God?

[irvinehomeowner]

This is probably a hot-button topic but with all the different ethnicities in Irvine, there is a wide-range of religions, faiths and even non faiths and I was curious as how TI skews.

In our 'hood alone, there are Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons etc etc. There are probably Atheists too.

I think that's the one thing I probably can't understand, how one can believe that there is no higher power. I understand the "science" of it, no visible evidence, material proof etc etc... but to me, just life itself seems to be enough to tell me that there has to be some "god" out there (in my opinion).

I made it a poll just so you can answer anonymously and won't have to worry about anyone knocking on your door.

 

[lnc]

I think that's the one thing I probably can't understand, how one can believe that there is no higher power.

Well, those nonbelievers are probably pretty smart.

Atheists 'have higher IQs': Their intelligence 'makes them more likely to dismiss religion as irrational and unscientific'

 

[qwerty]

well some would say that it is pretty crazy to believe in something you have never seen, heard, smelled, touched, etc.  and they they rationalize it by saying that that is the whole point of faith.

what sounds crazier, to believe in what you have not seen or to not believe what you have not seen?

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Intelligence has nothing to do with it.  People with higher intelligence are more likely to believe that they have more control over their fate and less inclined to want to subscribe to a belief that tells them otherwise.

Personally, I am a Christian.  I think logically speaking, it is impossible to explain the existence of the universe without a diety of some sort.  We haven't even gotten to the complexities of life and the unique nature of human beings.

 

[yaliu07]

I predict this thread will have at least 10 pages.

couple question:
1. In English, can we have God"S" or just God?
2. Can multiple God co-exist?  or they dont share power?
3. Can a person believe in multiple God/Religion?

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Well, those nonbelievers are probably pretty smart.

Atheists 'have higher IQs': Their intelligence 'makes them more likely to dismiss religion as irrational and unscientific'

I've read that Stephen Hawking is an Atheist and does not believe in God, but I think Einstein believed in a higher power... like an Agnostic.

Christopher Langan... the highest IQ in the US believes in God.

Not sure about Kim Ung-Yong... but maybe he believes in Johns Creek.

I think Bill Gates is Catholic.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I predict this thread will have at least 10 pages.

couple question:
1. In English, can we have God"S" or just God?
2. Can multiple God co-exist?  or they dont share power?
3. Can a person believe in multiple God/Religion?

1.  Gods do exist in the English language...usually describing other religions and cultures (i.e. Chinese or Greek).  US is dominated by the the Abrahamic religions, which all preach the existence of one true God.
2.  Multiple Gods mean an hierarchy like the pantheon of gods in Chinese/Greek culture.
3.  It depends on the religion...Christianity/Judaism/Islam preaches that there is only one God and all other religions are false.

 

[qwerty]

Personally, I am a Christian.  I think logically speaking, it is impossible to explain the existence of the universe without a diety of some sort.  We haven't even gotten to the complexities of life and the unique nature of human beings.

isnt this the whole point of religion?  to explain what science has not explained yet?  you had the rain gods when no one knew why it rained, you had the fire gods, etc.. is this a chicken/egg argument?  isnt the right statement, logically speaking it is impossible to explain the existence of god?

 

[eyephone]

One thing to consider, we have the right to practice religion in the US. This is what this country was founded on.

Unfortunately there are other places in this world that will stone/kill you because you don't believe in their god.

 

[yaliu07]

i am almost Atheists and maybe a little bit of buddhism.  i dont believe in god.  however, when i go to the temple with my family, i will kneel down and pray.

on the other hand, i love religious people.  One of my friend never drink alcohol because he thinks bible forbid him. 

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Personally, I am a Christian.  I think logically speaking, it is impossible to explain the existence of the universe without a diety of some sort.  We haven't even gotten to the complexities of life and the unique nature of human beings.

isnt this the whole point of religion?  to explain what science has not explained yet?  you had the rain gods when no one knew why it rained, you had the fire gods, etc.. is this a chicken/egg argument?  isnt the right statement, logically speaking it is impossible to explain the existence of god?

I was just addressing IHO's original point about science and the existence of God.  On a very logical basis, you can't explain the existence of God but conversely, it is impossible to explain the universe without one.

As for your point, that is only true for very primitive religions (Egyptians for example).  But the Abrahamic religions spend very little time on explaining how things are.  The New Testament, for example, is completely about personal salvation, your relationship with God, and what it means to be a Christian.  Nothing in there about how things came to be or why they are the way the are. 

 

[Irvinecommuter]

i am almost Atheists and maybe a little bit of buddhism.  i dont believe in god.  however, when i go to the temple with my family, i will kneel down and pray.

on the other hand, i love religious people.  One of my friend never drink alcohol because he thinks bible forbid him.

I am curious why you do not believe in a god.

