Why do we believe in God

[MarkD]

Did God create man, or did man create God. - This is the age old question

I’d answer both at once. I think the situation could be analogous to the relationship between the individual cells which make up our bodies and our lives as metazoan creatures made up of trillions of those cells. Every cell in our body is capable of existing outside our bodies but thrive better in the communities which make up our tissues and organs and in the process we also thrive on the meta level. We also are capable of existence independently but thrive more in the service of a higher level being, God. Perhaps God's existence organizes our own in the way our level of existence organizes all those individual cells. As it says right at the beginning ...

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 

[Knight]

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Considering what is known about the size of the universe so far.

It's impossible to know the exact size of the universe because we can't see its edge. However, we can estimate the size of the observable universe, which is the part of the universe that we can see from Earth. The observable universe is a sphere with a diameter of about 92 billion light years and a volume of about 410 nonillion cubic light years.
Not sure how a spirit is going to travel that distance, but those with faith probably know.

Creating that vastness & being somewhere outside with standards set having a belief system in place gives those with faith comfort.

Common Misconceptions about Heaven
1. Heaven is where good people will spend eternity. The scriptures make clear that there is no one who is good enough for heaven (Romans 3:11-12; Psalm 14:3). Any righteousness that we think we have is like a “filthy rag” (Isaiah 64:6) when held up to the standard of God’s incomparable holiness.
What Is Heaven Like According to the Bible?.

 

[Radrook]

Earth came into existence approx 4.5 Billion years ago and the first forms of life about 3.5 billion years ago. The first modern humans did not appear until over 300,000 years ago. What was a 'thinking mind' was doing all that time?

Now, I'm off to say 'goodnight' to the fairies that live at the bottom of my garden.

First, please note that Knowing exactly what such a mind was doing during all that hypothetical time is not essential to recognizing that such a mind coded DNA.

Neither does an appeal to enormous amounts time make the impossible possible. A billion monkeys pounding on typewriters will never produce the encyclopedia Britannica. One monkey will keep clumsily undoing what the other monkey accidentally did by pounding gibberish for eternity.

BTW Comparing the creator to fairies is called a false analogy.

False analogy​

.

 

[MarkD]

Common Misconceptions about Heaven
1. Heaven is where good people will spend eternity. The scriptures make clear that there is no one who is good enough for heaven (Romans 3:11-12; Psalm 14:3). Any righteousness that we think we have is like a “filthy rag” (Isaiah 64:6) when held up to the standard of God’s incomparable holiness.

Common Misconceptions about God

That He is an ancient human being like being with omniscience, omnipotence and a plan for everyone. Some Christians do believe that but not everyone who trusts in God believes those things.

God is not a being at all but rather the source of all becoming. Life and selfhood are gifts. We are not puppets and God is no engineer. Much is misunderstood.

 

[ElCastor]

I am sure there is no God and no Jesus Christ. We simply live and then CEASE to exist.

As an agnostic, one who doesn’t know, I credit religion, and a belief in God, as the essential basis around which our civilization formed and our concept of morality evolved. There are of course non-believers, but they also benefit from the gifts that religion has bestowed on all of us.

 

[Radrook]

T

Do I believe in God? To me that is not the right question.

I have some doubt about the existence of a divine being, even more doubt about my own existence after my death.

I do believe that humans are creatures of faith. I equate faith with trust. As we grow and develop our faith is shaped by our trust relationships and as adults we do not all place out faith in the same things. Some of us place our faith in science, others in money and power, but everyone has faith in something or someone. When that faith results in a feeling of betrayal, the consequences are likely to be anger and bitterness.

In my late teens I began to doubt the existence of the god that was presented to me at Sunday school. I was fascinated by stories about Greek and Roman gods and came to the conclusion that stories about gods were all just stories, ancient myths, because humanity needed them. My faith moved away from the god of the christians and settled on science. I became a scientific atheist. I did not become antagonistic towards people of faith and avoided arguing with them.

