Poll: religon: a 7 point scale

[Iampringles]

I tend to float inconsistently between 5 and 6.

Some times dropping to 7 and not usually going much higher than 4.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

I am curious, how exactly would you prove that God exists, or does not exist?

From what I have seen, people who believe in God usually do so as a matter of faith. Although they can site examples of creative design, miracles, and other suppossedly "God" inspired things, it always boils down to faith. As well it should, since it is a matter of spirituallity rather than science. In Christianity, faith in Jesus/God is the point. So it becomes more of an issue of whether you believe the idea, rather than ability to prove the existence.

For people who claim athieism, the question is equally if not more confusing. Since God is a considered a spiritual being by most people, there is no scientific evidence that can be applied. If there is no scientific evidence, then you must rely on YOUR ability to accept a God or not. Which quickly spirals into ridiculousness. How does not liking the way the world works and thinking life is unfair or unjust, prove that there is no God? Just because things don't happen the way you think they should, doesn't mean there is no God.

Maybe it would be a better world for everyone if the religious relied on faith to influence the non-religious, rather than invading privacy, attacking, and insisting everyone except them was going to hell. Maybe it would be a better world if the atheist's and others like them stopped antagonizing, insulting, and attacking the beliefs of the religious.

Greatest idea ever! I think I'll start praying now.

I'm not a Christian, but I'm 100% certain that God exists.

When a rabbit runs through the snow, does it not leave footprints?

That's deep...
Sometimes I think about the uncountable amount of life on the planet; it all shares the same atoms and molecules; all those atoms were created in the center of our solar system; and any one of those atoms is billions of years old; and I think there has to be some purpose there has to be a God. This is me at my most certain.

Have you ever studied biology? Are you aware of how mind-buggeringly complex even some of the most simple creatures are? It's just impossible that this happened by coincidence.

 

[Cavouku]

i voted 7, as there is hardly any evidence of a God and the evidence there is i am very sceptical of

I voted 1 as there is hardly any evidence of there not being a God and the evidence against I am very skeptical of.

Not really my reasoning, but as some others have pointed out after your post, there's really no way to prove one or the other. And if there was proof, but you were skeptical of it, it doesn't really matter if there is proof. Did that make sense? That's why belief in God requires faith.

I won't try converting you, but assuming there's either a Christian God or nothing, mathematically speaking you really should believe in God. Look-up Pascal's Wager.

*head/desk*

You mean "If there isn't a god and I die believing I missed out on nothing, if there is and you die not believing you get punished."

Very well until those who keep spewing it pull their heads out of their bottoms and realize there is more than one religion. What if you believe in God and it's Allah from Islam rather than Christianity? What if it's Frith? What if it's Zeus? What if it's Satan? Well then you're just as screwed. Not only that, but you wasted your life convincing others to follow a lie, something I wouldn't consider 'nothing' but quite absolutely immoral.

I only realized this idea a while ago; a lot of Atheists saying Atheism is most logical, and then I think; "Wouldn't it be most logical to go with the religion that has the worst punishment for not believing?"

Though I don't say do so, just in strikes me as a bit funny.

 

[Cliff_m85]

I am curious, how exactly would you prove that God exists, or does not exist?

From what I have seen, people who believe in God usually do so as a matter of faith. Although they can site examples of creative design, miracles, and other suppossedly "God" inspired things, it always boils down to faith. As well it should, since it is a matter of spirituallity rather than science. In Christianity, faith in Jesus/God is the point. So it becomes more of an issue of whether you believe the idea, rather than ability to prove the existence.

For people who claim athieism, the question is equally if not more confusing. Since God is a considered a spiritual being by most people, there is no scientific evidence that can be applied. If there is no scientific evidence, then you must rely on YOUR ability to accept a God or not. Which quickly spirals into ridiculousness. How does not liking the way the world works and thinking life is unfair or unjust, prove that there is no God? Just because things don't happen the way you think they should, doesn't mean there is no God.

Maybe it would be a better world for everyone if the religious relied on faith to influence the non-religious, rather than invading privacy, attacking, and insisting everyone except them was going to hell. Maybe it would be a better world if the atheist's and others like them stopped antagonizing, insulting, and attacking the beliefs of the religious.

Greatest idea ever! I think I'll start praying now.

I'm not a Christian, but I'm 100% certain that God exists.

When a rabbit runs through the snow, does it not leave footprints?

That's deep...
Sometimes I think about the uncountable amount of life on the planet; it all shares the same atoms and molecules; all those atoms were created in the center of our solar system; and any one of those atoms is billions of years old; and I think there has to be some purpose there has to be a God. This is me at my most certain.

