| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 5:42:53 PM | im just curious after reading some threads and the number of people who "thank the lord" etc etc
do you believe in a god? any god?
and why?
personally, no i dont believe in any gods. my father died when i was 16 yrs old and at the time i did some searching and asked a number of religious people why any god would take a man who was in his early 40's from his loving family and make them struggle in life without him.
not one of the religious nuts could give me a valid reason. so since then ive given up believing that someone up there is doing good for others.
just recently a very very dear friend of mine has been diagnosed with cancer. she doesnt have long to live and it has bought this question up again. when i met her 6 years ago she was living in a womans shelter and since that day she has found the love of her life, become a grandmother 3 times and travelled to places she never thought she would get to. her life is excellent and after all the crap she had been through she deserves the best. but the cancer is in her lungs, ribs, spine and adrenal glands and she will not survive this.
so why? | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 5:46:44 PM | That seems a really simple question, but when you sit and actually think about it,its really bloody hard!!
I guess the best i can come up with is,no i dont believe in "god" as such,but i believe there is "something" more.Just not sure what it is.
I do think there is a huge difference between being religious and being spiritual. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 5:52:44 PM | ^^ first of all, sorry to hear about your Dad and friend, sometimes it just doesn;t make sense why some go so early and others don't.
I struggle with the whole god versus creation idea. I have a uncle who is (1) a devout baptist and (2) a professor of palentology (think I spelt that right, but in anycase he digs up fossils). I have asked him how he balances the creation theory versus scientific evidence of evolution, he comes up with all these stories and really they don't seem to make any sense to me.
I choose to believe that there is something that created something in the beginning and we have evolved from that. I choose to call that something god. I am somewhat still "jury out" on all of the teachings of the bible though. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 6:09:54 PM | there are times where i wished i did beleive
there are times where i refuse to beleive
I seriously doubt there is any place described in scriptures (heaven hell)
I do beleive in some sort of realm after life, otherwise it would be pointless living.
every culture has a word for ghosts since the dawn of time, which makes me lean towards yes.
but personally, I hope there is a god... I hope its got nothing to do with "oh lord, blah blah" | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 6:27:51 PM |
That seems a really simple question, but when you sit and actually think about it,its really bloody hard!!
well no hilly it is really a simple question. infact its a yes or no question.
its whether or not we choose to make it complex or simple.
the simple answer would be yes or no and a small explaination.
the complex version would be rattling on about things other than what was asked in the simple question
roflmao!!
in all seriousness tho it is a very simple yes or no question. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 6:46:50 PM | Sorry have to disagree.
Maybe if you are either hugely religious or hugely anti-religious its simple.If you are one of the many people who floats aimlessly in the middle somewhere(like myself), there is nothing simple about it.
Im not at all actively religious,but to say "no there is no god" is scary cos if there does happen to be one then im f*cked. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 6:55:38 PM | but thats not what im asking here.
youve just proved my point about making things complex that arent.
ask yourself the question again. do you believe in a god ?
yes or no
simple.
if i had asked do you believe in something out there other than god and what do you think it is then yes your response would make complete sense. But thats not what ive asked. ive asked a very very simple non judgemental non complex question.
Do you believe in god or a god? | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 7:00:12 PM | Have to agree with Hilly on this one, definitely not an easy question to answer unless you have thrown total faith in god or totally gone the other direction. There are just so many questions unanswered in the whole god issue that sometimes I really do question the existence of god. And Hilly, if you f*&%cked, don't worry, sure there will plenty of us in pergatory with you, whose up for a game of texas hold em!! | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 7:43:50 PM | do you believe in a god? any god?
and why?
personally, no i dont believe in any gods. my father died when i was 16 yrs old and at the time i did some searching and asked a number of religious people why any god would take a man who was in his early 40's from his loving family and make them struggle in life without him.
not one of the religious nuts could give me a valid reason. so since then ive given up believing that someone up there is doing good for others.
I am sorry to hear about your circumstances. I lost my father when I was 6 to cancer and my mother had to raise 5 kids on her own. She also lost her faith in any kind of God that would take her husband away when he was needed the most.
Having to raise us alone (and we were a rowdy bunch), we lived a very simple life.
She raised us all on nothing but a widow's pension so funds were always low, but this is where I learnt that money really doesn't make you happy because I could be happily entertained for hours with just my imagination, a piece of string and a green plastic army man.
