sacrifice" by theists. Thankfully their intelligence more than ours.

Now had he been offered eternal life of bliss and role as eternal leader of that kingdom and chose the true death instead, then that might have been a fairy tale worth telling. That might have been a sacrifice.

Finally as Christopher Hitchens would have pointed out, we know what a life made up of nothing but worshiping the leader is like, we see it in North Korea and it sounds like hell to me. I have no interest in going to such a place where my only role in eternal life is to give praise and thanks to the eternal leader. Or Else.

b318isp · 16-02-2012 04:51PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

If someone close to you tragically dies or kills themselves, do or have you ever began to reassess your beliefs in a lack of god in the hope of meeting the person again.?

The pain of missing them can be severe, especially if sudden and unexpected. The hope of seeing then again can be a (short term) coping mechanism.

In the last two years, I lost a friend to suicide and another friend lost his very beloved girlfriend to cancer. While it may be a nice thought to see them again, I believe it is a lot healthier to move on as soon as reasonably possible.

A spiritual belief of seeing them again I think is actually harmful in the long run. Those who remain behind are often shattered by the process and, IMO, they are better of closing that chapter and moving on with what they have left.

Coriolanus · 16-02-2012 04:53PM

Not necessarily a god but when my father died I found myself wishing I could believe in an afterlife. Certainly seems to give my mother a lot of comfort.

Northclare · 16-02-2012 05:12PM

What used to comfort me when I didn't believe in god was the thought of death being like an eternal dream less sleep.

sbsquarepants · 16-02-2012 05:32PM

There is a god

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRKoS3NoxZ_cCpc7z_FQcdqYKqbfuCMDzd8EuVU6syXNYShrWeQ5w

Praise the lord:D

seamus · 16-02-2012 05:34PM

It seems to me that if the existence of a God and afterlife became "fact" overnight (ignoring how it would become so), that it would instantly render this life utterly pointless - a "holding cell" before you go into the afterlife. You couldn't bring anything forward with you into the afterlife, so why bother working, etc. Instead you would be better off aiming to get there as quickly as possible so you can begin the process of eternity.

You'd have moral problems - murder would no longer be a big deal. Safety would be a non-issue.

Of course the biggest issue is that you have to pick one of the billions of possible implementations of "God and the afterlife and all that stuff". And most of those implementations inherently exclude 99% of people from going to heaven and either consign them to hell or permanent death. More moral issues there - if we're all going to hell, we may as well do something to deserve it.

The very fabric of human society hinges on the fact that there's probably nothing afterwards. The most optimistic thing we can say for certain about an afterlife is, "We haven't a clue whether or not it exists".
This means that we treat this life as the only one we get and so afford it the preciousness it deserves.

I know that's a lot more academic than you were asking in your OP. However, while every atheist would say that they would give anything to see their deceased loved ones again, that doesn't reflect any weakness or "rethinking" in their position vis-a-vis religion/God.

eyescreamcone · 16-02-2012 05:35PM

Take responsibility for your own life and actions.
When things go wrong sort it out yourself.

Only the weak look for help from supernatural beings.

Grow up - be the god in your own life!!!

joseph brand · 16-02-2012 05:36PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

If someone close to you tragically dies or kills themselves, do or have you ever began to reassess your beliefs in a lack of god in the hope of meeting the person again.?

.

The thought of no afterlife makes this life all the more precious. If one believes in the next life and 'meeting up' with everyone you ever knew, then death is kinda trivial (80 years here vs eternity life in paradise).

For an example:
I think most of us have lost our grandparents. They are not forgotten. My grandparents show up in my dreams and I carry their genes around in me. I'm sure my children have their genes too, and mine of course. So in that way, they're not fully 'gone'. God or no God.

In the case of younger people who have died, ie, brothers and sisters, friends etc, they have touched all those around them and will always be remembered. We may even have learned something from them.

Dades · 16-02-2012 06:11PM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

If you could flick a switch and create a god, afterlife and everything that goes with it would you?

Not too bothered about having a god - don't need one of those tbh.

An afterlife would be fine in my book. I don't care if I'm half-lobotomised, if I can meet all my loved ones on the stairs like Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio in that dream at the end of Titanic, then great.

Even better if I can play football like Roberto Baggio and guitar like Clapton.

Sarky · 16-02-2012 06:37PM

Flick a switch and create a god?

I'm not enough of a bastard, frankly. Taking charge of your own accomplishments and failures is an important part of life, all the more so because life is something which ends. The knowledge that mankind's dizzying highs and depraved lows are a result of mankind, and nothing else, is at once liberating and sobering, providing incentive to strive for greatness and attempt to curb our own villainy. There's just us. Only ever us.

Oh, it might start out fine and dandy with hugs and flowers and singalongs in the sunshine for all, but sooner or later I guarantee it'll turn to crap with people too guilty to claim credit for the good they've done, or too cowardly to accept their f*ck-ups. And if this new god is anything like any of the other gods people have ever believed in, he'll be either the kind of jerk that enjoys this, or a complete deadbeat absentee father type. Neither deserves a shred of respect. And THEN there'll be disagreements over something he was supposed to have said, which will eventually lead to bloodshed, and we're back to square one.

barfizz · 16-02-2012 06:57PM

Having a god would be great fun, just think of all the things i could do.

I could blame him every time something goes wrong and not try to fix it.

If i don't understand something i can put it down to his supreme intervention and not bother to try to understand it.

If i don't like someones behavior i can say that it is against his will, nothing to do with me, I don't make the rules.

