do u believe in god?

[Jaylynne]

I responded to this thread ages ago and am interested its still going. I do love a civil theologicak debate!
While we are all talking about God I'd like the believers opinions on a recent situation for me...

My 88 year old granny recently slipped and had a bad fall causing a brain haemorrhage. She died 2 days later. When it happened my sister (who used to taunt me when I was a somewhat over-zealous Christian teen and is now similarly over-zealous herself) starting sending out messages on FB for all her "prayer warriors" to pray for my Granny's recovery.
Now don't get me wrong I wanted her to recover too, more than anything, but I don't understand....when I went to church I was always told God knows our every thought/desire before we have thought it. So surely he would then know I want her to recover before I've even thought it and therefore asking for it is moot??? And wouldn't he then know I wouldn't want any harm to come to her in the first place?
The next confusion is how does it help to get dozens of random strangers to pay for my Granny? Does God work on a petition system? The more and more people ask for something and pray hard enough will he eventually say "oh go on then yeah ok I won't let her die...now I know you're REALLY serious about it".
Some will argue they wouldn't pray for her to live they would pray for "whatever is Gods will" to be. Again what's the sense in that? "Yeah dear God please do XYZ if you want to" ie. "Dear God please do what you were going to do anyway, don't mind me!"

You see my belief is the act of praying reassures people because when things get f*cked up and people realise they are powerless in a situation (and I have done this myself) then it's a great relief to ask a higher power to sort it for you. And I do believe that sending a sick person, for example, positive vibes can certainly help. I just get confused sometimes.

Man I really should go to sleep I'm tired and just rattling now but I would be grateful if anyone has thought on this...

Tbh this has always confused me too. I have no idea how a few people praying would sway a God who knows everything and has everything already worked out... Seems like a contradiction to me... Unless praying was taken into consideration with how things were worked out... But if people pray his will b done then why pray at all? I do say thanks for my son and family though because I do feel very very blessed to have such love in my life

 

[summer rain]

I believe as a Muslim that everything is known by God in advance but at the same time your destiny can change through prayer, of course both or many versions of your outcome are all pre-known by God but that doesn't mean you don't have free will to an extent because your destiny isn't absolutely fixed. It took a long time for me to get this and to an extent some aspects of destiny and how it works are beyond human understanding anyway. There are some things that cannot be changed because there is some reason for them being so, but we can never known what those things are so its well worth praying anyway at the very least you will get the reward for praying. I've had a lot of things happen in my life that seemed wrong but looking back if those things hadn't have happened I wouldn't be where I am now; with my children and a wonderful husband. For example if I'd married a semi-ok guy before and not my ex I probably would still be with him but I would not be as happy as I am now after being divorced from my ex and marrying a wonderful man. And seeing what a jerk my ex was taught me to look for the complete opposite type of man next time around. Also there was another man I was engaged to after my ex, I thought he was my dream guy, he was Muslim but kind of edgy as well and used to be into all sorts of stuff but repented and started practicing Islam so that made me in awe of him; its a long story but I had a dream I should say certain things to him and he called it off as a direct result. The dream did kind of say that would happen but I dunno I just didn't believe it; but I felt compelled to confront him with the stuff in the dream. I was confused but later found this guy was, like my ex when we were married, still at that time leading a double life and in this guys case it was worse because he was drinking heavily, taking hard drugs and sleeping around etc-all very serious sins for Muslims and not exactly things anyone would want in a spouse, and I recently discovered via social media for a long time he left Islam altogether. I believe wholeheartedly God saved me from this guy 100%. Of course Christians may have a different perspective on this xx

 

[Ozzieshunni]

This is where my DH lost all faith and is now an atheist. His mum suffered for years and years with cancer and he prayed and nothing got better. I can't blame him. She was a wonderful woman who gave and gave and never took from anyone. She was even gracious when her husband cheated on her and left to marry another woman. If she deserved to die as part of some divine plan, I don't want to be a part of any religion like that.

 

[summer rain]

Well at the end of the day harsh as it may sound; when its someones time to go its their time to go; and we don't always know the reason for it, it doesn't affect my faith at all and yes I have lost close family members as has OH. I remember an interview with the lady who played Pauline in Eastenders, who died some time ago now but this was when she was first diagnosed with cancer. She said she kept thinking why me and why is god being so unfair but then thought 'why not me? what makes me so special that I don't deserve to get cancer and someone else does?' I know for many religious people feeling that a 'senseless' death is part of a greater plan actually helps them to come to terms with it and comforts them. xx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I just dont think religion brings anything to my life :/ I know that sounds a bit harsh but its true! I just think we should be good nice people, it makes life easier! x

 

[ttc_lolly]

I do not believe in a god at all. I can understand and respect other's faiths, but organised religion and beliefs aren't for me

 

[Button#]

I don't believe in any deities/heaven/hell etc. I do find it interesting what others believe though.

As to the question someone asked about knowing why we're here, I don't think there is a why. I think the beauty of the world is that it just happened, in an incredibly complex and interesting way but for no 'reason'. I don't think humans are any more special than any other species on the planet.

