I have just one question, well maybe more then one.
Which is , what's so wrong in believing? And if you don't believe or even consider yourself as atheist, why don't you think Atheism isn't a religion in itself?
A religion is something you put into everday practice. Rather you choose to believe or not to believe you're still choosing to practice that decision.The Human mind might be the highest form of intelligence, but we can never fully understand or comprehend the magnitude of God's work. God isn't a man, woman or child, God is spirit to vast and infinite for the human to understand. We are taught to only understand logic and reasoning. Once we see things or hear of thigns that can't be explain, we quesetion it of its exsistent. Why isn't so much easier to believe the words of a fortune teller, then to believe the words in the bible? Why is it so easy to believe in Super Natural intelligence on other planets then to believe in the mircales worked by God creations? If God doesn't exsist, then Why so many people fear the name? And last but not least, why has there been more proof that God does exsist, rather then Why God doesn't exsist?
Why has the belief and Love for God lasted for so many years, from people all over the world? There are 2 million people that populates the earth, whom choose to believe in God. There's is only a small precentage of people upon this earth who don't. So are you trying to that those who believe in God are crazy for there beliefs? Or are you trying to say they just don't have any sense at all? If so, why are there so many more people who believe in God, then those who don't?
We are born into a system that hides us from the truth. Even when you are a child you taught not to always say what feel. because you might hurt someone else feelings in the process. Every day As we watch television or listen to news, The media covers our eyes, blinding our eyes, hiding us for the truth. They paint us a pretty picture of sex, lust and violence, which all to often we fall into. We loose a sense of who we, what was are purpose and we where born onto this earth in the first place. I read something that only intelligent minds doesn't believe in God. I believe that to a certain exsistent, because our minds only allows for us to understand logic and reason, however, I also believe the only reason why someone chooses not to believe in God is, because of the that there is something beyond themselves and in there world.
Even if you don't believe in God, How can you not see, that there is something beyond this life in which we are currently in. If you don't believe in God, then what do you bleieve in. You gotta ask yourself , whateve it is you believe, will the beliefe be able to save your soul?
There are you, your life is over, but you soul is lost and doesn't have a home to go to. Just because you have knowdlege, it doesn't mean you're a well rounded person. Your mind is fed, but your soul is empty and if your soul is empty, what kind of life do you live? Ever seen a shallow lake? Do you know there is a way to produce overflowing rivers?

God is a creation of mankind,
that is what's wrong with believing.

The most important thing to believe in is yourself.

there is something beyond us all. Everything can't be expalained, take love for example ...

Cloudbuster said:

Indeed.

TBN makes it feel wrong sometimes...


And quite imbarrasing.

Imagine going to an eternal heaven where everyone sang country gospel all the time.

DigitalLisa said:

I am not trying to insult you in any way, so please do not take this the wrong way, but I think that you should work on your argument a bit before asking for a discussion of the issue.

You should try to make some clear points for debate, rather than a diatribe masquerading as a question.

DigitalLisa said:

I believe in something beyond our own conscience...just not God.

DigitalLisa said:

Love certainly CAN be explained.

Just search for the answer on google...Search and you will find. Or watch those Sex Stories on TLC and Discovery. That's where I learned.

yamomma said:

IceNine I don't think your insulting me in any kinda way, I myself enjoying getting into detable topics, I always try to start one, but some one always get bent out of shape if there oppions aren't the same as everyone else. So I completely understand where you're coming from. I do believe in God very much so, I just ask the question to what's wrong with believing and Why don't you (meaning you in general) don't believe in God?

It is ok to believe, and it is ok not to believe..

Me, I am.

sag10 said:

I agree with you, Sag... completely.

Good question Lisa
I beleive in God and have faith in Him

Cloudbuster said:

Yes, god wouldn't exist without man.

DigitalLisa said:

