Does it really matter if we believe in God?

[FragrantGrace]

Personally, humans being ego-centric and self-absorbed as we are, I think it comes down to the historic fact that our species has demonstrated since early times a need to believe something cares about us and participates in our existence in direct correspondence to our reverence for "it".
Early cave paintings seem to indicate as much. Primitive people believed powers greater than themselves were behind the weather, natural events, even birth. Which is what originated Goddess worship. Or, ideation of the female due to her being able to give birth and sustain life from within and of herself.

Today, hundreds of thousands of years later we're no different. Just technologically evolved more than we are humanistically conscious.
We believe not only that something unseen cares about us, but that it has nothing better to do than police our behavior to its satisfaction. Most any religion follows this pattern.

There's a great response to the question. Do you believe in God?
A higher power is necessarily obliged to believe in me.

 

[Trailblazer]

I agree there is evidence God exists and not proof. But, i dont think its logical to say God dont exist. I think this gives too much footing for atheists and they dont deserve that much footing.

No, it is not logical to say that God does not exist, just because there is no proof...
Regarding the atheists, I admire your brutal honesty.

Does it matter if someone believes in God?

Ill answer that with a yes AND no.

First the no. No, it dont matter because beliefs, all beliefs, no matter what subject there on, are just that, mental assents, tucked away in a file in our heads and have no effect on our lives one way or the other. No, it dont matter because what does matter is obeying God more so then believing in God. A person can do Gods will, thinking its there own, either way, all that matters is that Gods will is done. An atheist can love, be honest, kind and good, yet not believe, well, at the end of the day, he has done Gods will without knowing it.

I fully agree, but I never thought of stating it this way -- at the end of the day, that atheist who has lived the life Jesus taught has done God's will without knowing it.

Now the yes. Yes it matters IF someone wants to be completely smart and intelligent. Its not intelligent to conclude God does not exist. That simply is not an intelligent position. Also, yes it matters IF lack of believe in God MOTIVATES a person to live as a rebel. Which, yes, for SOME, such lack of believe DOES motivate them to live unethically.

Yes, that could be a possible problem, because without the fear of God anything goes; or it could, depending upon the person and their morals. But even a believer could live unethically or as a rebel, depending upon their beliefs, say if they believe that are saved and forgiven regardless of their behavior.

Ok, live for God or the world? Let me answer this also with a yes and no, lol.

Yes, we should live for God and not the world. But, we must define "world" before we can say we should not live for it.

World as in, a system of lies, un acountability, corruption, greed, lack of love by stepping on others to get ahead. Lack of compassion. Hypocrisy. The list goes on. Stupidity, ect. All of this, is the way of the world. That we should not live for. We should live different. Live as lights in a dark world.

Now, the no. No, we should not refuse to live for the world....that God made. If God made the world, as in, life, relationships, work, food, ect, then to detach from it is to reject what God created. We should not do this. We should live for the world God made, which we are selves are also a part of that world.

We should not pervert the purpose of the world God wants us to live for. Thats the difference.

That is an excellent answer. I have a passage that is along those lines. The point of this passage is that the things of the world CAN come in between a person and God but they do not necessarily have to. The point is NOT to allow anything to come in between you and God.

“Know ye that by “the world” is meant your unawareness of Him Who is your Maker, and your absorption in aught else but Him. The “life to come,” on the other hand, signifieth the things that give you a safe approach to God, the All-Glorious, the Incomparable. Whatsoever deterreth you, in this Day, from loving God is nothing but the world. Flee it, that ye may be numbered with the blest. Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful. “ Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 276​

Let me answer like this. Ill paint a picture for you.

Sam the atheist dies. He meets God. God tells him "sam buddy, good to see you, you lived a good, kind, honest life, you learned alot too, you contributed to it as well. You did a good job. However, your conclusion about me was pretty stupid. But hey, thats ok, i like you and you can see your conclusion was stupid, because, looky looky, here i am, lol.

Of course, thats my own way of putting it.

