Why do people believe in God? - results

Not completely, although this is off topic I wanted to point out that Arabs are more purely semitic, since the Jewish semites bred with Gentiles, which caused the stereotypical 'hook nose' look.

 

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This is bullshit

Where did you get this information? Please cite references.

 

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"I think the results show that this is not true. In general, theists do think about the big questions and come to logical conclusions based on their own thinking, rather than on authority handed down to them. I would encourage atheists on this forum to take note."
Not necessarily at all- this is a forum that is perhaps likely to attract reasoning or rational believers. people do also not necessarily state their reasons- they may state those they believe to be socially acceptable or undeniable, rather than those they actually have. Many of the pro-God respondents would have been brought up to a religion i think.

 

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"Turning to the atheists themselves, we find another somewhat surprising result - that atheists are perhaps not as supremely rational as they would have us believe. It seems that many of the atheists responses on this forum, at least, are emotional rather than rational. They are not based purely on available evidence, but rather on a reaction against the idea of God. There may be many reasons for this. People can react against a religious upbringing, or point to the perceived ills that religion causes in the world.

More worrying from the atheists is the number of people who dismiss the possibility of God on emotional grounds, without really considering why they are doing so"

The choices you made when categorising responses as rational or emotional also influenced the result you obtained. The personal experience of God is I think yes, an evidentiary based one, but is ut rational or reasonable rather than emotional- isnt it an emotional awareness involved? And as for the claim that religions have caused wars, is that not a rational viewpoint, or certainly one that can be rationally argued from historical evidence and contemporary evidence?

 

Also, jamesR with regard to the initial post, from ones own perspective one is often more rational than one is perceived to be from the outside and often in our soiciety, due to whatever reasons, the majority decision on something like rationality actually rules- i am thinking of things like decisions to judge people insane here, who themselves believe they are rational.

I realise there is not a great deal of power int his argument but nevertheless itis relevant. Also, there is the fact that often an agnostic or aetheist does not feel as pressured to give a rational reason for his/her position as it is very obvious there is no physical evidence of god in the heavens being there, all they have to do is walk outside and they can not see him. so therefore they may well not have developed an ironclad rational defence of their stance as someone who wants to assert something less evidenced actually has to.

 

Michael, I think that you say what i have said when you discuss the categorisation of the reasons the believers give. Many ar ein th category of rational as that is where James put them.

By the way James. i thought it was interesting and worthwhile to do, even if i dont agree with your analysis or at least the neccesity of your analysis.

 

James R
1.a/ i am saying on a forum for dicscussion chances are you may encounter more believers who have a rational reasoned basis for their belief than out on the street.
b/ i am saying also that people who believe in things we can not see may well find it more necessary than others to be able to produce and there fore to develop ironclad rational reasons for them.
c/i am saying that peopel who hold beliefs because they were brought up with them may well rationalise their beliefs if they are intelligent people. That does not necessarily men their belief has a rational basis
Non of these things imply intentionally lieing in the poll.

2. Glad if i provoked an idea.

3. I see the argument you make re war, but that is not the way the rational aetheist/agnostic argument goes. The rational argument views the existence of war on religious grounds as an indicator there is no god because if a compassionate and loving God existed then these circumstances would not occur. War and death in war and rape in war and greed in war and religion for a motivation for war are some of the mosrt degrading and inhumane things that there are on the planet. The existence of such wars is an indicator that weighs in on the dside of a negative evidence for God's existence.

 

What is heaven?

Originally posted by HOPE
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I do not want to be left behind when GOD calls for his people....I want to be in heaven......with GOD......
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(Nice thoughts, Hope, but the closest you'll ever be able to get to God is right here on sciforums.)

 

Ele - You wrote "The rational argument views the existence of war on religious grounds as an indicator there is no god because if a compassionate and loving God existed then these circumstances would not occur"

They do argue this it is true. However as James says it is a non sequitor and certainly not a rational argument. One could equally argue that He exists because there is love and compassion in the world. It doesn't work either way around.

 

The Jewish hook nose???

Originally posted by and2000x
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Not completely, although this is off topic I wanted to point out that Arabs are more purely semitic, since the Jewish semites bred with Gentiles, which caused the stereotypical 'hook nose' look.
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(This is the second time I've seen this on the forum. Please cite a reference to the "stereotypical Jewish hook nose look." I would agree that Arabs more more purely semitic. After all, Ishmael came before Isaac, but where do you get your comment about a "hook nose." What does that have to do with anything? Sounds like a derogatory ethnic slur if you asked me.)

