Switching Sides

[XenoFish]

@eight bits You brought up a good question in Onlookers thread. So I figured instead of derailing his thread this question deserved it's own chance to shine.

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God (or any god you choose)?

I'll just copy paste my answer.

Hope and a greater sense of community. Perhaps even a meaning to one's life. 

[+Desertrat56]

3 hours ago, XenoFish said:

@eight bits You brought up a good question in Onlookers thread. So I figured instead of derailing his thread this question deserved it's own chance to shine.

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God (or any god you choose)?

I'll just copy paste my answer.

Hope and a greater sense of community. Perhaps even a meaning to one's life. 

I suppose that is the most common, reasonable answer, it is why cults and nefarious ministers are able to recruit,  they find the lonely and disaffected.  Scientology goes one step further and only recruits addicts, those most vulnerable to the appeal of hope and acceptance/community

[Grim Reaper 6]

3 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

I suppose that is the most common, reasonable answer, it is why cults and nefarious ministers are able to recruit,  they find the lonely and disaffected.  Scientology goes one step further and only recruits addicts, those most vulnerable to the appeal of hope and acceptance/community

Except for Tom Cruise, he is just a Nutter!!

Take Care Sister

[Grim Reaper 6]

3 hours ago, XenoFish said:

@eight bits You brought up a good question in Onlookers thread. So I figured instead of derailing his thread this question deserved it's own chance to shine.

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God (or any god you choose)?

I'll just copy paste my answer.

Hope and a greater sense of community. Perhaps even a meaning to one's life. 

The best argument for believing in God is personal choice and nothing more. Everyone needs something to believe in that is what gives us the reason to get out of bed in the morning. In addition to that some people need the additional belief in a force that is great than themselves. While others do not need this, it all gets back to one simple thing Personal Choice, because in this situation there is no right and wrong way to approach this. The only thing that is important is how and what you need to make it through the night, because either choice is al right.

JIMO

[+and-then]

For me it's simply a choice to believe that there is meaning and purpose in this life.  I refuse to believe that it's all some random event with no purpose.  It has nothing whatever to do with "fear".  I hear that a lot from those who do not have faith.  I'm sure it's true for some people but I've found that my belief in a Divine purpose, even if I have no true understanding of where I fit into it, leaves me always looking forward in hope.  

My reason for specifically believing in Christ is that I've seen evidence of His love changing REALLY broken people and I've also come to believe He predicted the time we are about to be going through.  

[Will Due]

3 hours ago, XenoFish said:

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God

 

How about that in all honesty, there isn't an arguement at all, to not believe in God. 

 

 

[jmccr8]

3 hours ago, XenoFish said:

@eight bits You brought up a good question in Onlookers thread. So I figured instead of derailing his thread this question deserved it's own chance to shine.

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God (or any god you choose)?

I'll just copy paste my answer.

Hope and a greater sense of community. Perhaps even a meaning to one's life. 

Hi Xeno

Because I have a god construct I see god in us but as far as argument for god all I have is my personal experience of being in the world with other intelligent people.

jmccr8

[+Nuclear Wessel]

33 minutes ago, Will Do said:

How about that in all honesty, there isn't an arguement at all, to not believe in God.

Really?

[TashaMarie]

1 hour ago, and then said:

For me it's simply a choice to believe that there is meaning and purpose in this life.  I refuse to believe that it's all some random event with no purpose.  It has nothing whatever to do with "fear".  I hear that a lot from those who do not have faith.  I'm sure it's true for some people but I've found that my belief in a Divine purpose, even if I have no true understanding of where I fit into it, leaves me always looking forward in hope.  

My reason for specifically believing in Christ is that I've seen evidence of His love changing REALLY broken people and I've also come to believe He predicted the time we are about to be going through.  

This confuses how does there being a God/s give your life meaning and purpose? 

[Mr Walker]

5 hours ago, XenoFish said:

@eight bits You brought up a good question in Onlookers thread. So I figured instead of derailing his thread this question deserved it's own chance to shine.

What do you think is the best argument for believing in God (or any god you choose)?

I'll just copy paste my answer.

Hope and a greater sense of community. Perhaps even a meaning to one's life. 

As with any belief, the best reason is that, constructing the belief meets a need in the person.

Because different people have different needs, we all have different beliefs.

Some people have a need to disbelieve for a variety of different reasons.

Some have different needs and thus different   reasons to believe. 

The scientific  understanding is that a positive belief adds years to a human's life span,  improves the physical and psychological  quality of that life, and provides many other benefits, by meeting basic psychological  needs of a human being  Furthermore this benefit is so significant that it has affected human evolution, because believers survive and breed  more than nonbelievers,  making modern  humans about 90% believers. 

Edited December 13, 2020 by Mr Walker

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, TashaMarie said:

This confuses how does there being a God/s give your life meaning and purpose? 

Well, for me, if I actually believed that my existence was nothing more than a random, chance occurrence, it wouldn't really matter what I did or didn't do (so long as I wasn't cruel) because I'd know that at any given moment it could all end and nothing I did would have had any meaning.  I hope that wasn't too confusing, sometimes it's difficult to phrase some things.

[Will Due]

2 hours ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

Really?

 

Not at all.

 

 

[jmccr8]

39 minutes ago, and then said:

Well, for me, if I actually believed that my existence was nothing more than a random, chance occurrence, it wouldn't really matter what I did or didn't do (so long as I wasn't cruel) because I'd know that at any given moment it could all end and nothing I did would have had any meaning.  I hope that wasn't too confusing, sometimes it's difficult to phrase some things.