So, do you think that God is going to say that's okay? Is that the Christian belief? Or do you have a variety of Christian belief that is different? Do you think that anybody really knows what will happen to atheists after they die? The Baha'i Faith scriptures do not really spell it out. I surmise their fate will vary widely, depending upon how that lived their lives, and what their attitude was towards the "idea" of the god they did not believe in, more precisely, WHY the chose not to believe in God... Only God can know what is in anyone's mind and heart, so only God can determine the fate of anyone. That is why it is not our place to judge anyone.

Of course, the Baha'i Faith scriptures do not tell us much about the afterlife for believers either... How fair is that? I really do not think it is very fair, but I know God has His reasons.

“Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these holy words: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.” The mysteries of man’s physical death and of his return have not been divulged, and still remain unread.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345​

“As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man’s earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter is such as We are unable to describe. The knowledge thereof is with God, alone, the Lord of all worlds.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 345-346​

But at least we know something about the fate of believers, which is better than nothing. For example:

“Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life.” Gleanings, p. 345​

 

[Trailblazer]

It is important, but more importantly is to know God's manifestations, and the most recent one. In past ages, many believed in God, but He manifested Himself, they did not recognize Him, and instead worshipped an imaginary God in their head.

I agree, because what good does it do to believe in a God that is not real but rather a God that we imagine?
What good does it do to believe in a God we know nothing about?
What good does it do to believe in God if we do not know what God's Will is for us?

“The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God, and the end of all things is strict observance of whatsoever hath been sent down from the empyrean of the Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 5

 

[Trailblazer]

It matters as a Baha’i because the prophets of God whether Moses, Christ, Muhammad, the Bab or Bahá’u’lláh are clear that it matters. That is an undeniable part of all five Revelations.

Okay, so it matters that we believe that God exists, but WHY?
It means very little to just know a God exists unless we know the significance of that.

I think it matters not so much that we believe in God but that we know God's will for us and live the life that God wants us to live and thereby become our true selves...

“From the foregoing passages and allusions it hath been made indubitably clear that in the kingdoms of earth and heaven there must needs be manifested a Being, an Essence Who shall act as a Manifestation and Vehicle for the transmission of the grace of the Divinity Itself, the Sovereign Lord of all. Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed. It is for this very purpose that in every age and dispensation the Prophets of God and His chosen Ones have appeared amongst men, and have evinced such power as is born of God and such might as only the Eternal can reveal.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 67-68
​

It also matters that we believe in God so we know that the Purpose of our existence is not limited to this life... It really has very little to do with this life, as this life is just preparation for the life to come, which is the Real Life. That is how I see it anyway.

“The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 156-157​

 

[Trailblazer]

What evidence?

The evidence is the Messengers of God and the scriptures they revealed.

 

[Trailblazer]

If you think it matters that you believe in God, then it matters.

If you don't think it matters that you believe in God, then it doesn't matter.

I do not think that the criteria for deciding if it matters or not is what humans think, because humans are fallible so they can be wrong. It would only matter if God thinks it matters, since God is infallible. That is how I analyze it from a logical viewpoint.

So then we would want to find out if it matters to God, if there is a way to find out.

And if there's a God, and God is just, and if you're a decent person, then I dare say it doesn't matter to God.

I cannot say that I know if it matters to God if we believe in Him or not. According to my beliefs, God does not need our belief because God does not have needs; God wants our belief, only because it is beneficial for us to believe in Him. The reason it is beneficial is so we will know God's will for us and live according to His will.

As Jollybear so aptly pointed out, many atheists live according to God's Will without even realizing it.
#23 Jollybear, Today at 7:06 AM

So I cannot say if it matters if atheists who live according to the will of God believe in God, only God has the answer to that.

 

[Trailblazer]

All very interesting questions, and your apparent reasoning leads ot strong agnosticism or atheism.

I lean heavily in that direction, even though I am a believer.
I am kind of stuck being a believer because of Baha'u'llah. He, and everything that He revealed, is the fly in the ointment so to speak. Shucks.

