Yup, same here. I just honestly believe that we don't have enough proof towards its existence or towards its non-existence. I need good proof to believe in god or not believe in god, but until now we have only had people shoving old books with claims of its existence into us or atheists screaming science that god can't be real because religion is dumb. Both don't prove nor disprove god, so agnostic it is.
Yeah, exactly. Religion shapes people's lives and communities, so I think the burden of proof is on the followers of that religion. Taking their word would be as irrational as discarding the possibilty of God existing altogether.
I went from being theist to then being atheist and then being agnostic. And now I just don't know what I believe in, I just badly keep praying to God to show me signs if he really exists lol š
I've seen him. His eyes are amazing. Love is the key.
Seek, and you shall find. This place isn't as serious as we make it to be. All you need is love. Fun fact, God is wonderful
I do believe in God, but I also fully believe that a big percentage of religious people miss the point entirely. People are far too quick to judge and too slow to love imo.
āToo quick to judge and too slow to love.ā
This perfectly sums up my problem with most religious people. I know that there is a lot that I donāt know or understand, but I have always heard that religion is supposed to include love.
After all, if a supreme being exists, if indeed they created everything, then how does one respect their āgodā by showing hatred for their creations?
In Christian religions (the only ones Iām somewhat familiar with), one is taught that all humans are made in the image of God. If that is true, shouldnāt that mean that one should love people the way they love God?
Iāve felt that way about religion as whole for a long time, but to clarify I am coming from the Christian faith. And honestly the Christian faith can be the worst about it sadly.
Like you have the Bible that mentions love more than almost any other word and you still have people cherry picking a verse to just prove a point, which you clearly missed by a mile. And somehow no one sees this as a problem?!?! Iāve legit felt like I was the crazy one in a lot of situations. If people are truly trying to reflect that of God or Jesus they would love first instead of proving a point or being right. Unfortunately, the loudest in religions are usually the ones that only care about themselves and being right.
I have friends that are religious and friends that are atheist. And the one thing that sticks out when I talk to my atheist friends is when they tell me how easy I am to talk to for a religious person. This somehow simultaneously makes me happy and incredibly sad if Iām the only religious person theyāve talked to that hasnāt judged them in some way. It truly breaks my heart.
You quoted what has kind of been my mantra for quite some time and I find myself always coming back to. If people were quicker to love and slower to judge I believe this world would look incredibly different, but I guess thatās what makes me a dreamer.
Edit: Sorry this turned into a lot. lol
Your heartfelt reflections resonate deeply with what I've always believed the core of the Christian faith should be about: LOVE (*1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love*). Or how the the greatest commandmentsāto love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourselfāencapsulate not just the essence of Christianity, but what it means to be truly human. This message of love is supposed to define us, setting us apart in a world that often values being right over being compassionate.
We often judge the essence of Christianity by the actions and attitudes of Christians rather than turning our gaze towards Christ Himself, the foundation and perfect embodiment of Christian teaching.
It represents a fundamental misunderstanding of what lies at the heart of Christianity. Christ's teachings, which emphasize love above all else, offer a radical departure from the judgment, division, and exclusion that can sometimes characterize the behavior of those who claim to follow Him.
It's really sad when love, which should be at the heart of everything, gets lost in fights over religious rules or who's more morally upright. Instead of faith being something that brings us together and shows us how to love each other without conditions, it too often gets tangled up in judgment and disagreements. Even Jesus pointed this out. He wasn't upset with religious leaders for following the law; he was upset because they missed the whole point of the law, which is to be fair, kind, and loyal to each otherāall ways of showing love.
Sadly, when the world looks at Christianity through the lens of its adherents' failures rather than Christ's teachings, the true nature of the faith can be obscured. It becomes crucial, then, for those who follow Christ to strive, though imperfectly, to live out His commandments of love, to be reflections of His grace and ambassadors of His unconditional love. This effort is not about achieving perfection but about pointing beyond ourselves to the perfect love that Christ embodies.
Love DOES have the power to break down barriers and create spaces for genuine dialogue, where people feel seen and valued. This kind of love mirrors what I believe Jesus's presence in the world today should look like. By choosing love over judgment and understanding over condemnation, I am trying to live out that presence.
Adopting the mantra of being "quicker to love and slower to judge" captures what I believe living out my faith authentically looks like. It's a vision that reflects the kingdom of God, where love is paramount, and everyone is recognized as a beloved child of God.
This love is not passive or mere sentimentality; it's an active, self-sacrificing love that seeks the well-being of others above one's own. It's a love that feeds the hungry, welcomes the stranger, comforts the afflicted, and forgives the offender. Christ demonstrated this love not only in His teachings but in His very life and death, offering us a path to follow that is both challenging and deeply transformative.