When I die and go to christian heaven, i could be surrounded by a load of self-righteous gits who spend their time saying "I told you so"

Muslim men are promised 72 young virgins and boys for perpetual enjoyment.
I wonder if it is paradise for the virgins or boys?

TeddyTedson · 16-02-2012 08:43PM

That's right Sarky, flick a switch. It's simple science :P

A lot of people are suggesting that an after life and a God would make this life pointless. But for example in the Christian faith, you're not guarenteed a gateway to heaven. You might have to spend time in purgatory or worse yet, burn for eternity in heck hell..."but he loves you"... "AND HE NEEDS MONEY"

I often wonder about non religious people who become born again Christians. A lot seem to stem from drug abuse, but they seem to be so happy in their own skin after "embracing the lord", I find it truly extraordinary. It almost seems as if they've brainwashed themselves...

Zombrex · 16-02-2012 08:47PM

I think it would be great if there was a god, just not any of the gods that organized religious have come up with.

Gregor Samsa · 16-02-2012 09:25PM

I'd prefer if there were lots of gods, and they had never-ending battles in the sky, and had sex with people while appearing as bulls, and bits of their bodies got chopped off and became geographical features. And they had monkey armies that built bridges and stuff. That would spice things up a bit.

Monotheism is boring.

Sarky · 16-02-2012 09:27PM

Polytheism does sound like the kind of soap opera that wouldn't suck ass.

RichieC · 16-02-2012 09:41PM

Certainly not the spiteful childish asshole the christians and muslims pray too.

philologos · 16-02-2012 10:48PM

barfizz wrote: »

When I die and go to christian heaven, i could be surrounded by a load of self-righteous gits who spend their time saying "I told you so"

You could be surrounded by self-righteous gits. Given the Gospel it doesn't seem likely. Given that Christianity clearly teaches that we are saved by Jesus' death and resurrection rather than any deed that I have ever done. That's pretty much the polar opposite of self righteousness. Jesus criticised those who believed that they were justified by their religious works (e.g Matthew 23, Mark 7). In fact, the most religious people of His day didn't know God (John 5 - 6).

What is surprising about Christianity is that it teaches that our good works were prepared by God in advance, and that we were rescued from the penalty of sin by faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in Him.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV)

One of the things I long for every nation is that a remnant of people rise up to follow Jesus Christ.

Sarky · 16-02-2012 11:02PM

Because that never ends badly.

Liamario · 16-02-2012 11:09PM

No thanks. As much as I care about my friends and family, I suspect that come the age of 90 , I'll be welcoming death with open arms.

philologos · 16-02-2012 11:27PM

Sarky wrote: »

Because that never ends badly.

Funny that you should say that. Following Jesus and Him alone, never ends badly as far as I can tell.

Using some idea of "Christendom" as a mechanism for going to war against an established foe or for ruling nations is generally not great. None of these systems did the above though as far as I can tell. A dry tool of state coercion is nothing in comparison to a dynamic and living grassroots movement.

kylith · 16-02-2012 11:31PM

philologos wrote: »

What is surprising about Christianity is that it teaches that our good works were prepared by God in advance, and that we were rescued from the penalty of sin by faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in Him.

So God plots out our good deeds in advance, but when we do bad deeds it's nothing to do with him?

philologos · 16-02-2012 11:39PM

kylith wrote: »

So God plots out our good deeds in advance, but when we do bad deeds it's nothing to do with him?

Through accepting Him, and asking Him into our lives He inspires our Christian walk to lean more and more towards Him on a daily basis.

You seem to be forgetting that in the Christian sphere of thought:
Good deeds are those which honour God's standards.
Bad deeds are those which dishonour God's standards.

So no, I don't particularly see much rhyme, reason or sense in believing that God encourages people to dishonour Him and His standards for living in the world that He created.

barfizz · 16-02-2012 11:48PM

philologos wrote: »

You could be surrounded by self-righteous gits. Given the Gospel it doesn't seem likely. Given that Christianity clearly teaches that we are saved by Jesus' death and resurrection rather than any deed that I have ever done. That's pretty much the polar opposite of self righteousness. Jesus criticised those who believed that they were justified by their religious works (e.g Matthew 23, Mark 7). In fact, the most religious people of His day didn't know God (John 5 - 6).

What is surprising about Christianity is that it teaches that our good works were prepared by God in advance, and that we were rescued from the penalty of sin by faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in Him.

One of the things I long for every nation is that a remnant of people rise up to follow Jesus Christ.

Thanks for saying " I told you so"

philologos · 16-02-2012 11:59PM

barfizz wrote: »

Thanks for saying " I told you so"

Que?

I've just explained how Christianity couldn't be any further from self-righteousness if it is based on Jesus.

I'm a sinner, I don't deserve God's grace or favour. It's only because of Jesus that I have any form of hope of being with Him for eternity.

robindch · 17-02-2012 12:05AM

philologos wrote: »

Following Jesus and Him alone, never ends badly as far as I can tell.

Would you follow him all the way to Jerusalem?

philologos wrote: »

Using some idea of "Christendom" as a mechanism for going to war against an established foe or for ruling nations is generally not great.

Well, if the holy places of your religion had been taken over by people with allegiance to a competing religion, and the places were being desecrated and destroyed and your deity was looking correspondingly weak and powerless, would you feel you had to do something to help your religion regain some kind of respect?

barfizz · 17-02-2012 12:12AM

philologos wrote: »

Que?

I've just explained how Christianity couldn't be any further from self-righteousness if it is based on Jesus.

I'm a sinner, I don't deserve God's grace or favour. It's only because of Jesus that I have any form of hope of being with Him for eternity.

You crack me up, You really are funny.

Would you prefer if there was a god?

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