I later found out that she sometimes got depressed and felt like giving up, that life was unfair to have dealt her this. Then she looked at us and her resolve strengthened. She did things she had never had to think about before. She got her driver's licence, once we were old enough she started working multiple jobs cleaning houses and with the life insurance money from my dad (which was not alot) she arranged for an extension to be built on to accomodate for us growing kids. In a way, her inner struggle brought out the best in her that she didn't even know existed.
The result was that the 5 of us have the best and happiest memories of growing up that we could have ever wanted.
I do not think the question "Do you believe in a god?" is a simple one. If it was simple, then people would not need to ask others the question. It would be simple. Whether we believe in a God or we do not, if that belief or disbelief gives rise to our being the best we can be, then it is not a question that needs answering.
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I must say that this is one of my favourite stories though...
Footsteps In The Sand
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along
the beach with the Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed
two sets of footprints in the sand,
one beloning to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the
very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is
only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when I needed you most
you would leave me."
The Lord replied "My precious, precious child,
I love you and would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffereing,
when you see only one set of footprints in the sand,
it was then that I carried you." | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 8:06:53 PM | ok for clarification and for those who want more substance.
the reason i ask the question is simple indeed.
im curious as to why people put their faith into something, anything that can not be seen, heard or felt. in the physical sense.
now im a very spiritual person, but not religious as hilly pointed out earlier that there was a difference and yes there is a huge difference.
but im not asking about spirituality im asking if people have a belief in something. whilst i dont believe in "god" or any other gods i do believe there is a higher entity and something else around. but i dont put all my faith behind that being and praise and thank it for the life i have before me.
i guess this question came to be when i saw someone thanking the lord for this that and the other.
why dont people thank themselves?
why dont they believe in themselves as much as they believe in something else? | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 8:17:44 PM | oh I see what you mean now ^^^^ well I think people believe in things like god because it allows them to exist in the now with a sense of certainty in believing that when this life has finished, they will go on to another life as described in the bible. I think its human nature that we don't deal with uncertainty all that well and having this belief of an after life fills that void. Am sure there also factors that for some it brings hope, security and happiness, all derived from having their belief.
Interesting point you make though, "why don't people thank themselves", they will thank something that they have put all their belief in, being god, does this mean they are any less believing in themselves??? | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 8:18:31 PM |
im curious as to why people put their faith into something, anything that can not be seen, heard or felt. in the physical sense.
This is what faith is all about. If there was solid proof and evidence then it would just be common knowledge, not faith.
There are different ways to be faithful though I think.
Some people are faithful by following what they are told or taught by others.
Other people (like me) are faithful by how something feels. If it feels true and right then I soak it up like a sponge | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/12/2007 8:20:13 PM | This is also one of my favourite poems.
I am not an overly religious person. I however believe there is something out there.
When I was nursing I got to see both the negatives and the positives having cared for terminally ill people.
I also agree with you some things in life happen for a reason. We are all travelling through here and have lessons to learn. Some lessons are harder than others. Some shape what we are and who we are and who we become through our lives. Doing it hard doesn't necessarily mean you don't have love. Some wealthy families may have the finances but lack the capacity to really love their children.
It not to say you don't miss your father and that your Mum didn't do things tough but you learn't through the experience that love really is the most important thing.
Three years ago I almost lost my Dad with asbestosis of the lungs. It really challenged my faith in god. Didn't stop me trying to pray although I have never done this before in my life. My Dad had 6 weeks to live and got granted the gift of life while some other poor family had their loved one slip away.
Its very mixed emotions. Your so happy your parent is getting a second chance whilst grieving for the family who have just lost the person they loved. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 12:47:52 AM | With mans knowledge of the world and the universe in which we live now and our history behind us do you think anyone could seriously come out now and tell us that one being created it all if there was no religion in the world up till now
Religion has been used through the centuries to control people through the fear of the unknown
Look at the suffering that goes on in the world now and through the centuries past. would an all seeing all caring GOD allow that
No one has come back from the other side and said I MEET HIM
No one puts the good or bad in people,its always there you just have to manage it,we are masters of our own destiny, basically.
Evolution as against Creation,the evidence keep growing for the former
Beleive in God as we have been taught NO,a higher Spirit more likely......................... | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 1:06:49 AM | Short answe r ''No''.
