Is God Real, from yahoo answers

[Shaine]

Im losing my faith in God. Today, i just got tired of believing. Googled many things. Here is what i got from yahoo answer. It makes sense.

 

God was invented to explain mystery. God is always invented to explain those things that you do not understand. Now, when you finally discover how something works, you get some laws which you're taking away from God; you don't need him anymore. But you need him for the other mysteries. So therefore you leave him to create the universe because we haven't figured that out yet; you need him for understanding those things which you don't believe the laws will explain, such as consciousness, or why you only live to a certain length of time- life and death- stuff like that. God is always associated with those things that you do not understand.

 

Question #1: Why won't God heal amputees?

 

It's a simple question, isn't it? We all know that amputated legs do not spontaneously regenerate in response to prayer. Amputees get no miracles from God.

 

If you are an intelligent person, you have to admit that it's an interesting question On the one hand, you believe that God answers prayers and performs miracles. On the other hand, you know that God completely ignores amputees when they pray for miracles.

 

How do you deal with this discrepancy? As an intelligent person, you have to deal with it, because it makes no sense. In order to handle it, notice that you have to create some kind of rationalization. You have to invent an excuse on God's behalf to explain this strange fact of life. You might say, "well, God must have some kind of special plan for amputees." So you invent your excuse, whatever it is, and then you stop thinking about it because it is uncomfortable.

 

Here is another example. As a Christian, you believe that God cares about you and answers your prayers.

 

So the second question is: Why are there so many starving people in our world?

 

Look out at our world and notice that millions of children are dying of starvation. It really is horrific. Why would God be worried about you getting a raise, while at the same time ignoring the prayers of these desperate, innocent little children? It really doesn't make any sense, does it? Why would a loving god do this?

 

To explain it, you have to come up with some sort of very strange excuse for God. Like, "God wants these children to suffer and die for some divine, mysterious reason." Then you push it out of your mind because it absolutely does not fit with your view of a loving, caring God.

 

Third question: Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible? Look up these verses:

 

- Exodus 35:2 – God demands that we kill everyone who works on the Sabbath day.

 

- Deuteronomy 21:18-21 – God demands that we kill disobedient teenagers.

 

- Leviticus 20:13 – God demands the death of homosexuals.

 

- Deuteronomy 22:13-21 – God demands that we kill girls who are not virgins when they marry.

 

And so on… There are lots of verses like these.

 

It doesn't make any sense, does it? Why would a loving God want us to murder our fellow human beings over such trivial matters? Just because you work on the wrong day of the week, you must die? That makes no sense, does it? In fact, if you think about it, you realize that it is insane. So you create some kind of rationalization to explain these verses.

 

Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense? You have a college degree, so you know what I'm talking about. You know how science works. You happily use the products of science every day: your car, your cell phone, your microwave oven, your TV, your computer. These are all products of the scientific process. You know that science is incredibly important to our economy and to our lives.

 

But there is a problem. As an educated person you know that the Bible contains all sorts of information that is total nonsense from a scientific perspective.

 

- God did not create the world in 6 days 6,000 years ago like the Bible says.

 

- There was never a worldwide flood that covered Mt. Everest like the Bible says.

 

- Jonah did not live inside a fish's stomach for three days like the Bible says.

 

- God did not create Adam from a handful of dust like the Bible says.

 

These stories are all nonsense. Why would an all-knowing God write nonsense? It makes no sense, does it? So you create some type of very strange excuse to try to explain why the Bible contains total nonsense.

 

Question #5: Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery in the Bible? Look up these Bible verses:

 

- Exodus 21:20-21 – God says that it is OK to own slaves, and it is also OK to beat them.

 

- Colossians 3:22-24 – Slaves need to obey their masters.

 

- Ephesians 6:5 – Slaves need to obey their masters just as they would obey Christ.

 

- 1 Peter 2:18 – Slaves need to obey their masters, even if their masters are harsh .

