Why do/don't you believe in a higher power? (Any HP)

[Arcanstotska]

I believe in God because without Him, I would be in a much darker state of mind right now. God's endless love and promise of paradise for those who believe is enough for me to believe in Jesus. People say that God doesn't exist because they can't see Him. But only those who believe in Him will see Him in the good things He does in this world.

[-Ocelot-]

Why do I believe in God? I believe that I have experienced God. I.e. Specifically Orthodox Christian experiences of God. But that's not worth much. So why do I believe in God? I believe that there have been many examples in life governed by Divine Intervention. Further, I believe that every time I've ignored Divine Intervention, chaos has resulted. That is, far, far too many instances for it to be a coincidence. At this stage, you might be thinking, "Conformation bias". Fine, it might be conformation bias, but what if it isn't? So then, why Christianity? I've learnt about many religions, and many faiths and find Christian theology quite agreeable. So why Orthodoxy? Orthodox believe that it's possible to establish a personal relationship with God, which I find quite agreeable (of coarse God would want a personal relation with His people) and I also find the Orthodox perspective of Hell perfectly in line with the actions of a loving God. I don't think God would send His people to an eternal torture chamber. Sorry for the vagueness of the post, I really shouldn't do this late at night... I'll elaborate more tomorrow, and/or if I am asked

I thought God doesn't interfere with us because of human free will and all that? Wouldn't divine intervention affect your free will?

I live in an Orthodox country and practiced Orthodoxy it's a joke compared to other sects of Christianity. It's not even strict monotheism, really. The only establishment that happens in the Orthodox church is the monetary one. Some people make the mistake to consider Orthodoxy a more honest, down-to-earth sect of Christianity because they don't live in an Orthodox country, but they could not be further from the truth.

[The New California Republic]

War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.

Not at all: absence of evidence absolutely is evidence of absence. This is a direct consequence of Bayes' Theorem.

I don't think that Australian rePublic meant it in that way. I may be wrong, but...

[Hrythingland]

But we have free will so that would require him to be overly authoritarian. He came down in human form and sacrificed himself.

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

[Ifreann]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

I didn't eat the apple. I wasn't even there, man.

[Neutraligon]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

Do you believe in heaven?

[Hystaria]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

We didn't chose, the devil seduced us, because he understood what god wanted and made eve crave it beyond believe with lies and trickery.
And how did the devil even get into eden?

[Andsed]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

Correction TWO humans broke the rules and god decided to throw a hissy fit and punished ALL of humanity for it.

[Petrolheadia]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

And he had the ability not to let humans fuck things up.

[The Supreme Magnificent High Swaglord]

My views on the nature of God are... complicated, to say the least. I guess my conception of God is similar to the viewpoint espoused by Spinoza, and I'm certain that my views on God are not theistic in the traditional (i.e. Abrahamic) sense, since I reject the notions of supposed "supernatural" phenomena (namely the concepts of miracles and other such divine intervention). I'm thus inclined to a somewhat deistic notion of God, perhaps?

This, however, is distinct from my views on religion; despite my lack of (conventional) theism, I recognize the need of religion as a provider of social stability and harmony; religion plays a most useful role in the teaching of moral philosophy on a society-wide scale, and fosters a sense of brotherhood and unity that transcends beyond the immediate desires of the self.

As always, I apologize if I have been at all impolite.

EDIT: Minor edits for clarity

[Cekoviu]

I believe in God because without Him, I would be in a much darker state of mind right now. God's endless love and promise of paradise for those who believe is enough for me to believe in Jesus. People say that God doesn't exist because they can't see Him. But only those who believe in Him will see Him in the good things He does in this world.

That is some circular fuckin logic right there

Why do I believe in God? I believe that I have experienced God. I.e. Specifically Orthodox Christian experiences of God. But that's not worth much. So why do I believe in God? I believe that there have been many examples in life governed by Divine Intervention. Further, I believe that every time I've ignored Divine Intervention, chaos has resulted. That is, far, far too many instances for it to be a coincidence. At this stage, you might be thinking, "Conformation bias". Fine, it might be conformation bias, but what if it isn't? So then, why Christianity? I've learnt about many religions, and many faiths and find Christian theology quite agreeable. So why Orthodoxy? Orthodox believe that it's possible to establish a personal relationship with God, which I find quite agreeable (of coarse God would want a personal relation with His people) and I also find the Orthodox perspective of Hell perfectly in line with the actions of a loving God. I don't think God would send His people to an eternal torture chamber. Sorry for the vagueness of the post, I really shouldn't do this late at night... I'll elaborate more tomorrow, and/or if I am asked

I thought God doesn't interfere with us because of human free will and all that? Wouldn't divine intervention affect your free will?