 

[Trailblazer]

To me it doesn't matter who believes in god or not, it's up to themselves. When we die the universe will continue on it way.

True, in that sense it will not matter.

 

[LuisDantas]

Thanks for posting the OP.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately because I usually post to atheists and I have a lot of atheist friends who do not think it matters if we believe in God. After all, there is no proof that God exists, so it is just as logical to say God does not exist as t is to say that God exists. There is evidence that God exists, but no proof.

It seems to me that some care should be taken to consider the matters of existence, belief and significance separately, although they do interact somewhat - in interesting ways at that. Confusingly enough, significance of belief in itself a significant matter.

I rather love apatheism, and in that sense I of course say that it does not matter whether God exists.

Whether belief in his existence matters is something else entirely. It very much does... much more so, I think, than the existence itself would.

So why does it matter if we believe in God? Why is it so important, or is it? This is a question I would like other Baha’is to answer, but also Christians, Muslims, Jews, or any other religious adherents.

Of course atheists and agnostics can answer too.

Belief in God - or as I prefer, in deities generally - is indeed significant, and meant to be so. At its best, it can be a powerful if not necessarily advisable tool for motivational and inspirational focus. Many an insight can be spurred by proper reflection on the manifestation of the sacred as divinity forms.

That said, belief in itself is IMO very much a lesser use of god-concepts. They are much better suited for artistic, communicative and inspirational purposes, which do not necessarily involve belief as such. I would not even necessarily state that belief is among the valid purposes of deity-concepts.

The second part of this question is that if God matters as much as some believers say, then why do they live for the material world and all it has to offer? Why don’t they live for God instead of the world? Why don’t they follow the teachings of their religion regarding detachment and sacrifice? This is not meant to be a criticism; it is just something I am wondering about and something to get people thinking. I mean in the Tablet of the True Seeker Baha’is are enjoined by Baha’u’llah to regard the world as utter nothingness.

“Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 266

Notably, I do not participate in Baha’i activities so I do not know a lot about what other Baha’is think or do except what I read on forums, but most Baha’is I know seem to think I am too extreme in my views regarding detachment and sacrifice, as if I am some kind of ascetic.

My gut feelling is that at some point people anthropomorphized the Sacred into this frequent perception of God as an entity with an actual humanlike will, and even humanlike flaws and needs.

There are many problems with using such a defective representation of the Sacred as the core of a doctrine with religious intentions. One of those is indeed the danger of falling into actual disregard for "things of the world". We are people that exist in the world, and there is no clear reason to disregard it, let alone to flirt with arrogant despisal of it.

A religious person should not hesitate to accept his or her role in the expression of the Sacred in this world. It is, after all, where we are, and we have nothing to show to support any claims that we deserve better.

Do I simply take this God stuff too seriously, or do others not take it seriously enough? What does God really expect of us? Does it even matter to God what we do? This question is for all believers, whether they have a religion or not.

Speaking as a non-believer who nonetheless feels that I take god-beliefs more seriously than many a believer, I think that it would be strange and probably inappropriate for a believer to feel a duty to validate God.

I will go beyond that, even, and say that a healthy relationship between believer and deity probably ought to involve a lot of positive emotions and more than a little bit of trust in the deity's ability to allow for human flaws, or at least awareness and good humored acceptance of those as an unavoidable reality. Deities are not IMO supposed to be tools for nurturing guilt and anxiety.

A third part of this question is for believers. What do you think will be the repercussions of non-belief? By repercussions I mean what do you think will happen to nonbelievers after they die?

As a nonbeliever, I feel pretty sure that what will happen to me will be very much what one would expect. No true metaphysical consequences, in case you are wondering.

I don't really understand why it would be an issue.

Do you have a set belief about that? I sure don’t, but it is a big concern of mine and I have no real answers because it has not been spelled out in the scriptures of my religion, unless I am missing something. Maybe the Baha’is can fill me in if there is something I missed.