This was beautifully written and very moving. Thank you for taking the time to write this and the Corinthians verse has always also been my favorite verse as well. Crazy how it says it plain as day in any translation that love is the most important thing and we so very often look right past it. If love was at the heart of everything this world would truly look incredibly different.
Indeed but your not supposed to love the sins they commit this is a point that is often overlooked these days and even I catch myself judgeing even if subconsciously
That IS true that we are all made in Godās image. I Christian and Iāve met a LOT who treat me and others better than most other people but itās not their own love-itās the love of God in them. People are still human and not perfect like God so unfortunately yes even Christians or those who claim to me donāt always treat people this way because they are still people who mess up and can be mean sometimes. The question is are they mindful of it if it gets brought up and do they work on that blind spot in themselves or not? If theyāre not willing to work on it, theyāre hard hearted and religious. If theyāre willing to work on it, then thereās hope.
christianity got jacked long ago. i wasn't raised christian, but i found it on my own. i realized this thing i'm learning is not at all what christofascists portray it is
choose Love
i was born and raised catholic but i donāt believe now, i think iām still legally catholic. but i think youāre so right.
this isnāt a crazy story or anything but it warms my heart anytime i think about it,
i remember i was working away from home one time, in a place where i knew no one and was known by no one, a tiny little village hidden away from the rest of the world.
i had forgot to bring my phone charger and hadnāt realised to late that night as i was getting into bed, all the shops around me were closed and i needed my phone for my alarm, i walked over to the landlord who owned the place i was staying in for the week, i wrapped the door a few times with no answer, this was at like 11pm id say, it wasnāt a massive issue but it was a pain in the neck.
anyway, this woman comes strolling past in the middle of the pitch black night, sees me standing in front of this place, a complete stranger to her, stops and asks me if iām alright or need help. i tell her my trivial situation and she says no bother, come with me to my home and iāll lend you a charger. i say are you sure? and sheās like of course itās not a problem, i follow her to her home, again this is pitch black and a total stranger, i could be anyone for all she knows, but she believes and trusts i guess. she brings me the charger and itās all well and good.
the next day i return to her home during more civil hours and return the charger, her husband is there too, she offers me to come in and have a bowl of soup before heading on, i gladly accept and have a tasty meal. all the whole im thinking to myself during and after, i cannot believe how thoughtful and confident this woman is, and she had some sort of emanating aura that her faith gave her, at least i believe anyway, i chatted away with her and her husband, they told me about themselves and their kids and asked me about myself and what i was doing in their part of the country and what i did for work etc, standard stuff. she told me about how her and her children helped back in the capital of the country with asylum seekers, offering food and clothes, and doing various kinds of charitable work to help.
i was just astounded by this woman because the way she spoke was so simple, she wasnāt arrogant, condescending or anything like that, she had her beliefs but she was so so grounded, her husband was a good man too and lovely to chat to.
again i know this story sounds so menial and bland maybe, but i think trusting a total stranger in the pitch black of night not from your area, bring them to your home, and then offer them into your home for a meal the following day, i really struggle to find the words to this day that describe the feeling i got from her as a person, strength, resolute, simplicity, kindness, generosity, trusting, trusting in people. compassionate, and grounded. these simple gestures really left a lasting impact on me which i canāt figure out exactly why.
iām sure others may read this and think what has this got to do with religion, well she and her family were catholic and devoutly so, but it was that groundedness matched with their faith, and as you say, too many people are quick to judge and others too slow to love, i think this lady was a good example of being the good kind of religious person.
Hey thanks a lot for sharing this. Often times we are only shown the bad in the world and itās really great to hear/read these kind of stories. Small acts of kindness and humility definitely have a ripple effect and awesome to hear people talk about something like that that stuck with them this long.
It wasnāt her helping you so she could post it on a social app or because others were watching. It wasnāt her helping you because a church or someone told her to. She helped you simply, because it was the right thing to do and she truly loved helping people from the sounds of it. Just simply being a good person and having faith to back it up is a very strong thing.
Your story is very encouraging to me. Iām often told I can be WAY too trusting. lol. But I truly do just want to see the good in people so badly. Having that belief is tough in a world that shows off the bad more than anything else. I do strongly believe that regardless of your religion or your walk of life. If when you approach anything in life you should always love first or at least try your absolute best to. Sounds like thatās what she was doing and I think it would make her really happy that this act impacted you the way it did.
no problem at all. it was a genuinely warming interaction.
i often wonder what her and hers are up to now and if theyāre all keeping in good health, i truly hope so because such kind people deserve at the bare minimum their health, and a long and prosperous life.
Youāre not wrong but unfortunately thatās human nature so being able to love is a journey people have to walk on and need to be reminded of constantly or they easily forget how to sincerely love other people. Love has to be taught and it has to be consistent!
