What are your reasons for believing?

[an anarchist]

What are your reasons for believing? You don't need scientific reasons here. It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

I have this in Interfaith Discussion because I think there are plenty of debate threads already on the topic of evidence for god and the such. Right now, I'm interested in your reasons for believing, even if they are seemingly unsound.

I don't think I want to do life without religion... just yet. I'm attracted to paganism because of its practices I think. I'm in love with the idea invoking mystical power.

Then just my belief in a higher power(s) is rooted in its necessity for my utopic vision I think.

I recognize that my belief that I have infinite power is a powerful belief, even if it is not true.

I don't need logical reasons for belief, and you don't either. Can we stop acting like belief in god is some scientifically supported idea?

I've achieved ego death through cheating. If I can achieve ego death through meditative practices, I think my belief in a higher force will be sealed.

I believe because I want to. I'm beginning to accept that I think. Maybe one day I don't want to, in which case I can see myself as an atheistic buddhist. But I don't want to be an atheistic Buddhist. But I can see that happening. If my belief is rooted in my want.

What are your reasons for belief?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I believe because sometimes it feels like someone’s watching over me, and even in the times it doesn’t feel that way I feel like there could be something to find in the experience.

 

[Jimmy]

Life is amazing and short. We’re not here Long on earth. I believe existence is eternally cyclical from roughly 1980-2080. I believe one man’s death/birth dictates this. I just feel it In my bones. No reason really. It just makes a truckload of sense. I just know it. I’d bet my life on it that these are the facts of life. I love it. I know I’ll live forever basically. It’s pretty cool. I see no other way really. All must end and begin again. I don’t buy into science when it comes to life’s mysteries. I respect science as it is. Medical stuff, learning etc. Even evolution and all that stuff is cool but it doesn’t answer the tough questions. I don’t just believe. I know. AND I LOVE IT. I’ve known for 15 years and I’ll die that way. God wants us to know ****! Not be all like “well I don’t know, I don’t know” haha. Well I do know. I’m not going to live on this earth and not know some things! No thanks. If one says what I believe is far fetched I say to them look at this place. Talk about far fetched. Infinite space? Doesn’t get any nuttier than that my friend. Oh btw infinite space is my god. Nothing is grander! NOTHING! Like they say, with god all things are possible. IT IS SO CLEAR TO ME!

 

[sayak83]

What are your reasons for believing? You don't need scientific reasons here. It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

I have this in Interfaith Discussion because I think there are plenty of debate threads already on the topic of evidence for god and the such. Right now, I'm interested in your reasons for believing, even if they are seemingly unsound.

I don't think I want to do life without religion... just yet. I'm attracted to paganism because of its practices I think. I'm in love with the idea invoking mystical power.

Then just my belief in a higher power(s) is rooted in its necessity for my utopic vision I think.

I recognize that my belief that I have infinite power is a powerful belief, even if it is not true.

I don't need logical reasons for belief, and you don't either. Can we stop acting like belief in god is some scientifically supported idea?

I've achieved ego death through cheating. If I can achieve ego death through meditative practices, I think my belief in a higher force will be sealed.

I believe because I want to. I'm beginning to accept that I think. Maybe one day I don't want to, in which case I can see myself as an atheistic buddhist. But I don't want to be an atheistic Buddhist. But I can see that happening. If my belief is rooted in my want.

What are your reasons for belief?

My meditative and mystical experiences have led me to my current beliefs and realisations. They certainly have an extremely positive impact in my life, my character and my work. For example, I do not see myself hanker after worldy things much (like wealth, fame, social status etc). I simply do what I think is right and what is in accordance to whatever abilities I have without comparing myself with others. I will tell you...if you can have this mindset through life then you will highly likely get both inner satisfaction and outer success.

 

[JustGeorge]

For me, denying would seem as unnatural and disingenuous as it would be to deny my house, van, or the big maple outside...

