Why believe in a god?

Human beings need answers. We like to know why things are the way they are, and we will always look for answers to our questions to help us understand. But in the times that the major religions were being created, we didn't have the tools we have today....

We couldn't have possibly come up with the theory of Evolution, or the Big Bang theory, or known that the Earth was round and that it is billions of years old. These are all things we know very well today - things that are backed up by proof and evidence, by rationality, and not by imagination.

There is no proof for Jesus existing. There's no proof that the disciples existed, or that Nazareth (as it is described in the Bible) existed at the time the Bible says it did. In fact, there's proof *against* each of those things. So why believe? Why believe if, had you been born in another country, you'd likely be believing in another god just as strongly? Why believe if you're asked to simply have faith - blind faith - and not consider scientific evidence?

Really, there's no good answer.

*And remember, the Bible says so isn't a good answer. The Bible can't be used as proof of its own claims. That'd be like writing a history paper and using zero citations, or saying fairies exist, because this fairytale says so.

For myself...I don't know...One thing I DO know, there is, and has been thousands and thousands of people way smarter than any one on this site, who do or did believe in God...and came to their own conclusions...

Intelligence, or lack thereof is not a requirement for beliefor or non-belief. Very smart people can still be brainwashed, and they can also have defense mechanisms that prevent them from accepting certain truths about the world because. Hitler and many of his followers were extremely intelligent, and their belief system was psychotic. Intelligence has nothing to do with it. Some people are just unwilling, or incapable of admiting that there is a possiblity that what they believe is untrue.

no matter what the unleashed, usual Christian Faith-Bashers say here.

Amblessed, what would you say if I called you an unleashed, atheist-basher? But it is atheists who pick figts, right?

People believe in God for these reason's:

-Fear
-Hopefulness
-Because it is what they have been taught
-Christianity looks down on questioning their relgion
-Answers for why things go wrong

I dont believe in God. I do however can understand why some people do. It would be a wonderful feeling to know that I would go somewhere after this life and live with all of my family and friends and never know any pain or suffering. It would be great to have something to blame when things go wrong, instead of putting the blame on myself.

That doesn't make it right though. I know in my opinion there is no God, and have accepted that fact after studying many relgions and reading different relgious texts.

Very intellectual!
I don't believe in god or an existance of god!
But!
I do believe in something greater than me...
Whether it be a god, a goddess, an animal...
Whatever it be...
you have to have proof, and prove it to me, that this greater thing, a higher power then me!
IS REAL!
And that!
IS what make me an agnostic!

WELL a lot OF people ASKED DIS QUESTION I ASKED DIS QUESTION
BEFORE.WELL GOD 2 ME IS A GOOD MEN HE ANSWER ALL PREYERS
EVERYTIME I PREY 2 HIM IM ALWAYS FEELING GOOD ABOUT what I HAVE DONE SOMETIMES HE don't DO DA THINGS you WANT HIM 2 DO BUT LETS FACE IT GOD IS DA ANSWER 2 ALL QUESTIONS when your SAD JUSS GO 2 HIM TRUST HE WILL LEAVE you FEELING BETTER ALL you HAVE 2 DO IS BELIEVE and HIM and LEAVE your HARDSHIPS and HIS HANDS and HE WILL WORK WIT you BUT JUSS BELIEVE and HIM and U WILL UNDERSTAND why HE IS A GOOD MEN

Why ? - for that blessed assurance of Salvation, God's promises for those that follow Him, and an eternal home in Heaven - Faith is the evidence of things not seen - faith comes by hearing - hearing by the word of God (the Bible), no matter what the unleashed, usual Christian Faith-Bashers say here.

People do it for different reasons.

But I think a lot of people just like to believe in something.
They want to believe that there is a higher being that's helping them out and watching out for them.

Also all the reasons Mandyloo listed.

Why believe in a god?
I don't know.

God is a very powerful person.
though you never see him he is always there watching.
He is your protector,your hero.

some people believe and some don't
but if your the one who doesnt I suggest you pick up a Bible and
treat it with respect and just read.

then you can truly decide what your belifes are on God.

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SEND ME FUN MAIL..I ANSWER EVERY QUESTION SENT TOO ME
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HAVE A HAPPY DAY!

Why treat it with respect, and why do I need to be an expert on something I believe is of completely questionable origins? You don't need to know all about leprechauns to say that they're not real.

