Do you believe in God?

[Shytownmofo]

What I find so intriguing is that the vast majority of respondents to the poll are either atheist, or if they believe in God, or an Infinite Intelligence/supreme being they believe almost....casually. Most of the people who have responded who believe DON'T live religiously

I think that this speaks to the true nature of God and Religion. Maybe, as many people have posited, the need for God and Religion is truly dying out, and the only meaning of Life is the one that we put there.

Honestly, I've thought about it quite a bit, and there's no way for me to NOT believe in a God/Supreme Being/Infinite Intelligence. However, by the same token, I cannot believe with the fervor of someone who is a devout Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu or Buddhist.

The Last time that I was in a church for any sort of service was 8 years or so ago, when my grandmother passed. She was Catholic, and my Dad is what you'd term a "Recovering Catholic." So I hadn't been to any sort of church service in quite some time, and that was a wedding.

I'd have to say that the last Spiritualist Church Service that I went to by choice had to be in 1993, or 1994 at the latest. I've thought of it, and while yeah, I'd like to find some people who share beliefs and dare I say "faith" similar to mine, I'm not sure it's a good idea.

The whole group think and "We the Sheeple" mentalities, IMO are not good ones. I think to come together in that manner causes more problems than it solves. It's what exterminated 6,000,000 Jews in the Second World War, got an atom bomb dropped on Japan, created Famines in Ethiopia, and displaced tens of millions of people on six of seven continents.

 

[talkingtocactus]

The whole group think and "We the Sheeple" mentalities, IMO are not good ones. I think to come together in that manner causes more problems than it solves. It's what exterminated 6,000,000 Jews in the Second World War, got an atom bomb dropped on Japan, created Famines in Ethiopia, and displaced tens of millions of people on six of seven continents.

seconded!

 

[Ginnna]

This pertains to belief in god only tangentially, but I thought it'd probably be just as appropriate, if not slightly more appropriate, to post it here rather than the rant thread:

I always feel kind of awkward around the Thanksgiving dinner table. My family and friends all insist on praying before the meal, which of course I don't begrudge them, they can do what they like... but they also insist on holding my hands during the prayer. I don't believe in any god, I don't pray, so to bring me into it seems... I don't know, just disrespectful somehow. They all know who and what I am, and yet there are always hands clasping at mine when the prayer is about to begin. I wouldn't mind sitting quietly and waiting for them to be done, but to be brought into the religious ritual whether I like it or not, well... that doesn't seem "OK" to me.

And that's all. I'm done now. *scampers off*

 

[talkingtocactus]

^ i get the same with xmas. my dad was a vicar so we get a lot of religion thrown into our xmas, and i have the exact same problem (ok, so they (my parents) don't make us hold hands, thankfully, but they do say grace and pray a couple of times over the day). i hate xmas generally, it means i have to spend a day (a) doing religious related things and (b) with my parents. i find it realllllly hard.

 

[Vildis]

I guess I am lucky then. I mean, my mum is a religious person. The only one in our family. But we kids (me and my siblings) have never been forced to become religious too, or take part in such activities. We don't even celebrate xmas or any other similar festival/feast. Like Easter etc. But we give each other xmas gifts on christmas eve (yes, xmas eve not xmas day). But it's the only thing. We have chosen to ignore all the other details, such as food, decorations and so on. We would rather have a nice time together where we socialize and have fun.

We let our mum (and dad lets her wife) keep her faith and believe in God. We accept it, as we all are openminded and tolerant. I am grateful for it, as I do not think we'll try to force anyone to participate in religious celebrations when they are not believers.

 

[Karlia]

I don't believe in God but I don't judge those who do . To each his own.
My best friend is religious and when I lived with her I always provided her time to say her prayers at night.

 

[_Hush_]

^ I would give them time to do their thing too, but I wouldn't wanna be dragged into either. On the other hand, part of the whole hand holding thing is probably that family's tradition. So I would hold their hand, just for the sake of tradition and well... it's family. You don't have to pray along, just play along (pun intended). Make them feel like you still care about them and that you respect their belief. Even if they don't respect yours. After all, patience is a virtue

 

[allmaple]

i just kind of sit there when my parents pray at dinner. although ive never explicitly said anything, im pretty sure they know how i feel. they gave up making me go to church years ago. except when my grandma is over, cant let the little old conservative catholic woman know she has an atheist for a granddaughter!

it does kind of bother me when aunts and uncles or whatever will say "ill pray for you" or "ill keep you in my prayers". like when i was applying to vet school. i didnt say anything, the only thing that could get me into vet school was my hard work but if it made them happy to do it i dont care too much i guess.