I became an angry feminist. I felt injustice towards women and girls very keenly. As I learned more about the world, I saw injustice everywhere and felt helpless to do anything about it. The problems were too numerous and too big for me to solve.

I married young, became a mother at the age of twenty and dedicated myself to raising my children to be responsible adults and was successful in that endeavour but during my daughter's teens I had a suspicion I had hold her by one hand and the devil held on to the other, and we were in a tug of war for her soul. I knew I must not let go, no matter how wayward she might appear to be.

My faith in science proved inadequate when my father died suddenly and when my sister delivered a still born son. I needed to pray but could not. I was experiencing a crisis of faith and it is a very unsettling feeling.

Some years later I opened myself to the possibility of faith in something that was unlike anything that can be defined by equations, that cannot be proven, nor defined rationally. After an experience that I have talked about before I chose to place my faith in something that is both infinite and eternal, and therefore unknowable.

So, what do I believe? I believe in love, forgiveness, hope and justice. We cannot fully understand what these words mean but I know and feel their presence in my life. So it is with God.

The Bible doesn't teach that we should believe in the existence of a creator without any evidence. Instead, It specifically points to the creation itself as the evidence and basis for our belief.

Romans 1:20 ESV
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Psalm 139:14 NIV
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Psalm 19:1 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 104:24 ESV
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures

 

[Warrigal]

T

The Bible doesn't teach that we should believe in the existence of a creator without any evidence. Instead, It specifically points to the creation itself as the evidence and basis for our belief.

Romans 1:20 ESV
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Psalm 139:14 NIV
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Psalm 19:1 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 104:24 ESV
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures

No argument from me now, but my younger self was blind to what the psalmist was on about.

I understand now what it means to refer to the Book of the Word and also the Book of Nature.

The Book of Nature is a religious and philosophical concept originating in the Latin Middle Ages that explores the relationship between religion and science, which views nature as a book for knowledge and understanding. Early theologians, such as St. Paul,[1] believed the Book of Nature was a source of God's revelation to humankind. He believed that when read alongside sacred scripture, the "book" and the study of God's creations would lead to a knowledge of God himself.

This type of revelation is often referred to as a general revelation. The concept corresponds to the early Greek philosophical belief that humans, as part of a coherent universe, are capable of understanding the design of the natural world through reason. Philosophers, theologians, and scholars frequently deploy the concept. The phrase was first used by Galileo, who used the term when writing about how "the book of nature [can become] readable and comprehensible".[2]

Book of Nature - Wikipedia

 

[Radrook]

So these microscopic machines and processes all mindlessly created themselves? Really? And the fork ran away with the spoon. Right?

 

[Lawrence00]

It's a travel destination, a holodeck, a war planet. Seriously, I think I got drunk with my buddies one millennium and someone suggested we go to Earth for the weekend. I need some new friends. Of course someone(s), probably female, designed this place.

 

[Lavinia]

In answer to the original question, which was not 'Is there a God' but 'Why do we believe in (a) God'......basically because most people need to believe that someone, somewhere is in control. Even though it is obvious that 'God' has no control over events on Earth, people need to hold someone to account. It gives them a feeling of security and comfort. The writers of the Old Testament blamed 'God' for everything that happened.
That said, anyone who reads the Bible with an open mind can clearly see reference to extra terrestrials....so called Sons of Heaven. They seem to have had some sort of authority over the people, and were in a position of power.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’m still wondering about all of this and haven’t ruled anything out.

Sometimes I wonder if our God was an alien that did actually create all of this, sort of an ant form or snow globe to keep on the corner of the desk.

When it comes to evolution, I can’t help but wonder why no new species are crawling out of the swamp and why humans don’t seem to evolve into a higher more intelligent life form.