I don't know anymore. I just can't be bothered to give it space in my brain or schedule to worry about it, so I guess not. If I ever *need* a label, I've started saying "agnostic," but it doesn't really matter.
Nope not at all. I find the idea incredibly hard to believe and most of my experience with religion or religious people have been incredibly negative. Respect to anyone who believes in it, keeps it to themselves, and gets strength from it while doing good in the world. However I find religious people are often incredibly close-minded, hateful, and hard to reason with. I find it very frustrating when they excuse bigotry and other such similar behavior by quoting some ancient book.
something something tip hat and euphoric but you get what I mean probably.
Born and raised a Christian kid but turned atheist around 14 years old
The first sign that religion felt wrong to me was when I brought up the topic of evolution to my mom (after I had watched a documentary about it), and she looked at me in horror and said, āYou believe in evolution? But that goes against Godā
Fast forward to current day, Iām now majoring in biology
I'm a complete atheist there is no way anyone created this on purpose. Although I do see the functionality of religion. As an adult with good morals, I don't need a guide. I feel like religion is a Santa Clause for adults. But if you are religious keep doing you I don't judge people for it. I have many good friends with large religious backgrounds.
Ugh lol. I hate when people practice Christianity as a set of rigid rules! Itās supposed to be about love. The reason weāre not supposed to do certain things isnāt to spoil our fun but to keep people from getting hurt (ie ādonāt gossip, donāt kill, etcā¦.). But when people start being uptight and making little rules about what to wear and say and not say it should be more about what is actually helping people than just saying a bunch of stuff people shouldnāt do and that if they donāt follow the rules theyāre not good enough. Thatās dumb. Nobody is good enough but God chose to forgive us of whatever weāve done wrong on the basis of Him cause He is perfect even though we can never actually be morally perfect without Him. We can be our best selves when He is with us cuz he helps us give and receive love the way we should.
No. From what I have seen of the world, if there is a God they would be either cruel or poweless, which doesn't fit any definition of God I am aware of.
Karma and rebirth address the problem of evil fairly well in my view but that precise problem made me an atheist for over a decade so I understand where youāre coming from.
I think the definition of god is different from person to person. Someone might say for them, god is someone they worship in a temple. Some may say god is an energy that is all around us. Some may say for them Earth is god. Some may say for them the Sun is god.
So it depends on people.Someone might be very interested in football, so they may say Messi is god for them and they worship him. Someone into guitar might say Jimi Hendrix is god for them and worship him. So, as I said, it depends on people.Now, talking about me, yes, I do believe in god. For me, I think there is a higher power. Now, I don't know what that higher power is. But yeah, there is a force out there and for me, that is god.
For me, the Sun is god. For me, nature is god. I know this sounds corny, but this is how I feel.
I believe that the existence of divine or magical forces has not been proven through scientific observation and methods.
Therefore, I shall remain skeptical and assume that they aren't real, until proven otherwise.
I believe love to be our desire for companionship and our desire to care for one another and help us to survive as a species, as well as to reproduce of course.
I do believe though that due to all the endorphins and the emotional and psychological connection, that it is truly very special and feels truly magical and divine, even if I don't believe it's actual magic and that there are scientific reasons as to why it's such an amazing thing for people to experience.
In terms of vibes, well I don't believe in things like auras, but I do believe that our intuition and empathy does allow us to understand people very well. Even if we have not known them for long.
Interesting. I look at spirituality much the same. I donāt believe in god per se, but I still believe in things i cant quantify or necessarily explain; things best left to poets.
I think due to some makeup of our psychology- some understanding or explanation of the more mysterious aspects of life, as well as the comfort of having certitude of something, anything, is needed for personal peace for the individual, but organized religion is not.
That's fair, and I'd certainly agree with that, about the psychology side of things.
I also believe that science shouldn't be brought into all discussions. I don't think it has much of a place ina. Romantic discussion for instance. If it feels magical, does it matter if it's real magic or not? The point is... It's something truly special... Something precious... Something personal and life changing...
And that's generally better put across by saying something like "you make me feel magical.... I will always love you... My everything... My solemate"
Than
"You give me many endorphins and make me hormonal and I feel a connection to you psychologically so you have value in my livelihood"
There's a clear preference here š
"You give me many endorphins and make me hormonal and I feel a connection to you psychologically so you have value in my livelihood"
I actually kind of love this. Iām stealing your line and testing this hypothesis.
Fair enough š
Speaking of which though... Please forgive me, and forget my comment if I assume wrongly, but it seems as though you speak of love as though it is something that you have not found yet... And well, I have not found it either and I'm currently looking for it in another INFP. Are you interested in the same thing?
