Religion: Does Anyone REALLY Believe It? Religion: Does Anyone REALLY Believe It?

[hobelim]

It is bewildering that so many people in 'this day and age' give at least the appearance of belief in obviously infantile explanations for so much, including religion.

No coincidence that in Europe where they are less religious they believe more in human created climate change, evolution and gay rights.

This is why I say if you can be convinced a religion is real you can be convinced anything. No proof necessary. You just have to have faith you are right

Most people tend to believe the reality that's presented to them and lack the faith to be honest with themselves and others when they have any doubts.


Its less about having the faith that you are right as much as it is about fear, conformity and obstinate stupidity

 

[sealybobo]

It is bewildering that so many people in 'this day and age' give at least the appearance of belief in obviously infantile explanations for so much, including religion.

No coincidence that in Europe where they are less religious they believe more in human created climate change, evolution and gay rights.

This is why I say if you can be convinced a religion is real you can be convinced anything. No proof necessary. You just have to have faith you are right

Most people tend to believe the reality that's presented to them and lack the faith to be honest with themselves and others when they have any doubts.


Its less about having the faith that you are right as much as it is about fear, conformity and obstinate stupidity

"It's better to be safe than sorry" is even one of their recriting tactics. So a lot of people stop questioning and just cherry pick and live with cognitive dissonance

 

[hobelim]

It is bewildering that so many people in 'this day and age' give at least the appearance of belief in obviously infantile explanations for so much, including religion.

No coincidence that in Europe where they are less religious they believe more in human created climate change, evolution and gay rights.

This is why I say if you can be convinced a religion is real you can be convinced anything. No proof necessary. You just have to have faith you are right

Most people tend to believe the reality that's presented to them and lack the faith to be honest with themselves and others when they have any doubts.


Its less about having the faith that you are right as much as it is about fear, conformity and obstinate stupidity

"It's better to be safe than sorry" is even one of their recriting tactics. So a lot of people stop questioning and just cherry pick and live with cognitive dissonance

Right, and when you have the audacity to try to help them out of their self-negating descent into insanity by pointing out contradictions, facts, etc., they vomit the resulting stress, anger, self loathing, and confusion all over you.

I don't know about you but I thank God that I am immune to such manipulations and don't have to live out the rest of my days in such a state.

You may not realize this but you have been truly blessed by the very God that you do not believe in..

Countless people over the past thousands of years never emerged from the tomb that once held you.

Maybe some humility and appreciation is in order for whatever you want to call the force of life that spared you from such a fate?

 

[sealybobo]

It is bewildering that so many people in 'this day and age' give at least the appearance of belief in obviously infantile explanations for so much, including religion.

No coincidence that in Europe where they are less religious they believe more in human created climate change, evolution and gay rights.

This is why I say if you can be convinced a religion is real you can be convinced anything. No proof necessary. You just have to have faith you are right

Most people tend to believe the reality that's presented to them and lack the faith to be honest with themselves and others when they have any doubts.


Its less about having the faith that you are right as much as it is about fear, conformity and obstinate stupidity

"It's better to be safe than sorry" is even one of their recriting tactics. So a lot of people stop questioning and just cherry pick and live with cognitive dissonance

Right, and when you have the audacity to try to help them out of their self-negating descent into insanity by pointing out contradictions, facts, etc., they vomit the resulting stress, anger, self loathing, and confusion all over you.

I don't know about you but I thank God that I am immune to such manipulations and don't have to live out the rest of my days in such a state.

You may not realize this but you have been truly blessed by the very God that you do not believe in..

Countless people over the past thousands of years never emerged from the tomb that once held you.

Maybe some humility and appreciation is in order for whatever you want to call the force of life that spared you from such a fate?

I have the utmost appreciation for whatever put us here. All the events that's had to happen to lead to me existing. Amazing. That has nothing to do with my problems with religion.

I wonder what kind of creature needs a God in order to know right from wrong but I see how we use it to teach children right from wrong so I get it.

But I want to point something out to you. You just described a very generic God when you described it as "whatever it is that created the universe". I'm OK with that definition. Because you admit you don't actually know. Christians assume the bible is a fact. A book written by God. And in that book it says believe or burn in hell.