 

[Michael Z]

Every time I see a deer run in the field, or the beauty of the new leaves in spring, with each breath I take.
I witness the glory of God.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Ahhh ..... Did God create man, or did man create God. - This is the age old question, and at first, it would seem that it is dead on arrival, since there is no proof either way. It seems quite natural for the human mind to try to make connections between cause and effect (It was a survival mechanism). We exist, so something must have caused that to happen, and it could be a supreme power. However, without any evidence, the cause must remain unknown.

I tend to gravitate to the philosophical. Why would any supreme power create man and woman. Humans don't have a good track record for someone you would want to spend a great deal of time with. We are temperamental, prone to boredom, and often do things that are not in our best interests. Perhaps if you could make all that go away, then maybe it could work. However, if God has existed forever without the need for companionship, why at this point decide to create irrational beings to commune with?

There are over ten thousand religions throughout the world, with each believing something different, and each believing they are the correct one, and the others are wrong. If you were God, wouldn't that be something you would want to address or alleviate. In addition, why make our existence appear to be a product of evolution if you wanted the created ones to believe it wasn't. We share 95 % of our DNA with Chimpanzees. That seems counterproductive to the God made man in his image argument.

Here's another troubling thought. Could a loving and compassionate God watch for thousands of years while hundreds of millions of innocent humans (Including little children) have suffered with a staggering number of illnesses, others horribly tortured, beaten, raped, killed, and starved to death, eaten alive by cancer and other diseases just so that God could have company in heaven or be worshipped?
That's a disturbing thought.

I don't know if there is any "God", as I have no proof either way, but if this superhuman entity exists, I don't think it is even close to the traditional concept many have come to embrace. Perhaps I'm missing something. It won't be the first time.

I completely agree @bobcat

 

[Tazx]

Ahhh ..... Did God create man, or did man create God. - This is the age old question, and at first, it would seem that it is dead on arrival, since there is no proof either way. It seems quite natural for the human mind to try to make connections between cause and effect (It was a survival mechanism). We exist, so something must have caused that to happen, and it could be a supreme power. However, without any evidence, the cause must remain unknown.

I tend to gravitate to the philosophical. Why would any supreme power create man and woman. Humans don't have a good track record for someone you would want to spend a great deal of time with. We are temperamental, prone to boredom, and often do things that are not in our best interests. Perhaps if you could make all that go away, then maybe it could work. However, if God has existed forever without the need for companionship, why at this point decide to create irrational beings to commune with?

There are over ten thousand religions throughout the world, with each believing something different, and each believing they are the correct one, and the others are wrong. If you were God, wouldn't that be something you would want to address or alleviate. In addition, why make our existence appear to be a product of evolution if you wanted the created ones to believe it wasn't. We share 95 % of our DNA with Chimpanzees. That seems counterproductive to the God made man in his image argument.

Here's another troubling thought. Could a loving and compassionate God watch for thousands of years while hundreds of millions of innocent humans (Including little children) have suffered with a staggering number of illnesses, others horribly tortured, beaten, raped, killed, and starved to death, eaten alive by cancer and other diseases just so that God could have company in heaven or be worshipped?
That's a disturbing thought.

I don't know if there is any "God", as I have no proof either way, but if this superhuman entity exists, I don't think it is even close to the traditional concept many have come to embrace. Perhaps I'm missing something. It won't be the first time.

Couldn't have been better said.

 

[Mr. Ed]

T

The Bible doesn't teach that we should believe in the existence of a creator without any evidence. Instead, It specifically points to the creation itself as the evidence and basis for our belief.

Romans 1:20 ESV
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Psalm 139:14 NIV
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Psalm 19:1 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 104:24 ESV
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures

You are quoting the Bible, naturally "god's word" supports the Christian god. Do you have any other source of reference besides the Bible as the Bible is slightly biased.
Religion, Christianity and the Bible etc is real for people who believe according to scripture, however, for people like myself who dare to question the authority of religion in my life, I do not conform. My relationship with god is one I come to accept without Jesus and if there is a Holy Spirit I recognize it as god within me.