 

[paperboyNC]

Arguments for a "God":

• This earth works too well to be created by chance. When we find the Egyptian pyramids, do we think they were created by chance?
• Life (including insects) is so incredible that science has not come even close to duplicating it.

Arguments against a "God":

• Who created him?
• Why is there a lot of suffering in this world if he is all powerful?

 

[qwerty]

My belief is people fear the unknown and believing in God/religion alleviates that fear because the unknown is now attributed to gods doing. They have a leader that will show them the way and give them hope

 

[yaliu07]

see next post

 

[yaliu07]

i am almost Atheists and maybe a little bit of buddhism.  i dont believe in god.  however, when i go to the temple with my family, i will kneel down and pray.

on the other hand, i love religious people.  One of my friend never drink alcohol because he thinks bible forbid him.

I am curious why you do not believe in a god.

same here, i am also curious why you believe in god. 
how do you know if god exist?

btw, as i mentioned in my previous post, i love religious people and i love YOU.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Arguments for a "God":

• This earth works too well to be created by chance. When we find the Egyptian pyramids, do we think they were created by chance?
• Life (including insects) is so incredible that science has not come even close to duplicating it.

Arguments against a "God":

• Who created him?
• Why is there a lot of suffering in this world if he is all powerful?

Well...if you believe in God, there is no need for him to be created.  He just exists.

According to Christian viewpoint, there are a lot of suffering in this world due to God allowing humans to have free will.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

i am almost Atheists and maybe a little bit of buddhism.  i dont believe in god.  however, when i go to the temple with my family, i will kneel down and pray.

on the other hand, i love religious people.  One of my friend never drink alcohol because he thinks bible forbid him.

I am curious why you do not believe in a god.

same here, i am also curious why you believe in god. 
how do you know if god exist?

btw, as i mentioned in my previous post, i love religious people and i love YOU.

Well...on a logical standpoint, it makes sense that a god exists.  The universe by definition is made up of stuff...something or someone had to create all that stuff.  Additionally, things like the existence of things like love, creativity, and the uniqueness of human beings that point to the existence of something beyond scientific explanation. There are a lot more non-logical reasons but that doesn't convince a non-believer.

Why do you need to know if God "really" exists?  It's an issue of faith.  It's the result of free will.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I just want to also say that I am not judging anyone who posts in this thread.

What you believe in is what you believe in and I am not in a position to determine if there is a right or wrong answer.

We all have our opinions and I respect anyone who is willing to share theirs.

To touch on qwerchete's comment:

My belief is people fear the unknown and believing in God/religion alleviates that fear because the unknown is now attributed to gods doing. They have a leader that will show them the way and give them hope

This intrinsic desire to find a solution or an answer for what is unknown, even science's quest for knowledge, do you think that indicates a deity at work? Does that indicate to you that this curiosity is proof that a higher power exists? Or is that the chicken/egg conundrum where because man can't fully answer these questions, he attributes that to a "God"?

My question is this:

If God/god/gods/Mother Nature/[?] do exist, for anyone who doesn't believe in the *correct version*, what happens to them when they die?

Although in Christianity, the belief is only through Jesus can a man be saved, it's hard for me to fathom that anyone who leads a moral, charitable life will end up in "the hot house".

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I just want to also say that I am not judging anyone who posts in this thread.

What you believe in is what you believe in and I am not in a position to determine if there is a right or wrong answer.

We all have our opinions and I respect anyone who is willing to share theirs.

To touch on qwerchete's comment:

My belief is people fear the unknown and believing in God/religion alleviates that fear because the unknown is now attributed to gods doing. They have a leader that will show them the way and give them hope

This intrinsic desire to find a solution or an answer for what is unknown, even science's quest for knowledge, do you think that indicates a deity at work? Does that indicate to you that this curiosity is proof that a higher power exists? Or is that the chicken/egg conundrum where because man can't fully answer these questions, he attributes that to a "God"?

My question is this:

If God/god/gods/Mother Nature/[?] do exist, for anyone who doesn't believe in the *correct version*, what happens to them when they die?

Although in Christianity, the belief is only through Jesus can a man be saved, it's hard for me to fathom that anyone who leads a moral, charitable life will end up in "the hot house".

Because it's the "fairest" way to judge someone.  People do good and bad things all the time.  People are born into ailments and situations that are not of their choosing and often dictate how they act and who they are.  My daughter is growing up in a upper-middle class neighborhood with two loving parents and lots of care.  She has a much better chance of succeeding than someone who grew up in a poor area surrounded by drugs and violence.  This also means that my daughter as a better chance of doing "good" things.

Take for example, child molestors are often victims of molestation.  Now, some overcome that trauma but many don't.  Is it "fair" to judge them as bad if they grew up to be child molestors?  Or mass shooters suffer from mental illness...is it fair to judge them on that?

Also...I think the best explanation of Hell I have heard is that it is not a burn pot of fire...it's a place that is without God and all the things that are good in this world such as love and compassion.