It is that that I object to. If all you are asking me to do is respect the universe, I already do. And I value life.

 

[Holos]

Religion: Does Anyone REALLY Believe It?



I find this dude very much right and wonder how could you take a 2,000 year old book at face value?

I do believe in Religion.

Agreeably so, it is difficult to relate to other people if you are learning a language that precedes their life and also your own, and the question of rather that language actually becomes practical in life is genuine.

However, if carefully observing the world, it is easy, and perhaps even becoming useful, to identify certain aspects of it, such as landscapes, as preceding my life or of anyone that I know.

Because of that, taking a book also in precedence of my life and of those that I know, may come to assist me in comprehending how to relate to those other aspects that I have not been taught about how to relate to, or simply how to be with.

A language completely foreign and well-established in age, associated to contemporary familiar languages of which I already know how to use and where they have actually come from (either people or institutions), can assist me in living a life of enhanced quality, considering the extensive beneficial possibilities in relation to those I have already observed and benefited from.

 

[S.J.]

Take the law regarding circumcision for instance. If you fail to comprehend the deeper meaning and take that law literally, the next thing you know everybody is mutilating their own penises.

How about the part where it suggests becoming a eunuch? I'm sorry, but that just ain't gonna happen.

Then, if you are dedicated to a love of God and truth a decision has to be made. You either have to search for a deeper meaning or abandon the whole enchilada.

See how easy it is to be diverted by written words that have many levels of meanings and even more implications that were never written down effectively keeping the teachings secret, hidden in plain sight?


"So he drove the man out and to the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the Cherubim and a flaming and flashing sword that turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."


The Bible is like a book of riddles in the same way the question, "How can he give us his flesh to eat?"' presents a riddle.


If you look and look and keep on looking, you will find the answers.

If you don't look, you will find nothing.


Why not challenge yourself to give it a try. Search for deeper meaning. Obviously to accept it all as the literal truth amounts to a form of insanity.

Surely its not possible that bronze age goat herders who knew nothing of the universe or how the natural world works could have outsmarted all of the educated people of this day and age?

Is it?

Do you know what sarcasm is?

Yes, I know. You are too fucked in the head with partisan politics to be taken seriously. I just used your comment to convey something of great value to those who aspire to the heavenly realm.


obviously, what I posted was not for your benefit.

Sorry.

You're sorry, alright. I'm just wondering who appointed you God's spokesman. Or maybe you just have a messiah complex. That's what I would call "fucked in the head".

 

[S.J.]

Sorry you don't believe in anything other than what you've been spoon fed by your God, the secular Democratic Party. I'm just glad you won't be in Heaven to pollute it the way you pollute this world.

What an ignorant baby.

You know God is all in your head when he hates all the same people you hate

Who said anything about hate? Seems like you're the one who hates. You and globulin or whatever his name is.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Do I believe in just one single religion? No. I don't, because I think that God is too big to be contained in just one dogma or belief system.

However................I DO believe that religion can be used as a vehicle to introduce an individual to something bigger than themselves, thereby inducing a spiritual experience, but to limit yourself to just one aspect of God (dogma or belief system), then you are in a very real sense limiting God because of your limited appreciation of Him.

All religions say basically the same thing, treat each other well, don't murder, lie, steal, and remember that there is something bigger than yourself that is paying attention to what you do.

Religion is the jumping off point of a spiritual experience in my book, and how far and how big your experience is in your understanding of God is limited only by yourself.

 

[S.J.]

Do I believe in just one single religion? No. I don't, because I think that God is too big to be contained in just one dogma or belief system.

However................I DO believe that religion can be used as a vehicle to introduce an individual to something bigger than themselves, thereby inducing a spiritual experience, but to limit yourself to just one aspect of God (dogma or belief system), then you are in a very real sense limiting God because of your limited appreciation of Him.

All religions say basically the same thing, treat each other well, don't murder, lie, steal, and remember that there is something bigger than yourself that is paying attention to what you do.

Religion is the jumping off point of a spiritual experience in my book, and how far and how big your experience is in your understanding of God is limited only by yourself.