Hi Andthe

As someone that does not share your position for me it does matter, I don't need a god to tell me to love my fellow man we are social creatures that depend on inter-action so for the most part try to cultivate positive relationships possibly more successful in some parts but not in others. I don't see morality as a religious aspect it is a part of our evolved social circumstance.

jmccr8

[TashaMarie]

8 hours ago, and then said:

Well, for me, if I actually believed that my existence was nothing more than a random, chance occurrence, it wouldn't really matter what I did or didn't do (so long as I wasn't cruel) because I'd know that at any given moment it could all end and nothing I did would have had any meaning.  I hope that wasn't too confusing, sometimes it's difficult to phrase some things.

I think that fact that we are alive is amazing think of all the variables that could have stopped it.  One tiny insignificant action and no us and yet we are here.  I am here for however many years so I am going to take the opportunity to live, love, learn and experience.  

[DebDandelion]

14 hours ago, and then said:

For me it's simply a choice to believe that there is meaning and purpose in this life.  I refuse to believe that it's all some random event with no purpose.  It has nothing whatever to do with "fear".  I hear that a lot from those who do not have faith.  I'm sure it's true for some people but I've found that my belief in a Divine purpose, even if I have no true understanding of where I fit into it, leaves me always looking forward in hope.  

My reason for specifically believing in Christ is that I've seen evidence of His love changing REALLY broken people and I've also come to believe He predicted the time we are about to be going through.  

Beautifully said

[DebDandelion]

14 hours ago, Will Do said:

 

How about that in all honesty, there isn't an arguement at all, to not believe in God. 

 

 

There are many instances (and I am a Christian) where I can understand why people would question the existence of God. 

[+Desertrat56]

15 hours ago, Manwon Lender said:

Except for Tom Cruise, he is just a Nutter!!

Take Care Sister

Nope, he was either raised in the cult or he was an addict when they found him.  Yes, he is a nutter, but I am sure he is an addict as well.  Of course the first thing they do for indoctrination is to isolate you in a detox center for 6 months or more depending on several things.  How dependent you are, whether you finally run away or how many books you sell.

[+Desertrat56]

13 hours ago, TashaMarie said:

This confuses how does there being a God/s give your life meaning and purpose? 

I agree, we all decide what our purpose is, though I also agree that we are usually more content when we choose a purpose and actualize what ever we believe that is, for example a teacher who has chosen the purpose of helping children learn something.  My mother was an example of that, there was only one thing she was good at and that was teaching.  She loved teaching children.  That was her purpose to exist on this planet for her.  God didn't give the purpose but sometimes that belief is externalized to that extent.   We do all need to believe in a purpose for being on planet earth in a human body, even if it's just to take care of our kids or a loved one so that they are ok.  Some need a more grandiose purpose and that is ok too, as long as it does not include infringing on someone else's life (like the pretend christian politicians that claim their legislation is god's will).

[+joc]

14 hours ago, and then said:

My reason for specifically believing in Christ is that I've seen evidence of His love changing REALLY broken people and I've also come to believe He predicted the time we are about to be going through.  

As have I.  My grandfather was an old time preacher and they didn't call it Being Saved...they called it Getting Converted.  When one puts their trust and faith in Jesus...it can have a dramatic positive effect on their lives.

That being said...in no way does that prove the legitimacy of Christ.  Also what I have witnessed are the Televangelists who touch someone's head and they faint and fall backwards and there is always someone standing there to catch them.  They line up to 'experience' this 'feeling' of trust and commitment.

So...

...if a person's life is in chaos, if they feel guilty about how they have been living, the 'acceptance' of Christ initially gives them a tremendous uplift in positive thought.  Akin to being 'in love', it is a chemical release in the brain.  But it is this 'chemical' reaction in the brain that solidifies the 'belief' in Christ.  And so, people come to believe as a result that With God All Things Are Possible...completely negating the laws of physics.  

I know all of this from first hand experience.  That's why I believed...that's why most believe...because they had a chemical reaction in the brain that they associated with believing in Christ and the end result of believing something to be true is that 'it is true'...in the mind of the believer...even if it is completely and utterly false.

[SHaYap]

Religion isn't God and God has no Religion | Sonam Kalra | TEDxGateway

Quote

[00.12:28]

~

[Will Due]

 

Most of the time but not always, it's absolutely pointless to argue.

 

 

[eight bits]

Verse 113 of the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas ends

... The kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the Earth, and people do not see it

There are a lot of ways to take that short sentence. I'm not a believer, so one of the ways I take it is as a reminder to know my limitations.

There's a joke about agnostics, that they aren't atheists "just in case." The joke is just in case atheists go to hell. The truth is just in case I'm not as smart or not as perceptive as I need to be.

Could be. I thought Hilary would win in 2016 and Trump in 2020.

[SHaYap]

7 hours ago, eight bits said:

There's a joke about agnostics, that they aren't atheists "just in case." The joke is just in case atheists go to hell. The truth is just in case I'm not as smart or not as perceptive as I need to be.

Reminds me of that time when I was at a casino with some pals of mine, one of which was on a hot streak of consecutive winning bets, when asked, she replied "god / deity was speaking to me... "

After a run of six wins came the first loss, what happened? She was asked... 

She replied... 

Spoiler

"I didn't listen... "

~

[+Razman]

For me , the best reason , is that i can feel it , even if my mind / logic tells me it is not so. But , not "God", though a source of spirit and intelligence.

Edited December 14, 2020 by razman

[Davros of Skaro]

Praise Jesus Placebo Christ and the Holy you know what!

Hallelujah! Amen!