Because religious ideas have had a strong presence in governments, education and other dominant social institutions.Oh really? Please back that up. I'd be interested in reading those arguments. In my experience thus far I haven't found a cogent argument that proves the existence or non-existence of "God" - given that, as you say: "God is... to[o] vast and infinite for the human to understand""2 million?" The earth currently has a population of over 6 billion. (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/popclockw). Don't you think there'd be more than such a microscopic percentage with religious beliefs? Even if you meant "2 billion" I think there'd be more than that... What is that "truth," in your opinion? Is it what we instinctively "feel?" Actually, there are quite a few philosophers and psychologists who would agree with you... but their views are in no way religious in the traditional sense and have been under harsh attack by religious communities. And what is that "purpose," in your opinion? You said it yourself: "We are taught to only understand logic and reasoning. Once we see things or hear of thigns that can't be explain, we quesetion it of its exsisten[ce]." My opinion is that what is fundamentally real about the world is not ideas and concepts (such as a belief in a "higher power") but material forces. Humans - even from their earliest beginnings - are not motivated by grand ideas but instead by material concerns, like the need to eat and survive.
Religion takes our highest ideals and aspirations and projects them onto an unknowable being called a god.
Looking at history, especially western history but also Asian and Middle Eastern history, it proves to me that FOR THE MOST PART the institution of religion is meant to create illusory fantasies for the poor/the underclasses.
Economic realities (exploitation, material lack) prevent them from finding basic physical securities in this life, so religion tells them that this is OK because they will find "true happiness" in the "next life." This being said, I in no way mean to deny that people are in distress and that religion does provide solace (just as people who are physically injured receive relief from pain-relieving drugs).
The problem lies in the obvious fact that a pain-relieving drug fails to fix a physical injury - it merely helps you forget your pain and suffering. This may be fine up to a point, but only as long as you are also actively trying to solve the underlying problems causing the pain in the first place.
Similarly, religion also does not fix the underlying causes of humanity's most dire pain and suffering - instead, it helps people forget WHY they are suffering like this and gets them to look forward to some imaginary future when the pain will cease... instead of working together to change their circumstances for the positive (i.e. political struggles for better working conditions, a living wage, civil rights, having the resources of a society go to benefiting the inhabitants of a local rather than to enrich a ruling oligarchy, etc.)I don't believe religion or the belief in God is "bad" or "wrong." Many of my heroes were religious people such as Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi.
Religions are ideas, and ideas are just expressions of material realities. It is a symptom of the disease, not the disease itself. The only thing I can be sure of is that I one day will die and that my physical body will turn to dust. Apart from that, I believe hard work, especially collective effort, can bring about changes and technologies that can improve the conditions of life. That's assuming there exists something called a "soul."

Thats rude of all of you. Dont you know god has a name. Dont just say god. Would u like it if people referred to u as hey you? Come on lets all say it together (JAHOVAH).

LaLaLAHeHEHE said:

Hmm-I thought it was Jehovah-and I was always tought at school(Catholic),that u write God with a capitol(God, as opposed to god-can't remember why tho).
Either way-IMHO-its all irrelevant-aloopisaloopisaloop-UH!

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thebumpsquad said:

I write god with a lower-case "g" because I do not believe in god and place no importance on the word.

Jehovah is allegedly the proper spelling of Jehovah.

IceNine said:

It wasn't your post I was replying to

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Bumpsquad Said.

LaLaLAHeHEHE said:
---
Thats rude of all of you. Dont you know god has a name. Dont just say god. Would u like it if people referred to u as hey you? Come on lets all say it together (JAHOVAH).
---



Hmm-I thought it was Jehovah-and I was always tought at school(Catholic),that u write God with a capitol(God, as opposed to god-can't remember why tho).
Either way-IMHO-its all irrelevant-aloopisaloopisaloop-UH!

___
I know people have a hard time Saying is name, So I wanted to spell it easy for people to pronouce

thebumpsquad said:

I figured that out from the outset... luckily, this is a public forum...

DigitalLisa said:[quote] I myself enjoying getting into detable topics, I always try to start one, but some one always get bent out of shape if there oppions aren't the same as everyone else.



i'll detabe your oppions with u any time u like lisa
(jk) lisa .. ur cute

KneeDeep said:

That's quite a distinguished first post kneedeep!

DigitalLisa said:

This is so completely theo-centric. You try turning the table by calling atheism a religion, which it isn't by definition. Then, of course, arguments based on faith are beautifully vague and expansive, built as they are on "faith" , which by definition means you do not need absolute proof and need not provide evidence, since it's all a matter of believing hard enough. Priests used thata lot in Quebec before the 60's... It was considered almost heretical to ask probing questions, a clear lack of "faith" and therefore a quasi-heresy...

LaLaLAHeHEHE said:

isn't it YAWEH in the original hebrew?
[This message was edited Thu Oct 24 19:20:43 PDT 2002 by XxAxX]

DigitalLisa said:

Melody

XxAxX said:

yes you are correct

bkw said:

That's the exact reason that it will go ignored. All the good responses never get replies. So, for the good of this thread, I will say something completely stupid, that theists can argue easily.

ok... hmmm... hmmm...

Oh!! Got one!!

If God exists, then why am I fat? Does he want me to suffer by being fat? Does God hate me?


j/k sorry.

savoirfaire said:

yep..God hates ya guts fatso jk

I have no doubt in my mind and heart that Jesus exists. All you have to do is seek Him. I did, and He revealed Himself to me in some VERY real ways. I'm not here to debate about them or even share my personal experiences... I only encourage others to seek Him as well, with a whole heart. It's very cool, to say the least, when He whispers and you finally pay attention to His calling your name.