What would it take for you to believe in God?

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bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: JEDI
Originally posted by: bamacre
Wait, more specifically, what is the least possible thing that would cause you to believe in God?

From stories like this...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/...2miracleteen,0,3791166.story

... to much more complex stories like this....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_lady_of_fatima

... be creative, and think hard, what would be the most simple act or occurance that would result in your new belief in God?

Scientific evidence that he is God, or the Son of God.
Corolary: Scientific evidence that proves Satan exists.

either will do

Do you believe Love exists? ;)
 
Dec 28, 2001
11,391
3
0
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: JEDI
Originally posted by: bamacre
Wait, more specifically, what is the least possible thing that would cause you to believe in God?

From stories like this...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/...2miracleteen,0,3791166.story

... to much more complex stories like this....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_lady_of_fatima

... be creative, and think hard, what would be the most simple act or occurance that would result in your new belief in God?

Scientific evidence that he is God, or the Son of God.
Corolary: Scientific evidence that proves Satan exists.

either will do

Do you believe Love exists? ;)

:roll:
 

CKent

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
9,020
0
0
This is a silly question and I've seen it posted here a million times before. I understand the point - you want people to see God in every day things the way you do. You wake up, it's a sunny day, God must love you... You're not going to convert anyone, you just come off as another nutcake who's too insecure in his beliefs for anyone else to not share them.
 

TreyRandom

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,346
0
76
Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Seeing is believing

believing is for fools

Therefore, because seeing = believing, seeing is for fools.

EUREKA!!! :light:

waitasec... :confused:
 

TreyRandom

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,346
0
76
If there were proof... if seeing were possible... there'd be no need for faith. Some have faith that God exists, even without hardcore, factual, proof. Some do not... and some would not even if proof were staring them in the face.

Personally, I do believe.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
61,774
17,485
136
Originally posted by: TreyRandom
Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Seeing is believing

believing is for fools

Therefore, because seeing = believing, seeing is for fools.

EUREKA!!! :light:

waitasec... :confused:

OMG!
LET'S ALL POKE OUR EYES OUT!!!
 

Ophir

Golden Member
Mar 29, 2001
1,211
4
81
Originally posted by: CKent
This is a silly question and I've seen it posted here a million times before. I understand the point - you want people to see God in every day things the way you do. You wake up, it's a sunny day, God must love you... You're not going to convert anyone, you just come off as another nutcake who's too insecure in his beliefs for anyone else to not share them.
QFT

If this were any other topic, a post with this amount of insight would end the thread; however, rationale is thrown out the window in religious threads.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
5
81
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: Alone
Nothing short of Him coming down and saying "hey" and filling my pockets with gold.
I don't even need the gold. I want the son of a bitch to show up and explain the killing, raping, pedophilia, torture and wars that his followers claim were done for him, in his name and with his approval,
?I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.? - Gandhi

Let's say God exists. Why would we blame the issues on him?

Just for the record: I'm not calling out Christians or anything... I think the basic premise can be applied to many other religions.
 

aidanjm

Lifer
Aug 9, 2004
12,411
2
0
believe in god, or "worship" god? I would not worship a god or gods under any circumstance.
 

chambersc

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2005
6,247
0
0
Originally posted by: Alone
Nothing short of Him coming down and saying "hey" and filling my pockets with gold.

A supply of X whenever I would request it would be requirement for belief.


Note: I do not mean "X" to be slang for "ecstasy," a common social drug, but rather a placeholder for a thing.
 

Alprazolam

Senior member
Oct 8, 2005
465
0
0
After being stupid and using hard drugs, and waking up the next day, and getting tests done that show you are Fine..
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
There is nothing I can think of that would make me "believe" in God. If something happens such that it reveals that God exists, then I will accept God's existence, but that is neither "belief" nor "faith". At the present time, there is no evidence whatsoever to support such an existence, so I feel that there is no point in such useless belief.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,550
940
126
Originally posted by: Ophir
Originally posted by: CKent
This is a silly question and I've seen it posted here a million times before. I understand the point - you want people to see God in every day things the way you do. You wake up, it's a sunny day, God must love you... You're not going to convert anyone, you just come off as another nutcake who's too insecure in his beliefs for anyone else to not share them.
QFT

If this were any other topic, a post with this amount of insight would end the thread; however, rationale is thrown out the window in religious threads.

Shhh, you're only going to make the OP want to pray for our souls with a response like that...
 

Tuktuk

Senior member
Jan 30, 2007
406
0
0
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I won't bother going into detail of these situations, but even for a cynic like myself they do give me a belief in God. And if God doesn't exist, the belief is still very helpful to some people who need a friend up in the sky to guide them through life. I grew up Catholic and used to pray constantly about the most random things, just like if you're talking to your best friend about what you're hoping for and how you'll improve. I guess you'd call God, at least, the big imaginary friend in the sky. Even if that is all God is I'm still happy to have grown up believing, even though I haven't prayed in years or gone to church.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: CKent
This is a silly question and I've seen it posted here a million times before. I understand the point - you want people to see God in every day things the way you do. You wake up, it's a sunny day, God must love you... You're not going to convert anyone, you just come off as another nutcake who's too insecure in his beliefs for anyone else to not share them.

