Are you religious? (Buddhism, hell, church, Revelation)

[Stefan_from_Germany]

Are you religious? If so, what religion do you belong to? Do you think your religion is the only truth?

Please vote in the poll and let us know your views by posting.

I'm also interested in your reasoning as to why you believe what you believe or why you don't believe in a god.

Me, I'm agnostic leaning towards atheist.

Why? With all the suffering of innocent people in the world, it's hard for me to believe that there should be a god.

Children die every day through conflict, hunger, accidents or disease and innocent good people lose loved ones for no good reason. That seems so wrong to me that no religious explanation I have heard to date could even come close to explaining these tragedies.

Furthermore, if you happen to have been born and raised in a Christian society, you are likely a Christian. But if you were born and raised in say India, you are likely a Hindu. If you were born in Israel you are likely a Jew and if your family is from an Islamic country then chances are you are a Moslem. And the kicker is that most believers are very convinced that their religion is the only true and correct one. How can one be so sure? It seems completely unreasonable to me?

I understand that faith gives people comfort and helps explain things that we don't (yet) have a rational explanation for.

But I prefer science. Science doesn't pretend to have all the answers and if a theory gets proven wrong than scientist don't get all upset but they see it as a challenge to get closer to the truth.

Religion on the other hand is often very fundamentalistic and intolerant. The most religious people are often the least tolerant, in my experience.

Why would any god allow so many cruelties to be committed by humans all over the world in his name over the centuries? Not just in the name of Islam but Christianity, too.

The Christian faith has its roots in Judaism, and comes in many different flavors. But again, many of the most committed believers are sure their version is the absolute truth. That seems incredibly arrogant to me.

Isn't it more likely that the desire to believe in something is a very human trait across the world? As is the need to have explanations for the seemingly inexplicable? I'm ok with not having answers to everything. I'm not arrogant enough believe that there is a personal god that listens to my prayers and even acts upon them. What if my interests that I pray for (please god, let me get this job I interviewed for and really want/need" is in complete conflict with the next Christian's prayers who also interviewed for the job and wants/needs it just as badly?

The whole thing doesn't make sense to me, I must say. But I invite you to try and explain to me what I may be missing.

So, what do you have to say on the topic? I invite you to directly address my views if you disagree with them.

Stefan

[phetaroi]

Buddhism should not be practiced as a religion, but as a philosophy. Plus, most Buddhists are atheists.

[Stefan_from_Germany]

I was expecting this remark. And it may be justified. However, in many brake down of world religions I found Buddhism included as a religion. Let's call it a religion for the purpose of this poll, even if it can be more accurately described as a philosophy or belief system.

[ocean777]

Well I've met God in person all my life. God is the opposite to Santa Claus. Yet most people are taught to believe that God is a Santa type entity that spends all His time fulfilling your requests. That is false & it is why most people don't believe in the Santa God Christians in General believe in. The True Christian God is the one in The Book of Job. He places Satan in Control of the earth. And that causes all the sorrows you mention. Most religions worship satan as God & don't even know it.

[JB from NC]

I'm a religious Jew, although I didn't start out that way. I was raised Christian (Baptist, to be specific), and converted to Judaism as an adult after several years of searching and studying other religions. As for why I believe in God, it's because I do; I've tried to not believe, but never had any success in that.

While I might disagree with some things you've said, I'm not going to challenge you. Ultimately, you're free to believe what you wish, and it really has no impact on me. Judaism doesn't hold that it's the only "true" religion, or that everyone has to belong to it. It's the right religion for Jews, and other groups have their own ways to understand and connect with God.

I will say that I find it odd to see you view science and religion as being in some kind of competition or at odds with each other. I've always thought that both influence us and help us to form the worldview we use to navigate life.

[2x3x29x41]

Originally Posted by Stefan_from_Germany

I'm also interested in your reasoning as to why you believe what you believe or why you don't believe in a god.

I'm an atheist, because of insufficient evidence of deities.

[The word insufficient is accurate, yet a massive understatement - the only evidence is personal revelation, which is no more compelling than the testimony of claimed UFO abductees or claimed time-travelers]

Originally Posted by Stefan_from_Germany

Me, I'm agnostic leaning towards atheist.

I am an atheist and an agnostic. The terms are not mutually exclusive. However, I consider the latter an irrelevant term. I mean, I'm agnostic about Darth Vader because I cannot prove that he doesn't exist, but I don't feel the need to point this out with a special term for my lack of Darth Vader belief.

Thus, the agnostic label strikes me as pointlessly self-evident.

[hljc]

Religion is a Christian term , as Christians lean on God through the Father , Son, and the Holy Spirit brings life

[ocean777]

I've only ever known God as a person who comes & takes me to see Heaven & hell etc. I didn't know it was God at first. God has taught me far more than religions teach people. So I am not religious because that would be like going back to kindergarten & giving myself a lobotomy to remove all the knowledge God has given me.

But God does speak of The Jews, Muslims & Christians. He specifically says that The Catholic Church is A Supremely Holy Church. It is His Favourite religion without doubt.

[Stefan_from_Germany]

Originally Posted by ocean777

IHe specifically says that The Catholic Church is A Supremely Holy Church. It is His Favourite religion without doubt.

Where does "he" say that? I suppose not in the Koran. And not in any of the bibles read by non-catholics either.

[Stefan_from_Germany]

Originally Posted by JB from NC

I'm a religious Jew, although I didn't start out that way. I was raised Christian (Baptist, to be specific), and converted to Judaism as an adult after several years of searching and studying other religions. As for why I believe in God, it's because I do; I've tried to not believe, but never had any success in that.

While I might disagree with some things you've said, I'm not going to challenge you. Ultimately, you're free to believe what you wish, and it really has no impact on me. Judaism doesn't hold that it's the only "true" religion, or that everyone has to belong to it. It's the right religion for Jews, and other groups have their own ways to understand and connect with God.

I will say that I find it odd to see you view science and religion as being in some kind of competition or at odds with each other. I've always thought that both influences us and helps us to form the worldview we use to navigate life.

Thanks for a respectful and balanced response. It's good that Jews don't wish to convert others and instead accept that others have other beliefs. I also respect your religious views even though I'm not religious myself.

I agree with you that many scientist feel that religion and science don't have to be mutually exclusive. But unfortunately there are many Christian fundamentalists who reject scientific consensus where it goes against the bible (e.g. evolution vs. creation). It's that fundamentalism that I find worrying.

May I ask how you explain the extreme suffering that many good, innocent people have to endure on this planet?

How can any "good God" allow this? I understand the "god God" concept is more a new testament thing and not so much an old testament or Hebrew Bible concept, but I would like to know your views.