 

And so on…

 

And why do all intelligent people abhor slavery and make it completely illegal? You have to come up with some kind of weird rationalization to explain it.

 

Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people? That makes no sense. You have created an exotic excuse on God's behalf to rationalize it.

 

Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles in the Bible leave behind any evidence? It's very strange, isn't it? You have created an excuse to rationalize it.

 

Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you? Jesus is all-powerful and timeless, but if you pray for Jesus to appear, nothing happens. You have to create a weird rationalization to deal with this discrepancy.

 

Question #9 – Why would Jesus want you to eat his body and drink his blood? It sounds totally grotesque, doesn't it? Why would al all-powerful God want you to do something that, in any other context, sounds like a disgusting, cannibalistic, satanic ritual?

 

And finally, Question #10 – Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians? Christians get married in front of God and their Christian friends, all of whom are praying to God for the marriage to succeed. And then they say, "What God has put together, let no man put asunder." God is all-powerful, so if God has put two people together that should seal the deal, right? Yet Christians get divorced at the same rate as everyone else. To explain this, you have to create some convoluted rationalization.

 

So, we have looked at 10 fascinating questions. In order to believe in God, you have had to create all sorts of strange rationalizations and excuses. If you are an intelligent, college-educated person, all of these excuses and rationalizations probably make you uncomfortable. If you think about it honestly, using the critical thinking skills that you learned in college, you have to admit that your answers to these questions make no sense at all.

 

Now, let me show you something remarkable. What if you instead assume that God is imaginary? A funny thing happens: the answers to every one of these questions make complete sense. Just look at all ten questions as an intelligent person:

 

1) Why won't God heal amputees? Because God is imaginary, and he doesn't answer any prayers. Every "answered prayer" is actually a coincidence. All scientific evidence supports this conclusion.

 

2) Why are there so many starving people in our world? Because God is imaginary, and he is therefore unable to answer their prayers.

 

3) Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible? Because God is imaginary, and the Bible was written by ridiculous, ruthless men rather than any sort of loving being.

 

4) Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense? Ditto. Primitive men wrote the bible, not an all-knowing being.

 

5) Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery? Ditto.

 

6) Why do bad things happen to good people? Because God is imaginary and bad things happen at the same statistical rates to everyone.

 

7) Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles in the Bible leave behind any evidence? Because God is imaginary, and Jesus' miracles are myths.

 

8) How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you? Because God is imaginary.

 

9) Why would Jesus want you to eat his body and drink his blood? Because God is imaginary, and this bizarre ritual came from a pagan religion.

 

10) Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians? Because God is imaginary.

 

Do you see what has happened here? When we assume that God exists, the answers to these ten questions make absolutely no sense. But if we assume that God is imaginary, our world makes complete sense.

 

It's interesting, isn't it? Actually, it's more than interesting – it is incredibly important.

 

Our world only makes sense when we understand that God is imaginary.

 

This is how intelligent, rational people know that God is imaginary.

 

When you use your brain, and when you think logically about your religious faith, you can reach only one possible conclusion: the "god" that you have heard about since you were an infant is completely imaginary. You have to willfully discard rationality, and accept hundreds of bizarre rationalizations to believe in your "god."

 

Now, let me ask you one last question: why should you care? What difference does it make if people want to believe in a "god", even if he is imaginary?

 

It matters because people who believe in imaginary beings are delusional.

 

It matters because people who talk to imaginary beings are delusional.

 

It matters because people who believe in imaginary superstitions like prayer are delusional.

 

It's that simple, and that obvious. Your religious beliefs hurt you personally and hurt us as a species because they are delusional. The belief in any "god" is complete nonsense.

[amaysngrace]

Merry Christmas!

[Tiger Lily]

Im losing my faith in God.

 

 

 

Losing...I think it's already gone!

 

 

What was your spiritual faith in before it disappeared?

[Shaine]

I was not very religious but i did believe in god. I prayed to him all the time, prayed before eating, before sleeping, i carry a rosary with me when i go out, i talked to him, cried to him.

