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Do you believe in God? [W:10]

Do you believe in God?

  • I believe in the Jewish/Christian/Muslim God

    Votes: 12 30.8%
  • I believe in the Hindu Gods

    Votes: 2 5.1%
  • I believe in the Buddhist/Shinto/Taoist/etc view of God

    Votes: 2 5.1%
  • I believe in the existence of an impersonal but intelligent higher power

    Votes: 7 17.9%
  • I'm not sure

    Votes: 6 15.4%
  • I am an Atheist

    Votes: 16 41.0%
  • I believe a little of everything

    Votes: 4 10.3%
  • I believe in Dog...not God

    Votes: 3 7.7%

  • Total voters
    39
That seems reasonable. I am agnostic, but have been attending church services. It's nice to imagine that human life is significant and meaningful. :shrug:

I remember watching the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston and he comes back after being exposed to God's presence and describes the Lord as the "Light of Eternal Mind".
And I thought, what does that mean?

It seems like our mind through the senses and reasoning is a reflection of the physical universe and I began thinking if the same Being were at the center of all our consciousnesses, then it could project the same identical reality from within us outwards, so that we all experience the same exact, physical reality beyond our minds.

Otherwords, it's not physical reality that is permanent or concrete but rather the energy inside our brains that manifests all these things before our senses that is the absolute.
We are all God creating the universe from within our minds, only we're each unique because of our forms (bodies, brains, genetics, circumstances, personalities, souls, etc).

Is there a prime one/ego with their own personality as the original source, probably.
But this Being can separate his/her conscious energy/essence/spirit from their person in order to replicate into the many but still remain as the Head and hidden Providence.
If that makes any sense?
 
LOL! at the poll results.

Anyway, no, I don't believe in any supernatural deity.
 
I'm an atheist based on the fact that evidence overwhelmingly supports deities being the creation of man rather than the other way around. No two people have ever independently discovered the same god. Religions always arise in a geographically limited area coincidentally mirroring the values of the contemporary culture.
 
I believe that everything which exists and has existed throughout the entire universe is an expression of G-d, and that sentient, self-conscious beings are the highest expression. Indeed, they are G-d's reflection.
 
I'm Jewish and was raised in reform/conservative house hold and considered myself fairly religious for a great deal of time. But as the years wore on, doubt crept in and I'm probably at the point where I consider the existence of god to be very unlikely. Certainly one that cares or intervenes in our affairs to be doubly so. While the prospect of a hereafter seems very weak. I also do not believe in a metaphysical soul. The only pang of doubt I suppose I still reflect on is the origin of energy, mathematical constants, etc. But I think there is increasingly a well developed body of scientific theory and evidence regarding these issues. However while I acknowledge that I find it very difficult to comprehend them, probably due to my own bias as a human towards causal thinking.
 
Many people say why does God allow suffering, pain and evil.

Evil is nothing more than ignorance sometimes in the form of maliciousness but lost in the darkness without knowledge, none the less.
It's a result of starting out in life as innocent/naive and having the ability to learn and having choices, so that we can mature and become unique, not all robots of perfect knowledge.

Physical pain is a natural response by the body to protect us from permanent damage. If it weren't unpleasant then we'd be less likely to avoid it.
Suffering or striving in this world I believe is a process to eventually allow us to appreciate a more perfect world. If we were born in a paradise of pleasure, comfort and eternal life we would not know what it was in value without anything worse to compare it too. We would grow complacent, spoiled, unhappy and despondent. Now after a lifetime on earth we'll surely have a reference point to compare heaven too and probably really appreciate it.
 
I remember watching the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston and he comes back after being exposed to God's presence and describes the Lord as the "Light of Eternal Mind".
And I thought, what does that mean?

It seems like our mind through the senses and reasoning is a reflection of the physical universe and I began thinking if the same Being were at the center of all our consciousnesses, then it could project the same identical reality from within us outwards, so that we all experience the same exact, physical reality beyond our minds.

Otherwords, it's not physical reality that is permanent or concrete but rather the energy inside our brains that manifests all these things before our senses that is the absolute.
We are all God creating the universe from within our minds, only we're each unique because of our forms (bodies, brains, genetics, circumstances, personalities, souls, etc).

Is there a prime one/ego with their own personality as the original source, probably.
But this Being can separate his/her conscious energy/essence/spirit from their person in order to replicate into the many but still remain as the Head and hidden Providence.
If that makes any sense?