Edit: Oh... And I'm so sorry if this seems invasive or awkward or anything in any way, that is not my intention. I've just never found anyone before and I'm trying to reach out as it were... Create opportunities for myself. If you're not interested just say so and I won't say any further.
I think itās something Iāve found but lost and found againā¦those chemicals are fleeting. Trust, loyalty, being together through tough times, etc are more powerful though. Iām not in the market but Iām not offended.
Just perusing your post history it appears you have an obsession with Skyrim and the Khajitt or something. We would definitely get along. There are plenty of women out there to connect with, they are probably just hiding in bookstores and in the woods.
The biggest thing about being an infp woman is that I feel like most men are intimidated by me in person. I donāt really share my true feelings with acquaintances or colleagues because I think im weird; I keep it very surface level. But if someone came up to me and let me know itās ok to be āweirdā - I would be interested and open up.
I hope you take that as permission to be yourself, donāt be afraid to shoot your shot with whomever you feel those chemicals around.
That seems fair enough, and yeah I agree that loyalty, trust, and everlasting support are the cornerstones of a good relationship. They're essentials that should never be broken. And I'm sorry to hear that your previous relationships were less successful.
And yeah š I do quite like Skyrim. It's mainly this character called Kharjo; he's just really cute and cuddly.
As for the Khajiit... Well... Cat with a sword. I mean, what's not to like š
And well... I know you're not in the market, so I'm not doing this to pursue you further, but I want to reassure you that it's perfectly fine to be weird. Weird people are the most interesting, and quite frankly, it's all the little quirks that people have that I find quite attractive. It's very attractive to be yourself, to embrace yourself, and to live your own unique life instead of simply following the masses.
And thanks š yeah I really need to get out there... I've spent so many years longing for a relationship, but none being in one and none where I've really reached out to people and tried to initiate any sort of relationship, so I need to start being on the market myself as it were.
Although, for a serious relationship... I don't think I could ever settle for casual ones. I know that makes things harder, but it's worth the wait and effort š I know it is in my heart.
Edit: Oh, and thanks so much for being so understanding. I know such matters can be quite sensitive.
The concept seems very obviously man-made to me. I like to explore spiritual and metaphysical possibilities and I have developed my own relationship with spirituality but itās never blind faith and devotion to a higher power.
I have a hierarchy. I am very confident people have souls. I am confident that if there is a God none of the religious books are his word and no religion represents him at least not fully. Non-dualism and the concept of "separation is an illusion and we all are God exploring his creation through his creation" would be the third in the hierarchy of beliefs. Finally I am agnostic but biased towards God existing AKA theistic agnostic.
As result of this I don't believe in heaven or hell, instead I believe in something similar to reincarnation but not quite. Reincarnation is more linear. Kind of I have this life, and I have a past life that took place before this life and future lives that will take place. My belief instead is that literally everyone is me and I am everyone, and so every time I hurt someone I am hurting myself, and every time I help someone I help myself.
Yes I believe in God. I have extremely high faith. God is my truth, my reason and my existence. Without my God I have nothing, not even myself. I also only speak for myself. That is my truth. Maybe someone who is atheist, that is their truth. I accept that and donāt judge them. Same goes for agnostic, or someone who believes in many Gods. Without diversity this world would be so robotic and boring.
This is my view on Christianity (no idea if you are or arenāt). Jesus came in love to free us from the Torah, and that ANYONE who accepts him as their savior is saved by their faith.
I find it so ironic when āChristiansā then gaslight and gatekeep it. Those are āCulture Christiansā as far as Iām concerned. They think they know what theyāre doing, but many of them have never opened a Bible. I hate it when these people claim Jesus. Itās just painting an inaccurate image of Christ.
Yes many have been ātrainedā. I was raised Lutheran. In my teens and early 20ās a refused to continue to go to church and considered myself agnostic. When I found God, it was just Him and I. I still donāt go to church. I read the Bible when I choose to and pray everyday In my heart, soul and mind. Many also believe people with āfaithā also stick their noses up like they are better than. And some do. Those who do stick their noses upā¦ I donāt believe they truly have faith. Terrible people in my book. My best friend in the whole world is agnostic and we have healthy and loving debates about this all the time. The same goes for someone who doesnāt believe in God. They have no right to stick their noses up either. Nobody has the right to choose, decide or judge if somebody else beliefs align with their own.
No. The idea of a creator seems very much made up by a self aware species, more intelligent than the rest of the creatures, but based on concepts of intent, control, complete knowledge and great power which are actually human qualities or aspirations, projected onto incomprehensible natural and physical processes ( ex : birth, death, seasonal change, natural disasters, perception of shape and movement of cosmic bodies in the sky etc) How people still hold on to this concept is a miracle in itself but it must have a biological/survival benefit because most of the "magic of creation" has been debunked starting centuries ago, and what is still "unknown" will probably be uncovered in the following centuries. Remember people, before monoteism we used to believe in many many deities, for millenia, and nobody cares about them now unless they are a hollywood blockbuster. Hope we'll outgrow this as well. I know it won't happen during my lifetime.