 

But i feel like im just talking to myself. Even if i try hard to concentrate and send thr message to heaven, i dont feel anything. No comfort, no guidance, no feelings of being loved. I felt i loved god before. But now, im just confused. Is he really there. I dont feel him. How is he merciful and a loving god if he doesnt listen and comfort us. I just want him to let me know he is there.

[crederer]

It's probably in your best interest to have faith in the bible cause the bible says that's a good thing to do (see what I did there?).

 

It's also good to have an expensive car cause car company's say that's good.

 

Probably good to....etc etc.

[jba10582]

In a lot of respects the strong verse on faith (moving mountains into the sea) Mark 11:23 seems impossible by what we know of physics, so I can relate with your search for answers. A couple books I have read, both deal with issues on faith or strong belief from two different angles and if you are clever, you may find them free on the internet.

 

How to Listen to God - Charles Stanley

The power of you subconscious mind - Joseph Murphy

 

If I knew the answers you were looking for I would gladly share them.

[Tiger Lily]

I was not very religious but i did believe in god. I prayed to him all the time, prayed before eating, before sleeping, i carry a rosary with me when i go out, i talked to him, cried to him.

 

But i feel like im just talking to myself. Even if i try hard to concentrate and send thr message to heaven, i dont feel anything. No comfort, no guidance, no feelings of being loved. I felt i loved god before. But now, im just confused. Is he really there. I dont feel him. How is he merciful and a loving god if he doesnt listen and comfort us. I just want him to let me know he is there.

 

 

Shaine, I think asking questions is a good thing. If you really want to find answers, don't give up on prayer, reading the bible, and asking those you respect.

 

 

You know, you could also ask yourself what life could be like if God really didn't love you. We all have to remember to give thanks for the good things. Maybe you have a close relationship with a parent, or maybe you had a good meal today, or recently bought some new clothes. Things others could only dream of.

[happydate]

Shaine,

 

You seemed to be pre-occupied with the factual existence of God, that while your prayers are heard, you did not hear his replies. At least through the lens of your own perception. I found your arguments quite alarming.

 

It's like those parishioners at the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Utah where the Bishop who constantly espouse to them how to be Christlike. Then one day, he appeared in a disguise as a beggar like Jesus Christ did 2000 years ago. Quiet shockingly, his parishioners rejected him. I think 5 tried to throw him out before he had to reveal himself. Sadly, some parishioners accused him of bearing false witness according to the bible and performing entrapment!

 

As it is shown, there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between DOING and BEING. These parishioners were DOING what some Christians do. They pray to God, they attend Sunday mass and Sunday school and yet when they are tested on their faith, most of them failed. Why is that? Because they are just DOING it out of some desire, rather than being Christlike and embracing it. Desire has a finite time scale. Embracing is infinite and it grows!

 

They neglected that being a Christian is to walk a Christ like path. It is a state of being. In order to have an effective communion with the Lord, you need to be a state of BEING and NOT DOING to have a COMplete Union with the Lord. Which is what Communion is really all about out.

 

Jesus Christ always said I always appear as a person you least expects. Lord probably sent you many messengers or signs, what you least expected you threw them away.

 

Nelson Mandela today is revered and respected by many world leaders. He appeared humble and wise and yet during the oppression period in South Africa, he was hated by whites. Today, he is loved and deeply respected by all. He didn't just do what he believes in. He IS what he believes in and he is in that state of being, the being of what truly all Christians should strive for. Sadly, only a few handful of them are in this state.

 

God bless your soul.

[jimloveslips]

Today, i just got tired of believing

 

 

If you "accept into your heart" the evidence of evolution, as I do, then all your questions are easily answered.

Certain things that men do (men as in mankind) seem irrational, but when you take into consideration their evolutionary past, then it's more easily understood.

Because we are sentient beings, we have always strived to explain the world, and in some situations our need to know how something works is so strong that we actual mythologicalise an answer (I'm not sure mythologicalise is a real word, but I think you get my drift).