I live in an Orthodox country and practiced Orthodoxy it's a joke compared to other sects of Christianity. It's not even strict monotheism, really. The only establishment that happens in the Orthodox church is the monetary one. Some people make the mistake to consider Orthodoxy a more honest, down-to-earth sect of Christianity because they don't live in an Orthodox country, but they could not be further from the truth.

If you don't mind me asking, which country? Orthodoxy can vary pretty heavily depending on the area.

[Valrifell]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

The tree was the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" which implies everything. God wanted to keep man stupid and idle within his idyllic garden, which further implies a kind of restricted free will. Sure, you technically could do what you wanted, but Adam and Eve would be unaware of the full range of their wants and desires and what that would mean.

There was no choice in the matter, either, and it's kind of god's fault. Weird-legged snake bro comes in and says "eat the fruit it's cool" and then they do so. God freaks out and denies us immortality and makes childbirth painful. We were stupid and malleable but that was God's will.

[The South Falls]

God said "hey kids, imma make you, dont fuck up!" Then, because we are sinners, we fucked up.

[The New California Republic]

He already didnt want us to have free will in the beginning...

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

The Garden of Eden seems to be the only place that people can hide from God for some reason:

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?".

Genesis 3:8 - 9

[Hrythingland]

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

I didn't eat the apple. I wasn't even there, man.

Don't assume my gender.

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

And he had the ability not to let humans fuck things up.

He did, but as I said, that would deny us our free will.

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

Correction TWO humans broke the rules and god decided to throw a hissy fit and punished ALL of humanity for it.

It's a story to represent humans having original sin and inevitably breaking their covenant from God.

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

We didn't chose, the devil seduced us, because he understood what god wanted and made eve crave it beyond believe with lies and trickery.
And how did the devil even get into eden?

You choose to be successfully seduced. I find plenty of women attractive and some even make moves on me in the nightclub or bar, but it's my choice or not whether or not I take any action on that. She may seduce me, but it takes two to tango if there's to be any jolly rogering.

Yes he did. He said this is my garden here are the rules. We CHOSE to break the rules. We had the ability to eat the proverbial apple. We were just punished for doing so.

Do you believe in heaven?

No I believe in Valhalla...

It says I am a catholic in my signature.

[Valrifell]

I'm just saying but this whole "Eden" business seems like a set up. The Lord God framed us, I tell you!

[Andsed]

I didn't eat the apple. I wasn't even there, man.

Don't assume my gender.

And he had the ability not to let humans fuck things up.

He did, but as I said, that would deny us our free will.

Correction TWO humans broke the rules and god decided to throw a hissy fit and punished ALL of humanity for it.

It's a story to represent humans having original sin and inevitably breaking their covenant from God.

We didn't chose, the devil seduced us, because he understood what god wanted and made eve crave it beyond believe with lies and trickery.
And how did the devil even get into eden?

You choose to be successfully seduced. I find plenty of women attractive and some even make moves on me in the nightclub or bar, but it's my choice or not whether or not I take any action on that. She may seduce me, but it takes two to tango if there's to be any jolly rogering.

Do you believe in heaven?

No I believe in Valhalla...

It says I am a catholic in my signature.

No it was simply god throwing a fit and punishing billions of humans for the actions of two.

[Cekoviu]

I'm just saying but this whole "Eden" business seems like a set up. The Lord God framed us, I tell you!

I feel like the more important topic here is the fact that Adam and Eve were incapable of reproducing with each other since they were the same sex, and thus the human race never could've existed in the first place.

[Salandriagado]

I'm just saying but this whole "Eden" business seems like a set up. The Lord God framed us, I tell you!

Not that it's relevant, because it absolutely, categorically did not happen.

[Arcanstotska]

I believe in God because without Him, I would be in a much darker state of mind right now. God's endless love and promise of paradise for those who believe is enough for me to believe in Jesus. People say that God doesn't exist because they can't see Him. But only those who believe in Him will see Him in the good things He does in this world.

That is some circular fuckin logic right there

I thought God doesn't interfere with us because of human free will and all that? Wouldn't divine intervention affect your free will?

I live in an Orthodox country and practiced Orthodoxy it's a joke compared to other sects of Christianity. It's not even strict monotheism, really. The only establishment that happens in the Orthodox church is the monetary one. Some people make the mistake to consider Orthodoxy a more honest, down-to-earth sect of Christianity because they don't live in an Orthodox country, but they could not be further from the truth.

If you don't mind me asking, which country? Orthodoxy can vary pretty heavily depending on the area.