 

[talkingtocactus]

we give each other xmas gifts on christmas eve (yes, xmas eve not xmas day)

like a true european

My best friend is religious and when I lived with her I always provided her time to say her prayers at night.

when i was at boarding school i dormed with a muslim girl, and she had to do 5 sets of prayers a day. apparently the rule was that if she missed one, she'd have to make it up later, so do 2 at the next time. she got pretty good at not waking the entire dorm for her sunrise prayer but she kind of got a bit lax, i remember one time she had something like 74 that she had to add on to her next set of prayers. we (her included) all thought it was hilarious - by the time she finished she'd be on to the next lot! she wasn't exactly enthusiastic.

i also just sit there for the prayer bit at my family's - i've finally managed to avoid getting dragged to church by making up an excuse every year, and they seem to have grasped that i just won't do it, but the stuff at home, i don't much like it but i don't sit there ranting throughout it either, just kinda put up and shut up

 

[Ducky]

we give each other xmas gifts on christmas eve (yes, xmas eve not xmas day)

like a true european

Now of course presents on Christmas Eve! See, Santa lives in Finland (Lapland) and he has to start on 24th because he has a long journey

I've always wondered, I remember going to Xmas church when I was kid almost every year... my parents made me (wasn't fun at 6am) even we've never been religious. We are member of church (Lutheran)..except my sis nowadays. But I think lutheran religion is so tied to our culture and it has become more than religious thing, like christmas carrols.

So I don't believe in god (I guess i've said it here before) but I do respect those who do and sometimes debate over lutheran stuff but what bugs me that they cannot be so open sometimes and I need to be different around them (sometimes, depends on) - like when I played football, most were religious so had to change my vocabulary - even we were ages 16-20.
Then we have this one religious group (laestadians) who mostly are bit narrowminded and I HATE when everythign has to go their way. They are ok when they are in minorty but getting to majority and there is no way non-laestadian can be in same community.

Oh.. we used to have priest who send letters "wouldn't it be time for marriage" to the couples who lived together (and possibly had kids) but weren't married

 

[talkingtocactus]

we give each other xmas gifts on christmas eve (yes, xmas eve not xmas day)

like a true european

Now of course presents on Christmas Eve! See, Santa lives in Finland (Lapland) and he has to start on 24th because he has a long journey

haha, true, he doesn't get to the uk til xmas morning, and that's with the time difference!

I've always wondered, I remember going to Xmas church when I was kid almost every year... my parents made me (wasn't fun at 6am) even we've never been religious.

i know a lot of people who go to church either for xmas or midnight mass who never, ever go to church normally (apart from the occasional wedding/christening/funeral), some wouldn't even call themselves christian. i don't get that - to me it makes more sense to opt out or opt in but don't opt halfway!

Oh.. we used to have priest who send letters "wouldn't it be time for marriage" to the couples who lived together (and possibly had kids) but weren't married

wow, subtle. gotta love respect for personal choices!:lol:

 

[Ducky]

Oh.. we used to have priest who send letters "wouldn't it be time for marriage" to the couples who lived together (and possibly had kids) but weren't married

wow, subtle. gotta love respect for personal choices!:lol:

:lol: :lol: And he sent them every year - I swear if I got one of those, I'd end my membership there

I know they just try to reach their members but their invite to relationship course for everyone under 30... got our laughs. I was talking about with ma friend, who had received it as well (she had been living with same over 10 yrs and they had 2 kids) that what if WE go there as a couple. But that's mean and I don't want to be mean

The other thing, besides christmas, is our Independence Day (which is on Sunday, 6th) Almost every town (I think so) has programme that is in church. So it is something similar to Christmastime (and of course it being in Dec, it affects)

 

[Vildis]

Oh, speaking of going to church without being a believer/religious. I have to admit that I go to church sometimes. Not because it's xmas or midnight mass or the normal things like wedding/christening/funeral. I am not a believer nor religious, but I go to church anyway. I find it quiet and peaceful, and for me it's like a chance to relax.

But I also like to sit there and pray too. I have no idea why I even pray as I don't believe in God, Jesus, angels and so on. I still want to believe. Is it silly?

 

[Jacquie]

Oh, speaking of going to church without being a believer/religious. I have to admit that I go to church sometimes. Not because it's xmas or midnight mass or the normal things like wedding/christening/funeral. I am not a believer nor religious, but I go to church anyway. I find it quiet and peaceful, and for me it's like a chance to relax.

But I also like to sit there and pray too. I have no idea why I even pray as I don't believe in God, Jesus, angels and so on. I still want to believe. Is it silly?

No I don't think it's silly. We all find peace in different environments. I don't feel you have to go to church to pray either. So if I don't have to go to church to pray then why can't someone who doesn't believe go to church for their own reasons.

 

[Jade_Nolan]

Wow, awesome thread!! I've never seen such a typically antagonistic topic talked about so unantagonistically! For myself, I believe in God and am as involved as my crazy health care schedule lets me be in one of our local Wesleyan churches. I believe in angels, demons, God, Jesus Christ, Satan, and a very real daily spiritual battle, but the last thing I will do is push what I believe on others. I grew up in a "we are right and you are wrong" ultra conservative Christian home, and that is the last thing I will be. I believe what I believe, will give you a straight answer if you ask me a question and live my personal life by the Bible, but I do not saturate my conversations with religion, Bible verses, prayer offers, blessings, or any other mushy/pushy-ness. I thoroughly dislike people who think it's their personal "mission" to point out various aspects of people's lives they think are deficient, most aggregiously within the veil of religion. And don't even get me started on the passive-aggresive tack family is so apt to take! :shifty::lol: Me and my parents might agree on the basic Christian tenents, but precious little else religiously! It was the most awfull thing ever when I started doing stuff other than church on Sun!!! :lol::lol: And I still get disapproving sideways looks when I mention non-churchy Sun plans!!! :lol: lol, it's kinda hillarious now!