I agree with mandyloo add one brain washing from birth. There is no real proof of God. I wonder why if God is all powerful being could be challenged by human science. Not even directly. Your right you can't use the bible to prove the bible either.

Well if there is no GOD then how did the earth get created and WHO mad the trees,animals,the ground and sky, and the ocean. People believe in GOD because they have FAITH you have to have FAITH to believe in GOD and in the BIBLE it say 's that GOD created man from dirt and mad woman from's man's ribs,So I don't believe that we came from moneys, GOD is the only one that created us.

Why are you acting like it would've been impossible for any of that to happen without God? And there you go, quoting the Bible as if it's proof of itself. It's not.

Your argument sort of come backs to haunt you, in that you can't answer how God came to be in the first place. Just because you like the idea of a man in the sky more than a big bang doesn't mean you're right.

And evolution is pretty widely accepted among scientists, who use a much more rational procedure to come to a conclusion. You'd laugh at a scientist if he said that he didn't have evidence, but rather a strong faith about something. It's also a bit funny that you're implying that creating man from dirt and a mad woman's ribs makes MORE sense than men evolving from apes. At least evolution has proof to back itself up, rather than relying on the Bible tells me so.

no77, I agree with everything you said. It's just a bunch of ancient nonsense that no educated person would believe if they weren't brainwashed to do so.

***Well if there is no GOD then how did the earth get created and WHO mad the trees,animals,the ground and sky, and the ocean.

Your question is invalid. You cannot ask people who do not believe in Creationism, how the Earth was 'created'

***People believe in GOD because they have FAITH you have to have FAITH to believe in GOD***

That's a little redundant, you don't need faith to believe, when faith itself IS belief. The 'belief without knowing' to be exact.

***in the BIBLE it say 's that GOD created man from dirt and mad woman from's man's ribs,So I don't believe that we came from moneys***

So... you believe it because the book says so... okay...

***GOD is the only one that created us.***

You're obviously having trouble with the concept of a 'non-creationist' view of existence. If you can't even form sentences without sprinkling 'creationism' in it, then there's no point in trying to explain other possibilites to you.

but if your the one who doesnt I suggest you pick up a Bible and treat it with respect and just read.

Why do you assume we haven't? Many of us likely know more about the bible and christian theology and history than you do, and we've decided it's all a load of poppycock.

I also agree with no77

By the way I have read the bible. This is what I'm talking about. Because I'm not christian he/she assume that I haven't read the bible. Because if I read it surly I would be a believer.

Because there is a problem with reality... in this cause and effect reality that we inhabit... we see an effect without a cause. Evolution describes the method... not the source. So does the big bang theory. I've argued before that nothing doesn't satisfy ockham's razor as the simplest explanation. This is a cop out. Everything that we can't see is conjecture. One's conjecture isnt any more valuable than another's. If there is no good answer... why have you come to a conclusion?

Scientists won't pretend they can explain the effect-without-a-cause thing. But assuming that because the basic laws that we observe in our lives (cause effect) *must* be true for the beginning of the universe is wrong. Also, gods are no better at explaining this. Why would they exist in the first place? It doesn't make any more sense, and the only response Christians or religious people have is that He existed forever and didn't need a cause. Oh, okay!

For myself...I don't know...One thing I DO know, there is, and has been thousands and thousands of people way smarter than any one on this site, who do or did believe in God...and came to their own conclusions...

Maybe it's a life long question...subject to change as experience is gathered.

p

Any one as intelligent as you're referring to could not have been thinking rationally or intelligently when they came to the conclusion that there was a god. There is simply no evidence to believe such a thing. Faith is the only way, and having faith is not technically intelligent.

Not sure what your point is anyway, because there are about a zillion stupid people that believe in God, as well as stupid people that don't.

But assuming that because the basic laws that we observe in our lives (cause effect) *must* be true for the beginning of the universe is wrong.

Then assuming the opposite is right? Are you suggesting that we can reasonably predict the consequence following a certain guideline up until a point... then we stop because our conclusions cease to follow? Sounds as if you are uncertain.

I agree that gods are no better at explaining... but I disagree that an explanation isn't warranted. Gods are no worse for explaining.

That's not at all what I meant. I never would tell you that the scientific explanation for things explains perfectly, but it's better to follow something based on evidence rather than on none whatsoever. In that respect, gods are plenty worse for explaining.