 

[skunkpixie]

I do not believe in a god at all. I can understand and respect other's faiths, but organised religion and beliefs aren't for me

Exactly this for me too. xx

 

[KittyVentura]

I don't believe in god for one moment. I respect those that do but in my eyes there is no higher power, we are all accountable for our own actions and the paths our lives take. There is no-one to thank or blame but ourselves. When we die, we just fail to exist anymore. As comforting as it may be to think our spirits go somewhere or linger or whatever else, I don't buy it for a second. When we are dead, we are gone, end of. There is nothing to fear in that fact, it is life and death. A cycle. Nothing else. That is just my view of course.

Also, I have all the "traits" of a "good Christian". I'm kind, polite, respectful, law abiding, charitable, loving, accepting etc etc. I am this because that is who I am, it is a person I am proud to be, not because I am told to be it.

 

[Sarahkka]

I don't believe in god for one moment. I respect those that do but in my eyes there is no higher power, we are all accountable for our own actions and the paths our lives take. There is no-one to thank or blame but ourselves. When we die, we just fail to exist anymore. As comforting as it may be to think our spirits go somewhere or linger or whatever else, I don't buy it for a second. When we are dead, we are gone, end of. There is nothing to fear in that fact, it is life and death. A cycle. Nothing else. That is just my view of course.

Also, I have all the "traits" of a "good Christian". I'm kind, polite, respectful, law abiding, charitable, loving, accepting etc etc. I am this because that is who I am, it is a person I am proud to be, not because I am told to be it.

While I respect that there is a moral code for Christianity, there is a small part of me that finds it kind of annoying that these are described as "Christian" traits. Christians didn't come up with these - they pre-existed and were important in many cultures long before Christianity arrived. It might be petty of me, but when you aren't Christian and so many things in society are still defined by Christianity, it can get kind of exasperating.

 

[robinator]

It also gets exasperating when you are a Christian and don't always exhibit the aforementioned traits so people say you're not being "very Christian". Actually, I'm just being myself. I'm not a robot.

Christianity is defined by belief, not behavior. Although we do try to live by the golden rule, we are still only human.

 

[Sarahkka]

It also gets exasperating when you are a Christian and don't always exhibit the aforementioned traits so people say you're not being "very Christian". Actually, I'm just being myself. I'm not a robot.

Christianity is defined by belief, not behavior. Although we do try to live by the golden rule, we are still only human.

Good point. That would annoy me, too.

 

[KittyVentura]

To clarify, it is not I that says those are Christian traits. Living where I do, it is simply a term I hear a lot, one I am challenging in my post.

 

[Tasha]

I got that Kitty. I felt you were saying that arent just 'good Christian traits' and that your religious outlook doesnt define whether you're a good person or not, you are one because that is who you are.

 

[louandivy]

I get that, but at the same time not everyone is exactly the same and maybe some people do need faith to feel they are making the right choices - and what is so wrong with that? We all need validation in some way or another. And essentially, the messages within most religious are good. I don't feel like I need religion to make me a better person but I do occasionally attend Quaker meetings which make me feel like a happier and calmer person. I don't think it makes me any weaker or inferior to someone who doesnt 'need' it.


Omg Tasha I disagreed with you

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I go to Buddhism classes on happiness even though I dont agree with ALL of Buddhism views, Its all a bit of mix and match with what I like but I agree we all need to explore various avenues in life in order to know what we feel content with

 

[Tasha]

I get that, but at the same time not everyone is exactly the same and maybe some people do need faith to feel they are making the right choices - and what is so wrong with that? We all need validation in some way or another. And essentially, the messages within most religious are good. I don't feel like I need religion to make me a better person but I do occasionally attend Quaker meetings which make me feel like a happier and calmer person. I don't think it makes me any weaker or inferior to someone who doesnt 'need' it.


Omg Tasha I disagreed with you

Well that just is not acceptable

Actually you disagreed with Kitty, I was just saying what I understood from her post

Personally I am a bad, bad person with or without religion

 

[dani_tinks]

No I don't believe in God, heaven and hell, or anything like that. I doubt I will ever, unless there's solid scientific proof.

 

[Abigailly]

I'm a fraud and due to be struck down fairly shortly.

I don't believe in God, although I attend Mass every week. I originally started attending Mass because my partner is a devout Catholic. I tried so hard to believe but I just didn't get it. So I stopped attending Mass however agreed to bring up my daughter as a Catholic. But I soon realised that Mass, to me, was not about God, or the Bible or being 'Catholic'.

Mass brings me inner peace, it allows me time to organise my head and I enjoy listening to Mass. It's a great reminder of how our world can be a cruel place but we get it as we take it.

I've spoken to our priest and he always calls me an oddity but he told me that it's good to know that he is even reaching out to the non Catholic community and if I believe his sermon can make me a better person then he has no right to ask me to leave his Chapel.

I just can't believe in there being someone up there watching over us though, I believe we're responsible for our own actions. That bad things happen to everyone, not either good or bad people, they just happen.

 

[louandivy]

I dont think that makes you a fraud at all I don't believe in any kind of literal god and am very ambivalent in my belief but I still attend Quaker meetings as they are so calm, reflective and peaceful. The group I go to is attended by Quakers, agnostics, even muslims and Catholics - I think faith should be however it suits you best