Why does God's existence (or lack thereof) matter?

[Kuchen Fairy]

mistercombine

Silver Screen

mistercombine

To be frank, I don't care about Religion, as long as said Religion doesn't attempt to cram it down my throat. That means you, Southern Baptist Church.

It'd be nice if everyone would respectfully keep their beliefs to themselves, wouldn't it? Militant belief really chaps my a**.

Annoys the hell out of me when they start flinging scripture in my face and speak about my "Immortal Soul" being lost.

I love Christians to death, seriously I do, but the instant they start pushing me I just want to slap them. Of course, militant atheists annoy me even more.

Quote:

With my bf, we decided after some looooong discussions...
...to not believe. In anything. Anymore.

As long as that was entirely your choice - not something your boyfriend pushed you into - and as long as you are not militant or completely closed off to future amendments to that, then more power to you.  

[Akikan]

i bealive religion is more important in thirrd world countrs then first world countrys. it gives the poor and sick hope in the poorer countrys which is a good thing. my self being a satanist is reall anoined by any religion that thinks it better than another.  

[black_wing_angel]

Silver Screen

mistercombine

Silver Screen

mistercombine

To be frank, I don't care about Religion, as long as said Religion doesn't attempt to cram it down my throat. That means you, Southern Baptist Church.

It'd be nice if everyone would respectfully keep their beliefs to themselves, wouldn't it? Militant belief really chaps my a**.

Annoys the hell out of me when they start flinging scripture in my face and speak about my "Immortal Soul" being lost.

I love Christians to death, seriously I do, but the instant they start pushing me I just want to slap them. Of course, militant atheists annoy me even more.

I'm a christian, and a lot of people have been shocked to discover that. I guess between my swearing, and lack of "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL, SINNER!" and the fact that I refuse to let my faith interfere with my judgment on political views (like when people say "ABORSHUN IZ RONG, CUZ DA LORD SED SOW!"), kinda makes me look like an atheist. The fact that I haven't gone to church in probably a decade, doesn't help the image, much, I'm sure.

What can I say? I just don't fit into the stereotypes. And I'm glad for that, because as Christian as I am, I hate when people try to push religion on someone else. I've shut the door on fellow Christians that tried to get me to go to their church.  

[Kuchen Fairy]

black_wing_angel

Silver Screen

mistercombine

Silver Screen

mistercombine

To be frank, I don't care about Religion, as long as said Religion doesn't attempt to cram it down my throat. That means you, Southern Baptist Church.

It'd be nice if everyone would respectfully keep their beliefs to themselves, wouldn't it? Militant belief really chaps my a**.

Annoys the hell out of me when they start flinging scripture in my face and speak about my "Immortal Soul" being lost.

I love Christians to death, seriously I do, but the instant they start pushing me I just want to slap them. Of course, militant atheists annoy me even more.

I'm a christian, and a lot of people have been shocked to discover that. I guess between my swearing, and lack of "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL, SINNER!" and the fact that I refuse to let my faith interfere with my judgment on political views (like when people say "ABORSHUN IZ RONG, CUZ DA LORD SED SOW!"), kinda makes me look like an atheist. The fact that I haven't gone to church in probably a decade, doesn't help the image, much, I'm sure.

What can I say? I just don't fit into the stereotypes. And I'm glad for that, because as Christian as I am, I hate when people try to push religion on someone else. I've shut the door on fellow Christians that tried to get me to go to their church.

I can imagine it's actually better for you to not fit the Christian stereotypes. When you don't let your religion publicly define you and what you think 24/7 people tend to both respect you and your beliefs and realise that not everybody who belongs to a religion is the same.  

[DioxazinePlum]

Silver Screen

black_wing_angel

What can I say? I just don't fit into the stereotypes. And I'm glad for that, because as Christian as I am, I hate when people try to push religion on someone else. I've shut the door on fellow Christians that tried to get me to go to their church.

