Why I Don't Believe

[alang1216]

As a young teen, I grew up in a neighborhood with both Christians and Jews and one day while walking I tried to reconcile why one God would have more than one religion. I considered the possibilities:
1 – All religions were true – this seemed unlikely since there were almost an infinite number across the planet and they appeared to fundamentally contradict one another in their morality, concept of God(s), history, etc.
2 – One religion was true while all others were false – this too seemed unlikely as why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them? Ideally it seemed God would want children to grow up without a religion and would, when they were adult enough to decide for themselves, choose which religion was true based on reason, morality, etc. It would be a conscious decision, not one made for them by their parents or community so if God were to later judge them at least they had a shot at salvation. Obviously this has never been the norm anywhere at any time in the past.
3 – No religion was true – this seemed the only logical answer then and didn’t seem so radical when I realized that if #2 above were true the majority of people in the world were WRONG. It seemed a modest leap from believing most people were wrong to all people were wrong (at that time I didn’t know anyone who admitted to me they did not believe in God).
Despite a lifetime of inquiry, I’ve never found a reason to change this decision.

 

[Mr. H.]

I'll pick door #3.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

As a young teen, I grew up in a neighborhood with both Christians and Jews and one day while walking I tried to reconcile why one God would have more than one religion. I considered the possibilities:
1 – All religions were true – this seemed unlikely since there were almost an infinite number across the planet and they appeared to fundamentally contradict one another in their morality, concept of God(s), history, etc.
2 – One religion was true while all others were false – this too seemed unlikely as why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them? Ideally it seemed God would want children to grow up without a religion and would, when they were adult enough to decide for themselves, choose which religion was true based on reason, morality, etc. It would be a conscious decision, not one made for them by their parents or community so if God were to later judge them at least they had a shot at salvation. Obviously this has never been the norm anywhere at any time in the past.
3 – No religion was true – this seemed the only logical answer then and didn’t seem so radical when I realized that if #2 above were true the majority of people in the world were WRONG. It seemed a modest leap from believing most people were wrong to all people were wrong (at that time I didn’t know anyone who admitted to me they did not believe in God).
Despite a lifetime of inquiry, I’ve never found a reason to change this decision.

Have thought this very thing myself. If I might make a suggestion for an additional possibility, 4) God exists, but none of our religions have it entirely right. But where they say the same thing, that's more likely from/of/about God than the religious-specific things.

My study of various religions has shown the golden rule occurs in just about every one. Phrased differently, but the meaning is identical. Therefore I assume that's part of God's actual message to us.

Have to remember that despite claims to the contrary, human beings invented every religion. But I htink osme things are universally true or correct. As with doing to other people things you'd like them to do to you. That's common sense and probably holds true throughout the universe. Don't eat pork, probably not unless pork exists on every inhabited planet. Although, conversely, pig guts are used in medicine so it could be argued God gave us pigs not to eat, but use in medicine. Hence the eating prohibition.

 

[PostmodernProph]

why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them?

here's where your logic falls apart.....he created them smart enough to figure out the truth, but didn't force it down their throats.....its not his fault you didn't meet up to his expectations.....

 

[Mad Scientist]

Don't forget OP, you can repent at any time. Don't let the Devil fool ya'.

You can Repent even when yer on yer Death Bed.

Just remember that!

 

[Avatar4321]

It never ceases to amaze me how people make decisions about God without consulting Him on the matter.

 

[Mohamed]

1) Believe in God is independent of any religion, Any human who is honest and brave enough can conclude that God is here and he is only one. It is hard to sideline our own cultures but it is possible.
Those that can't identify true religion can at least believe in God. This is better and more wise than athesim.

2)Beside the false religions that were invented by humans, there were many messages sent to people by God through messengers. But, there is two issues here:
a) people modified these messages to satisfy their desires, so God sent a messenger after messenger to remind people.
b)Not all God-messages were valid for all nations and all time, some of them were dedicated to a specific group of people for some interval. Although the beliefs in all God messages is the same, the regulations differ according to the different political/environmental/technological state of people.

3) God is Just.
Those that wasn't informed with God's messages will not be tortured by God.

Islam is the last message of God, all other religions even if they were true becomes invalid after the messenger Mohamed (peace be upon him).

Although there were attempts to modify islam as other religions, they were not totally successfully. The reason is that the original sources of Islam (Quran and sunnah) were saved in the very early stage of islam in their original language (arabic) which is still a live language.

So, even if some attempts to modify islam were partially successfull, true muslim believers were always able to recover to the true original version.

If you don't wish to accept Islam as the last message of God. My advice to you is at least believe in God and he is one. Be modest and polite with God and ask him to guide you.

I hope God guides you to the true way.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them?

here's where your logic falls apart.....he created them smart enough to figure out the truth, but didn't force it down their throats.....its not his fault you didn't meet up to his expectations.....

Actually, God did force it down people's throats by commanding those who worship him to kill those that don't. Up to an including entire cities if but one person didn't worship God. Ironic we condemn Islam for that yet it's origin is in our Bibles. (Exodus 22:19)

 

[alang1216]

I'll pick door #3.

There is nothing behind door # 3, you'll have to make your own prize.

