Do you believe in an almighty God?

[deadwinter]

WARNING: Please don't read if you think this might upset you. I do not wish to offend anyone!

I was born to a Christian family.. aside from the nightly prayer, we were never the most religious. As far as I can remember, I have never been able to believe in God fully. I've always had doubts and unanswered questions. As I got older, we stopped going to church completely, and I lost faith.

Spirituality and religiosity have virtually existed since the beginning of humans. For most of human history, religion was polytheistic, based on nature spirits/deities. Today, the vast majority of people do not believe in, for example, the Ancient Greek/Roman gods and goddesses. In general, most people who are religious follow the same religion as their family, or the dominant religion in their society.

Religious beliefs are tied closely to culture and societal norms. In terms of monotheistic religions, such as Christianity, I have a hard time believing that an all-powerful God would make specific moral guidelines for humans to follow. For example, the "seven deadly sins" and our ideas of right and wrong are societal man-made concepts. To be honest, most of these said "sins" are just basic human nature, and not inherently wrong. Why would an almighty God, creator of the universe, pay so much care and attention to humans in specific?

I feel that we often forget humans are still animals. We may be smarter and more resourceful than other species, but how does this alone justify us to dominate the earth? I think it's actually quite comforting to realize that we are insignificant and impermanent.

I acknowledge that I don't know everything. I would love to hear your perspective, and I'm open to learn and consider different ideas! Thank you so much for reading this, it means so much to me.

 

[Source Energy]

God, no !
(Pun intended)

 

[Linda]

WARNING: Please don't read if you think this might upset you. I do not wish to offend anyone!

I was born to a Christian family.. aside from the nightly prayer, we were never the most religious. As far as I can remember, I have never been able to believe in God fully. I've always had doubts and unanswered questions. As I got older, we stopped going to church completely, and I lost faith.

Spirituality and religiosity have virtually existed since the beginning of humans. For most of human history, religion was polytheistic, based on nature spirits/deities. Today, the vast majority of people do not believe in, for example, the Ancient Greek/Roman gods and goddesses. In general, most people who are religious follow the same religion as their family, or the dominant religion in their society.

Religious beliefs are tied closely to culture and societal norms. In terms of monotheistic religions, such as Christianity, I have a hard time believing that an all-powerful God would make specific moral guidelines for humans to follow. For example, the "seven deadly sins" and our ideas of right and wrong are societal man-made concepts. To be honest, most of these said "sins" are just basic human nature, and not inherently wrong. Why would an almighty God, creator of the universe, pay so much care and attention to humans in specific?

I feel that we often forget humans are still animals. We may be smarter and more resourceful than other species, but how does this alone justify us to dominate the earth? I think it's actually quite comforting to realize that we are insignificant and impermanent.

I acknowledge that I don't know everything. I would love to hear your perspective, and I'm open to learn and consider different ideas! Thank you so much for reading this, it means so much to me.

I don't believe that there is a god, for the same reason I don't believe that the Tooth Fairy exits. There is no evidence for either. I was brought up in a very religious household, but as soon as I moved away and escaped from the daily indoctrination I grew up.

 

[carmechanicer_keke]

i think it gives humans hope to believe in some sort of god. i come from a christian family and have been going to church my whole life, however i don't quite consider myself a christian. i have observed that god gives christians some kind of hope. they have a problem and they pray for it. they feel sad, they pray for it. they are on their death bed, they pray. they are assured to meet god when they die. god for them is someone who loves them unconditionaly and i think that's what most humans want. when i opened up to my family about my depression, they offered to pray for me. this is mostly about christianity and i apologize, it's just that i am more familiar with the concept of christianity.
the point is, people live for their god. the existence of a god answers their questions.

 

[dark.matter]

I was brought up christian and I've always been really overwhelmed and scared because it didn't make me feel like everyone around me, I questioned things a lot and felt like I was missing something obvious.
In my opinion religion is a way for people to deal with life being shitty, if only you get through life a certain way and think that all your suffering is just god testing you and you live with a prospect of a light at the end of the tunnel it makes it easier to get through it i think

 

[enough of this]

I believe in Source Energy. I don't believe in God as a deity.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I think it's more likely that there isn't one. Like you said- so many things don't make sense. Plus- religion tends to (very conveniently) mirror human laws. I'm sure that's no accident. I don't know who said this but I've always liked the quote: 'God created mankind in his own image, then mankind returned the favour.'

I just think we have evolved to be very imaginative creatures. We learn by telling one another stories. Plus- as there became more of us- I'm sure the wiser/ more cunning of our kind realised that there were going to need to be rules/ laws/ commandments to reign in our more disruptive behaviour and maintain order.

That all said though- I was raised around spiritual/ religious people- so, sometimes I find it hard to dismiss the religious stuff all together. If there really is a God though- I'd say we're all in trouble. I'd say there's more tha enough evidence to point to them being a sadistic narcissist.

 

[David_S]

To believe in God is to say you have only one more brain cell than a Flat-Earther. Or is it one less?

Either way it's just a crutch for people who's mind can't handle reality.

 

[Dindurnatha]

No. I was raised by regressive fundamentalist christians in what I often describe as a "cult-lite" environment.

I was a True Believer as a kid, nightmares of the rapture, crippling fear of hell and all lol.

Honestly, I think getting out of the cult fried whatever synapses are responsible for being able to believe in a higher power. When I say I tried to believe in a god, any god, after I got out, I mean it. But ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯ i can't, not anymore.