I can imagine it's actually better for you to not fit the Christian stereotypes. When you don't let your religion publicly define you and what you think 24/7 people tend to both respect you and your beliefs and realise that not everybody who belongs to a religion is the same.

I've actually met a lot of level-headed Christians who know what they are talking about, aren't crazy, and have a view of the bible that doesn't sound like they are nutjobs. Its not as difficult to make Christianity fit into modern society as some think. Its just like any other demographic, there are the crazy people who embarass you. Do you think I like seeing the stereotype of crazy a** rednecks for Americans? No, but I know that there is a large population that isn't like that, and it gives me peace. Christianity should be looked at in this way, as should any other religion.

Side note: I think a lot of people on the Gaian community are still stuck in the "******** religion, Christianity is gay, Atheism is kewl" stage of life which makes conversations about it extremely difficult.  

[Kuchen Fairy]

DioxazinePlum

Side note: I think a lot of people on the Gaian community are still stuck in the "******** religion, Christianity is gay, Atheism is kewl" stage of life which makes conversations about it extremely difficult.

I definitely agree.  

[black_wing_angel]

DioxazinePlum

Silver Screen

black_wing_angel

What can I say? I just don't fit into the stereotypes. And I'm glad for that, because as Christian as I am, I hate when people try to push religion on someone else. I've shut the door on fellow Christians that tried to get me to go to their church.

I can imagine it's actually better for you to not fit the Christian stereotypes. When you don't let your religion publicly define you and what you think 24/7 people tend to both respect you and your beliefs and realise that not everybody who belongs to a religion is the same.

I've actually met a lot of level-headed Christians who know what they are talking about, aren't crazy, and have a view of the bible that doesn't sound like they are nutjobs.

My view of the bible:

There are a lot of parts that aren't intended to be taken literally, but as a metaphorical guideline (such as "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out").

I believe that God created "science" to govern the world, so that he wouldn't have to yell "Let their be rain!" every time we need a good shower, and so forth.

I believe that the only interference God has with the world, is in the form of miracles. Everything else is just science doing its thing.

I believe that the way humans looked when created by God, was most likely what we call Neanderthals, that we are believed to have evolved from, and that God equipped us, and every other living creature, with the ability to slowly "evolve" to adapt to the ever changing world. This is how I support the concept of evolution, as well as creationism.

So, I'm not like the nuts you see parodied in "Morel Orel", and various other places. And you won't see me holding a cardboard sign saying "ARMAGEDDON IS UPON US! REPENT NOW!!"

Quote:

Its not as difficult to make Christianity fit into modern society as some think. Its just like any other demographic, there are the crazy people who embarass you.

Westboro Baptist Chruch ring any bells?

Quote:

Do you think I like seeing the stereotype of crazy a** rednecks for Americans? No, but I know that there is a large population that isn't like that, and it gives me peace. Christianity should be looked at in this way, as should any other religion.

"Should" is the key here. You try convincing 10,000 devote atheists that Christianity is acceptable.

Especially when they like to rebuttal with "Yeah? Well how about the Crusades? How "acceptable" were your people, then?"

Quote:

Side note: I think a lot of people on the Gaian community are still stuck in the "******** religion, Christianity is gay, Atheism is kewl" stage of life which makes conversations about it extremely difficult.

I went through that phase in 1 day. I just kinda lost faith in God. I think there was probably some "displeasure" involved, but it's been too long for me to remember. I just remember telling myself that there is no God. Ironically, that day sorta sucked.

By the time I was laying in bed, my mind was restless, and I had a cold chill, and was kinda shaking a bit. I just closed my eyes and whispered "You win." and fell asleep.  

[Kuchen Fairy]

black_wing_angel

I went through that phase in 1 day. I just kinda lost faith in God. I think there was probably some "displeasure" involved, but it's been too long for me to remember. I just remember telling myself that there is no God. Ironically, that day sorta sucked.

