Why believe in god? The theist perspective.

@FBM,

If you insist on debating the issue of whether or not God exists at the level of base "religious" beliefs then you will certainly score all sorts of illusory points, but you will not find me engaged.

Rise up.

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

OK. If you don't want to discuss what religions say about their own god(s), don't. I'm not interested in what individuals imagine, just in the bad ideas that groups promote that harm society.

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@FBM,

But "bad" and "harm" need explanation. President Eisenhower warned of the dangers of the "military/industrial" complex.

Ivan Illich warned against the medical profession and the educational establishment. How about banking? Media?

We are all interested in bad ideas that harm society. It's a pretty dire idea to be asserting what "bad" and "harm" means for selfish reasons.

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@FBM,

And you clearly are not interested in the good ideas that groups promote that benefit society as that too is part of the story of religion.

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A: This thread isn't about banking or industry, so those are red herrings.

B: I don't deny that some good things are connected with religion, but that doesn't address the question of whether or not one should believe in a god sans evidence. Also a red herring.

1 Reply

@FBM,

A: This thread is not about religion (Or at least the title suggests it isn't)

B: All of your arguments pertain to religion, not the existence of God

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

We find gods alleged by religions, not by secular groups. They're tightly interwoven. The only atheistic religion I know of is Buddhism.

The OP asks 'Why believe in god? The theist perspective.' Do you want to censor all non-theists' input? I'm simply expounding on the question. Why believe in your particular god if there is no evidence that such a thing exists outside of your own imagination?

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@George,

George wrote:

fresco~

You call my belief in God "a questionable insurance policy".
I disagree. A belief in God does not necessarily require belief in an
afterlife, which is what I assume is the insurance policy.

You go on to say:
"In addition, there is the argument that what we think of as 'self' is largely
a product of social relationships."
I ain't even going there.
bookmark.
~George

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Hi guys, I'm new, and I'm a christian:)

1 Reply

@BryanLegend,

BryanLegend wrote:

Hi guys, I'm new, and I'm a christian:)

Why?

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@rosborne979,

Maybe it's because most other people around here are Christians and when in Rome etc etc.

1 Reply

@rosborne979,

Are you asking why I believe in Jesus Christ? There are two reasons mainly. One, I believe that there is a God that created us, but because of sin, we were separated from God. Jesus Christ was sent to earth to save us, so that we may continue to be in a perfect relationship with God. Second, I have seen for myself the positive impact of Jesus in my life and also in the lives of my family and friends:)

1 Reply

@BryanLegend,

BryanLegend wrote:

Are you asking why I believe in Jesus Christ?

No. I'm asking why you are a Christian and not something else. If you had been born in a different place and not exposed to the bible as a child, might you now be a Hindu, or a Deist, or something else?

Have you learned other religions equally and decided that Christianity is the one you prefer to believe, or is Christianity merely the belief given to you by your family?

1 Reply

@rosborne979,

Interesting question. I believe in the Christian doctrine of predestination, which means our salvation or damnation is willed by God. Therefore, no matter the circumstance I was born in, as long as I am predestined, I will be a Christian.

1 Reply

@spendius,

Quote:

Maybe it's because most other people around here are Christians and when in Rome etc etc

Round our way, that might account for Bryan's Insha'Allah syndrome ! Very Happy

1 Reply

@fresco,

Hey, syndrome sounds like an illness. Sometimes submission isn't that bad at all:)

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@BryanLegend,

S & M practitioners would certainly agree with you ! Mr. Green

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@BryanLegend,

Try abject abdication of one's intelligence and agency.

1 Reply

@BryanLegend,

Ok. Why do you believe in predestination? What caused you to recognize it and to believe it?

1 Reply

@Setanta,

Submission not necessarily means abdicating one's intelligence and agency. We all submit to certain people in our lives. Our government, our parents, the law etc. Not submitting could lead to chaos, so submission is not a bad thing

0 Replies

Why believe in god? The theist perspective.

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