I don't believe it...I agree with some of what you're saying.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Hey SJ, even Sassy Irish Lass has agreed with me on occasion.

It happens.

What are the parts of my post that you agree with, and what parts do you not agree with? I'd like to hear your views.

Really. I would. I find it kind of informative and expands my world when I can find out what other people's views are.

 

[S.J.]

Hey SJ, even Sassy Irish Lass has agreed with me on occasion.

It happens.

What are the parts of my post that you agree with, and what parts do you not agree with? I'd like to hear your views.

Really. I would. I find it kind of informative and expands my world when I can find out what other people's views are.

Actually, I agree with most of it. Let me add something to it. Religion is risky. Not saying it's BS, just saying one has to be careful when subscribing to a particular faith. The Bible tells us to trust no man and most would agree, yet man writes the words we read. Does that not mean that we should be skeptical? I think it does. God didn't give us a reasoning brain for nothing. He wants us to question authority and challenge it at times, even in the church (like Jesus did). There are those who hang onto every word they read and seem incapable of thinking for themselves (like God tells us to do).
Islam is a good example of so called prophets manipulating people's faith to get them to follow THEIR directives and the people who follow don't heed the warnings about not trusting man. Anyone can see that calling on the faithful to kill their fellow man is in conflict with telling them NOT to but those whose faith is based on fear of disobedience will do what they're told. They've placed their "prophet" above God himself and don't even know it.
Religion is more of a guide, like you say, and I think the person who observes and evaluates is wiser than the person who blindly follows what their leaders say without question. After all, it IS man's nature to deceive. Thanks for the honest exchange.

 

[Agit8r]

Religion: Does Anyone REALLY Believe It?



I find this dude very much right and wonder how could you take a 2,000 year old book at face value?

It is based in fear. It's about keeping people from thinking outside of their amygdalae.

 

[the_human_being]

How is it that people who profess to believe in 'God' understand so little that they think they can speak for 'God'?

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

There's a rather obvious hubris that seems to go hand-in-hand with godlessness. They deny God, and mock those who believe in him; imagining themselves to be somehow more intelligent and more enlightened, when it ought to be obvious that in professing themselves to be wise, they have merely become arrogant fools.

 

[the_human_being]

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

There's a rather obvious hubris that seems to go hand-in-hand with godlessness. They deny God, and mock those who believe in him; imagining themselves to be somehow more intelligent and more enlightened, when it ought to be obvious that in professing themselves to be wise, they have merely become arrogant fools.

Yes indeed. They deny His existence yet make post after post after post about Him. They are insane.

 

[sealybobo]

Hey SJ, even Sassy Irish Lass has agreed with me on occasion.

It happens.

What are the parts of my post that you agree with, and what parts do you not agree with? I'd like to hear your views.

Really. I would. I find it kind of informative and expands my world when I can find out what other people's views are.

Actually, I agree with most of it. Let me add something to it. Religion is risky. Not saying it's BS, just saying one has to be careful when subscribing to a particular faith. The Bible tells us to trust no man and most would agree, yet man writes the words we read. Does that not mean that we should be skeptical? I think it does. God didn't give us a reasoning brain for nothing. He wants us to question authority and challenge it at times, even in the church (like Jesus did). There are those who hang onto every word they read and seem incapable of thinking for themselves (like God tells us to do).
Islam is a good example of so called prophets manipulating people's faith to get them to follow THEIR directives and the people who follow don't heed the warnings about not trusting man. Anyone can see that calling on the faithful to kill their fellow man is in conflict with telling them NOT to but those whose faith is based on fear of disobedience will do what they're told. They've placed their "prophet" above God himself and don't even know it.
Religion is more of a guide, like you say, and I think the person who observes and evaluates is wiser than the person who blindly follows what their leaders say without question. After all, it IS man's nature to deceive. Thanks for the honest exchange.

Most people would agree they'd rather die than see one of their children die. Not God.

I find it odd religious people don't believe there are universes beyond our universe. They have literally put God in a box. The universe being the box.

It doesn't make it ok that the old & new testaments are lies just because those stories keep some people from being bad. It doesn't matter that the Mormon or Muslim faiths provide lots of people with comfort.