By the time I was laying in bed, my mind was restless, and I had a cold chill, and was kinda shaking a bit. I just closed my eyes and whispered "You win." and fell asleep.

I was around thirteen when I went through such a phase, except it was less about not believing in a god and more about hating whatever god may be out there. Took me a couple of years to realise that the logic I was attempting to apply to justify such a stance was stupid.  

[Fresnel]

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.  

[black_wing_angel]

Fresnel

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.

Well, yeah...I'll agree with that.

But at the same time, not everyone feels that way. Hell, this morning at work I had a conversation with a coworker about how I'm the kind of Christian that everyone is surprised as ******** to find out that I'm not a atheist. And he mentioned how he's an atheist that is also technically a Lutheran.

A Christian and an Atheist had a conversation, learned of the others' religious beliefs, and yet, there was no debate, there was no "OMG! REPENT, SINNER! / OMG! YOU BELIEVE IN THAT HOCUS POCUS BULLSHIT?!", and there was no problem, at all.

When you can talk casually to someone who you know has OPPOSITE faith to you, and no one has a problem, the world is a much better place.  

[Kuchen Fairy]

Fresnel

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.

So why bother? Nobody can ever be right because it can never be proven. It's like the beginning of the universe - we can't prove our beliefs on what happened are true.  

[Rimama]

Silver Screen

Fresnel

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.

So why bother? Nobody can ever be right because it can never be proven. It's like the beginning of the universe - we can't prove our beliefs on what happened are true.

If the question wasn't rhetorical I can attempt to answer "why bother?"
Well, back then religion did have a function for "common people" which was to comfort one from fear of death, understanding of the Unknown and perhaps most importantly hope amongst other things. Both of the previous were very easily manipulable given our poorer knowledge of the world combined with that Religion held a niche for people by those who aspired for power.

Your question is probably a bit more relevant today though since we have a greater amount of logic, knowledge, and notably multiple interpretations as well as more religions. The previous four were often just one-sided to people since we were quite separated from communication with most people not knowing there was such a large world, the land was where people were born and died. Now we can communicate quicker than ever before and know how big the world is physically and in ideas.

People can still profit off of religion and misuse / manipulate it so probably it's made relevant by those factors.  

[Fresnel]

Silver Screen

Fresnel

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.

So why bother? Nobody can ever be right because it can never be proven. It's like the beginning of the universe - we can't prove our beliefs on what happened are true.

Why bother? Because WE HAVE TO BE RIGHT. If we can't prove it on logic, we'll use subtle trickery and brute force to get you to change your mind.  

[Fresnel]

black_wing_angel

Fresnel

Why does it matter? Because we have to be right. Everyone has to be right, and NOBODY CAN PROVE IT. So it's hotly contested.

Well, yeah...I'll agree with that.

But at the same time, not everyone feels that way. Hell, this morning at work I had a conversation with a coworker about how I'm the kind of Christian that everyone is surprised as ******** to find out that I'm not a atheist. And he mentioned how he's an atheist that is also technically a Lutheran.

A Christian and an Atheist had a conversation, learned of the others' religious beliefs, and yet, there was no debate, there was no "OMG! REPENT, SINNER! / OMG! YOU BELIEVE IN THAT HOCUS POCUS BULLSHIT?!", and there was no problem, at all.

When you can talk casually to someone who you know has OPPOSITE faith to you, and no one has a problem, the world is a much better place.

I don't know much about Lutheranism, but how is it possible to be both a theist and an atheist? They're pretty much mutually exclusive.

Yeah, Oddy's a Christian. Pentecostal, I think. She explained to me once the way that Pentecostals differ from other religions and it was so piddly-s**t it was unbelievable. Anyway, she used to go to church a lot before I met her, but she eventually got fed up with the loads of crap they were feeding her. Still a Christian though, just... in her own way.  

[GREEEEEEEEEEEN]

Oh man, i posted in the GD about this.

I think it's someone's own pursuit of happiness. That specific belief matters to them.

It matters to me.