Do you believe in god?

[urPrecious]

What a wonderful reply, found it!!

I re-found this thread just in order to add the following:

That, the truth of the matter is - that as Cameron Diaz said to Nicholas Cage in "City of Angels" - "Some things are true, whether you believe in them or not"

Some things are just true. We have a choice whether to believe in them or not, but we do not have the power to make things untrue by our choice to not believe them.

It can be quite tricky to get one's head around this truth!

The truth about God is that He is always, and only "on offer".

This is also tricky to get one's head around, if our heart tells us that, (should he exist mind) he's not worth the knowing because he's horrible and punishes, and is a tyrant who forces people out of fear of going to hell, etc. All these are common assumptions.

So those of us who have, (because of our journeys and choices) come to understand that He actually isn't horrid and is actually most concerned about us as foundit writes - and those of us who've experienced this concern first hand (even if as a totally last resort) have a perspective on the subject of belief that we feel needs the telling of.

No preaching, and no guilt-tripping, and hopefully no patronising or condescension and all that related nonsense

[TheRunaway]

No, sadly, I do not. I'm agnostic. I do love reading about religion and scientific theories though, but I don't really believe in anything. That's not to say I will forever be agnostic, but until I find myself and find my beliefs (which currently is nothing) I stand by my current belief. I accept the idea of one, I guess, but I don't see how it is probable.

[Daphna]

I dont.. I just believe in karma, if he does exist hes a piece of shit mother fucker

Yes I do believe in the Mighty One of the Bible and have come to know Him through His word of instruction. Can I ask why you feel the way that you do?

[Timewarp]

I'm an atheist.

As for my views on God/religion, I think Mohandas Ghandi said it best when he said "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."

As far as Jesus is concerned, I respect and admire HIS teachings....its his followers who have given me many, many, many....MANY heartaches and headaches over the years.

When you are constantly beaten up in middle/high school....all the way well into your adult years by being harassed at work and other places.....even someone going so far as to scar your back with a knife because you happen to be gay in the name of their God, you become a little distrustful and resentful of the religion as a whole.

[bandgeeksrneato]

sometimes my faith is tested. There are days I wonder if God does exist and why I believe something that would let so many people be in pain and suffer. I don't like feeling that way. I was raised Christian, although my parents didn't really take us to church every week. They believed we should develop our own beliefs and feelings. My brother chooses to follow Buddhist teachings. I do pray, I don't know if it goes anywhere but I do believe putting positive thoughts in the universe doesn't hurt.

[xsomewhatdamagedx]

I'm personally an atheist although i do have a lot of friends who are from different faiths.

[iceblue]

I became a Christian in my thirties and lost faith in my forties. I wish it was true - I want there to be a God who answers prayers, who its really possible to relate with in some way - but in the end it seemed like an exercise of the imagination. I get scared by the fact that I'm alive sometimes, and that I've got to die at some point. I wish there was some tangible reassurance.

[urPrecious]

Glad this thread has surfaced again - I need to make a correction about saying Cameron Diaz appearing in City of Angels - I've since learned it was Meg Ryan instead,

The tangible reassurance Rachel - yes, it would help tremendously, but God does everything according to what He has revealed in His Word - and won't change that - it has to be by faith through grace. And that is unacceptable to so many.

I agree with Ghandi's statement about the Christians - myself included (to my shame ) God is wonderful and perfect, but unfortunately we are not. Yet somehow, He trusts us enough to be vessels of His message

[jnick]

Atheist for sure. Check history to find that there were 8 or 9 supposed sons of god with the same immaculate conception, dec. 25th, etc., so did Jesus just have good PR? Come on. Invented by people to control people.

[urPrecious]

What happened to the other 7 or 8? Why would such a "control mechanism" have been invented when it so utterly unpopular amongst the "sophisticated"?