Spiritualiy
is far removed from Churches and guilt and, contrtibutionslityymis far removed fro ''aoargsnized religons''
Can measily why so many believe, and good lauck to zem all.
(I Want TO BELIEVE; i DON'T).
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 2:22:32 AM |
in all seriousness tho it is a very simple yes or no question.
Valid answers could also be: Undecided, Yes and No (just to be sure), I Don't Know, If I Find Myself Before God I Will Believe, and my personal favourite, Look Behind You.
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 2:52:50 AM | Yes I do believe in god. I have had many things happen to me in my life that have made me question my faith but we can't all live forever and we can't all lead a carefree and easy life.
I choose to believe that God sends tough situations our way to 'test' us and to help us grow as individuals and make us sronger and wiser. I beieve that I have become a more compassionate person as a result of my harships and I use my feelings and experiences to help others. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 2:56:39 AM | I know I do.
Sounds kinda corny and it doesn't hold much water, but to answer the question,
when the chips are down and I haven't got much else, yes I probably do.
Just for an example (and so I can can tell a little story hehe)
I had a little incident in a skid steer loader once on my father's place.
I was clearing lantana. The bobcat was low on fuel and had no seat belt and no handbrake.
The rear end of the machine lifted when I tried to uproot a bush. It stalled.
Having no handbrake as it were, it started to creep forward gradually...
"The lantana will pull it up", I thought...it didn't.
"That sapling will pull it up" as it gained momentum and the drive pump valves had opened or something...
it just took off like a billy cart straight over the top of the sapling,
down onto a road cutting, then proceeded down into the steepest deepest gully on the property....(talking escapement here)
I just held on and rode it out, wondering what kind of mangled mess would be found at the bottom...
The thing is, as much as I instinctively wanted to, I made a point of not swearing...just in case...well you know. (that's the epiphany part folks)
Any how I managed to miss any and all menacing looking stumps and deadwood,
rocks etc and it landed safely in the creek bed perched up against a pretty big log...I went and got some fuel and just drove it back out.
No need to change my strides either!
Didn't really have anyone else to thank but God. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 3:45:24 AM | RE: The OP....I remember after my husband died at the ripe old age of 31 after trying reallllly hard not to, some woman said to me..."He's truly blessed because he's with Jesus." My response was NOT pretty, but I figure you can fill in the blanks on that one.
On the issue of this being a simple question:
MzScrubber, your simple question has elicited two apparently contradictory responses from even you. On the one hand, you don't believe in any kind of god, and wonder how people can believe in something they can't see/hear/feel. On the other, you believe in a higher entity, that I am assuming you can't actually see/hear/feel. (the word "higher" seemingly indicating an acceptance of this entity's superiority which in turn implies some form of respect if not praise.) That in itself seems to indicate a degree of complexity outside the bounds of yes and no.
...BTW, my point is not to criticise whatever you believe, merely to demonstrate that your earlier statements about it being a simple yes or no question, does not appear to be the case for even you once an explanation is commenced.
On the issue of saying "God help me" , "Thank the laaaawd!" etc.
I do say stuff like that, but when I do it's never meant literally. It's just an expression. Kinda like when I say "sh1t", but it doesn't mean I actually see any at that moment.
On the issue of whether I believe in god.
I believe in the gods of chocolate. I worship at their rich, dark, melt-in-your-mouth feet, and I am blessed with a bountiful harvest in the candy aisle of the supermarket. Apart from that, it's a simple no from me.
Richard Dawkins wrote a book called 'The God Delusion' and it made more sense than anything I have ever heard come out of the mouth of (or from the hand of) a believer in god. You name any theory that purportedly proves god's existence, and I guarantee that it is more than suitably dealt with in that book.
The earlier comment about the god concept being used to control people...I'm with you there brother. And it's worked a treat for centuries. I also think people like to defer to a higher entity as one means of relinquishing responsibility, because life and death is a big and scary thing and we seem to kind of like the thought of someone else being ultimately in charge.
I'd also like to share the following quote from Einstein regarding this topic.
I have never inputed to Nature a purpose or a goal, or anything that could be understood as anthropomorphic. What I see in Nature is a magnificent structure that we can comprehend only very imperfectly, and that must fill a thinking person with a feeling of humility. This is a genuinely religious feeling that has nothing to do with mysticism. The idea of a personal god is quite alien to me and seems even naive.