Being in a coherent group is a tremendously advantage for survival, and is enhanced by common boundaries of understanding and acceptance - man has always been an excellent story teller (it is after all how we pass on traditions and knowledge) and everyone loves and epic story of love, conquest and super human powers, and nothing brings people together better than a good story. It's a function of our innate intelligence that we actually create stories to explain things we don't have rational explanations for, and as membership of a group enhances our survivability, believing what others believe makes you an inclusive member of their tribe...

As we have pulled ourselves out of the pool of life, swung down from the trees, stepped out of the savannah and populated the world, different people have had different interpretations of many of those unexplainable phenomena of life.

As with politics, religion has it's hardliners, it's schisms and factions, all striving to explain their interpretation to best win your vote.

 

If you believe in ghosts, in phenomena that cannot be reconciled with nature, that an omnipotent entity sees everything you do and ranks your worth in terrestrial life to win your place in a heavenly after life, then god and religion is for you.

 

If not, then choose truth; seek knowledge!

[SonataWinter]

(Sorry for my english)

 

Why won't God heal amputees?Why are there so many starving people in our world?

 

Because God give us chance to help others.God didnt have to do every job.He give us mind and heart and source to life.That first question,it just the same with "why God take away my love one,why human must face death at certain time".

 

Starving people?Why so many?Why do bad things happen to good people?Because God want us to help each other..help each country..in any land.If God did everything,then what we are doing here,in this world?Do nothing and left everything to God?We've got hand and leg,heart and emotion,money,food etc...why not we help people in need?Or we just lazy to work hard and when bad thing happen,we put someone else to be blame,or make it some judgement to deny the existence of God?

 

Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians?What thing does this related with God?This divorce thing is human fault.God did told us to accept each other with kindness and warm heart.But we always didnt enough with one thing and when we dont like it,we put it on 'recycle bin'.

 

Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible?Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery?

 

Why must everything related to God must be judge by Christianity side?We have another religion like Islam,jews,etc..according to Islam,bible was no more the same with the original bible called injil.So?Are we just find knowledge from one source and deny others,without giving much consider about,there is could be somewhere,the real truth?

 

And then,bla bla bla..so God doesnt exist?IF you really with the scientific perspective,why your way of understanding and studied the knowledge is biased?

 

Once again,forgive my english as i am not english native speaker.

[SonataWinter]

I dont read well.That was not your answer but other people answer,at yahoo answers right?Still,because you seems to believe it,than it will became your answer if you stop at that.But if you are the lover of knowledge,please dont stop finding an answer.Until no one and no word can deny that answer.

 

So..there is so many people questioning at yahoo answers and many place,is there any God in this world?Is the existence of God is out there somewhere?Is God truly exist?

 

But we talk about God,then we need to undertand that any answer we've got from scientific knowledge,about God,is also,seems unscientific,just because we cant see Him.

So,people cant trust anything except when scientific way,approve it.So,please,approve it from scientific way,where is your soul?Does our soul exist?If it doesnt exist,then what is it when your body is still can operate itself,suddenly,you facing death even on your on bed?

 

When you see cars,houses,book...can you assume that all these thing create itself,suddenly,appeared?YES,there is manufacture,engineer,mechanic,writer,they all create SMALL things like this.

 

What about this world?Is allof this..BIG things,planet and stars,dont have a creator?Suddenly appeared?Then this is nonsense too.So we really need to assume that,God must be somewhere.If not,please explain who create this world?

 

Something cannot be explain doesnt mean it didnt exist.It just mean human being still cant reach certain thing.

[Shaine]

I dont read well.That was not your answer but other people answer,at yahoo answers right?Still,because you seems to believe it,than it will became your answer if you stop at that.But if you are the lover of knowledge,please dont stop finding an answer.Until no one and no word can deny that answer.

 

So..there is so many people questioning at yahoo answers and many place,is there any God in this world?Is the existence of God is out there somewhere?Is God truly exist?