Have you ever studied biology? Are you aware of how mind-buggeringly complex even some of the most simple creatures are? It's just impossible that this happened by coincidence.

Obviously you haven't studied Evolution, because it's nothing at all like 'coincidence'. It's natural reproduction with survival of the fittest kicking in with genes.

 

[Cliff_m85]

i voted 7, as there is hardly any evidence of a God and the evidence there is i am very sceptical of

I voted 1 as there is hardly any evidence of there not being a God and the evidence against I am very skeptical of.

Not really my reasoning, but as some others have pointed out after your post, there's really no way to prove one or the other. And if there was proof, but you were skeptical of it, it doesn't really matter if there is proof. Did that make sense? That's why belief in God requires faith.

I won't try converting you, but assuming there's either a Christian God or nothing, mathematically speaking you really should believe in God. Look-up Pascal's Wager.

*head/desk*

You mean "If there isn't a god and I die believing I missed out on nothing, if there is and you die not believing you get punished."

Very well until those who keep spewing it pull their heads out of their bottoms and realize there is more than one religion. What if you believe in God and it's Allah from Islam rather than Christianity? What if it's Frith? What if it's Zeus? What if it's Satan? Well then you're just as screwed. Not only that, but you wasted your life convincing others to follow a lie, something I wouldn't consider 'nothing' but quite absolutely immoral.

I only realized this idea a while ago; a lot of Atheists saying Atheism is most logical, and then I think; "Wouldn't it be most logical to go with the religion that has the worst punishment for not believing?"

Though I don't say do so, just in strikes me as a bit funny.

No matter how you spend eternity, it'll be a torturous event. How long until one gets bored? Hell, just watch "Groundhog Day" for my opinion on eternity.

 

[LaBambaMan]

5 here. Sure there's a chance of God, I just want some solid proof without any other explanations.

 

[Exocet]

I'm a 6.0,but if a god(s) exists,it's definately not a god(s) made up by any religion on Earth but rather a Superior Being(s) so much more advanced than us that it is godlike.

I cannot be a 7.0,because it becomes the same line of thinking as hardcore religious:
"My idea is right,you are wrong.I can't prove it quite yet,but you can't disprove it."
In my opinion,and I can't stress that enough,believing in something 100% without having proved it logically and rationally is an act of faith,which something I can't do.

That's right,I said it,strong theists and strong atheists have,again in my opinion,the same line of thinking.

 

[Cavouku]

i voted 7, as there is hardly any evidence of a God and the evidence there is i am very sceptical of

I voted 1 as there is hardly any evidence of there not being a God and the evidence against I am very skeptical of.

Not really my reasoning, but as some others have pointed out after your post, there's really no way to prove one or the other. And if there was proof, but you were skeptical of it, it doesn't really matter if there is proof. Did that make sense? That's why belief in God requires faith.

I won't try converting you, but assuming there's either a Christian God or nothing, mathematically speaking you really should believe in God. Look-up Pascal's Wager.

*head/desk*

You mean "If there isn't a god and I die believing I missed out on nothing, if there is and you die not believing you get punished."

Very well until those who keep spewing it pull their heads out of their bottoms and realize there is more than one religion. What if you believe in God and it's Allah from Islam rather than Christianity? What if it's Frith? What if it's Zeus? What if it's Satan? Well then you're just as screwed. Not only that, but you wasted your life convincing others to follow a lie, something I wouldn't consider 'nothing' but quite absolutely immoral.

I only realized this idea a while ago; a lot of Atheists saying Atheism is most logical, and then I think; "Wouldn't it be most logical to go with the religion that has the worst punishment for not believing?"

Though I don't say do so, just in strikes me as a bit funny.

No matter how you spend eternity, it'll be a torturous event. How long until one gets bored? Hell, just watch "Groundhog Day" for my opinion on eternity.

Well, we don't know what it's like to live in an eternity, so it'd be hard to say. Maybe it's impossible to be bored or something. Though I can't say, my concept of God and religion is one that sketches on Heaven and Hell, or such a blatant idea of an afterlife.

 

[Cliff_m85]

i voted 7, as there is hardly any evidence of a God and the evidence there is i am very sceptical of

I voted 1 as there is hardly any evidence of there not being a God and the evidence against I am very skeptical of.

Not really my reasoning, but as some others have pointed out after your post, there's really no way to prove one or the other. And if there was proof, but you were skeptical of it, it doesn't really matter if there is proof. Did that make sense? That's why belief in God requires faith.

