Do You Believe In God?

[spongebob toonpants 3997]

All forms of Religions IMO were used to control people years ago, i.e. "Do as we say and you'll go to Heaven". They are total bollocks.

Any way on the subject of 'God', I would like to think there is something afterwards, and sometimes I sort of think that life must have had some sort of intelligent design

(I mean, the first cell ever created? Did all of the chemicals just bump into each other in a massive co-incidence?). Though deep down I reckon when you're dead thats it - Nowt.

 

Aye, its a bit of a mindfuck thinking of what was there before the universe? What is that big black space made from? It must have started as something. There must be an end somewhere?

 

 

 

 

There wasn't a before the universe because time didn't exist until big bang.

 

I find the idea of an all knowing all powerful personal god laughable, and I think organised religion is a force for evil.

 

I quite like the idea of being a possibillian at the moment

[Kid Dynamite 7034]

At it's basic level, yes. I mean that's all our planet is really. Earth, water, plants, trees, sand, mountains etc. Things that will outlive us by billions of years. Im not sure we really have a right to fuck it all up for our own needs.

 

They reckon James Cameron is a pantheist and Avatar is testament to that. The belief that we are all interconnected in some way. Wasn't there apparently a measurable change in the mass human consciousness whilst the world was watching 9/11 unfold on TV? Hundreds of millions of people all feeling the same emotion at the same time produced an actual measurable effect. Noetic Sciences and stuff we are just beginning to understand shows that we have some type of intrinsic link with each other and the environment

 

 

This can lead into all sorts of theories around the untapped potential of the human mind and body. If mass grief can have this effect can you imagine what we could do if people learned to harness this power and get 6billion people on the planet showing love for each other and their surroundings instead. Back to Avatar, the scene where one of the Navi heals someone by thinking it. Maybe it's not as fictitious as people think? We forget that ancient civilisations, the Mayans, the Egyptians etc. had knowledge far and above what we could do today without technology. Is the human race devolving the more technology evolves? We use or bodies and minds less as each year goes by and we invent new technology to help us do it.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Kid Dynamite

[The Fish 10858]

Um, ok... Elephant in the room...

 

Did Avatar change your life?

[spongebob toonpants 3997]

Um, ok... Elephant in the room...

 

Did Avatar change your life?

 

I can't decide if its more laughable to base your belief system on Avatar or the bible.

 

KD you might want to google Gaia

[Kid Dynamite 7034]

Um, ok... Elephant in the room...

 

Did Avatar change your life?

 

 

No, I already had my beliefs before I saw it. Tbh I didnt even put 2 and 2 together when I saw it! (I do however dress as a Navi at weekends now.)

[Kid Dynamite 7034]

Um, ok... Elephant in the room...

 

Did Avatar change your life?

 

I can't decide if its more laughable to base your belief system on Avatar or the bible.

 

KD you might want to google Gaia

 

Interesting shit! Just more fuel for the fire tbh

[The Fish 10858]

See I agree that the planet and nature and all that gubbins is important and not to be ruined, but I am sure that it is not something mystical, just common sense.

[Dr Gloom 21941]

quite a compelling argument on religion from pat condell

 

[spongebob toonpants 3997]

quite a compelling argument on religion from pat condell

 

 

 

I'm positive that organised religion is irredeemably evil

 

I like the way this man thinks

[acrossthepond 877]

I see I'm in the large minority here, which is definitely not the case in the USA.

 

Of course, as a Muslim I believe in one God who is eternal and who created the universe, and I believe in his prophets from the OT through to Muhammad (pbuh.) I believe that he impacts our lives, although probably not in ways that we can discern, and that we have free will, but God also has a design for us and it's up to us to make the choices that will hopefully lead us down the right path. And I think that path is just to live as an upright human being, acting with compassion and fairness, treating other human beings with love and respect. Which is what most if not all religions preach.