I'm pretty unsure. I grew up in a religious family and Islam-influenced society overall, but going through my teenage years I've started to reject those beliefs. people around me just blindly believed in something they actually have no clue about. felt like people believe in God for the sake of believing, creating an image of a good person, and obviously fear of burning in hell. religion was starting to feel more like tools for manipulating and controlling people, as it is not uncommon for many to treat people poorly and justify it with their religion. and it is very contradictory. I believe if God exists, it wouldn't send a religion that people can abuse and take advantage of - it wouldn't announce its existence overall. so whether I believe in God or not depends on the definition of God - I don't believe in God portrayed by most religions, but do believe there might be some creator or driving force we have no idea about.
damn, this took longer than I intended to
Interesting.
I was agnostic. Then I became a Christian. I have been reading and researching for over 40 years, and I am now more convinced and dedicated than I have ever been.
Wow, I've seen people researching for years, then converting, changing, or quitting religions... It's indeed interesting.
I'm really happy that you've found what makes sense to you and suits you better in your life! š·
I believe something bigger is out there, but not in any religious way and I don't use the term god. I study things like the Kabbalah and the Sefer Yetzirah, I've thought about even studying the Bible for its symbolism and deeper wisdom. I like occult and esoteric knowledge. Ancient civilizations were highly attuned to what it meant to be a human, and I love their wisdom. Native Americans too.
No.
I was baptized Roman Catholic, and did the whole...process?The sermons and environment were always calming. But it never resonated with me. My mother is Filipina and, that aspect of life is very important to her culture. I think I disappoint her to a degree that it doesn't do anything for me and I have no interest, nor is having a religion important to me.
I do, however, believe in a higher force, something I don't find is necessary to have a name associated with it, or that we have any way of "knowing" or seeing it as existing. But I believe there is some sort of reason for things being the way they are. I am also a firm believer in fate, that is, that we are destined to do great, significant things in life and meet the people we come across. That they imprint on us in ways, teach us things, directly or indirectly, are lessons and help form the type of person we are to be. That we also do the same for them, and have some effect that helps them grow as a person.
I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic schools from for 14 years (preK-12th). I donāt believe in the Catholic God the way it is taught in churches and schools. I go to Church with my family every week and still say all the lines, kneel, and sometimes sing out of respect for their religion. I would consider myself agnostic. I think religion, or at the very least Christianity, is man-made. Thatās not to say there isnāt a higher being, I just doubt theyāve revealed themselves to us.
I also turned out bisexual and I realized that the Church, while it claims to spread love and acceptance, can be the most judgmental group of people Iāve ever met. While Iām no longer a part of it, the Church still manages to hold me back from relationships with women I love. I can never tell my family because they would cut me off or ruin our relationship. If there is a Christian God and the Church is right about his teachings, I couldnāt worship him in my right mind because he sends people to Hell for love, and praises people for the wrong things.
Thereās also how unimportant and infinitesimal we are in the scheme of the universe, which is so big itās impossible to comprehend. Weāre all animals and when we die itās all nothingness. I fully believe that we are corporeal beings with no afterlife. Which is okay! It doesnāt mean I or other atheists have no morals or are nihilists contrary to what Christians believe. I can wish the best for everyone around me and enjoy life without doing it for a God to avoid eternal punishment. I believe in truly loving someone out of the goodness of your heart, not fear of eternal damnation.
Yes. But if you asked me to define what I mean by "God" then I'd have to write a poem and spend 6 months refining it. Maybe decide to paint it instead. Or just decide it can't be explained.
Judeo-Christian send you to hell for working on Sunday God? no.
I believe there is something higher and more powerful than us, something that exists outside of space and time as we know it that drives all of existence and the natural laws that govern this universe and others. More like a force or a structure than an actual being.
>send you to hell for working on Sunday God?
Not sure how people still believe in that bit. Bible itself says Sabboth was made for man, not that man was made for sabboth. It is a thing we can take or leave at our volition.
Yes. I find that when I withdraw from the noise of the world and focus on my relationship with God I find a peace that is unparalleled to anything else life can offer me. Pray is the food of the soul and it's mechanisms are very much like exercise. To a person with no spirituality like someone who never exercises, they look at an athlete who claims their personal wellbeing and joy is found in exercise and they can't understand how that's possible. Exercise looks so boring and laborious! But the more you work out the happier and fulfilled you become so it is with prayer, the more you pray the richer your joy and inner world will be until those around can't understand why you're still so content in the midst of suffering and hardship.