 

[vulcanlogician]

It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

But why insist on non-empirical reasons? Mysticism is direct experience of something holy or divine. That's empiricism at its finest. Empiricists say that only what we experience is real. That doesn't make all our perceptions accurate, but since mysticism involves experience, it is necessarily empirical.

"Supernatural" is a whole different story. Empiricists look at sensible causes and effects in order to better understand the world. If something is "beyond nature" than it very well may not impact the senses in any way. And if that's true, no empirical investigation ca reveal anything about it.

Glad to see you back, man.

 

[Quintessence]

What are the reasons for... believing? In, about, or in regards to what?

Devoid of specificity, the most I can say is that the cognitive process of this one's brain are the result of the same thing everyone's are: bodies sensing the greater-than-human world around themselves and processing that information over time (aka, life experience).

It is an odd way to put things, "believing." It is like asking what are the reasons for... living? Not a question most of us ask every day, unless we are suicidal. Perhaps that makes it all the more important. Why, today, do you choose to live? Why continue to be embodied, sensuous, experiencing creatures who think and feel and be?

Because the world is wonderful.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

When I had my epiphany at the age of 14 while walking home from school I realized that the changes we bring forth in our lives allow us to raise or lower our divinity, which ultimately lead me to believe now that God is reality. I believe this because my medications have reverted my brain back to how I thought around that age and frankly when my thoughts are slower I become more, rather than less, spiritual. I still vividly remember that time of my life nearly twenty years ago and I will not forsake all the progress I made in my search to understand and explain God towards other people.

 

[mangalavara]

My meditative and mystical experiences have led me to my current beliefs and realisations.

My journey is the same but with my own meditative and mystical experiences, of course.

I am now at the point where I keep a fairly detailed diary about my experiences. It has me approaching my experiences and the timings like a scientist.

I do not see myself hanker after worldy things much (like wealth, fame, social status etc). I simply do what I think is right and what is in accordance to whatever abilities I have without comparing myself with others.

I love that. I have been doing the same thing.

if you can have this mindset through life then you will highly likely get both inner satisfaction and outer success.

I can attest to this.

But why insist on non-empirical reasons? Mysticism is direct experience of something holy or divine. That's empiricism at its finest. Empiricists say that only what we experience is real. That doesn't make all our perceptions accurate, but since mysticism involves experience, it is necessarily empirical.

In Classical Indian philosophy, the mind is a sense organ. This is what I recall at the moment, but I might be wrong.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Having tried the way of faith and the way of no faith, I know which works for me. And it works for me on many levels, this belief that everything originates from, and will someday return to, a loving God.

I could say more, but will simply add that a God of my understanding was there for me in my hour of greatest need, and has been there ever since, though my faith has occasionally wavered.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

What are your reasons for believing? You don't need scientific reasons here. It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

Experience in life. And then thought, to try to make sense of that experience. Rinse and repeat.

I experience what on one level appears to be a harshly indifferent (but quite wondrous) cosmos of matter and energy, while at another level is inhabited by entities that exercise volition, whom I see as human and other-than-human persons. We're all related by being part of the same cosmos, and so are all kinfolk, participating in the incomprehensible and terribly beautiful dance of life in the cosmos.

 

[an anarchist]

That doesn't make all our perceptions accurate, but since mysticism involves experience, it is necessarily empirical.

I wonder when if one day, if I have a mystical experience through meditative practice, such as ego death, if my knowledge that my perception is fallible will stop me from fully believing. I'm literally brain damaged, (context), so my perception is sort of warped from the get go. If I see god, how do I know I'm not being crazy? The brain is so so soooo powerful it can conjure up feelings and thoughts that are seemingly unimaginable.

 

[vulcanlogician]

I wonder when if one day, if I have a mystical experience through meditative practice, such as ego death, if my knowledge that my perception is fallible will stop me from fully believing. I'm literally brain damaged, (context), so my perception is sort of warped from the get go. If I see god, how do I know I'm not being crazy? The brain is so so soooo powerful it can conjure up feelings and thoughts that are seemingly unimaginable.