Amen, and pass the chocolate. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 4:29:11 AM | In roman mythology "Cupid " was the god of erotic love and in later times romance.......He is often seen carrying two sets of arrows one set gold headed, which inspire love, and the other lead headed, which inspire hatred. ........Befitting to this thread
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 4:42:58 AM | Yes I do believe there is a higher power ,call him god or*it* god who knows,I dont believe we evolved from monkeys and I dont think that the earth was created from micro organisms floating the universe.All the probacations bring me back to ..ok then where did that come from?
I have come within a micks hair of death(honestly )three times and what they say about your life flashing before your eyes is comlpeatly true,
I believe if it wasnt for my faith in (god) or the higher something ,I would not be here today.
My son was diagnosed with cancer by two leading oncoligists,it was definatly stage two cancer.They had done the tests and I was told the survivall rate.
Icant tell you the anguish I felt to be told that your beautiful three year old had this .
I prayed every second of the moments I sat beside that childs bed and also had the hospital preist pray for him in services .When the day came to remove the tumour from him the doctors came out off the operating theatre just shaking their heads in totall dissbelief.
The stage two cancer that they had diagnosed had turned into a tumour that they had never encountered in all ther time in their proffesion...so yes I do believe there is a god and if there ever was to a little miracle ..well I do believe I had just wittnessed one
Some may argue that they must have got the results wrong ,Idont think so.
We are all given chances and different oppertunities in this life time it all depends how we deal with and utalize the thing s put in front of us,if we dont get it right this time and we are capable of dong the right thing over ...I believe that we are given a second chance.When we have compleated what we were intended to do ...we move on
Anyway thats my theory.I suppose we will never know truly till we pass and the way I look at it is ,if there ISsomething out there that is a better place than this wheather it be that it just a second chance to do it all again AND better then Im for it. | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 4:45:26 AM | In many many phases of my life, when I am busy and occupied and life is just dandy, I am godless. It is when I have some down time when I start to contemplate the what ifs of a god or a creator. Or at the very least, a designer or an architect. Don't get me confused as being ripe for a conversion....I am quick to put down a so-called spiritual person who would use religion as a crutch...but then I wonder if there really is no god, then what is the point of being good? Some would argue that being good is its own reward and you gain the benefits of being good in this lifetime. But being bad is a lot more fun. If there is no god, then this life can be lived with impunity with no consequence other than when you get caught and you go to prison...if so, Aleister Crowley is right...do what thou wilt is the whole of the law....no consequences, heaven and hell is here right now. What would you choose.....god this is bleak. Am gonna get a shot of tequila... | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 4:50:14 AM | | god said woe to the earth for the devil has come down with great anger knowing his time is short, this wicked system is not under jehovahs goverment yet so the devil is the god of this system no doubting it just read the news look at the peril in this world god is god of the living he has no use of dead people he doesnt need people that are dead if he wanted them for angels its just not true because he is the creator he would just make them not take them as for the relligions theres one father one son one faith that is true faith jehovah is gods name written over 700 times in old hebrew tex so the true religion is offcoarse the jehovah whittnesses they are the only ones that teach and speak only what is in the bibel sadly the path is narrow and few are the ones finding it but broad and spaceious are the roads to destruction offcoarse this means many are the churches but they dont teach whats written in the bibel infact they dont even read the bibel if you ever have been to a church you would know it for fact and its depicted as beeing babylong the great but if you find the brother and sisters at the kingdom hall you will soon realise true relligion and true worship. god original purpose for man kind was to live forever in paradise but satin caused a rebellion and far from god to act wicked in any way instead of killing him he gaver him a chanse to proove his case but in the last days critical times hard to deal with so you know soon his time will finnish only obiedient persons to his son christ jesus will surrvive we do this bye taking in knowledge of the true god and his son bye obeying the commandments and reading the bibel im sory if im a poor writer am a tradesman not a writer tc scincerely glen | |
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| simple question - do you believe in a god?
Posted: 7/13/2007 5:00:30 AM | Jehovahs.......you are kidding me right??
To stand at work and watch a young child die, simply because her demented,religion consumed parents will not allow a blood transfusion is wrong on so many levels.
Each to their own, but some things are just too wrong to keep your mouth shut about.
Do i believe in god..........tonight NO!!
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