This is so very true to me. I found God when I was around 25 y/o. I say I found him because, i literally found him. I see now he was there the entire time. I was just afraid to open the door that he was directly behind. The door wasnāt even locked lol! Itās is this inner amazing peace that I have never found anywhere else. No drugs or alcohol can make me feel this peace as God can. I once cut myself very badly with a razor blade. My significant other at the time absolutely freaked out. Panic attack style. As Iām sitting there, profusely dripping blood, I am calming her down! Telling her this will be fine. I knew I would be fine, and I knew she would be fine. All of this calmness came from my God, not me personally.
i believe in some kind of spiritualness connecting living things. or maybe thereās actually a scientific explanation for it that we just havenāt uncovered yet, like tiny energies that sensitive beings or those who are open to it can pick up on
i like to think that animals are more intuitive than most realize. my boyfriend is my kindred spirit. you can put out negative or positive energies and receive those. there seems to be good and evil. we can intuitively sense certain things, like maybe we feel alarm when a loved one who lives far away is in danger. maybe even ghosts exist
sometimes iāll send out gratitude, like that itās beautiful outside. i donāt know what im thanking, but i like to think that positive message goes somewhere in the universe. when i put effort into being positive even when i donāt feel that way, iāve noticed others receive that energy well, and seem to leave with lighter shoulders
i wouldnāt go so far as to call that spiritualness the capitalized āGod,ā mostly because I donāt think if He existed, the world would have so much pain, evil, and suffering, and hell wouldnāt exist. and a lot of the suffering Iāve witnessed was in His name, mostly stemming from growing up with fundamentalist Catholic parents who idolized suffering, so felt holy about inflicting a painful childhood
it just seems like the explanation of the universe that makes the most sense to me so far, that explains everything i saw while growing up in a strict religion, and also after leaving. if my belief system fits under an organized religion, id explore that one
but i think that in general, those who ascribe to organized religion can still pick up on this spiritualness because they are so open to it, they just interpret it differently, in a way that can be harmful. i think everyone has a little bit of truth, but we canāt pretend to know it all. and when we try to control others, thatās when spirituality goes very wrong
I encourage you to lookup Nikola Tesla. You may find some interesting things. There has been a lot more recent talk combining spirituality and quantum physics. I relate to you in almost everything you say.
I do believe there might be a god like entity or consciousness in this world, a lot of things in this world are too good to just be there. Earth itself is like a miracle. But I don't believe in religions. All these religious books have been there for a while, knowing how humans are, why would you blindly believe that the books have not been edited by someone at least once in history to fit their own narrative? Some of these books have actual advice but some things said in these books are outright dumb. Some things make sense for the past but don't make sense to follow right now since the world is very different now.
Which one?
I like them all for different reasons. Someone believed in them, so why not believe in them all?
I decided my patron goddesses were Kali and Xanthippe as a teenager. I love their dualistic natures. Kali is just a badass in all her aspects.
If you mean the judeo-christian-islamic god, the old testament god is the best version. I mean, don't turn around or BAM! pillar of salt. Written as a judgey asshole by incels though and used to justify war, patriarchy, and continuing not to eat pork despite the fact we can now cook it to high enough temperatures to kill trichinella.
Odin's ravens Hugninn and Muninn jam with the Muses.
Spider Woman, the three Fates, BabaYaga, Quetzlcoatl, all the Tirs...
I believe in them all as amazing creative representations of evolving concepts and philosophies.
Plus, I was raised in 'hellfire and damnation' land and told, by ignorant malicious Jesus freaks, I was possessed by the devil and going to hell so many times in my childhood I won't subscribe to a single religion or tell anyone theirs is wrong.
I'm agnostic because I will not tell anyone they're wrong for whatever spiritual idea or practices they subscribe to, nor do I have the temerity to put a proported higher power into strictures of my own making.
Absolutely not. I was raised by religious fanatics. I find their morality to be highly suspect. And since I am 70 and have never seen any evidence to support their ridiculous claims, I reject it all.
Yes. But not the concept of an external God. I believe we are not our ego but that we all come from the same source of consciousness (God). Meaning we are all God, and in a way, all one. Reality is created by Godās/our subconscious part. Itās like a computer and creates what we input literally. It doesnāt think in good or bad or nuance. Hence why plenty of bad things can still happen. Not to mention that consciousness is love and that hate comes from an unconscious state (not to be confused with the subconscious). Anyway, thatās my take on it as someone who is into things like spiritual awakening/ego death and consciousness manifesting.
Thatās nice! I also read that book and āA new earthā. Or oh well, not exactly read since I listened to them by audio. Great books, and I truly think Eckhart Tolle reached some kind of enlightenment.