 

Past that, when we get into organized religion (hasn't really existed in Sunni Islam since the 8th century, although there are plenty of fanatics who would tell you otherwise) and the like, I want no part of it. Every person's individual relationship with/belief or disbelief in God is their own business. I abhor the militant atheists who try to 'disprove' God as much as the evangelicals of any religion who try to 'prove' him and moreover to 'prove' that you need him/are saying the wrong words to worship him/etc.

[Renton 21636]

I see I'm in the large minority here, which is definitely not the case in the USA.

 

Of course, as a Muslim I believe in one God who is eternal and who created the universe, and I believe in his prophets from the OT through to Muhammad (pbuh.) I believe that he impacts our lives, although probably not in ways that we can discern, and that we have free will, but God also has a design for us and it's up to us to make the choices that will hopefully lead us down the right path. And I think that path is just to live as an upright human being, acting with compassion and fairness, treating other human beings with love and respect. Which is what most if not all religions preach.

 

Past that, when we get into organized religion (hasn't really existed in Sunni Islam since the 8th century, although there are plenty of fanatics who would tell you otherwise) and the like, I want no part of it. Every person's individual relationship with/belief or disbelief in God is their own business. I abhor the militant atheists who try to 'disprove' God as much as the evangelicals of any religion who try to 'prove' him and moreover to 'prove' that you need him/are saying the wrong words to worship him/etc.

 

I think practically all atheists, 'militant' or otherwise, know God can't be disproven, hence Bertrand's teapot and the flying spaghetti monster. Why does it bother you so much anyway? It's not as is they're brainwashing kids into committing acts of atrocity, is it? Personally I just want to live in a secular country where religious belief has no part in public life, period. What you believe or practise in your spare time is of no concern to me as long as it harms no-one.

[Guest alex]

The fact God/Gods can't be disproven is about the only reason they've managed to keep religions going so long iyam.

Edited July 28, 2010 by alex

[The Fish 10858]

I think practically all atheists, 'militant' or otherwise, know God can't be disproven, hence Bertrand's teapot and the flying spaghetti monster. Why does it bother you so much anyway? It's not as is they're brainwashing kids into committing acts of atrocity, is it? Personally I just want to live in a secular country where religious belief has no part in public life, period. What you believe or practise in your spare time is of no concern to me as long as it harms no-one.

this is a big thing for me.

 

I don't care if you believe the universe was created by the Sun God Ra having a wank, why should your right to believe in whatever you like affect my right to believe otherwise? It shouldn't be in school as anythiing more than a subject of study. I don't their should be "faith schools" as it will lead to things like creationism being taught as a science. It's not a science, it's a religious belief and should, therefore, be consigned to RE. I'd have no problem with a theory of infestation being taught alongside Darwinism if there was evidence of comparable weight to support it.

 

The arguments between faith and science are futile. One is openly willing to accept fallibilty and contradiction, wheras the other claims infallibility and is ostensibly rigid. One demands empirical evidence, the other expects an absolute trust.

 

I cannot believe in an almighty power in the face of all the evidence to the contrary. It just doesn't make sense to me. However when my Mam speaks of a God that provides her with strength and compassion etc, I'm not going to shout her down and point to the loopholes in her belief system. Whatever gives you the ability to get through the day.

[ewerk 30633]

I don't their should be "faith schools" as it will lead to things like creationism being taught as a science.

 

Is that actually happening though?

[Happy Face 29]

I can't get my head around anyone actually believing in God.

 

I always assumed everyone puts it on to get kids to behave.

[Guest alex]

I don't their should be "faith schools" as it will lead to things like creationism being taught as a science.

 

Is that actually happening though?

Think so, aye. It certainly was happening at the Emmanuelle College in Gateshead, for example. Still is afaik.

[Guest alex]

I can't get my head around anyone actually believing in God.

 

I always assumed everyone puts it on to get kids to behave.

I know what you mean like.

