<p>I would really appreciate responses!</p>
<p>Do you believe in God? Why or why not?</p>
<p>I am search for truth, and I'll start here :)</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Define God</p>
<p>Stopped believing in invisible friends when I was five. Need proof of gods non-existance? - watch the evening news!!!</p>
<p>Not really.</p>
<p>I could never buy the idea that a Supreme Being in charge of the whole universe could pay attention to the details of the lives of individual human beings, which is something that most religions seem to assume.</p>
<p>And if there is a Supreme Being, but he/she/it/whatever does not pay attention to the details of the lives of individual human beings, then the existence of that Supreme Being isn't particularly relevant to me anyway.</p>
<p>Do you have a workable alternative theory for the existence of the universe? If you want to proceed by pure logic you can start with the Cartesian "cogito ergo sum" and work your way out from there. It doesn't necessarily lead you to an old white man sitting on a cloud checking to make sure you did your homework, but it's hard not to wind up with what Einstein was referring to when he indicated he believed in "Spinoza's God."</p>
<p>That may not answer your question, but it's food for thought.</p>
<p>Boojum</p>
<p>Are you saying that if you did believe in an invisible friend (God), you would have him to be one who did not allow freedom of will so that nothing bad ever happened?</p>
<p>What do you mean by "believe" and "in"? (God, I got down.)</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>I find the concept of God terrifying and the concept of chaos comforting.</p>
<p>And I don't really need any more anxiety in my life.</p>
<p>I don't, but I don't feel particularly compelled to argue why.</p>
<p>It seems to me that if God exists, he is either evil or incompetent, so I prefer to live my life ethically because it's the right thing to do, not because there may or may not be a God out there.</p>
<p>Wow, I can see I'm a major minority here -- if there is such a thing.</p>
<p>Of course I believe. But for some people, it does depend on what your definition of God is, or at least how God exists or is sustained, the degree of influence relative to human freedom, the concept of The Divine.</p>
<p>The previous responses are mostly, i.m.o., based on a pretty childish understanding of God, which tends to be where a notion of God freezes -- in childhood.</p>
<p>Some of us see no contradiction in the physical world and the spiritual, in science and theology. But much theology is taught in an infantile way, some of it is the product of not much intellectual or moral sophistication.</p>
<p>(P.S.: You don't have to be believe in invisible friends or that an outside force is "controlling" you, in order to be a believer.)</p>
<p>Yes, but I don't feel particularly compelled to argue why.</p>
<p>I don't believe science explains the big questions. What came before the Big Bang anyway? But as my kids say who created God? I just don't find God a particularly helpful concept. I think you are either have faith or you don't. Obviously there is much that is unknowable about our universe, why we are here, where we came from, where we go when we die.</p>
<p>mathmom</p>
<p>How can you live you life ethically if you have no standard for being ethical? Do you define your own standard? If so can I define my own standard without fear of someone trying to tell me my ethics are wrong?</p>
<p>I believe.</p>
<p>Yes I do believe in God but even if I didn't he would still believe in me and he believes in you too. As far as searching for the truth....surely you aren't serious about trying to find the truth about God on the CC discussion website??? God didn't attend college....didn't have to....he is all knowing and didn't have to work for a living.</p>
<p>...where to start?</p>
<p>I like Epiphany's take on the question...but will defer to the religophobe cabal on this thread: it's their forum, after all.</p>
<p>Take it away gals & guys; do your worst, as they say.</p>
<p>
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I like Epiphany's take on the question
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</p>
<p>So do I. Yes, I believe.</p>
<p>Yes. I do. I also concur with Epiphany's remarks.</p>
<p>I don't want to get in a debate (no future in that, ever) but in answer to the "evil or incompetent" remark, I would say this:</p>
<p>I believe that we have been given a world which provides us the tools and resources to create paradise, if that was what we desired. </p>
<p>The fact that we have so much strife and pain reflects on us, as i see it, not on God, who allows us free will (and would we want it any other way?) but must smack His/Her forehead in frustration at seeing what we manage, as a people, to do with it.</p>
<p>What's the difference between God and a Fighter Pilot?</p>