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."
No one can see God unless they are pure in heart, and in order to be pure in heart, you need to believe and trust in Jesus. Believing is seeing in this situation.

[Neutraligon]

I didn't eat the apple. I wasn't even there, man.

Don't assume my gender.

And he had the ability not to let humans fuck things up.

He did, but as I said, that would deny us our free will.

Correction TWO humans broke the rules and god decided to throw a hissy fit and punished ALL of humanity for it.

It's a story to represent humans having original sin and inevitably breaking their covenant from God.

We didn't chose, the devil seduced us, because he understood what god wanted and made eve crave it beyond believe with lies and trickery.
And how did the devil even get into eden?

You choose to be successfully seduced. I find plenty of women attractive and some even make moves on me in the nightclub or bar, but it's my choice or not whether or not I take any action on that. She may seduce me, but it takes two to tango if there's to be any jolly rogering.

Do you believe in heaven?

No I believe in Valhalla...

It says I am a catholic in my signature.

Does free will exist in heaven?

[Hystaria]

I didn't eat the apple. I wasn't even there, man.

Don't assume my gender.

And he had the ability not to let humans fuck things up.

He did, but as I said, that would deny us our free will.

Correction TWO humans broke the rules and god decided to throw a hissy fit and punished ALL of humanity for it.

It's a story to represent humans having original sin and inevitably breaking their covenant from God.

We didn't chose, the devil seduced us, because he understood what god wanted and made eve crave it beyond believe with lies and trickery.
And how did the devil even get into eden?

You choose to be successfully seduced. I find plenty of women attractive and some even make moves on me in the nightclub or bar, but it's my choice or not whether or not I take any action on that. She may seduce me, but it takes two to tango if there's to be any jolly rogering.

Do you believe in heaven?

No I believe in Valhalla...

It says I am a catholic in my signature.

Yet the minds of a child with peopel that had no experence with anything can be seduced easily, i could get a kid to take a cookie out of the cookie jar with saying i wont tell.
And those children have more free will than Adam and eve

_{wait, is god an abusive helicopter parent, Ÿou cando what you want¨ *Eats cookie*, SCRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE}

[Texanese United Union]

This thread will ask you the question of WHY you do/don't believe in God.


Why do I believe in God? I believe that I have experienced God. I.e. Specifically Orthodox Christian experiences of God. But that's not worth much. So why do I believe in God? I believe that there have been many examples in life governed by Divine Intervention. Further, I believe that every time I've ignored Divine Intervention, chaos has resulted. That is, far, far too many instances for it to be a coincidence. At this stage, you might be thinking, "Conformation bias". Fine, it might be conformation bias, but what if it isn't? So then, why Christianity? I've learnt about many religions, and many faiths and find Christian theology quite agreeable. So why Orthodoxy? Orthodox believe that it's possible to establish a personal relationship with God, which I find quite agreeable (of coarse God would want a personal relation with His people) and I also find the Orthodox perspective of Hell perfectly in line with the actions of a loving God. I don't think God would send His people to an eternal torture chamber. Sorry for the vagueness of the post, I really shouldn't do this late at night... I'll elaborate more tomorrow, and/or if I am asked

So, why do/don't you believe in God?

I don't believe in God because there is no clear evidence that he exist. Point one: All people die. Point two: they stay dead. Point three: no one is saved from death. Point four: Jesus died and remains dead. Point six: To suggest that he survived death, one has to either believe in 1) magic or 2) unseen, unexplained, unreal beings that saved him. No one has taken a photo of these "beings". Therefore, they do not exist. At death, your brain dies, all your memories die and YOU die. Going on information that can easily be discovered, at death all thoughts, all feelings, all cognition ceases. Therefore, YOU cease. Belief in a "heaven" or an afterlife is a myth.

[Hrythingland]

Don't assume my gender.
He did, but as I said, that would deny us our free will.

It's a story to represent humans having original sin and inevitably breaking their covenant from God.
You choose to be successfully seduced. I find plenty of women attractive and some even make moves on me in the nightclub or bar, but it's my choice or not whether or not I take any action on that. She may seduce me, but it takes two to tango if there's to be any jolly rogering.

No I believe in Valhalla...

It says I am a catholic in my signature.

No it was simply god throwing a fit and punishing billions of humans for the actions of two.

No its a creation story to represent the early days of humanity and our relationship with God.

[Valrifell]

I'm just saying but this whole "Eden" business seems like a set up. The Lord God framed us, I tell you!

Not that it's relevant, because it absolutely, categorically did not happen.

Yes, yes, but acknowledging that at this juncture in time is irrelevant and also a buzzkill.