You may have a vision of God that is the result of the physical situation in your brain. Or you may experience ego death. No person who has such an experience can rule out hallucination. I would ask the same questions you are asking if I ever saw God.

But there is an old William James trick, that allows you to "believe the experience" without the trouble of confirming if it really happened or not. You can treat the experience as a personal event that happened TO YOU and is meaningful FOR YOU. So long as you don't go around insisting to other people that you saw God and that they need to believe you, you can internalize and grow from such an experience (hypothetically).

I also would like to clarify that while science is empirical (ie. ultimately based on experience) that doesn't make all empiricism scientific. Science seeks to confirm empirical observations by testing certain conclusion. Mysticism is never going to be scientific in this way, even though it is (as I said before) empirical.

 

[Truthseeker]

What are your reasons for belief?

The are numerous instances of how people were overwhelmed in the presence of Baha'u'llah in The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, volumes 1 - 4, by Adib Taherzadeh. Baha'u'llah' Writings are coherent and elicit a spiritual lift for me. Baha'u'llah's son and successor 'Abdu'l-Baha had a miraculously wonderful conduct.

 

[loverofhumanity]

There are different types of belief. There is selfish belief centred around self appeasement and nothing more and then there is belief which involves self sacrifice for the good of others. My beliefs Centre around what is best for humanity not personal satisfaction and that involves great personal sacrifice and is not easy. The raising up of virtuous children and youth whose aim is service to humanity and to try and remove prejudices of all kinds is hard work. It’s easy to light up some incense & meditate but to try and transform oneself into a virtuous person and promote oneness in the world is a daunting task that most don’t choose because ‘there’s nothing in it for them’. Many beliefs sadly focus mostly on selfish desires not upon what will benefit humanity but what satisfies the ego.

 

[osgart]

I believe in my path because life is pointless otherwise, and I find beauty in what I believe. I'm inspired by the understanding that I've gained. I'd rather live in a world that isn't solely about self gain; fulfillment goes along with helping others as they deserve. The two go hand in hand.

I believe life is not all blind happenstance, nor chance, nor accident because it makes the most sense to me. Life is a noble idea regardless of what nature does and says. Nature is a savage intelligence desperate for survival, and beyond.

Life is to be treasured. People make worth or death, heaven or hell. Worth and treasure is from the heart of people, not from self gain, or hoarding. Inspiration not oppression is life. I'd rather be a poor man in heaven, then the king of hell.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

What are your reasons for believing? You don't need scientific reasons here. It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

What are your reasons for belief?

I believe in the possibility that deities exist because of my personal firsthand experiences and encounters with the supernatural over the past 43 years of my life. I also believe in the supernatural based on what I have personally witnessed and documented over the past 15 and a half years as a paranormal investigator, as well as what I've seen documented by other paranormal investigators I respect and know to be trustworthy who are just as passionate and dedicated to researching and investigating the paranormal as I am. There is no doubt in my mind that there are supernatural occurrences that take place in the physical world that conventional science, holy texts (like the Bible), or other religious dogmas cannot account for and refute. I am totally convinced.

 

[Balthazzar]

I believe truths are better than lies, being correct or right about how life operates is better than being wrong about it. I believe chaos has some merit, but only as it applies to getting through the chaos to form more precise and accurate paradigms. I believe we learn as we go and that we'll never know everything. I believe life changes and as life changes we change with it. Why? It makes sense to me. That's why i believe what I believe. It makes sense.

 

[metis]

What are your reasons for believing? You don't need scientific reasons here. It's okay to have non empirical reasons for believing in something supernatural or mystical.

Several years ago I posted three lengthy posts that dealt with "premonitions" [although "spiritual connection" probably suits this better] I had that lasted 2 & 1/2 years and shook me to my very core. Let me just say that I am a scientist, now retired, thus I rely on verifiable evidence, not superstition, but what happened to me defied that orientation I still have. I can't prove what I went through, but I well know what I experienced over those years. It ended up leading me back to the Church after leaving it for over 20 years.