A lie is a lie no matter how good it makes you feel. If religions stopped telling impossible stories and then telling us people who doubt will go to hell.

We are still a very young new primitive species and we know so little. We, some of us, lots of us, are still clinging to these ancient stories.

 

[sealybobo]

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

There's a rather obvious hubris that seems to go hand-in-hand with godlessness. They deny God, and mock those who believe in him; imagining themselves to be somehow more intelligent and more enlightened, when it ought to be obvious that in professing themselves to be wise, they have merely become arrogant fools.

Yes indeed. They deny His existence yet make post after post after post about Him. They are insane.

If I were God ID have many different fishtanks but your ancient ancestors tell us God told them we are all there is. This is all for us. Meanwhile we're about to discover either ancient life or living things on Mars and Europa. They think life was on Mars billions of years before earth.

It's thinkers like you that hold us back. I'd rather talk about science than right and wrong. We have laws so no need for the stories.

There is no other way to discuss your invisible dragon. That doesn't mean we believe it exists. And when Christians and Muslims are discriminating and killing in the name of this invisible dragon, it's got to be talked about.

 

[the_human_being]

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

There's a rather obvious hubris that seems to go hand-in-hand with godlessness. They deny God, and mock those who believe in him; imagining themselves to be somehow more intelligent and more enlightened, when it ought to be obvious that in professing themselves to be wise, they have merely become arrogant fools.

Yes indeed. They deny His existence yet make post after post after post about Him. They are insane.

If I were God ID have many different fishtanks but your ancient ancestors tell us God told them we are all there is. This is all for us. Meanwhile we're about to discover either ancient life or living things on Mars and Europa. They think life was on Mars billions of years before earth.

It's thinkers like you that hold us back. I'd rather talk about science than right and wrong. We have laws so no need for the stories.

There is no other way to discuss your invisible dragon. That doesn't mean we believe it exists. And when Christians and Muslims are discriminating and killing in the name of this invisible dragon, it's got to be talked about.

That's what I'm saying. If you really believe God doesn't exist then why do you insist on discussing Him. I don't believe in unicorns therefore I don't make countless posts on USMB about unicorns.

 

[sealybobo]

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

There's a rather obvious hubris that seems to go hand-in-hand with godlessness. They deny God, and mock those who believe in him; imagining themselves to be somehow more intelligent and more enlightened, when it ought to be obvious that in professing themselves to be wise, they have merely become arrogant fools.

Yes indeed. They deny His existence yet make post after post after post about Him. They are insane.

If I were God ID have many different fishtanks but your ancient ancestors tell us God told them we are all there is. This is all for us. Meanwhile we're about to discover either ancient life or living things on Mars and Europa. They think life was on Mars billions of years before earth.

It's thinkers like you that hold us back. I'd rather talk about science than right and wrong. We have laws so no need for the stories.

There is no other way to discuss your invisible dragon. That doesn't mean we believe it exists. And when Christians and Muslims are discriminating and killing in the name of this invisible dragon, it's got to be talked about.

That's what I'm saying. If you really believe God doesn't exist then why do you insist on discussing Him. I don't believe in unicorns therefore I don't make countless posts on USMB about unicorns.

I explained already people who believe in unicorns aren't a problem. People believing in God are. Not 100% all the time and not all of you but overall it's a bad idea used to control, divide and manipulate us.

And really, why do you care? My brother believes and doesn't care what others believe. Says he's a Christian and goes to church but is OK with gays, abortions and doesn't believe all non Christians are in hell.

So why do you care if I believe? Don't say you don't care because, for example, you wouldn't vote for an atheist. But I've voted for all Christians my whole life. I don't hold it against them.

 

[there4eyeM]

How is it that people who profess to believe in 'God' understand so little that they think they can speak for 'God'?

Why is it that so many who claim to be of such superior intellect that they deny the existence of God spend so much of their time attempting to have a discussion about Him? Are you fools so intelligent in your own minds that you are in reality, insane?

What is served by quoting the above post when you are obviously debating with yourself? The quote has nothing to do denial of deity.