I won't try converting you, but assuming there's either a Christian God or nothing, mathematically speaking you really should believe in God. Look-up Pascal's Wager.

*head/desk*

You mean "If there isn't a god and I die believing I missed out on nothing, if there is and you die not believing you get punished."

Very well until those who keep spewing it pull their heads out of their bottoms and realize there is more than one religion. What if you believe in God and it's Allah from Islam rather than Christianity? What if it's Frith? What if it's Zeus? What if it's Satan? Well then you're just as screwed. Not only that, but you wasted your life convincing others to follow a lie, something I wouldn't consider 'nothing' but quite absolutely immoral.

I only realized this idea a while ago; a lot of Atheists saying Atheism is most logical, and then I think; "Wouldn't it be most logical to go with the religion that has the worst punishment for not believing?"

Though I don't say do so, just in strikes me as a bit funny.

No matter how you spend eternity, it'll be a torturous event. How long until one gets bored? Hell, just watch "Groundhog Day" for my opinion on eternity.

Well, we don't know what it's like to live in an eternity, so it'd be hard to say. Maybe it's impossible to be bored or something. Though I can't say, my concept of God and religion is one that sketches on Heaven and Hell, or such a blatant idea of an afterlife.

The only way it could be impossible to be bored is by a labotomy. Bliss is like an orgasm(perhaps it actually is an orgasm), it's great and fun for the first 10 seconds and then it's just exhausting.

 

[curlycrouton]

Not to insult your beliefs, but is that the same Martin Luther who inspired the term "Lutheran"?

Because if he did, you might not want to proclaim your love for him just yet.

Among others, he wrote a book named On The Jews and Their Lies, in which Luther advocated the destruction of synagogues, seizing Jews' property and money, and destroying their homes, in order that these "poisonous envenomed worms" would be forced into labour or expelled "for all time".

Just pointing out the facts.

Oh no, I don't mean to deify him by any means. He himself said that he is but a man, and can err (Which he certainly did).
But he did do great things in breaking the dogmatic rule that the Catholic Church (Pre-Vatican 2) held over people, such as indulgences and the deification of the Pope. It was some time after become a monk before he even read the New Testament, which is the near entirety of the Christian Faith!
Plus he was pivotal in the shaping of the German language as it is known today.

He did many good things, and, yes, he did bad things.
Chew the meat and spit out the bones, I suppose.

Very true, very true. His contributions to Christianity and the German language were vast and significant.

 

[Pendragon9]

I voted a 2.

I don't actually see God, and I can't claim I have. But I still have faith because my family has been through alot of crap, and it's a miracle we got through.

Miracles don't grow on trees after all.

 

[Cavouku]

i voted 7, as there is hardly any evidence of a God and the evidence there is i am very sceptical of

I voted 1 as there is hardly any evidence of there not being a God and the evidence against I am very skeptical of.

Not really my reasoning, but as some others have pointed out after your post, there's really no way to prove one or the other. And if there was proof, but you were skeptical of it, it doesn't really matter if there is proof. Did that make sense? That's why belief in God requires faith.

I won't try converting you, but assuming there's either a Christian God or nothing, mathematically speaking you really should believe in God. Look-up Pascal's Wager.

*head/desk*

You mean "If there isn't a god and I die believing I missed out on nothing, if there is and you die not believing you get punished."

Very well until those who keep spewing it pull their heads out of their bottoms and realize there is more than one religion. What if you believe in God and it's Allah from Islam rather than Christianity? What if it's Frith? What if it's Zeus? What if it's Satan? Well then you're just as screwed. Not only that, but you wasted your life convincing others to follow a lie, something I wouldn't consider 'nothing' but quite absolutely immoral.

I only realized this idea a while ago; a lot of Atheists saying Atheism is most logical, and then I think; "Wouldn't it be most logical to go with the religion that has the worst punishment for not believing?"

Though I don't say do so, just in strikes me as a bit funny.

No matter how you spend eternity, it'll be a torturous event. How long until one gets bored? Hell, just watch "Groundhog Day" for my opinion on eternity.

Well, we don't know what it's like to live in an eternity, so it'd be hard to say. Maybe it's impossible to be bored or something. Though I can't say, my concept of God and religion is one that sketches on Heaven and Hell, or such a blatant idea of an afterlife.

The only way it could be impossible to be bored is by a labotomy. Bliss is like an orgasm(perhaps it actually is an orgasm), it's great and fun for the first 10 seconds and then it's just exhausting.

