<p>the reason for the existence of religion was to bring people together. Humans are a group species. we are not tigers or bears. we are not solitary. humans alone are weak. we stood no chance against elements and predators alone. Religion helped humans create a sense of community. It gathered people together so there was less of a chance that they would die.
And we can thank religion for playing an important role in the survival of the human race.</p>
<p>However, in this day and age, we have many other tools at our disposal. survival is no longer an issue. we have the time to create sports teams, clubs, and organize weekly gatherings at a good friend's house. religion is no longer such an important expedient to create community. thus, the decrease in church attendance since the beginnign of the 20th century.</p>
<p>yeah, that's what i'm trying to say. its more important to follow God's ideals - whether there's a God or not. I can understand how the Bible can make someone dubious - i don't read it anymore. But i still believe in Him, and He gives people hope. My mom has a lot of accounts where she felt like she was touched by Him, helped by Him, etc. One story she likes is that, many years ago, she was hoping to get her own office, and was eyeing one in the World Trade Center in NYC. She prayed to God to help sort things out, and to her disappointment, she didn't get the office in the Twin Towers. She eventually found one far away, and five years ago she thanked Him. Isn't that a sweet story? And while yes, many parts of religion is extremely hypocritic, it also has a lot of wonderful uses.</p>
<p>yea, what IM trying to say is that there are many things you can depend on to achieve the same end--hope, and community.</p>
<p>i have found it in a close-knit circle of friends, and clearly you have found it in God. im pretty sure most of hte people in this thread have found it as well, or will soon find it.</p>
<p>honestly, i don't know what to believe, but i know that i don't believe in an all powerful being that controls the universe. i find that very creepy. to all the people who want to know why i don't believe in god, here is my answer: i just don't; i don't know why i don't, but i never have believed in a god. even when i was a little kid i thought it was just a bunch of lies. </p>
<p>maybe it's because i no longer trust people. for a basic example, little kids are told that santa, the easter bunny, and the tooth fairy all exist, but then when we reach a certain age, our parents finally tell us that none of them exist. </p>
<p>this may offend some people, but i do see similarities between santa and god. its a guy who is always watching us (even when we're sleeping) and will punish us for being bad, with either coal or eternal damnation. i have to agree with my friend that the concept of god sounds like one big fairy tale.</p>
<p>btw, i'm not bashing people who believe in god. everyone believes in different things, and that's fine w/ me. so please don't think i'm trying to persuade you to believe what i believe. i think the concept of religion and the aspects of different religions are fascinating.</p>
<p>To those two of you who mentioned books (Case for Faith and Angels and Demons), realize that both authors are pretty biased, and one of those is most definitely a work of pure fiction.</p>
<p>As for The Case for Faith, I would do more research into his claims. I read The Case for a Creator, believed it at first, but when I looked into it more deeply, found that there are huge disagreements with his arguments.</p>
<p>As for why I'm an agnostic and not a theist? Because I believe that Religion has changed too much for us to know what is true. There are a LOT of branches of Christianity (for one), and some of them claim they are the only way. If one of them is the True Way, then how do you know which one it is?</p>
<p>Why would a God have allowed this to happen to his religion? Why can't he actively guide us and push us into the direction that he wants us to go in. Don't say prayer-- every single one of those "We Are The One Way" religions believe they have been told that through prayer, it doesn't help at all.</p>
<p>If God is real, then why hasn't he come down to fix things? He doesn't have to control us, I'm all for free will. But he could make it much more clear to us, and still allow us to have a choice.</p>
<p>Then there are the atrocities commited in the name of Religion. All of these people thought they were truly serving God. It obviously isn't the same one as before, and if it is, then why do you want to believe in Him? </p>
<p>It's impossible, with all the changes every religion has faced, to know what the true God is like. What he really wants us to do. And if he doesn't make it clear for us, then the only reasonable opinion is (in my view) that we just don't know.</p>
<p>the funny thing is how God was the one that created man, but in reality man created god. also why does everyone believe their religon is correct when there are over thousands of religons, only one could be right..i didn't want to take the chance of picking the wrong one so i created my own by combining the best parts, that i belive, of different religons- it's EUISM. followers come!</p>
<p>Yes I believe in God. But I also believe in free will. Without this free will, there would be no belief or dissent. So it doesn't matter to me whether others believe or not because that is their choice. And if I do believe in heaven or an afterlife, which is debateable, I don't think you have to believe in God to get there. My beliefs are very complex and I really cannot type them well at 11 at night so I will end there. :)</p>
<p>Why aren't there many theists on this thread? and if they do post, why can't they articulate themselves very well? I'm really curious about your beliefs.</p>
<p>Is our soul nothing more than a bunch of chemical reactions within our body? My bio teacher said that "love" is nothing more than a chemical reaction.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Why aren't there many theists on this thread? and if they do post, why can't they articulate themselves very well? I'm really curious about your beliefs.
