"Life is going great, so I became religious."

[illykitty]

I don't know, I was an atheist from childhood until late teens, they were rough times and I couldn't believe a God could exist because of the bad things that happened to me. I was angry at religion and religious people too.

Then I started to become happier (good things happening) thus becoming less morose, more understanding of people. I decided to read about religions instead of automatically dismissing them to try to see their point of view. After reading about loads of them, I came to the conclusion that there probably is a God.

I don't particuliarly belong to any faith atm, but I'm very interested in Hinduism. One thing is sure, I believe in Panentheism, God and I'm spiritual. I just want to find a religion that suits me, so I can worship God in a stuctured manner and better myself!

So I'm not saying I was 100% happy when I came to religion, but I was not unhappy either, I was at a better point than when I was an atheist!

 

[McBell]

As C.S. Lewis said, [FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world"[/FONT].

Humans are so full of themselves that when things are going well they assume it is through their own abilities, talents etc. and are deaf to God, ignoring Him and not stopping to acknowledge or give thanks for the abilities they have in the first place.

Yet it is not humans who is threatening to throw anyone that does not believe as they dictate into a lake of fire....

 

[McBell]

Everybody needs God but often we become arrogant when things are going well and so deceive ourselves into thinking that we can run optimally without him.

Interestingly enough, I have seen absolutely nothing to indicate that anyone "needs" god.

in fact, everything I have seen strongly indicates that it is god who needs.

 

[-Peacemaker-]

Interestingly enough, I have seen absolutely nothing to indicate that anyone "needs" god.

in fact, everything I have seen strongly indicates that it is god who needs.

I'm shocked you don't agree with me

 

[-Peacemaker-]

Yet it is not humans who is threatening to throw anyone that does not believe as they dictate into a lake of fire....

People question God's judgement when they no longer regard evil as evil. Of course if you live you're life thinking you're innocent of evil, you'll question anyone that suggests a need for judgement

 

[Photonic]

I don't know, I was an atheist from childhood until late teens, they were rough times and I couldn't believe a God could exist because of the bad things that happened to me. I was angry at religion and religious people too.

Then I started to become happier (good things happening) thus becoming less morose, more understanding of people. I decided to read about religions instead of automatically dismissing them to try to see their point of view. After reading about loads of them, I came to the conclusion that there probably is a God.

I don't particuliarly belong to any faith atm, but I'm very interested in Hinduism. One thing is sure, I believe in Panentheism, God and I'm spiritual. I just want to find a religion that suits me, so I can worship God in a stuctured manner and better myself!

So I'm not saying I was 100% happy when I came to religion, but I was not unhappy either, I was at a better point than when I was an atheist!

It sounds more to me like you just started reaching out and trying to connect to something more than anything.

 

[waitasec]

Everybody needs God but often we become arrogant when things are going well and so deceive ourselves into thinking that we can run optimally without him.

my question is, why would anything go well without god?

believers and non believers alike are capable of achieving the same things in this life..


edit:
i am of the opinion that needing god and having him on your side is an arrogant notion.

 

[McBell]

People question God's judgement when they no longer regard evil as evil.

Or they find no reason to take god seriously..
Or they have no reason to believe that any god even exists.
Or they have a different opinion as to what is and is not evil.

Of course if you live you're life thinking you're innocent of evil, you'll question anyone that suggests a need for judgement

This is nothing more than a continuation of your above false dichotomy.

 

[-Peacemaker-]

my question is, why would anything go well without god?

believers and non believers alike are capable of achieving the same things in this life..


edit:
i am of the opinion that needing god and having him on your side is an arrogant notion.

Can one really forgive their enemies without the power of God? Can one really love their enemies like they love themselves and have compassion on them without the assistance of God? The answer is most definately no. When most people make an assessment of their character they act like they deserve a gold star because they love their family and their friends. Big f'n deal if you can do that. Anybody can do that. It's only when the bar you've set for yourself, morally speaking, is at or near the floor can you live up to that expectation without the grace of God.

 

[-Peacemaker-]

Or they find no reason to take god seriously..
Or they have no reason to believe that any god even exists.
Or they have a different opinion as to what is and is not evil.


This is nothing more than a continuation of your above false dichotomy.

We've talked about this before. Discerning between evil and good is much easier when we ask ourselves how we'd want to be treated if we were in someone elses shoes. Our definitions of good and evil become very similar when we do that. If you do that, you'll know what's right about 98% of the time. There are always those bizarre exceptions that arise for masochists.

 

[waitasec]

Can one really forgive their enemies without the power of God?

sure.

Can one really love their enemies like they love themselves and have compassion on them without the assistance of God?

and if you have no enemies?

The answer is most definately no.

why? and how can you be so absolutely sure?

When most people make an assessment of their character they act like they deserve a gold star because they love their family and their friends. Big f'n deal if you can do that. Anybody can do that. It's only when the bar you've set for yourself, morally speaking, is at or near the floor can you live up to that expectation without the grace of God.

exactly...i've always thought the same thing...don't you find it interesting that i'm a non theist.

are you suggesting that non believers set the bar lower than believers?

 

[-Peacemaker-]

and if you have no enemies?

I'll put it a different way. Everybody loves those who love them. Only a person with the power of God working through them can love those that don't love them

 

[Me Myself]

I'll put it a different way. Everybody loves those who love them. Only a person with the power of God working through them can love those that don't love them

not everyone loves those who love them.

God is needed for any love. That said, the believe in God is NOT needed for any love to happen.

 

[-Peacemaker-]

not everyone loves those who love them.

God is needed for any love. That said, the believe in God is NOT needed for any love to happen.

I said the POWER of God, not the belief in God. The human heart is too broken to do such things on its own

 

[Nooj]

"Life is going great, so I became religious." Do you ever hear someone making that claim? You often hear of people becoming more religious, turning to religion, when the going gets tough. This is often a reason for someone becoming religious in the first place-- God got them through that tough spot.

But it just struck me the other day. You don't often hear of people turning to God when life is good. Why do you think that is?

Maybe God gives more suffering to religious people and those who are more prone to religious sentiment.

 

[muhammad_isa]

Maybe God gives more suffering to religious people and those who are more prone to religious sentiment.

Good point! The pious certainly aren't loved by everybody..

 

[McBell]

We've talked about this before. Discerning between evil and good is much easier when we ask ourselves how we'd want to be treated if we were in someone elses shoes. Our definitions of good and evil become very similar when we do that. If you do that, you'll know what's right about 98% of the time. There are always those bizarre exceptions that arise for masochists.

There is a difference between knowing what is right and agreeing with others as to what is right.

Sounds like you are presenting a "majority rules" scenario to determine right and wrong and I do not think that is where you are meaning to go with this.

 

[waitasec]

I'll put it a different way. Everybody loves those who love them. Only a person with the power of God working through them can love those that don't love them

so if a person comes into a believers house rapes their wife murders her and tortured their children in the believers presence and that believer begins to harbor hate towards the murderer, they're not really a believer?

 

[Tathagata]

Religion is known to provide consolation. In fact, even I turn to "religion" for consolation in tough times though consolation was not the reason for believing that specific religion.

In times of emotional crisis, you're really not going to be thinking logically nor are you going to want logic to win. You may subconsciously know that the logic dictates that the worst is true, but emotion will incline you to believe that the best outcome is true.

.

 

[9Westy9]

"I'm having a good day. I obviously couldn't have possibly made this day as good as it is. This is proof of God/karma/whatever. Therefore I should join a religion."

obviously this reasoning is ignoring the fact that other people could have made your day as good as it is, or that it was just a particularly lucky day