Quantum physics have shown this to be untrue. The universe at a sub atomic level is chaotic. Some particles can even disappear and reappear, or exist at two places at once. But when the universe is observed on this level, it seems more concrete and ordered. Ultimately, the universe is trying to balance itself, and both chaos and order (good and evil) are necessary for existence.
 
What do you find amusing about the poll results?

The atheists are the majority but they are the clear minority in the US and world. Also, the fact that this is in the "Religious" section is somewhat amusing to me, too.
 
The atheists are the majority but they are the clear minority in the US and world. Also, the fact that this is in the "Religious" section is somewhat amusing to me, too.

Atheists aren't as unusual these days. And besides, more atheists are likely to post on these types of message boards. Plus, you have to account for the theists who still avoid the Religion forum.
 
The atheists are the majority but they are the clear minority in the US and world. Also, the fact that this is in the "Religious" section is somewhat amusing to me, too.

Actually, the atheists are NOT in the majority. The first 4 groups believe in some sort of God-like higher power. 16 people. Atheists... if you include those who voted for "Dog" comprise 13 votes.

Beyond that, there is no reason that atheists cannot post in the Religion Forum or vote in polls here. As long as they abide by the sub-forum's rules, it's fine.
 
Atheists aren't as unusual these days. And besides, more atheists are likely to post on these types of message boards. Plus, you have to account for the theists who still avoid the Religion forum.

Yeah, I agree with all of this. And lots of theists do still avoid the Religion Forum. Beyond that, for some, their belief systems are personal and they choose to not share it.
 
Yeah, I agree with all of this. And lots of theists do still avoid the Religion Forum. Beyond that, for some, their belief systems are personal and they choose to not share it.

For a lot of us the constant "lol ur dumb cuz you believe in teh godz" spamming just got old. Who would want to discuss their beliefs in full knowledge that they're most likely going to be ridiculed by anti-theists? The subforum rule here is good and all, but the damage caused by trolls all over the internet is done.
 
Actually, the atheists are NOT in the majority. The first 4 groups believe in some sort of God-like higher power. 16 people. Atheists... if you include those who voted for "Dog" comprise 13 votes.

Beyond that, there is no reason that atheists cannot post in the Religion Forum or vote in polls here. As long as they abide by the sub-forum's rules, it's fine.

Buddhism doesn't really address "god" so I'm not sure what "god" is being referenced.

Also, the Muslim God is different from the Christian God.

I feel we are looking at the poll from different views. I'm seeing it as atheists being the majority over any denomination whereas you are viewing it as believers trumping non-believers. Both positions are correct, I'd say.
 
For a lot of us the constant "lol ur dumb cuz you believe in teh godz" spamming just got old. Who would want to discuss their beliefs in full knowledge that they're most likely going to be ridiculed by anti-theists? The subforum rule here is good and all, but the damage caused by trolls all over the internet is done.

Yup. I think that's how lots of folks around here felt and still feel.
 
Buddhism doesn't really address "god" so I'm not sure what "god" is being referenced.

Also, the Muslim God is different from the Christian God.

I feel we are looking at the poll from different views. I'm seeing it as atheists being the majority over any denomination whereas you are viewing it as believers trumping non-believers. Both positions are correct, I'd say.

Yeah, I look at as a "theist vs. atheist" position.
 
They worship Yahweh.

Their characteristics are quite different. Muslims advocate a "one, true God" whereas Christians have the Trinity. Muslims deny Jesus is the son of God. Yes, they are believers in the Abrahamic God but have different interpretations.
 
all three Western-faiths worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And, the point is that you put the word "God" in all three of your first three poll choices. Whether that is correct or not, doesn't really matter. We are talking about higher power, here, generally a theist, not an atheist position.

Regardless, the poll turned out around how I thought it would, not because of the make-up of the forum... I'd imagine that theists outnumber atheists at DP by about 4:1, but more because of the participation in this particular sub-forum.
 
Their characteristics are quite different. Muslims advocate a "one, true God" whereas Christians have the Trinity. Muslims deny Jesus is the son of God. Yes, they are believers in the Abrahamic God but have different interpretations.

The Jews don't believe in Jesus either. Doesn't mean it's not the same God.
 
The Jews don't believe in Jesus either. Doesn't mean it's not the same God.

I align Christianity and Judaism more than I'd align Islam and either of the other two. My point still remains the same as was addressed when talking to CC.
 
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