Finally, if it does not matter if we believe in God before we die, and we will all find out that God exists after we die, why even bother to believe in God?

It seems to me that no one should bother to believe in God, although there sure seem to be people who come to believe on their own and should probably attempt to channel that belief in constructive ways.

I mean most atheists I know live very moral lives, so they do not really need the teachings and laws of religions, so why does it matter if they believe in God before they die?

Case by case situation, but those are really two very separate matters. Religion is supposed to deal with morality, although that can indeed be learned and practiced elsewhere. Belief in God is very much an accessory and optional matter, both inside and outside of religion.

I have some personal reasons for asking these questions that might come out later.

I hope you attain good results.

 

[Shad]

So why does it matter if we believe in God?

It doesn't. What matters is what the belief in God results in. Child sacrifice or charity?

Why is it so important, or is it?

It is seen as important due to the virtues assigned to religions and it's followers while vices were assigned to those that didn't believe in God, or a specific God. We have been conditioned to assume the believers are good people merely because they hold a belief we have assumed is good. Toss in religions have a done a fine job in ensuring the flock are some how special due to holding a belief about X. It creates a superiority complex.

The second part of this question is that if God matters as much as some believers say, then why do they live for the material world and all it has to offer?

Many would simply point out they are not here for the duration but merely living here to the best of their ability. Having to live in a such a world is not a choice but circumstance. There is a level of projection from your own bias regarding this question as you as assume intent. Now if you were to point to a person that acted religious publicly but was the opposite in private we could discuss it. However as a generalization the point is nonsense.

Why don’t they live for God instead of the world?

Projection. How do you know how people you do not actually know live their lives?

Why don’t they follow the teachings of their religion regarding detachment and sacrifice?

See above.

Do I simply take this God stuff too seriously, or do others not take it seriously enough?

It is your bias at play. Without knowing about your devotion nor others there is no conclusion to be made.

I cut the other questions as they were not as neutral so I didn't feel like posting standard atheist replies.

 

[LuisDantas]

We are thinking along the same lines. What we do means more than belief.

More than that, IMO.

What we do is inherently meaningful, at least if it is intentional.

What motivates us specifically is also meaningful, arguably more so than the deed themselves.

Beliefs may be a part of that motivation, but not necessarily a valuable part of those. And if they take effort to maintain, particularly when confronted with observable fact, they are probably not a very good component for our motivations in any case.

Findings and acceptance should be distinguised here from beliefs. In the sense that I am using the word, beliefs are fairly disconnected from observable facts, including emotional and motivational facts.

There is nothing wrong with realizing and even nurturing our own emotions and involving those in our motivations. That is arguably a religious duty, even.

But we should keep a sober stance and never expect others to feel a duty to protect our beliefs. Beliefs are very personal and no one, not even ourselves, should go out of our ways in order to protect them. It is very possible that we should attempt to dispell them, even, since they may so easily distract us from fruitful, worthwhile mental states.

 

[shunyadragon]

I lean heavily in that direction, even though I am a believer.
I am kind of stuck being a believer because of Baha'u'llah. He, and everything that He revealed, is the fly in the ointment so to speak. Shucks.

Actually we share more in common than you may think in our thinking. I am so much of a Philosophical Agnostic questioning all beliefs including my own that the powers to be at Theologyweb.com have mandated by royal decree that I designate my belief as 'Agnostic.' I am scientist, and deep searcher in philosophy, theology and science, and my initial conclusions were that because of the fallible nature of humans, all choices were open to serious skepticism. Traditional Theistic beliefs like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were the most likely not to true in any way as stand alone religions, because of the strong cultural egocentric worldview. Initially I felt that to believe nothing with no conclusions was the best alternative, and it remains an option. The only alternatives were a universal perspective whether with God or not.

