How do I believe?

[Cody123]

I'm new and not sure if I posted in the right place if not I'm sorry.


I want to believe so bad! I want and need god in my life.

I'm skeptical sometimes bc some of religion seems like a tall tale based on geography.

How do I find faith? What justifies stuff like creation of mankind?

 

[Jesster]

I'm not here to talk you in or out of anything. I'm just curious about something. Why do you want to believe? Where does this need come from?

 

[Father Heathen]

First, it's important to separate god from other people's perceptions and portrayals of god, and when it comes to religion, remember that it's self-appointed and self-serving spokesmen, mere mortals, who've presumed to speak on god's behalf (i.e. use him as their sock puppet.)

 

[Cody123]

I'm not here to talk you in or out of anything. I'm just curious about something. Why do you want to believe? Where does this need come from?

Well on one hand I feel like religion is hard to believe but I just think its impossible for it just to be nothing after death

 

[Cody123]

First, it's important to separate god from other people's perceptions and portrayals of god, and when it comes to religion, remember that it's self-appointed and self-serving spokesmen, mere mortals, who've presumed to speak on god's behalf (i.e. use him as their sock puppet.)

I understand. That's why I keep my personal views guided from the religions book solely.

 

[Father Heathen]

I understand. That's why I keep my personal views guided from the religions book solely.

I would recommend reading up on different philosophies, even those with religious origins. Just remember to be objective and analytical. Because, if there is a god, he wouldn't have gifted you with the ability to reason if he intended for you to forgo its use.

 

[Jesster]

Well on one hand I feel like religion is hard to believe but I just think its impossible for it just to be nothing after death

Huh. I guess I'm missing something. How does this necessarily lead to a desire to believe in a god? I'm just trying to feel out your thought process here.

 

[Kemosloby]

You must empty the bucket before you can put new water in it. Don't be afraid to disbelieve mankind, who can barely make an efficient solar panel, but can tell you everything about the universe and where it came from.

 

[Cody123]

Huh. I guess I'm missing something. How does this necessarily lead to a desire to believe in a god? I'm just trying to feel out your thought process here.

I just believe in an afterlife so it makes me wanna know who's after life to believe in. Kinda an inter calling

 

[Cody123]

You must empty the bucket before you can put new water in it. Don't be afraid to disbelieve mankind, who can barely make an efficient solar panel, but can tell you everything about the universe and where it came from.

If I disbelieve mankind then what is there ? What if god gives us the knowledge of only what he considers necessary to know.

 

[Kemosloby]

If I disbelieve mankind then what is there ? What if god gives us the knowledge of only what he considers necessary to know.

Bible says seek and ye shall find. The spirit that seeks out evil will find evil, the spirit that seeks out good will find good.

 

[Cody123]

Bible says seek and ye shall find. The spirit that seeks out evil will find evil, the spirit that seeks out good will find good.

Thanks for your insight

 

[Electra]

Let yourself feel, find a quiet space that you feel safe in and ask yourself.

Once I asked, are you god? they said aren't you god too?

 

[Cody123]

Let yourself feel, find a quiet space that you feel safe in and ask yourself.

Once I asked, are you god? they said aren't you god too?

What? Lol I think me and you got very different views

 

[Electra]

What? Lol I think me and you got very different views

haha, that just might be, happy earth day ! ****

 

[PureX]

I'm new and not sure if I posted in the right place if not I'm sorry.


I want to believe so bad! I want and need god in my life.

I'm skeptical sometimes bc some of religion seems like a tall tale based on geography.

How do I find faith? What justifies stuff like creation of mankind?

It's actually very simple.

1. Realize that none of us has the capacity to verify the nature or existence of God. That just isn't possible for we mere humans.
2. Realize that the origin, sustenance and purpose of existence are a profound mystery to us. We have these questions, but we do not have their answers. And that INCLUDES all the religions. Their various creation myths were not intended to be taken as actual events, but as metaphors and allegories meant to convey religious and cultural ideals.
3. Religion is not God, and God is not a religion. You don't have to adopt any religious ideology to develop your own conception of what God might be, and what you would prefer to believe God to be. In fact, I would recommend developing your own idea of God rather than trying to adopt someone else's. It will be more effective in the long run.
4. Because there is no evidence or proof that your idea of God is not an accurate conception of an actual god, it would not be dishonest or irrational of you to integrate that idea of God into your reality.
5. Once you've developed your own conception of God, and integrated it into your conception of reality, you will begin to 'live as if' your God were real. And in so doing you will begin to gain results from this new God-based paradigm. If these results are positive, then your new faith in God has been a success. If your results are not positive, or not completely positive, you can alter your concept of God and try again, or, you could become an atheist and try placing your faith in materialism, hedonism, scientism, or some other atheistic philosophy. But millions of people have found that faith in their own God-concept works well for them, and I see no reason why you couldn't be one of them if you so desired.

Note: If you do choose a religion, please be very wary, as many of them, nowadays, have become authoritarian cults, using the ideal of God to control and manipulate people.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I'm new and not sure if I posted in the right place if not I'm sorry.


I want to believe so bad! I want and need god in my life.

I'm skeptical sometimes bc some of religion seems like a tall tale based on geography.

How do I find faith? What justifies stuff like creation of mankind?

I don't know if it helps but here are some similar threads started by others:
I may be getting closer to an answer
Looking for a faith.
How do I get started?
New

In general you may find the 'Introduction' area interesting as well as the seeker threads.

 

[Vinayaka]

I believe that belief is based primarily on personal experience. So if you haven't had any personal experiences that lead you to believe something, then so be it.

 

[George-ananda]

I'm new and not sure if I posted in the right place if not I'm sorry.


I want to believe so bad! I want and need god in my life.

I'm skeptical sometimes bc some of religion seems like a tall tale based on geography.

How do I find faith? What justifies stuff like creation of mankind?

I think why a lot of seekers have similar issues to you is that they start from the 'is there God' question. The 'I want to have faith' feeling. Not so great; looking for something not physically or experientially tangible. I would suggest starting closer to home with the human experience. Are we just atoms following natural law or are we something more. For me, the paranormal experiences of many made me conclude that, believe it or not, we are indeed something more. Then 'what is this more?' becomes the next question. This lead me to an understanding of astral planes, souls, etc. and finally to the understanding that views god as the mysterious consciousness inside us all.

Just my two cents and good fortunes in your seeking.

 

[LuisDantas]

I do not see a point in engaging in religious journeys that center on either scripture or god-beliefs, personally.

Scripture is just static text. It is not supposed to be nearly as good as the living discernment of even reasonably skilled and well-meaning people.

God-beliefs are unavoidably highly personal. Useful perhaps for individual contemplation (for those so inclined), but very poor vehicles for the development of a coherent or useful doctrine. When the attempt is made, the drawbacks are colossal.

It seems to me, @Cody123 , that it would be better for you to exercise a bit of introspection and find out and elaborate on what you believe by yourself, then see if there are any ready-made doctrines that would adapt to your ways.

In either case, it will fall to you to take responsibility for your beliefs, not the other way around.

From what you say here in this thread, it feels like your most firm belief in that of an afterlife. There are several variations on that theme. Do you feel like elaborating on how you picture it exactly?