I don't want to sound too rude, but if you've experienced everlasting life, I'd be glad to hear about your experiences. I don't think we can really comprehend it as so black and white.

 

[Cliff_m85]

I've died, if that counts. Though I must say I didn't notice anything special about it....or anything at all really.

 

[Cavouku]

I've died, if that counts. Though I must say I didn't notice anything special about it....or anything at all really.

Cool, what happened? And not asking rudely or sarcastically, interested.

 

[Boxpopper]

6, because I've never really seen or heard of anything happnening that could only be explained with religion, but of course there's know way to absolutely know for sure. At least not yet.

I see people discussing the terms of "all powerful". And here's an interesting conjecture: God (in a philisophical sense at least) cannot be all powerful, because he can't make a rock that is too heavy for himself to lift. Either he has to be unable to lift some rocks or unable to make rocks that heavy.

 

[conquerworm]

gotcha, no problem.... I was just curious about how someone could have that kind of belief, not religious but believe in a god I mean... It's very interesting to me

I Believe in God 110% and I hate religions. How is it possible to believe in God and not religion? Its a personal relationship with God. Cant say that my relationship with my friends is a religion, can you?

My 2 cents.

 

[Cliff_m85]

gotcha, no problem.... I was just curious about how someone could have that kind of belief, not religious but believe in a god I mean... It's very interesting to me

I Believe in God 110% and I hate religions. How is it possible to believe in God and not religion? Its a personal relationship with God. Cant say that my relationship with my friends is a religion, can you?

My 2 cents.

You and God should get a room.

 

[Superbeast]

I'm about 4-5. There may be a god but if there isn't and you die you don't lose much but if there is a god and you do die not believing in him/her then there might be consequences.

This is my main problem with the organised religions. The concept of faith, particularly as a paradox with Christianity. I don't mean to start an argument with this, I'd just like to express my views (hopefully with civility) as a conter-point to this quote.

I think religion teaches good morals and how to lead a "good life". But I am skeptical of there actually existing some sort of being treating us as an ant-farm. Personally I think religion stems from humanities fear of the unconquerable - namely, death. In this current time of genetic engineering and super-weapons I trust science as a method of salvation more than religion, but that's just what I do.

I try to lead a good life as laid down by the morals of protestant christianity (how I was brought up over here in England), but decided religion was "not my thing" around the age of 15. Should there in fact be a god when we reach the inevitable end of our mortal lives, and one goes to stand before judgement, to be sent to an "eternity of torment" by the "great forgiver of all sins" simply because I did not choose to follow the writings of one of thousands of "the only true religion" (particularly when, by the nature of the deity, someone who murders 500 people would eventually recieve redemption, either immediatley on death or after servitute in hell depending on which version of christianity you subscribe to)is extremely hypocritical and strikes me as that I would not have wanted to worship a creature so...egotistical (I am not sure if this is the right word) that it couldn't look past a failure in human reasoning to the fact that I had been a good, moral person contributing healthily to society.

As it happens I believe that religion and God as a concept is something that, in the instance it does exist, is something so fundamental and yet so complex that it is not for the human mind to grasp, and neither are we meant to (if you go with the whole being created by said higher-being) - it is (if taking the view that humans were created by a god and are not meant to understand religion and deities) tantamount to heresy to claim one has certain knowledge/belief about the existance of a god as it is essentially claiming to have the knowledge of a god, from what I gather that would be a sin in any of the major religions as it ties in with false prophets and idolisation (I cannot word this section properly - I don't mean it as it's written here per-se but hopefully you can grasp what I'm trying to get across) - and thereby humans would be unlikely to suffer as a consequence of keeping an open mind (though this is a slightly different topic, it's why I don't subscribe to total athiesm but at the same time do not believe in a creator etc).

I also have my own theories about hell and how it is conceptually, but that really is a debate for another topic and I do not wish to derail this thread nor drag it into a flame-war (as such a topic would inevitably end up).

Essentially that's my main issue with religion in general and why I take the oposite view to the person I have quoted. Hopefully I have managed to put my views across without offending anyone and straying too far from the original topic of "a 1-7 scale" as I'm clarifiying why I voted the way I did (6 by the way).

 

[Cavouku]

gotcha, no problem.... I was just curious about how someone could have that kind of belief, not religious but believe in a god I mean... It's very interesting to me

I Believe in God 110% and I hate religions. How is it possible to believe in God and not religion? Its a personal relationship with God. Cant say that my relationship with my friends is a religion, can you?

My 2 cents.

You and God should get a room.

HAHl, nice ^ ^