 

[shunyadragon]

Personally, humans being ego-centric and self-absorbed as we are, I think it comes down to the historic fact that our species has demonstrated since early times a need to believe something cares about us and participates in our existence in direct correspondence to our reverence for "it".
Early cave paintings seem to indicate as much. Primitive people believed powers greater than themselves were behind the weather, natural events, even birth. Which is what originated Goddess worship. Or, ideation of the female due to her being able to give birth and sustain life from within and of herself.

Today, hundreds of thousands of years later we're no different. Just technologically evolved more than we are humanistically conscious.
We believe not only that something unseen cares about us, but that it has nothing better to do than police our behavior to its satisfaction. Most any religion follows this pattern.

Another good argument to be agnostic or atheist.

There's a great response to the question. Do you believe in God?
A higher power is necessarily obliged to believe in me.

Unfortunately this is another egocentric view of the circular reasoning to believe in God. It is best to begin with the assumption: 'Nothing is necessary.'

 

[shunyadragon]

It doesn't. What matters is what the belief in God results in. Child sacrifice or charity?

In the Bible we find both.

It is seen as important due to the virtues assigned to religions and it's followers while vices were assigned to those that didn't believe in God, or a specific God. We have been conditioned to assume the believers are good people merely because they hold a belief we have assumed is good. Toss in religions have a done a fine job in ensuring the flock are some how special due to holding a belief about X. It creates a superiority complex.

Particularly true to the extreme in the Traditional religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Many would simply point out they are not here for the duration but merely living here to the best of their ability. Having to live in a such a world is not a choice but circumstance. There is a level of projection from your own bias regarding this question as you as assume intent. Now if you were to point to a person that acted religious publicly but was the opposite in private we could discuss it. However as a generalization the point is nonsense.

OK

Projection. How do you know how people you do not actually know live their lives?

Not clear, please reword.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

All very interesting questions, and your apparent reasoning leads ot strong agnosticism or atheism.

I'm sitting here trying to figure out the relevance of the second half of your sentence.

The only things I can come up with are:
1. A genuine opinion that the sort of reasoning put forth is what you feel gets a person started down a path the agnosticism or atheism - stated with complete netrality(?)
2. A statement intended to discourage the OP from having these sorts of thoughts, lest this trail of reasoning lead to the state of agnosticism/atheism. This possibility reminds me strongly of the sorts of passages in The Bible warning believers not to think too hard on the subject, or rebuking nonbelievers for doing the same.

 

[shunyadragon]

I'm sitting here trying to figure out the relevance of the second half of your sentence.

The only things I can come up with are:
1. A genuine opinion that the sort of reasoning put forth is what you feel gets a person started down a path the agnosticism or atheism - stated with complete netrality(?)
2. A statement intended to discourage the OP from having these sorts of thoughts, lest this trail of reasoning lead to the state of agnosticism/atheism. This possibility reminds me strongly of the sorts of passages in The Bible warning believers not to think too hard on the subject, or rebuking nonbelievers for doing the same.

Don't think too hard. It was simply my reflection as to what you posted.

 

[Trailblazer]

For me, God, the true God, is the Creator/Source of our souls/spirits, but He is not the creator of this material world; the creator of this material world, in which we human souls are trapped, is (the real) Satan. God wants us to return to Him, and spiritual beings at heart, trapped in - attached to - the material world, we will never have peace until we return to Him.

Against this backdrop, we need to believe in God - to understand Who the true God is - and coupled with that, we need to free ourselves from attachment to the material world, in order to return to Him. Even if we detach ourselves from the material world, if we do not know Who the true God is, how can we return to Him? We will become lost and again trapped in the material world. So yes, it matters.

I could not have stated that better. These beliefs are fully congruent with Baha'i beliefs. Baha'u'llah wrote a lot about the world and how we need to free ourselves from attachment to it and He also wrote about the return of our soul to God...

