What I Believe.

[Procrustes Stretched]

Why reinvent the wheel or a well worded reply?

“I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows, and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough… It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more. ”

Penn Jillette

Morning Edition, November 21, 2005. I believe that there is no God. I'm beyond atheism. Atheism is not believing in God. Not believing in God is easy -- you can't prove a negative, so there's no work to do. You can't prove that there isn't an elephant inside the trunk of my car. You sure? How about now? Maybe he was just hiding before. Check again. Did I mention that my personal heartfelt definition of the word "elephant" includes mystery, order, goodness, love and a spare tire?

So, anyone with a love for truth outside of herself has to start with no belief in God and then look for evidence of God. She needs to search for some objective evidence of a supernatural power. All the people I write e-mails to often are still stuck at this searching stage. The atheism part is easy.

But, this "This I Believe" thing seems to demand something more personal, some leap of faith that helps one see life's big picture, some rules to live by. So, I'm saying, "This I believe: I believe there is no God."

Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me. It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more. Just the love of my family that raised me and the family I'm raising now is enough that I don't need heaven. I won the huge genetic lottery and I get joy every day.

Believing there's no God means I can't really be forgiven except by kindness and faulty memories. That's good; it makes me want to be more thoughtful. I have to try to treat people right the first time around.

Believing there's no God stops me from being solipsistic. I can read ideas from all different people from all different cultures. Without God, we can agree on reality, and I can keep learning where I'm wrong. We can all keep adjusting, so we can really communicate. I don't travel in circles where people say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less. But all obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought up and my imaginary friend means more to me than anything you can ever say or do." So, believing there is no God lets me be proven wrong and that's always fun. It means I'm learning something.

Believing there is no God means the suffering I've seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the world, isn't caused by an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that isn't bothered to help or is just testing us, but rather something we all may be able to help others with in the future. No God means the possibility of less suffering in the future.

Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-O and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.

More 'This I Believe' Essays

*
Nov. 28, 2005
John W. Fountain: The God Who Embraced Me
*
Oct. 31, 2005
Kathy Dahlen: The Elusive Yet Holy Core
*
Aug. 15, 2005
Ruth Kamps: Living Life with 'Grace and Elegant Treeness'
*
May 23, 2005
William F. Buckley, Jr.: How Is It Possible to Believe in God?


Related NPR Stories

*
Oct. 16, 1997
Penn and Teller: 'How to Play in Traffic'
*
July 28, 2005
'The Aristocrats': Anatomy of a Dirty Joke

 

[garyd]

Sorry none of that proves to any rational man that there is no God - only that God cannot - as one should expect of a God who states that Salvation is by Grace and Grace alone - be found purely through the use of human logic.

 

[Father Time]

Sorry none of that proves to any rational man that there is no God - only that God cannot - as one should expect of a God who states that Salvation is by Grace and Grace alone - be found purely through the use of human logic.

And there's no way you can possibly prove that the Bible was written by God, plus he said what I believe, not what I can prove, so what's your point?

 

[Avatar4321]

And there's no way you can possibly prove that the Bible was written by God, plus he said what I believe, not what I can prove, so what's your point?

No one needs to prove the Bible was written by God. The Bible never makes such a claim. The Bible is merely an inspired educational tool to help people find God through their own experiences.

I've never understood the way the Bible is worshipped by some as though what God wanted us to do is read it all day yet never apply any of it. It just doesnt make sense to me.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

No one needs to prove the Bible was written by God. The Bible never makes such a claim. The Bible is merely an inspired educational tool to help people find God through their own experiences.

and other religious will disagree with you, so...

I've never understood the way the Bible is worshipped by some as though what God wanted us to do is read it all day yet never apply any of it. It just doesnt make sense to me.

none of IT makes sense when you take the blinders of faith off. trust me...been there done that.

 

[garyd]

My point sir is a that his premise is unproven and illogical.

 

[Luissa]

My point sir is a that his premise is unproven and illogical.

kind of like God is unproven! That is why it is called faith!

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

My point sir is a that his premise is unproven and illogical.

what the fuck?

 

[garyd]

If as Reformation Christians maintain Salvation is by grace and grace alone, thenuntil God changes your heart you will no more be inclined to recognize that He exists than you will be able to recognize any thing written in the Bible. The Bible makes no sense to you because it is spiritual and can only be fully understood by those guided by the Holy Spirit for to the natural man things of the Spirit are foolishness.

 

[Dr Grump]

Then again, maybe the bible is just a allegorical tome that some should lead a good way to lead your life. If there is a god, I'll eat my hat.......

 

[garyd]

Then again maybe it isn't. Want any salt with that?

 

[jillian]

Then again maybe it isn't. Want any salt with that?

You have no inside line on the truth...

people believe (or don't believe) ... what they will.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Well isn't that convenient!

If as Reformation Christians maintain Salvation is by grace and grace alone, thenuntil God changes your heart you will no more be inclined to recognize that He exists than you will be able to recognize any thing written in the Bible. The Bible makes no sense to you because it is spiritual and can only be fully understood by those guided by the Holy Spirit for to the natural man things of the Spirit are foolishness.

 

[KittenKoder]

I always find it funny when they say "you can't understand because you don't believe."

My response: When you wish hard enough you can even see the air itself.

 

[Avatar4321]

I always find it funny when they say "you can't understand because you don't believe."

My response: When you wish hard enough you can even see the air itself.

actually, you can see the air quite cleary when its cold enough. just try to breath out sometime.

 

[garyd]

Sorry never claimed I had any thing unique or original. I thought I made that pretty clear.

 

[Patriot2009]

What do I believe? The Apostles Creed Says it succinctly.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

 

[Patriot2009]

And there's no way you can possibly prove that the Bible was written by God, plus he said what I believe, not what I can prove, so what's your point?

No one needs to prove the Bible was written by God. The Bible never makes such a claim. The Bible is merely an inspired educational tool to help people find God through their own experiences.

I've never understood the way the Bible is worshipped by some as though what God wanted us to do is read it all day yet never apply any of it. It just doesnt make sense to me.

Its your premise that's the basis of your confusion. The Bible isn't to be worshipped, read all day and never applied. It is to be studied regularly and applied to all that we do in our everyday lives.

There's a critical difference between worshipping a text and using it is the guide and law by which to live.