<p>according to wiki, 79% of Americans call themselves christian, although only 41% reguarly attend religious services (including all religions)</p>
<p>curiously, church attendance has declined from 88% in 1990 to 79% in 2001.
at the same time, the percentage of those calling themselves atheist has doubled, from 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2001.
interesting developments indeed.</p>
<p>this makes no sense with my personal observations; the atheists/agnostics almost always outnumber the theists in any forum at least 2 to 1</p>
<p>perhaps they are all in the Bible belt? i do not know.</p>
<p>according to wiki, 79% of Americans call themselves christian, although only 41% reguarly attend religious services (including all religions)</p>
<p>curiously, church attendance has declined from 88% in 1990 to 79% in 2001.
at the same time, the percentage of those calling themselves atheist has doubled, from 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2001.
interesting developments indeed.</p>
<p>this makes no sense with my personal observations; the atheists/agnostics almost always outnumber the theists in any forum at least 2 to 1</p>
<p>perhaps they are all in the Bible belt? i do not know.</p>
<p>From what I've seen many people call themselves christian but are not actually christian (meaning they don't read or follow the bible.)</p>
<p>even though i believe in God, i don't believe a lot of the stuff they say in the Bible. but I think it's brave for athiests to stand up for their beliefs, some people believe in Him just because they're afraid of eternal damnation, or whatevs. and i think god doesnt guide us more actively, because, well, he wants to give us free will and make choices of our own. don't you think it will be boring if everyday, god was popping into our door to shout, "don't go with that guy! he's going to make you a drug addict!" humans make their own decisions, learn from it or dont, suffer, rejoice, etc.</p>
<p>haha i must admit that even though i believe in God and is a christian, i don't go to church at all. i think i can be a good sheep of god without going to church and falling to sleep. i know a lot of pious ladies who go to church and all that, yet they are malicious, rude, attend church robotically, find it a place to socialize, etc. i personally think i can serve god a lot better by being a nice and thoughtful person all the time instead of just going to church and sitting on a bench for a couple of hours.</p>
<p>I reopen my offer. Any theists [or agnostics, but theists are more fun to argue with], please email me at <a href="mailto:DMLerner@gmail.com">DMLerner@gmail.com</a> to arrange to discuss this on AIm (DMRenrel) or google talk (DMLerner).</p>
<p>Come on- if a supposedly omnipotent, all knowing [can't think of that word], being gives you a suggestion, your goign to take it. If Hawkins gives you help on your physics homework, are you goign to double check his thought process?</p>
<p>As long as he's not forcing your hand, you still have free will. Your example makes it perfectly clear; Hawkins gives you advice, you have the choice to take it. Just 'cause an expert gives you advice doesn't mean you lose your free will.</p>
<p>I mean, that's effectively what the Bible is, a book inspired by an omnipotent being. If you choose to believe in it, are you giving up your free will? If you think you have a personal connection to your God, then by listening to it, do you think you're giving up all control to it?</p>
<p>The bible would be the equivalent of losing your homework and finding answers in someone else's handwriting signed by hawkins. It takes some faith to assume its form hawkins, so you do'nt have to take it. </p>
<p>If hawkins [or god] in person [ or whatever the hell] gives you the advice, you're taking it. no you don't HAVE to, but if you believe god is omni-knowing, it'd be cocky as anything to ignore the adivce.</p>