Is there a God?

**Terminator** · 02-03-09, 10:32 PM

Is there a God? Explain your answer, and vote in the poll.

**Jenna** · 02-03-09, 10:39 PM

I'm not sure. I really hope there is, and that it's the Christian God or a similarly benevolent being rather than an evil or indifferent being. I like the idea of an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God. But I haven't seen enough evidence to convince me that such a God, or any God, exists or doesn't exist. Sometimes I almost believe that such a God exists, but then I realize it's mostly due to a combination of Pascal's Wager and No Atheists in Foxholes, which doesn't seem like true faith.

**Cidp24** · 02-03-09, 10:43 PM

One of the things that make me believe is the amazing things on this earth. For one, are you going to seriously try to tell me that the combination of chemicals and matter that have to work in exact, balanced harmony in order to sustain life "just happened". I think not. Not without divine intervention.

**Jenna** · 02-03-09, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Cidp24

One of the things that make me believe is the amazing things on this earth. For one, are you going to seriously try to tell me that the combination of chemicals and matter that have to work in exact, balanced harmony in order to sustain life "just happened". I think not. Not without divine intervention.

I think the universe may have been created by some divine force, but I don't know what the nature of that force is, and that's what really matters to me. That divine force could just be some ball of energy that has no interest in humans and is completely incomprehensible to humans. Even if a sentient being created the universe, that in itself would not constitute evidence that that being still exists, much less that that being loves or is even able to communicate with humans, affect human affairs, and/or bring humans to an afterlife, or that that being authored the Bible or any other holy book. I'd like for all that to be true, but I don't see enough evidence for or against it.

**mavriktu** · 02-04-09, 05:42 AM

Just as I told our chaplain the other day.I say my daily prayers and pray for an afterlife,

BUT,if when I die,I find there isn't one,am I ever going to be pissed

**Rhino** · 02-04-09, 05:59 AM

YouTube - George Carlin - Religion is bullshit.

**Odd** · 02-04-09, 06:23 AM

I used to wish for an afterlife in the religious tradition I was raised in. Now I selfishly hope against it, as, one who sees no point in Heaven without Hell. (unlike so many churches these days) I imagine the questions and rants I have accumulated won't go over well. The training of the church in my formative years told me not to question, accept the teachings as offered, just as they had me sing in Bible School. Obey or suffer, those are your choices, put simply.

Is there a God? Of course I don't know. I did believe as a child. I tried "Pascal's Bargain" for a time and found living a lie to be as I viewed it through a lens established by what I taught in church. Not much of a bargain at all.

Is there a creator of the universe? Obviously so; the evidence of one proving the other. The identity of that creator is another question. I find it unlikely our entire universe was created by a malfunctioning subatomic particle.

**mack** · 02-04-09, 06:56 AM

This may sound sappy, but I only have to look around and see the wonders everywhere to know that there has to be a God (or whatever Supreme Being your belief dictates) When I was growing up I doubted it, as I grew up I questioned it, and now that I am older I believe there is and I believe He has a plan for all of us. We may not see it, but He does. A series of events can change the course of a life, it is up to us to ultimately choose the course He has laid out. I am not a super religious person, I do not attend any church. I was raised a Catholic and will call myself a Catholic if asked but I do not follow any religious dictates. I do not believe a human being can absolve me of sin or show me the "way". But I do believe in God, if I commit a "sin" I believe it is between me and God and no one else.

**lewisipso** · 02-04-09, 08:03 AM

Yes.

**Wolven** · 02-04-09, 08:23 AM

I voted yes...in the simplest terms I do believe that there is/are a supreme being(s). That is my SHORT answer.

**countybear** · 02-04-09, 08:38 AM

I think it would be interesting to hear George Carlin's answer now.

**k-9max** · 02-04-09, 09:02 AM

Do i believe if there is a god? Yes i do.

I also believe my neighbor lady thinks there is to. I was bringing my trash cans back to the house last night, as i walked along side my house, i kept hearing a sreaming sound. I stopped for a minute to listen. I then realized the neighbor guy was putting it to his wife. All i could hear is " Oh god, yes, Oh god, yes, Oh God", i chuckled and continued putting my trash cans away.

**IndianaFuzz** · 02-04-09, 11:43 AM

My short answer is that I do not think there is a god or any other kind of deity. But I don't discount the possibility that there could be one or some kind of divine force. The more I explore the issue, the more I believe that neither the existence of a god, nor the non-existence of a god, make any sense what-so-ever. I think there has to be some defining truth of existence that is simply beyond human comprehension. We define our universe by concepts we have made up. I think whatever the grand answer of existence is, is something that humans will never be capable of understanding. But even though I don't believe there is a god, I am very open to hearing what different people believe in and why.

**irishmick** · 02-04-09, 12:30 PM

I absolutely believe there is a God. What I don't believe in (if this makes any sense) is religion.

**Ryan** · 02-04-09, 12:52 PM

Yes, there is a god.

Organized religion, however, is complete bull

**Willowdared** · 02-04-09, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by irishmick

I absolutely believe there is a God. What I don't believe in (if this makes any sense) is religion.

I get what you mean.

I think religion is the human effort to contain, codify, and perhaps even exclusify G-d.

I never got the whole Darwin vs creation argument, because I don't see evolution as excluding
G-d's hand, just an elegant explanation of the countless miracles required.

I know G-d is, was, and always shall be.

**mack** · 02-04-09, 01:50 PM

Irishmick and Ryan, I feel the same way. I lost faith in organized religion a long time ago, but I do believe in God.

**TXCharlie** · 02-04-09, 02:23 PM

I have no idea... And if there is one, I think every organized religion on Earth has it all wrong - if they're right, then God must have multiple personality disorder.

I've come close to dying twice, and both times I just remember it all going blank, like passing out. I think that's the only thing that's gonna happen in the after life - Nothing to see here, move along.

However, I might add that everything around us is a great feat of engineering, from the most common substance to complex organisms to the universe itself.

On the other hand, an old engineering axiom is that engineering is simply a progression of trial and error (mostly error). Nature can do trial & error pretty well. What works will survive, and the vast majority of creatures that don't work become extinct.

**bayern** · 02-04-09, 03:16 PM

If there isn't you have wasted your complete life.

**mavriktu** · 02-04-09, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

I get what you mean.

I think religion is the human effort to contain, codify, and perhaps even exclusify G-d.

I never got the whole Darwin vs creation argument, because I don't see evolution as excluding
G-d's hand, just an elegant explanation of the countless miracles required.

I know G-d is, was, and always shall be.

PDawg,just curious here,

,if you believe in God,is there some reason why you wont print the name out instead of using an underscore??