LOL, aren't we making assumptions?

I just asked a rhetorical question. You see what you want see, that's all.

:laugh::laugh:
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.
 

Vegitto

Diamond Member
May 3, 2005
5,234
1
0
If he or she proved to me that they existed. For example, showing themselves and then doing something impossible for a human being.
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.

I have a hard time lining up the idea of "God has a sense of humor" with the existence of things in the world such as brutal tribal genocide and suicide bombings. It seems to me that such a "haha" philosophy only arises in societies that are lucky enough to be politically and economically stable. If you're in Iraq or caught in the middle of a tribal war in Africa, I doubt you would have the luxury of such a way of thinking about God.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: Vegitto
If he or she proved to me that they existed. For example, showing themselves and then doing something impossible for a human being.

Read the second link in the OP?
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.

I have a hard time lining up the idea of "God has a sense of humor" with the existence of things in the world such as brutal tribal genocide and suicide bombings. It seems to me that such a "haha" philosophy only arises in societies that are lucky enough to be politically and economically stable. If you're in Iraq or caught in the middle of a tribal war in Africa, I doubt you would have the luxury of such a way of thinking about God.

Well, read the NT, Jesus was very comical at times. And very serious at other times as well. Man has the same capability, why can't God?
 

timosyy

Golden Member
Dec 19, 2003
1,822
0
0
Originally posted by: CKent
This is a silly question and I've seen it posted here a million times before. I understand the point - you want people to see God in every day things the way you do. You wake up, it's a sunny day, God must love you... You're not going to convert anyone, you just come off as another nutcake who's too insecure in his beliefs for anyone else to not share them.

Meh... I don't really see that in the OP. He just asked what it would take for anyone to believe in (any) God. And asked for some creative answers (like... he gives you all His powers & talks to you in the form of Morgan Freeman).
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.

I have a hard time lining up the idea of "God has a sense of humor" with the existence of things in the world such as brutal tribal genocide and suicide bombings. It seems to me that such a "haha" philosophy only arises in societies that are lucky enough to be politically and economically stable. If you're in Iraq or caught in the middle of a tribal war in Africa, I doubt you would have the luxury of such a way of thinking about God.

Well, read the NT, Jesus was very comical at times. And very serious at other times as well. Man has the same capability, why can't God?

We are not talking about the simple "capability" to do such things. We are talking about the moral justification for doing such things.

God decides to ignore all the killings, torture, rape, and suffering in the world at, say, 11:15AM on a Saturday, to "fsck" with someone humorously?
 

Tuktuk

Senior member
Jan 30, 2007
406
0
0
Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.

I have a hard time lining up the idea of "God has a sense of humor" with the existence of things in the world such as brutal tribal genocide and suicide bombings. It seems to me that such a "haha" philosophy only arises in societies that are lucky enough to be politically and economically stable. If you're in Iraq or caught in the middle of a tribal war in Africa, I doubt you would have the luxury of such a way of thinking about God.

I've had some pretty sh1tty things happen to me in my life. I'm sure most people have. You're committing the falacy of false consolation if you say I haven't suffered because someone else has suffered worse. During the worst things I've seen happen I can still see a certain humor to it, if there is indeed someone pulling the strings. Because if there is a God in the Christian sense, then death doesn't matter and the examples you mention of Iraq and Africa are only temporary states for those people. So yes, God may have an inside joke for tribal war and genocide and suicide bombings. One thing you may be interested to learn is that even in some of the worst conditions on this planet, many people do adopt a "haha" philosophy.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I feel like I got in here late but I'll chime in anyway.

The times when I return to a belief in God, if only for a short time, is when the strangest coincidences happen. Sometimes I think there is a God and the bastard just has the greatest sense of humor. There have been times when situations have arisen that I seriously doubt could have happened without intervention. Situations like running into someone at the worst time in the worst place, where you never would have expected them and the chances of you two actually being there are one in a million. All I can really do after situations like that is laugh to myself and laugh at God for fscking with me.

I have had extremely similar experiences. If you have read the New Testemant, you know that Jesus was actually very comical. :)

Every person I have met that is, uhh, logically religious (if that makes sense, or maybe very religious, but not in a fundamentalist kind of way) has had a really good sense of humor, a very funny person. Including one member of AT, a gentleman I used to work with, and a few priests I knew from back in the days of my church-going.

I have a hard time lining up the idea of "God has a sense of humor" with the existence of things in the world such as brutal tribal genocide and suicide bombings. It seems to me that such a "haha" philosophy only arises in societies that are lucky enough to be politically and economically stable. If you're in Iraq or caught in the middle of a tribal war in Africa, I doubt you would have the luxury of such a way of thinking about God.

Well, read the NT, Jesus was very comical at times. And very serious at other times as well. Man has the same capability, why can't God?

We are not talking about the simple "capability" to do such things. We are talking about the moral justification for doing such things.

God decides to ignore all the killings, torture, rape, and suffering in the world at, say, 11:15AM on a Saturday to "fsck" with someone humorously?

I don't think God ignores anything. And I believe that God can see and do numerous things simultaneously. God probably does not have to play by the rules of what we consider "time." ;)