 

Stereotypical 'hook nose'

Originally posted by and2000x
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...the Jewish semites bred with Gentiles, which caused the stereotypical 'hook nose' look.
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(I'm STILL waiting for your cited reference for this statement! Let's see here, we have the Semites which were Jewish and Arab. Then there were the "Gentiles" in the same area, too. Now, what do you think they looked like? We all await your explanation.)

 

We invent gods because we are pathetic.

 

I'm going to retract my statement that the hook nose comes from breeding with Gentiles. This was simply what I have heard from most Jews when I ask them.

Here is the story of the hook-nose:

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=345&letter=N

 

I will add that of all the Jews I know 100+ NONE and I repeat NONE have big, funny, curved, hooked, noses or whatever you want to say. As far as I knew it was an urban legend that Jews have odd noses.

 

Big noses

Originally posted by ScrollMaker
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I will add that of all the Jews I know 100+ NONE and I repeat NONE have big, funny, curved, hooked, noses or whatever you want to say. As far as I knew it was an urban legend that Jews have odd noses.
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(I've worked with many wonderful Jewish physicians in my day, and I always thought their noses were bigger because the air is free.)

 

Why do people want to believe in religion

In church people sing hymns, they are all doing the same thing, singing, and all the energy is focused towards the vicar. Life’s problems are forgotten and a feeling of euphoria becomes. Wine is drunk and shared and love is all around. In a club people dance, they are all doing the same thing, dancing, and all the energy is focused towards the DJ. Life’s problems are forgot, every ones your best friend and a feeling of euphoria becomes. Drugs are taken and shared and love is all around.
Don’t worship god worship ur weekend. Where not a religion, where a club.

Why do people want to believe in, and even join things such as Religion, Cults, and Clubs? Does a need to follow exist, because everyone universally feels the need to believe in something that can’t be explained and those who don’t are not really on the same plain or wavelength, as people who do? A new following is needed as people are drifting towards lonliness. Only when every one is on the same vibe (universally: following the same idea.) or are so to say ‘as one’

 

Re: Why do people want to believe in religion

Welcome, ianhard, to sciforums. You have brought up a very good point. Your first paragraph describes the "addiction" people have to religion. They get their "fix" at church.

Your second paragraph is good advice. Instead of reaching "outward" for their "addiction to God," they should look inward for contentment with oneself.

The need to belong and be accepted to a group is also an addiction. Religion, however, like a hard drug, gives only a temporary high, and then one would want another "fix." They're always searching outside themselves for the euphoria, and when it's quickly gone, like you said in your third paragraph, they are right back in a state of loneliness needing another fix. They cling to the hope that their addiction to God will give them immortality when, as in any drug addiction, they may have found their "god" lost their soul, their being.

This is why so many "religious" people seem lost. Have you ever noticed how they stay in their "addiction" even when they're not in church? Like hard-core drug addicts, they never quite come out of their addiction. They talk about it day and night, they want to be with other people like themselves who get high on religion. You can't tell a drug addict that he is hurting himself, he's in denial.

The problem lies with religion. One's "religion" (addiction) will destroy the self. Without the "self" one cannot find God.

 

Medicine Woman

I don't think that's a very convincing argument. A thing isn't wrong just because it's addictive. Food is addictive, and so are personal paradigms.

Also your statement that "One's "religion" (addiction) will destroy the self. Without the "self" one cannot find God." is the very reverse of the truth in every respect. It should go (in my humble opinion of course) like this:

Ones' religion and ones addictions will perpetuate the self. With the self one cannot find God.

This exact reversal of your statement is my argument AGAINST God.

Canute

 

Against God?

Addictions are NEVER healthy, and regardless of the addiction, it does overpower the will. Food addiction isn't healthy, we have to eat, of course, but if we become obsessed with it, it can do damage that I don't need to elaborate on in this forum.

Your interpretation as a Xian denies the self. That's what you've been taught. You are entirely wrong about addictions. They don't encourage self-respect, they encourage defeat.

The One Spirit of God dwells within ALL of US as we are God's creation. We carry God's spirit on the face of the Earth. Until one realizes this, and finding God within oneself, there is no way to glorify the Creator. Religions, if anything, get in the way of one finding God. One you realize this, you will understand that God is with you always, and you are God on Earth. This is what Jesus was trying to say.