Why do people deny or have various doubts about God?

[Sonofason]

Well, earlier you said you don't believe people you don't know.

Are you going to make me find the quote where you said that?

Tom

Yes I am. I'd like to see it in full context please.

 

[columbus]

You see, that's just it. I have never known anyone that has dated any fossil, and I have never known anyone who has witnessed that the sun predates the earth. And so I have a hard time believing them. I rarely trust people I do not know, unless I can easily put to the test what they say, and confirm what they say for myself.

I was prompted to seek God by someone I trusted. I was most inclined to believe when he said that God does exist, and that he himself experiences God, that He experienced God. So I sought God. And as a result, I experience God too. And so, and nevertheless, what that man said to me, I have confirmed for myself.

I am curious what people are telling you. Some people do lie. And that is very sad. Some people state as facts mere beliefs, and that too is very sad. We really should be more honest with one another.

I promise, I will continue to be honest with you.

(Bolding mine)

Do you know Andre Lemaire better than a biologist?

 

[mahasn ebn sawresho]

(Bolding mine)

Do you know Andre Lemaire better than a biologist?

God in the full qualities found in the Bible and Christianity
If you want to know the absolute reunification read Genesis
Or how God completed his qualities you find in the Gospel Jesus figure
And the best in the most important God is love
So God loved the world and I have loved you
These words don't find her in the Qur'an
The God machine maker
It is a scary machine
Follow the whims of Nabih nationality
​

 

[McBell]

How in the world can you hold me accountable for not understanding evidence?
I have neither denied any evidence nor have I doubted any evidence. I haven't seen any evidence. That which you call evidence I may have seen, but to me it wasn't evidence. If it was, and if I thought it was sufficiently compelling evidence myself, I'd probably believe it, and I'd probably have faith in it, like you do. But I don't.

It's okay man, I don't have a problem with not knowing everything. I'll be okay. Can't you be happy knowing that I find it to be a logical theory?

One wonders why you display your dishonesty so proudly like a badge of honour?

 

[McBell]

I will promise you this. I never have tried to mislead anyone on this site, and I never will try to mislead anyone, despite this site.

Your posts tell a much different story.

 

[Ouroboros]

Its unfortunate that the churches you were attending were unable to help you build your faith or remain in it.

It wasn't the churches fault, or the pastors, or the members. It was God's lack of communication. I needed to talk to God during a difficult time, but I didn't hear God's voice or anything.

May i ask, what do you think it would take for you to actually believe in a personal God again?

God actually talking to me directly or showing himself in person. If he's a person, then as a person he needs to show himself.

In a sense God always shows himself anyway, because I believe everything there is, including all of us humans are part of the whole "God" thing. In other words, when I talk to you, I talk to God, and when you talk to me, you talk to God too. But that's another way of looking at God. I don't see God anymore as a separate entity outside this world. If God is a personal and direct experience by a person, then God must be integrated and fully incapsulated into this world and its existence, and not separated. Hence, I'm a naturalistic pan(en)theist now. I do acknowledge the mystical experience of life, but I don't reject, deny, or separate that it's also an integral part of the very existence in this world as well. So this world, and any spiritual or mystical experience, are all the same package. That package is God.

 

[SkepticThinker]

How in the world can you hold me accountable for not understanding evidence?
I have neither denied any evidence nor have I doubted any evidence. I haven't seen any evidence. That which you call evidence I may have seen, but to me it wasn't evidence. If it was, and if I thought it was sufficiently compelling evidence myself, I'd probably believe it, and I'd probably have faith in it, like you do. But I don't.

It's okay man, I don't have a problem with not knowing everything. I'll be okay. Can't you be happy knowing that I find it to be a logical theory?

Then it seems that you do not know what evidence is.

 

[Sonofason]

(Bolding mine)

What do you mean, "Bolding mine"
I wrote those words, not you, so what exactly is yours?

Do you know Andre Lemaire better than a biologist?

Why, should I? Me not knowing Andre Lemaire says nothing about my previous postings. If you think it does, I dare you to try to prove it. You will fail.

 

[Sonofason]

One wonders why you display your dishonesty so proudly like a badge of honour?

I don't see how those who have never displayed anything remotely equivalent to honesty could be capable of recognizing it even if it punched them in the face.

 

[Sonofason]

Your posts tell a much different story.

I don't think so.

 

[columbus]

What do you mean, "Bolding mine"
I wrote those words, not you, so what exactly is yours?

Why, should I? Me not knowing Andre Lemaire says nothing about my previous postings. If you think it does, I dare you to try to prove it. You will fail.

I just bolded the parts that seemed incongruous. You said you don't trust people you don't know. But you trust Lemaire with a rather extraordinary claim. And you don't know him.

Tom

 

[Sonofason]

Then it seems that you do not know what evidence is.

That which you perceive has a great deal more to do with you than it has to do with me.

 

[Sonofason]

I just bolded the parts that seemed incongruous. You said you don't trust people you don't know. But you trust Lemaire with a rather extraordinary claim. And you don't know him.

Tom

No, I said I rarely trust people I don't know. But in this case Lemaire has discovered something which confirms that which I believe is true. Evidence of the historicity of Jesus, I expect to be found. And that is because Jesus is historical.

 

[McBell]

No, I said I rarely trust people I don't know. But in this case Lemaire has discovered something which confirms that which I believe is true. Evidence of the historicity of Jesus, I expect to be found. And that is because Jesus is historical.

At least you admit your confirmation bias.

Congratulations?

 

[McBell]

I don't see how those who have never displayed anything remotely equivalent to honesty could be capable of recognizing it even if it punched them in the face.

oh, you have already made it perfectly clear that to you it all boils down to what you can/cannot, will/will not accept/believe; truth and facts be damned.

 

[McBell]

I don't think so.

please see post #775

 

[Sonofason]

At least you admit your confirmation bias.

Congratulations?

Will you admit yours?

 

[Gnostic Seeker]

Peace be on everyone.

Why do people deny or have various doubts about God?

Edit / add: and what is the source of morality in life, of above mentioned people?

I don't believe for many reasons. Here are a few:

I don't see how a truly good god with the power to intervene could let so much suffering and evil go on. With the state of the world, if a god like you believe in exists he is allowing mass starvation, children to be tortured and violated by attackers, etc. I don't buy religious justifications that he's just testing people. A god like that would not be good.

I don't see god's hand or anything supernatural in the way the world is. It all runs on its course and nothing beyond reality ever manifests.

As for morals: I have morals because I have empathy, feeling for others. Our sense of empathy arose from evolution.

 

[McBell]

Will you admit yours?

Really?
"I know you are but what am I" is the best you got?

wow.

 

[Sonofason]

Really?
"I know you are but what am I" is the best you got?

wow.

I'm glad you're impressed. Now, do you actually have an argument? Or do you prefer attacking me?