Why do you believe?

[Bobadeer]

Why do you believe in what you believe?

 

[Quintessence]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

 

[Me Myself]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

This.

People seriously need to remember to put "other" as an option on every poll.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

Agreed; there needs to be an "other" category, or spell out what Q just posted as an alternative.

I was raised in one religious tradition; I believe in a very different way now.
Concept of Hell plays no role in my current belief system
I think everyone "needs" to believe something...atheists "need" be believe that there is no god, etc, just as those who believe in some god(s) need to believe that...
I fully accept the possibility that there's "nothing" after; I just don't believe that's the case.
I don't think humans are capable of truly understanding whether something is "random" or "caused" in any comprehensive way; to me, it's a nonstarter of an issue; "chaos" is not necessarily the same as "random," and there can still be plenty of intentional cause behind it...

 

[Me Myself]

And honestly a lot of christians I know believe for more than one of the reasons seen there.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

This; it just seems like the logical conclusion from my life so far.

 

[Quintessence]

Ironically, if I had to answer the poll, I think I would go with either "I don't believe" (because it's not a matter of belief to me, it's a matter of knowledge and direct experience).

Or perhaps "I don't think that we owe our existence to random events" (because the universe isn't actually random anyway, it's a network of causes and effects).

 

[Vinayaka]

I have no idea why I believe. I just believe. Why do people have 2 eyes? Why are rocks hard? Since it wasn't a conscious choice, I don't know.

 

[Copernicus]

I voted "Because I was raised in a religious environment." Had that not been so, I probably never would have given a lot of thought to the question of whether gods existed and come to the conclusion that they did not.

 

[Levite]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

^^This!!

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Other- I've experienced things I really don't understand, which I interpreted to be my deities.

I don't think that many people believe in god because of death.

Peace

 

[Riverwolf]

Other: I believe what I believe for the exact same reason any human believes what they believe. It's consistent with my past experiences and knowledge. And, the beliefs serve me well. They do not cause cognitive dissonance or incentive to change.

I have no idea why I believe. I just believe. Why do people have 2 eyes? Why are rocks hard? Since it wasn't a conscious choice, I don't know.

Both of these.

 

[SageTree]

Because of how it inspires me to live my life.

 

[Evee]

I grew up in a completely atheistic household and came to G-d myself as a teenager. My belief fluctuates with my experiences, but is based on one particular experience I had when I was about 17.

 

[jmn]

Does anyone here care to elaborate carefully on what they mean by experiences.

 

[Riverwolf]

Does anyone here care to elaborate carefully on what they mean by experiences.

Exactly what the experiences are will vary from person to person, just as experiences with different people will vary.

 

[jmn]

Exactly what the experiences are will vary from person to person, just as experiences with different people will vary.

I agree, but not what I'm asking.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Does anyone here care to elaborate carefully on what they mean by experiences.

Sure.

I've felt the gods' presences. They each have a distinct energy. For example, Set's energy is chaotic and wild.

I've had statues in my shrine do weird things.

Something really weird happened with Poseidon one time when I offered him water.

 

[jmn]

Sure.

I've felt the gods' presences. They each have a distinct energy. For example, Set's energy is chaotic and wild.

I've had statues in my shrine do weird things.

Something really weird happened with Poseidon one time when I offered him water.

Rapid brain fluctuations, and there are many explainable causes.

 

[Riverwolf]

I agree, but not what I'm asking.

Looked like it to me. Could just be my asperger's obfuscating your meaning a bit.