“Thou hast asked Me concerning the nature of the soul. Know, verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him. If it be faithful to God, it will reflect His light, and will, eventually, return unto Him. If it fail, however, in its allegiance to its Creator, it will become a victim to self and passion, and will, in the end, sink in their depths.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 158-159​

“And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man and its survival after death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure. It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 155-156​

“Blessed is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such a soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the Will of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest Paradise. The Maids of Heaven, inmates of the loftiest mansions, will circle around it, and the Prophets of God and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With them that soul will freely converse, and will recount unto them that which it hath been made to endure in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. If any man be told that which hath been ordained for such a soul in the worlds of God, the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, his whole being will instantly blaze out in his great longing to attain that most exalted, that sanctified and resplendent station….” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156​

 

[whirlingmerc]

I agree. I do not think it matters if people believe in God, if they believe in God for the wrong reasons, selfish reasons.

If they don't love God, treasure and trust him, that kind of 'belief' is not more than the demons 'who believe and tremble'

I think the kind of saving faith in the Bible is stronger than that mere intellectual ascent

 

[Trailblazer]

Actually we share more in common than you may think in our thinking. I am so much of a Philosophical Agnostic questioning all beliefs including my own that the powers to be at Theologyweb.com have mandated by royal decree that I designate my belief as 'Agnostic.' I am scientist, and deep searcher in philosophy, theology and science, and my initial conclusions were that because of the fallible nature of humans, all choices were open to serious skepticism. Traditional Theistic beliefs like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were the most likely not to true in any way as stand alone religions, because of the strong cultural egocentric worldview. Initially I felt that to believe nothing with no conclusions was the best alternative, and it remains an option. The only alternatives were a universal perspective whether with God or not.

Whereas I am not a scientist, or scientifically inclined, I studied psychology for many years so that is my particular bent. I think about the human psyche and people and why they think and act as they do. Religion has never been of much interest to me and were it not for the Baha'i Faith and its theology of progressive revelation making logical sense to me, and the Writings of Baha'u'llah about God and Manifestations of God, I would probably be an agnostic or perhaps a deist. I certainly could never believe in one of the traditional religions because they are mutually exclusive and I detest exclusiveness....

I do not fit very well into the Baha'i mold, so I just do my own thing, the Trailblazer that I am....

 

[Pualo]

I have been thinking about this a lot lately because I usually post to atheists and I have a lot of atheist friends who do not think it matters if we believe in God. After all, there is no proof that God exists, so it is just as logical to say God does not exist as t is to say that God exists. There is evidence that God exists, but no proof.

So why does it matter if we believe in God? Why is it so important, or is it? This is a question I would like other Baha’is to answer, but also Christians, Muslims, Jews, or any other religious adherents.

Of course atheists and agnostics can answer too.

The second part of this question is that if God matters as much as some believers say, then why do they live for the material world and all it has to offer? Why don’t they live for God instead of the world? Why don’t they follow the teachings of their religion regarding detachment and sacrifice? This is not meant to be a criticism; it is just something I am wondering about and something to get people thinking. I mean in the Tablet of the True Seeker Baha’is are enjoined by Baha’u’llah to regard the world as utter nothingness.

“Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 266

Notably, I do not participate in Baha’i activities so I do not know a lot about what other Baha’is think or do except what I read on forums, but most Baha’is I know seem to think I am too extreme in my views regarding detachment and sacrifice, as if I am some kind of ascetic.

Do I simply take this God stuff too seriously, or do others not take it seriously enough? What does God really expect of us? Does it even matter to God what we do? This question is for all believers, whether they have a religion or not.

A third part of this question is for believers. What do you think will be the repercussions of non-belief? By repercussions I mean what do you think will happen to nonbelievers after they die? Do you have a set belief about that? I sure don’t, but it is a big concern of mine and I have no real answers because it has not been spelled out in the scriptures of my religion, unless I am missing something. Maybe the Baha’is can fill me in if there is something I missed.

Finally, if it does not matter if we believe in God before we die, and we will all find out that God exists after we die, why even bother to believe in God? I mean most atheists I know live very moral lives, so they do not really need the teachings and laws of religions, so why does it matter if they believe in God before they die?

I have some personal reasons for asking these questions that might come out later.