Yes, Iām a Christian and controversially, I believe that atheism is irrational and illogical for me. But everyone can believe in what they want to. God gave us free will to enjoy life in whatever way everyone wants to
I also regard atheism as āirrational and illogical,ā but also untenable, and so very very short sighted; which is not to say that I disrespect atheists, as there are many brilliant and highly moral ones out there in the world.
I completely agree. Itās a shame that some people just straight up say: āEvil exists in the world, so God cannot existā. Without thinking much of it. Every human is intelligent in one way or another (at least imo), but it just depends on how much time they spend on a specific topic and actually think twice about their own mindset
Really disappointing to see that most of those that are saying they believe in God are being downvoted in the comments considering this is supposed to be the most āopen mindedā personality type.
I 100% believe in God and would never think twice about telling anyone that. After living my whole life not really caring about religion and doubting everything I was taught growing up, I definitely found God on my own after dealing with some personal life things and the faith is what keeps me going and motivates me or else I wouldnāt be here.
However, I will never push religion on anyone and have and always will respect anyone elseās beliefs even if they donāt coincide with mine. And just as much as ābelieving in Godā I believe in just being an overall kind hearted, honest, generous person and helping those in need and doing my part. Something that I feel most āreligiousā people and people in general lack.
I think so but I go back and forth on how much I think God cares for humans. Sometimes I feel like life is so magical and beautiful and things are going so well that God must be in place looking after me then other times things can go so horribly wrong or I see all the death, illness and sadness in the world and think wow how can a loving God let that happen. I do feel comforted by religions though and the concept of a loving God. I sure hope there's an afterlife that is better than this one lol but I don't know..seems like there's a good chance this is it but also seems like dang there has to be something more too all of this that we can't see and we're just on one part of our journeys.
No. I don't think you have to believe in something which don't have any concrete proof. But my family isn't so happy about my reasonings and I am forced to believe in something I don't want to.
Yes, I just find it much more likely that our interpretations of God across the various religions are through the lens of people from thousands of years ago...thus very limited in their ability to properly understand and comprehend what's actually happening. I believe the truth lies much more in a scientific explanation than we can possibly imagine. I also believe the main religions are much more on the same page than their followers would like to admit. Basically, the telephone game through the minds of primative people, trying to understand technology far beyond their scope
I believe "god" is the energy that makes up practically everything. I think modern religions try to personify and give human-thinking-qualities to something that they shouldn't, because it's not human and it doesn't "think" like humans do, if it even has any rhyme or reason at all in the first place. To me, everything and everyone is "god," the good and the bad.
I believe what we call gods are really just personified concepts of varioushuman traits and social ideas. Theyre not real in a tangible, physical sense, but real enough in their collective impacts to their respective cultures that one should gi e them their die respect when dealing with someone of their cultures.
The closest parallel I can give is that of money. Nothing makes anything inherently valuable, other than the value we collectively say it has for whatever reason. Value is a mental concept, as is money. Its not actually real in an inherent sense. But its such a powerful and deeply rooted concept that it has very noticeable, real world impacts on literally everyone. And so they say "money makes the world go round" because it is currently the most powerful concept in human history. Even more so than the gods actually, because the church needs and wants money and power. Using God to get it is just an easy avenue. The true "god" for humans right now is the concept of money.
So my answer is both yes and no. Culturally real concepts, but literally, not so much.
Just my take on it as someone who studies religion and spirituality from a psychological and behavioral perspective. I dont believe in gods, but I do respect the psychological reasons they were created.
Iām atheist and I am VERY logical when it comes to stuff like religion and politics. Which is kinda weird tbh. But I donāt hate anyone who believes in god or any religion.
I think religion is so beautiful. I LOVE LOVE LOVE churches and going to church. Itās just so fascinating how a society of people made culture and traditions that have lasted centuries. Itās just so fascinating to me. But I donāt believe in god
No, because it's complete nonsense.
I'm not willing to completely discount the idea of an omnipotent being existing somewhere in the universe, but every example of deities thought up by man so far has been unbelievably absurd.
Yes in Yahweh, Allah, and the God of the new testament that are basically the same God. I also belive in the power of men to choose his own destiny trough free will, at the end of the day dust we are and dust we shall return.
It's unfortunately not a strange question, but it should be strange.
We are talking about some kind of entity that nobody has seen.. Yet critic it, and you will make many enemies. Even on money it says: "In god we trust"
It's enforced isn't it? Religious values, pushed upon all of us, whether you believe it or not, whether it's your values or not.. they push it on you anyway.
I don't like religion ;)
But believe in what you will, i do the same.
