rneoivtr Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 This question is specifically for people who follow a Religion, I know many people believe in God but choose not to follow a religion this isnt for you, but please input. Everyone with any reasobale thought capacity, will sooner of later question the existance of god. what im intrigued by is when the religious people have questioned once theyre able to think for themselves and decided they believed, was it a case of follow the religion you was bought up on, or look for one which most suites your preferance, and sounds plausable? im aware some of you may have been bought up christian/muslim etc and then decided you believe but not to follow a religion just the concept of god, id like to know if you choose a religion why was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rneoivtr Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 any religious people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyofborg Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 any religious people? we're all having a lie in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonofAna Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 You don't like posting questions that are easy to answer do you? Maybe I could say that without us religious people who would atheists and non-religious people have a go at? They'd get bored and some would be forced to start believing in religion just to keep the rest happy. I was raised as part of a christian family, attended church, even sang in the church choir, but there was something fundamentally wrong with a god who was portrayed as all love and forgiveness but who would let people die terrible deaths, or would allow people to be abused and so on. What kind of sick god would allow that if he was loving and forgiving? And then I wondered about hell - and if god was so forgiving then why have hell? The more I thought about it the less sense it made. The reason I chose my religion is because it gave me something to aspire to that seemed worthwhile, but which I was unlikely ever to achieve. It also gave meaning to life, and made me accept responsibility for what happens in my life, rather than blame luck, chance, or some god. It also means that I am not just here for no reason - and this is one of the things I do not understand about non-religious people. If you are born, live, reproduce, and then die, and this is all the life of your children means, and their children, and so on, then what is the point at all. If there is something at the end - some purpose to life - some continuation after death, then life itself has meaning. The gods are not there to set down laws, or to make decisions for us, or to tell us what we can and cannot do. They are not responsible for the bad things people do to people - people are. It is a very complex topic and I doubt I have explained myself very well. But it has taken many years for me to understand my religion, and each day I learn more. Though the basis of my religion does not change, my understanding of it does, and in this way it develops within me. And so on - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 It also means that I am not just here for no reason - and this is one of the things I do not understand about non-religious people. If you are born, live, reproduce, and then die, and this is all the life of your children means, and their children, and so on, then what is the point at all. If there is something at the end - some purpose to life - some continuation after death, then life itself has meaning. Why does there have to be some grand reason for life in general? I am perfectly happy with the personal meaning I give my own life. I do not need an eternal reason from some outside entity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonofAna Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Why does there have to be some grand reason for life in general? I am perfectly happy with the personal meaning I give my own life. I do not need an eternal reason from some outside entity. Good for you. I did not say there had to be anything at all for you. I said for me. I like to think there is something more to life than just being born, reproducing and then dying. Many people will not ever achieve anything amazing, or world changing - nor will their offspring, or their offspring and so on - so what is the point of their existance? If we ever get a test that can decide who will benefit humanity and who will not - then do we kill off all those who do not as they are using resources and will not contribute in any way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Good for you. I did not say there had to be anything at all for you. I said for me. I like to think there is something more to life than just being born, reproducing and then dying. Many people will not ever achieve anything amazing, or world changing - nor will their offspring, or their offspring and so on - so what is the point of their existance?Is it not enough to just to live and experience life? To quote Douglas Adams, "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" If we ever get a test that can decide who will benefit humanity and who will not - then do we kill off all those who do not as they are using resources and will not contribute in any way? No, what right would we have to do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonofAna Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Is it not enough to just to live and experience life? To quote Douglas Adams, "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" No, what right would we have to do that? Do you often do things that are pointless then? Do you spend all your life doing pointless things just for the sake of doing them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rneoivtr Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 You don't like posting questions that are easy to answer do you? Maybe I could say that without us religious people who would atheists and non-religious people have a go at? They'd get bored and some would be forced to start believing in religion just to keep the rest happy. I was raised as part of a christian family, attended church, even sang in the church choir, but there was something fundamentally wrong with a god who was portrayed as all love and forgiveness but who would let people die terrible deaths, or would allow people to be abused and so on. What kind of sick god would allow that if he was loving and forgiving? And then I wondered about hell - and if god was so forgiving then why have hell? The more I thought about it the less sense it made. The reason I chose my religion is because it gave me something to aspire to that seemed worthwhile, but which I was unlikely ever to achieve. It also gave meaning to life, and made me accept responsibility for what happens in my life, rather than blame luck, chance, or some god. It also means that I am not just here for no reason - and this is one of the things I do not understand about non-religious people. If you are born, live, reproduce, and then die, and this is all the life of your children means, and their children, and so on, then what is the point at all. If there is something at the end - some purpose to life - some continuation after death, then life itself has meaning. The gods are not there to set down laws, or to make decisions for us, or to tell us what we can and cannot do. They are not responsible for the bad things people do to people - people are. It is a very complex topic and I doubt I have explained myself very well. But it has taken many years for me to understand my religion, and each day I learn more. Though the basis of my religion does not change, my understanding of it does, and in this way it develops within me. And so on - So you say you were born a Christian, questioned god's good will once you'd seen all the pain on earth, I understand you wanting to believe in god because it does give life a sort of meaning, (which by the way if there is a heaven or hell and its eternal surely also is pointless) but why christianity was it because thats the only religion you know enough about, or do you honestly think you was born into the a family which worshipped the correct god out of the many you can follow. sorry about the commas and bad grammer - its late Why does there have to be some grand reason for life in general? I am perfectly happy with the personal meaning I give my own life. I do not need an eternal reason from some outside entity. would you care to expand on this personal meaning? i would love to be satisfied with life as it is, however i see it as just repeating what millions of people before you have done and will do, and all lead to the same fate. i know its probably me being grumpy and should see a therapist. i do however realise that the obvious reason answer would be is to experience them things for yourself, but if its not unique does it need repeating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingmaker2 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Many people will not ever achieve anything amazing, or world changing - nor will their offspring, or their offspring and so on - so what is the point of their existance? If we ever get a test that can decide who will benefit humanity and who will not - then do we kill off all those who do not as they are using resources and will not contribute in any way? You could argue what is the point of any existence on Earth, since the Sun will eventually explode and die, causing any life on earth to die. There is no "point" to life, it just exists and some seek to justify their existence by leaving their mark on history, or just being philanthropic and helping others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.