Regarding sin and salvation, salvation comes when your eyes are open to a new reality of living each moment as it occurs without fear or hesitation, knowing nothing matters more than the moment you are living in. sin is irrelevant because the choices you make are the choices you live with. You choose the life you live, I choose to be free from bad choices. Honesty by knowing and understanding yourself instinctively guides you through life by who you are. It is all very simple once you understand this.

 

[JustDave]

It's odd when the logic of the Bible is challenged and a Christian then quotes Bible passages thinking he has effectively thwarted the challenge.

 

[Paco Dennis]

As everyone has so far expressed their understanding of the OP, I have wanted to chime in because the question has been central to my life since a teenager. Yet in the here and now I have no answer to why we believe in God/god/s. Having studied philosophy, religion, martial arts, and metaphysical philosophies for 60 years and yet I still don't have an answer. The closest I come is since I have no answer, I tend to want to be a co creator with the present time I am experiencing. To interact with my environment in real time. That is the closest I can come to why I create god/s.

 

[JustDave]

I have no answer to why we believe in God/god/s

This makes sense, since there is no logic that provides an answer. And the logical answer if you don't know is "I don't know."

But the next part, I don't understand.

I tend to want to be a co creator with the present time I am experiencing. To interact with my environment in real time. That is the closest I can come to why I create god/s.

 

[Gary O']

Why do we believe in God​

I don't know about anyone else, but I took a look around, back when I could see




I was moved to put some words to this one;



Then I studied

 

[Radrook]

You are quoting the Bible, naturally "god's word" supports the Christian god. Do you have any other source of reference besides the Bible as the Bible is slightly biased.
Religion, Christianity and the Bible etc is real for people who believe according to scripture, however, for people like myself who dare to question the authority of religion in my life, I do not conform. My relationship with god is one I come to accept without Jesus and if there is a Holy Spirit I recognize it as god within me.

Regarding sin and salvation, salvation comes when your eyes are open to a new reality of living each moment as it occurs without fear or hesitation, knowing nothing matters more than the moment you are living in. sin is irrelevant because the choices you make are the choices you live with. You choose the life you live, I choose to be free from bad choices. Honesty by knowing and understanding yourself instinctively guides you through life by who you are. It is all very simple once you understand this.

	Thanks for your interest in my posts. However, I think you have misunderstood the purpose why I quoted the Bible. Please note that I have only quoted the Bible in order to clarify Christian beliefs for those persons here who seem unfamiliar with them. For example, some seem to think that Christians believe in a creator merely because the Bible tells them to. So I provide scriptural evidence proving otherwise. Also, please note that I am not quoting the Bible on this thread in an effort to convert others to Christianity. Instead, my focus has been on the existence of planning mind as displayed in DNA.​

 

[Radrook]

It's odd when the logic of the Bible is challenged and a Christian then quotes Bible passages thinking he has effectively thwarted the challenge.

I never did that. Instead, I clarified a misunderstanding about what the Bible teaches. So you have created straw man which constitutes fallacious reasoning.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/straw-man-fallacy/​

 

[Lara]

Removed by me.

 

[Timewise 60+]

Common Misconceptions about God

That He is an ancient human being like being with omniscience, omnipotence and a plan for everyone. Some Christians do believe that but not everyone who trusts in God believes those things.

God is not a being at all but rather the source of all becoming. Life and selfhood are gifts. We are not puppets and God is no engineer. Much is misunderstood.

Mark, interesting comments...tell us your source, as your comments suggest you have some special insight?

 

[LadyEmeraude]

I believe in God because to me, it makes sense. It feels right in my heart..

 

[Radrook]

Every time I see a deer run in the field, or the beauty of the new leaves in spring, with each breath I take.
I witness the glory of God.

I believe in God because to me, it makes sense. It feels right in my heart..

Why does it make sense?