To believe, or not to believe....?

[allfoak]

Agree that it is better to be on the safe side. However, you mentioned that He is a fact? Did I miss any solid proof that He exists?

God rewards those who seek him. If you want proof that God exists then seek him out. Since all that exists was made from what is unseen then the way to seek him is through faith. Faith is not something that we conjure up but something we have and use. The proper use of faith brings confidence and assurance as it grows.

 

[Ana.J]

God rewards those who seek him. If you want proof that God exists then seek him out. Since all that exists was made from what is unseen then the way to seek him is through faith. Faith is not something that we conjure up but something we have and use. The proper use of faith brings confidence and assurance as it grows.

Thank you, but I do not need proof that He exists. I just know it in my heart.

 

[allfoak]

Thank you, but I do not need proof that He exists. I just know it in my heart.

Isn't that where faith comes from?

 

[Ana.J]

Isn't that where faith comes from?

Mine yes, not sure about the others....

 

[allfoak]

Mine yes, not sure about the others....

Don't you mean that others just misplace the faith that they already have? Putting their faith in men rather than God?

 

[Ana.J]

Don't you mean that others just misplace the faith that they already have? Putting their faith in men rather than God?

Well....I'm not sure is there is such thing as misplacing faith. If God is the Creator of everything or He is everything then why believing in men is worse than believing in Him?

 

[Revoltingest]

Hello Guys,

Just a few thoughts on the faith in God.....

So do you agree that a person who believes in God and the one who doesn't live a different lives? I am not talking about fanatical dogmatic religious followers. Just a person who believes in supreme being/ the Creator and afterlife? Because most religions do imply the existence of afterlife.

So if we live our life believing in God and in the end we will find our that there is no afterlife, we will not care because we will cease to exist. No disappointment

But what if we live our life not believing in God (After us the deluge) and in the end we will find out that there is afterlife and you shall reap what you sow? Won't that be devastating?

So is it better to have faith then?

Among my fundie friends IRL, it regularly comes
up that our lives & values are uncannily similar.
The differences....
They go to church more.
I watch The Simpsons more.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Yes, or whether to gossip about people, or bear a grudge or be angry or cook other animals for dinner, for example.

Interesting theory. Given that I'm an atheist, then, I should go and slander some other people right now. Maybe a pregnant teen seeking an abortion, or a dirty homosexual couple wantung to profess their love to the world, or some young pubescent whacking off to an underwear magazine.

Although, now that I think about it, its generally not the faithless doing that.

Perhaps then I should have started a fight with the guy at basketball who took a swing at me and got ejected from the game instead of shaking his hand at the end of it all.

Or maybe I should have ordered a machiatto instead of a caramel latte at work today?

Dunno...not sure I'm living up to my faithlessness. Maybe I'm a closet believer?

 

[viole]

I think that the problem with killing other creatures lies with the fact that we feel separated from others. If faith gives me feeling of the unity of everything, then I start to crea more about other creates and value their live equally.

But that does not necessarily require belief in any God as a premise.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Shad]

So do you agree that a person who believes in God and the one who doesn't live a different lives?

Yes as the majority ascribe various principles to live by.

I am not talking about fanatical dogmatic religious followers. Just a person who believes in supreme being/ the Creator and afterlife? Because most religions do imply the existence of afterlife.

The idea of judgment after death is a primary example which a person can use to determine how they live their life. Your question seems more aimed at deists than takes a swing back to theism so it becomes hard to answer

So if we live our life believing in God and in the end we will find our that there is no afterlife, we will not care because we will cease to exist. No disappointment

But what if we live our life not believing in God (After us the deluge) and in the end we will find out that there is afterlife and you shall reap what you sow? Won't that be devastating?

It depends on what this God considers important so I can not say if it would be devastating or not. By what standard am I judged?

So is it better to have faith then?

Pascal's Wager (this is the argument used by you) is flawed once a person points out that "God" is presented as an ambiguous entity not represented by the majority of religions which are mutually exclusive to each other. Which God?

 

[leibowde84]

lol...thts a risk I agree...but I think we should abide with the scriptures..its a best way to learn the truth..and we may escape from being trapped like that ..

What if the scriptures are wrong about some of their claims, though?

 

[Ana.J]

Among my fundie friends IRL, it regularly comes
up that our lives & values are uncannily similar.
The differences....
They go to church more.
I watch The Simpsons more.

Yep, I wonder who spends time more productively.....wait.....you!

 

[Revoltingest]

Yep, I wonder who spends time more productively.....wait.....you!

We each do what calls to us.

 

[allfoak]

Well....I'm not sure is there is such thing as misplacing faith. If God is the Creator of everything or He is everything then why believing in men is worse than believing in Him?

Yes it is true that God is everything, it is also true that people have an individual consciousness able to contemplate themselves and anything else their imagination will allow.
If man is responsible for what it is that creates his own consciousness then you can see that man would not really be a good choice to go to for knowledge. The truth is found within. This is where the kingdom is found, within. We must search out the true prophet within us.

 

[allfoak]

What if the scriptures are wrong about some of their claims, though?

What if you are wrong about what you think the scriptures claim? What if the scriptures are the tool we use to prove the truth rather than debate what it is or isnt.

 

[4M17]

What if the scriptures are wrong about some of their claims, though?

nopes scriptures cannot be wrong...it might be that the reader have not understood or speculate on what has been said but that's the readers fault not the scripture I think..

 

[Ana.J]

nopes scriptures cannot be wrong...it might be that the reader have not understood or speculate on what has been said but that's the readers fault not the scripture I think..

How do you know that scriptures cannot be wrong? Can you explain?

 

[4M17]

How do you know that scriptures cannot be wrong? Can you explain?

scriptures comes from God himself..He reveals them directly or through His bonafide representatives(pure devotees)as the vedas, BG, bibles, quran etc..and if u look at them carefully u'll c that all preaches the same thing in order for us to live rightly in a prosperous society... scriptures comes from the perfect source so they cannot be wrong..We human being are imperfect and prone to make mistake but God is Perfect so are his instructions which are the scriptures...even science is converging to what has been described in scriptures thousands of years back...eg. previously science was not in line with the structure of the universe as per the scriptures(especially Srimad Bhagatam which give very detailed descriptions) saying that its fake n wrong but today they came up with models that r almost the same replica of those found in the scriptures..thats y I think that scritures are nevr wrong...we may take time to understand them or discover the truth but ultimately we'll always c the scripture giving the right info-imho

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

scriptures comes from God himself

Weird. God told me humans wrote it.

 

[leibowde84]

What if you are wrong about what you think the scriptures claim? What if the scriptures are the tool we use to prove the truth rather than debate what it is or isnt.

My understanding could be wrong, just as the claims made in the scriptures might be wrong. We have know certainty in the matter. That's my point.