 

But we talk about God,then we need to undertand that any answer we've got from scientific knowledge,about God,is also,seems unscientific,just because we cant see Him.

So,people cant trust anything except when scientific way,approve it.So,please,approve it from scientific way,where is your soul?Does our soul exist?If it doesnt exist,then what is it when your body is still can operate itself,suddenly,you facing death even on your on bed?

 

When you see cars,houses,book...can you assume that all these thing create itself,suddenly,appeared?YES,there is manufacture,engineer,mechanic,writer,they all create SMALL things like this.

 

What about this world?Is allof this..BIG things,planet and stars,dont have a creator?Suddenly appeared?Then this is nonsense too.So we really need to assume that,God must be somewhere.If not,please explain who create this world?

 

Something cannot be explain doesnt mean it didnt exist.It just mean human being still cant reach certain thing.

 

Maybe there is a higher being who created the universe. But i think he doesnt concern himself with our problems or prayers.

[SonataWinter]

Read again my first comment.

 

He did concern about us.Depend on what religion we stand,if i'm not wrong,every religion teach about sin and reward for what we've done..bad or good thing..and if bad human didnt get punish at this world,they will get punish in the next world or hell.Good people will go into heaven.Once again,depend on what religion we put our belief.

 

Atheism doesnt have this kind of thought if i'm correct,so when we make any thought using atheism as our base of thinking,we gonna assume that this world is unfair,God doesnt concern about us etc.

 

God did concern about us.There is only one religion that is true.There is only one truth.As a muslim,i will claim that my religion is the only way to go to heaven,but thing like this is depend on yourself to embrace this religion or another.Find the right path by yourself.We have internet,we have source of knowledge that accross the world,with no restrictions to get it.Read everything and never trust anything before we did any research thoroughly about its truth.Never ever judge religion from its follower,because there is always bad people either they are with religion or not,but we must judge it from the religion itself.

 

God told us to help each other,and if we do wrong to people and we didnt get punishment here,we will face it after death.And people who mistreated,will get their revenge at the day of the judgement.

 

This will give hope to weak people.If we dont have faith,we will walk in this world like stray people,never know when to stop,dont know where to go or who to talk about our problem.God will not allow this to happen so He give us mind,heart,religion for us to make decision,what kind of life we will live in earth.

[SonataWinter]

God reply us in many way.Sometimes He make us feel calm,sometimes He send us friend to help us,sometimes He just left us alone in suffering cause He want to save our reward at the day after death.This,if you dont have faith real strong,you will live your life with more confusion,there is many atheism when they almost near to the death,they said about believing in God.Why?Because that's what human being are.

 

God dont have to appear before us and tell,hey this is God I will help you in one minute,so wish anything you want!

 

No,God always sent us something to realize that He always be with His creature.But either we too stubborn to accept or just can't understand what kind of help He did give us.

[writergal]

The answer to your question is easy for those of us who are Atheists: God is imaginary. God is not real and the people who believe that he is, believe so because they need an external source to tell them how to live their lives.

 

Science has the answers to all the unknowns in the universe. Period.

 

God is not real.

[SonataWinter]

Yeah,run away seems more easy.

 

Even your soul is imaginary.

 

Human always said this isn't real when they don't understand it.Whenever,at any time,hundred or thousand years ago too,until they realize they are just run away from themselves.

 

Don't go that far,real far to find God.Just,explain about our soul.Can science create soul?

 

Run away from real question is always practiced by people who afraid to accept the truth,that human are WEAK and LIMITED to know about everything.Atheism always run from God but many of them whenever they are near to the death,they talk about believing God.Yeah,imaginary.

 

If science can create a new soul,i will buy it with my blood.

[Robert Z]

Science has the answers to all the unknowns in the universe. Period.

 

 

Really? Then I assume you can show me the grand unified theory we have been waiting for since Einstein - and I mean one that has been tested and that produces results as predicted. Also, I would appreciate an explanation for dark matter and dark energy. Are closed time-like curves possible? Do microscopic black holes exist? Is it possible for a macroscopic object to traverse a wormhole? Can warp drive actually work? Did the big bang have a cause? Does the proton decay?