[Renton 21636]

I don't their should be "faith schools" as it will lead to things like creationism being taught as a science.

 

Is that actually happening though?

 

Yes. In the Reg Vardy academy in Gateshead for one, not three miles from my desk.

 

Edit: damn. Also is widespread in the US of course.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Renton

[sammynb 3357]

Shouldn't the question be:

Does God believe in you?

[acrossthepond 877]

I think practically all atheists, 'militant' or otherwise, know God can't be disproven, hence Bertrand's teapot and the flying spaghetti monster. Why does it bother you so much anyway? It's not as is they're brainwashing kids into committing acts of atrocity, is it? Personally I just want to live in a secular country where religious belief has no part in public life, period. What you believe or practise in your spare time is of no concern to me as long as it harms no-one.

 

That's fair enough. But how do you define the bolded? If it's stuff like what The Fish is talking about, well, I'm a schoolteacher myself and rest assured I want religion to have no part in schools or government.

[sammynb 3357]

 

[Renton 21636]

I think practically all atheists, 'militant' or otherwise, know God can't be disproven, hence Bertrand's teapot and the flying spaghetti monster. Why does it bother you so much anyway? It's not as is they're brainwashing kids into committing acts of atrocity, is it? Personally I just want to live in a secular country where religious belief has no part in public life, period. What you believe or practise in your spare time is of no concern to me as long as it harms no-one.

 

That's fair enough. But how do you define the bolded? If it's stuff like what The Fish is talking about, well, I'm a schoolteacher myself and rest assured I want religion to have no part in schools or government.

 

I'd look at the French for inspiration on how to have a modern, secular, constitutional society. In the UK I'd remove the CoE as being the official state church, and remove their representation from the House of Lords (along with heridatary peerage). I'd ban faith schools, and I'd ban all teaching of religion at school except in a purely sociological/geographical/historical context. You won't agree with thisbut I'd ban full face coverings and other forms of 'extreme' religious garb in public (meaning all public buildings, transport, and shops).

 

I guess that is quite militant come to think of it.

 

I'd do it slowly.

 

The US is fucked I'm afraid, I have no solution there but to start again.

[NJS 4389]

I think practically all atheists, 'militant' or otherwise, know God can't be disproven, hence Bertrand's teapot and the flying spaghetti monster. Why does it bother you so much anyway? It's not as is they're brainwashing kids into committing acts of atrocity, is it? Personally I just want to live in a secular country where religious belief has no part in public life, period. What you believe or practise in your spare time is of no concern to me as long as it harms no-one.

 

That's fair enough. But how do you define the bolded? If it's stuff like what The Fish is talking about, well, I'm a schoolteacher myself and rest assured I want religion to have no part in schools or government.

 

Although he's failed miserably on pandering less to the religous lobby since he got in, there was a clip of a speech Obama gave when he was only a potential candidate where he stated that he saw secular politics as one in which if you took a position on abortion say you had to give non-religous reasons for your stance rather tha just "because I'm a catholic". There's nothing wrong with people being "driven" by a faith to do good but I think they shouldn't nail their colours to a faith mast as such.

[Barney 0]

I can't get my head around anyone actually believing in God.

 

I always assumed everyone puts it on to get kids to behave.

 

Like the Boogey Man or Michael Jackson.

[JawD 99]

I'm not athiest, I do have beliefs, but I hold them very close and see religion as a very personal thing. I'm not keen on organised religion of any kind as for it is all "man made". I was christened a Catholic and technically remain so. But I can't stand all the pomp and ceremony of any religion, which really is where Man has taken an opportunity benefit themselves (usually for money). I used to class myself more as spiritual. Not sure what I'd say these days. In some sense its a state of mind, a coping mechanism but I really dont see personal religion as a bad thing ~ until it starts affecting those around you.

 

I'm generally very open minded and while I'd take the piss (often I do), deep down I respect anyone's beliefs. again, so long as they dont affect others.