Frustrated athiest asks why do you believe in God?

[GardenLady]

I think to understand theists you need to ask of the God concept they believe in. They are not all the same.

And not just the God concept, but far more than that. I see some posts throughout RF that lump all theists together. In some cases, statements about/objections to theists are made that may be true, for example, of evangelicals (e.g., denial of science establishing deep time and evolution) but are not true of many (perhaps even most) mainstream Christians, let alone theists of non-Christian denominations. Speaking as an ELCA Lutheran, I accept the science demonstrating the age of the universe and the evolution of life. As to the existence of God, I refer those who care to know why to the book "Mere Christianity" because it would take far too much thread space to explicate my thinking. I don't look to science to demonstrate the existence or non-existence of God. While I believe in a creative role by God, I don't know how it worked/works (though I have some ideas) and I don't think we've been told.

In other words, my position is a far cry from evangelicals, YECs, evolution deniers, etc. etc. etc. And I think this is true of hundreds of millions of theists.

 

[ppp]

And not just the God concept, but far more than that. I see some posts throughout RF that lump all theists together. In some cases, statements about/objections to theists are made that may be true, for example, of evangelicals (e.g., denial of science establishing deep time and evolution) but are not true of many (perhaps even most) mainstream Christians, let alone theists of non-Christian denominations. Speaking as an ELCA Lutheran, I accept the science demonstrating the age of the universe and the evolution of life. As to the existence of God, I refer those who care to know why to the book "Mere Christianity" because it would take far too much thread space to explicate my thinking. I don't look to science to demonstrate the existence or non-existence of God. While I believe in a creative role by God, I don't know how it worked/works (though I have some ideas) and I don't think we've been told.

I am sure that your intentions are good, but the books Mere Christianity (1952) and Evidence that Demands a Verdict (1979) are terrible recommendations. Those books are written for people who believe and are looking for learned-sounding validation of their beliefs. I remember when I first read both back in the early 80's. I was looking for a reason (any reason) to reject my impending conclusion that there is no reason to believe that anyone knows or is capable of knowing anything they claim with respect the Abrahamic god; when someone I trusted and respected recommended those to me. Both books frustrated and disgusted me. Neither is written with any of the actual questions, concerns, or objections of non-believers in mind. They are purely for preaching to the already converted.