The closest I can come these days is """praying"""" to a fictional pantheon. Like the made up gods of a made up universe. I like the familiarity/the ritual of it and honestly, i think that's what religion is really for. that and building community, but that part of religion is pretty much closed to me bc no matter where I go I'd always be faking it to some degree.

 

[KAZ-2Y5]

I know God exists because ive had many experiences that prove it to me. But I don't know if I really want a God to exist I wish life was impermanent. I don't know what my purpose is here and I wish God would care more for me but he left me to be abused over and over. I don't know how to feel about God.

 

[SpaceBoyEvangef]

Hell no! If there was a god, he wouldn't let the screams of innocent children, teens, adults, and even animals go unheard.

 

[bijou]

i am not entirely sure, but i am going to be honest that i do enjoy religious studies. i think to understand human history, religion must be included. it is an anthropological phenomenon that has occurred across every corner of the globe, and as you said, since essentially the beginning of recordable human history. it has influenced arts, culture, philosophy, architecture, wars, language etc.

whether people like it or not, it is undeniable religion has played a part in shaping the human world as we know it, which is why i choose to interact with it through this lens.

learning about different religious doctrines fascinates me to no end, whether they are ancient or modern, "fringe" or familiar.
i think it is very valuable to be religiously literate, regardless of a belief or lack-thereof in god.

 

[bluebus]

No. But my opinion carries as much weight as anyones. None of us know anything for sure

 

[obligatoryshackles]

The idea of God and Christianity (and other religions too!) was very practically useful for humanity.

I think of religion as a tool humanity used to get from one point to another. Whether or not God actually exists is irrelevant because the belief that God exists and the power it grants to religious (and sometimes secular, think divine right monarchies) institutions is very real. I believe a very strong case can be made that western civilizations would not have been as materially successful without Christianity, whether that's a good thing or not.

Now, there is also a very valid case to be made that many religions have outgrown their usefulness today and now only hinder humanity, but when they were most relevant, they were very useful and powerful tools. We have a lot of such cultural artefacts outside of religion as well - concepts and tools we invented to solve a problem in the past but now lingers and hinders us.

 

[CW36]

Yes, and my faith gives me a fortitude that an atheist can only dream of.

 

[tpboy]

Yes, and my faith gives me a fortitude that an atheist can only dream of.

What do it do for you?

 

[nom de guerre]

No.

 

[CW36]

What do it do for you?

By believing in an after life, I have a positive drive and energy to take with me going into my CTB. Most go down and deflated.

 

[offtoseethewizard]

I can't find any logic to any of it. I've read about various people trying to prove the afterlife but their scientific methods lack rigor. People like Ian Stevenson (reincarnation) and Bruce Greyson (near death experiences as proof for an afterlife). As for organized religion - I mean - yeah. It's all so illogical as to be ridiculous. Although I do happen to believe in retrospect that the various texts outline the best way to live life by avoiding unnecessary pain. If I had have been a believer and not a nihilist from the get go I probably wouldn't have ended up here…

 

[dead_milky]

no. The only thing this belief gave me was severe psychosis as a kid which still holds me.

I am pagan. I believe in the energy of nature and such. My deities are the things in the world; the sun, the moon, water and other natural forces. Even if we have a creator - I see no reason to worship them. I worship only this which serves me.

 

[kevinj430]

WARNING: Please don't read if you think this might upset you. I do not wish to offend anyone!

I was born to a Christian family.. aside from the nightly prayer, we were never the most religious. As far as I can remember, I have never been able to believe in God fully. I've always had doubts and unanswered questions. As I got older, we stopped going to church completely, and I lost faith.

Spirituality and religiosity have virtually existed since the beginning of humans. For most of human history, religion was polytheistic, based on nature spirits/deities. Today, the vast majority of people do not believe in, for example, the Ancient Greek/Roman gods and goddesses. In general, most people who are religious follow the same religion as their family, or the dominant religion in their society.

Religious beliefs are tied closely to culture and societal norms. In terms of monotheistic religions, such as Christianity, I have a hard time believing that an all-powerful God would make specific moral guidelines for humans to follow. For example, the "seven deadly sins" and our ideas of right and wrong are societal man-made concepts. To be honest, most of these said "sins" are just basic human nature, and not inherently wrong. Why would an almighty God, creator of the universe, pay so much care and attention to humans in specific?

I feel that we often forget humans are still animals. We may be smarter and more resourceful than other species, but how does this alone justify us to dominate the earth? I think it's actually quite comforting to realize that we are insignificant and impermanent.

I acknowledge that I don't know everything. I would love to hear your perspective, and I'm open to learn and consider different ideas! Thank you so much for reading this, it means so much to me.

Lately I have been very interested in the simulation theory. That we really
The universe seems like it is so perfectly created that something (God or whatever someone chooses to call Him/Her/I) must have orchestrated it. I don't buy much of something from nothing.

 

[Average Enthusiast]

I genuinely don't know. There's an infinite amount of beliefs in history, so it's hard to say if one is genuinely real. Now, figures like Jesus are real because there are genuine accounts of him, but again, stories get muddled over time. I don't believe in "God" but I believe there surely is a higher power of some sort. Most likely energy. I suppose though people find comfort in having beliefs, mainly because of the possibilities of an afterlife.

 

[lemonbunny]

i still have faith of some sort. spirituality is one of the only things that keeps me going in these dark times. but i have never felt a sense of belonging with my religious church or family.

 

[Madao]

I would detest God but that would validate his existence so...what's God?

 

[Softwind]

I believe in God, but I still like to believe that there isn't an afterlife.