 

[Penelope]

[/quote]

Have thought this very thing myself. If I might make a suggestion for an additional possibility, 4) God exists, but none of our religions have it entirely right. But where they say the same thing, that's more likely from/of/about God than the religious-specific things.

My study of various religions has shown the golden rule occurs in just about every one. Phrased differently, but the meaning is identical. Therefore I assume that's part of God's actual message to us.

Have to remember that despite claims to the contrary, human beings invented every religion. But I htink osme things are universally true or correct. As with doing to other people things you'd like them to do to you. That's common sense and probably holds true throughout the universe. Don't eat pork, probably not unless pork exists on every inhabited planet. Although, conversely, pig guts are used in medicine so it could be argued God gave us pigs not to eat, but use in medicine. Hence the eating prohibition.[/QUOTE]

I agree with your no. 4, I must say I find most beliefs irrational. I'm quite sure the pork thing came from pigs eat everything and anything, and the ancients thought they carried disease such as leprosy.

 

[alang1216]

Have thought this very thing myself. If I might make a suggestion for an additional possibility, 4) God exists, but none of our religions have it entirely right. But where they say the same thing, that's more likely from/of/about God than the religious-specific things.

Definately a possibility but it means we really know nothing about God so his existance is moot.

 

[alang1216]

why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them?

here's where your logic falls apart.....he created them smart enough to figure out the truth, but didn't force it down their throats.....its not his fault you didn't meet up to his expectations.....

He must be used to disappointment since no one we know of in the Americas before Columbus ever figured it out and only a handful in the old world before Emporer Constantine's time.

 

[alang1216]

It never ceases to amaze me how people make decisions about God without consulting Him on the matter.

I'd love to hear from him but so far as I can tell he's ignored me my whole life.

 

[Avatar4321]

why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them?

here's where your logic falls apart.....he created them smart enough to figure out the truth, but didn't force it down their throats.....its not his fault you didn't meet up to his expectations.....

He must be used to disappointment since no one we know of in the Americas before Columbus ever figured it out and only a handful in the old world before Emporer Constantine's time.

You're just saying that because you don't know the history of the pre-columbus population in America.

 

[Avatar4321]

It never ceases to amaze me how people make decisions about God without consulting Him on the matter.

I'd love to hear from him but so far as I can tell he's ignored me my whole life.

You don't want Him in your life, so why would He be in it? It was your choice. If you seek Him, you will find Him. He's waiting and ready to embrace you.

 

[alang1216]

I hope God guides you to the true way.

Thank you, me too. If it happens it will likely require a burning bush or something akin to that. If requires faith before facts that's a non-starter since anything I have faith in I'll find. Be it God, Jesus, new world order conspiraces, aliens, Elvis, etc.

 

[PratchettFan]

As a young teen, I grew up in a neighborhood with both Christians and Jews and one day while walking I tried to reconcile why one God would have more than one religion. I considered the possibilities:
1 – All religions were true – this seemed unlikely since there were almost an infinite number across the planet and they appeared to fundamentally contradict one another in their morality, concept of God(s), history, etc.
2 – One religion was true while all others were false – this too seemed unlikely as why would God allow people to grow up learning lies and then judge them? Ideally it seemed God would want children to grow up without a religion and would, when they were adult enough to decide for themselves, choose which religion was true based on reason, morality, etc. It would be a conscious decision, not one made for them by their parents or community so if God were to later judge them at least they had a shot at salvation. Obviously this has never been the norm anywhere at any time in the past.
3 – No religion was true – this seemed the only logical answer then and didn’t seem so radical when I realized that if #2 above were true the majority of people in the world were WRONG. It seemed a modest leap from believing most people were wrong to all people were wrong (at that time I didn’t know anyone who admitted to me they did not believe in God).
Despite a lifetime of inquiry, I’ve never found a reason to change this decision.

What you did was choose a belief. Your reason for choosing that belief is no better or worse than any other reason. It's just the one you felt most comfortable with. However, IMO, the only logical answer is none of us has a clue what the truth might be. It is all guess work so it is all belief with no evidence upon which to arrive at any logical answer other than the acknowledgement of ignorance.

So I would offer that you do believe. You just no longer believe what you were told to believe.

 

[alang1216]

You're just saying that because you don't know the history of the pre-columbus population in America.

There's where you're wrong. I used to work with a Mormon (nicest people ever) and I got to learn the Mormon version of history. Quite a history it is too but, like much else about religions, not only unsupported by evidence but contradicted by evidence.

 

[alang1216]

What you did was choose a belief. Your reason for choosing that belief is no better or worse than any other reason. It's just the one you felt most comfortable with. However, IMO, the only logical answer is none of us has a clue what the truth might be. It is all guess work so it is all belief with no evidence upon which to arrive at any logical answer other than the acknowledgement of ignorance.

So I would offer that you do believe. You just no longer believe what you were told to believe.

Well I do believe I'm right (don't we all), that is certainly true. I do consider myself an agnostic since there are big questions still to be answered and we'll probably be surprised and astonished when they are.

 

[Carla_Danger]

It never ceases to amaze me how people make decisions about God without consulting Him on the matter.

Has he ever answered you back? And how do you know we didn't consult him first? I was raised in a Christian home.



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