 

 

There is a difference between knowing that science can produce all of the answers to existence, and assuming that it can. We don't really know that yet.

[jimloveslips]

here is a difference between knowing that science can produce all of the answers to existence, and assuming that it can. We don't really know that yet.

 

But the beauty of science is that it acknowledge this - there is no dogma: there is acceptance that we are limited by our current knowledge, and that change, given new knowledge, is not a failure but progress...

 

Hallelujah!

[Robert Z]

But the beauty of science is that it acknowledge this - there is no dogma: there is acceptance that we are limited by our current knowledge, and that change, given new knowledge, is not a failure but progress...

 

Hallelujah!

 

 

In the abstract, and with regard to the scientific process, you are correct. But as we saw in the post to which I responded, people have made a faith-based religion out of science.

 

 

What is the difference between a true scientist and a true engineer?

 

 

Engineers love answers.

Scientists love questions.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Robert Z

[jimloveslips]

...as we saw in the post to which I responded, people have made a faith-based religion out of science.

 

I think that's a little disingenuous.

 

I think you well know what she mean't: not that "Science has the answers to all the unknowns in the universe" at this very point in time, but that we will, eventually, know everything.

 

If we are back to trying to score points using semantics, the hypocrisy of hermeneutics will ensure that outcome.

[Robert Z]

I think that's a little disingenuous.

 

You are wrong.

 

I think you well know what she mean't: not that "Science has the answers to all the unknowns in the universe" at this very point in time, but that we will, eventually, know everything.

And that would be a statement of faith. You seem to be missing the point entirely. We don't actually know that science can explain existence. We only assume that it can.

 

If we are back to trying to score points using semantics, the hypocrisy of hermeneutics will ensure that outcome.

Why are you making personal attacks when my position is based entirely on logic? We don't know what we don't know. We don't have all of the answers yet. And it could be that we never will.

[Madman81]

Maybe there is a higher being who created the universe. But i think he doesnt concern himself with our problems or prayers.

You're considering changing from "religious" to "spiritual". Which, in my view, is a good thing.

 

I've been an atheist since I was in my early teens (I'm now 41). It's only in the last year or two that I'd say I've become "passively spiritual", i.e. I acknowledge the possibility that there's something out there, some higher "being" or consciousness or energy that keeps everything in some kind of order. And the "passive" part comes from not being sufficiently motivated to look into it more. Maybe it's "the Force" or something. Who knows. But, like you, I don't think it really gets involved with our personal problems or answers our prayers. And it certainly doesn't need financing.

[Robert Z]

Who knows. But, like you, I don't think it really gets involved with our personal problems or answers our prayers.

 

 

 

Then again, maybe "it" determines when every radioactive particle will decay. As near as we can tell, it is impossible to determine when a specific radioactive atom will decay because it is "random". We can only say that approximately X% of the atoms in a reference group or sample will decay over a given period of time.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

I don't really have any specific belief but I do entertain a number of fun ideas. I guess my favorite emerges from our understanding, or lack thereof, of consciousness. It seems to me that we have no reason to limit the idea of consciousness, to brain matter. Many scientists believe that a large network or system like the internet might suddenly become self aware. Likewise, we can imagine that other highly complex systems could be conscious, such as the universe itself.

 

We are the universe becoming aware of itself.

 

The statement is undeniably true since we clearly are a part of this universe; and possibly part of an infinite multiverse of universes. If the internet might become self aware, then surely all of creation might as well. And, interestingly, it is the one physical explanation for a God that is consistent with the very definition of God - all knowing, all powerful, omnipresent, everlasting.

 

 

As I said, not a belief but a tantalizing line of reasoning. Maybe physicists really do seek to know the mind of God.

[WhoreyBull]

I don't even trust yahoo answers fir questions about yahoo.