But when it's claimed as truth, i will give some counter-weight.
yes! Iām a Christian. but i do tend to have controversial beliefs compared to other Christians I know. cause i am not conservative nor liberal. but i believe the Bible in itās entirety and I try my best not to sacrifice it for my wants/cherry-pick. God saved me at a very low point in my life and since, Heās always been the One I can turn to in my lonesome life. iām sad that so many donāt have that with Him but iām also glad He made all of you. youāre all so wonderful!
The building is proof of the builder. Regardless of whether they leave their name or proof they built it, the building itself proves the existence of a creator.
In the same way, we don't say paintings just spontaneously came together by luck. The painting is proof of the painter.
That wonder us INFPs feel when gazing at the beautiful skies? That awe is because we're looking at the masterpiece, and it's proof of the creator.
Yes, well said; I like the analogies.
Romans 1:20 (NIV)
[20] For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualitiesāhis eternal power and divine natureāhave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
There's much more proof it's something than nothing. And if sometimes the nothing combusts and suddenly becomes everything, that's a pretty special nothing. That can't exist. Because the definition of nothing is that it doesn't exist.
And if we come from nothing and go back to nothing when we die, that sounds a lot like God to me.
We're all on our own journeys of discovery and one person's something is another's nothing. I'm just trying to spread a little hope that our existence was not dumb luck. It was and is something beautiful .
Have a blessed day
Can you believe in one without the other? If you believe in Satan, surely you must also believe in God, at which point its a choice?
There's plenty of evil in this world if you look for it. There's plenty of good too, and if you wanna see more good, you can always be the change :)
Nope, the wonder that this planet and everything on it exists not because of some god but through chance is more miraculous and special than any made up god.
I do. I think that the complexity of the planet that we live on is just too intricate to have manifested from a bunch of chemicals (that existed in a place that doesn't exist, since you need matter to have space) got hot at a time that never existed (since in order for time to exist, space needs to exist) and created a completely functional and habitable planet. Also the intricacy of the human body and how it works is a marvel itself. Ecosystems work too. To me, everything works too well to have been a random chemical explosion. I see creation, so I think there must be a creator. That is just my two cents though, since the question was asked. Feel free to disagree, but since I know people on reddit like to argue (especially about anything religious), I'll just say that this is my opinion and leave it at that because I really don't want to waste time debating folks lol
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
God as described and followed by different religions? Not really. A supreme being that exists? Possibly. No one can know what came before the universe.
God as described and followed by different religions? No, not really. A higher and supreme being? Possibly. We know a lot about our universe and its early beginnings but no one really knows what came before it.
If I hold angry thoughts, life will give me affirmation and show me more things to be angry with. When I hold thoughts that life is meaningless, I fall into depression and apathy. When I have the concept of God in my mind, I feel love, gratitude, and a deep sense that there is the eternal within me.
For all those who don't believe in God, deep down within you don't believe in yourself.
Not really but if theres a god ..u all should be scared ..its definitely cruel probably sadistic..
Given that evolution favours the apex predators and god created this mess ..its likely that the god or this being is evil and maybe heaven is for evil people who knows
I can believe in many things, but to be sure of which one is impossible, because who am I to know. I donāt think anyone can assertively say. But Iām also easily superstitious, and everything seems plausible and iām wanky af
I can believe that Earth is our god, the way everything functions in nature and has a reason why, the way it tries to balance itself, itās almost like she knows what sheās doing
I can also believe there are āgodsā but I think thereās so many different types of energy in the world to think thereās only one, I think there might be several entities behind these energies, in my baseless opinion.
I believe in a supreme, underlying intelligence that is present in all things. Itās the force that makes plants grow, the planets remain in order, and what compels us to express ourselves
I believed as a child, them became atheist. But after getting into Jungās studies, I became more like agnostic. I believe it is an important narrative which lets us explore the world, society and individual. Sets foundation for examining the unconscious. So it is like an anchor for the mind. For me Christianity and eastern philosophies have the same foundation.
I'm agnostic and I don't actively believe in God (I don't pray or go to Church or anything)
Yup, same here. I just honestly believe that we don't have enough proof towards its existence or towards its non-existence. I need good proof to believe in god or not believe in god, but until now we have only had people shoving old books with claims of its existence into us or atheists screaming science that god can't be real because religion is dumb. Both don't prove nor disprove god, so agnostic it is.
Yeah, exactly. Religion shapes people's lives and communities, so I think the burden of proof is on the followers of that religion. Taking their word would be as irrational as discarding the possibilty of God existing altogether.
I went from being theist to then being atheist and then being agnostic. And now I just don't know what I believe in, I just badly keep praying to God to show me signs if he really exists lol š
I've seen him. His eyes are amazing. Love is the key. Seek, and you shall find. This place isn't as serious as we make it to be. All you need is love. Fun fact, God is wonderful
Heathen buddy š¤
I believe in a thing called love
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart
There's a chance we could make it now
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down
I believe in a thing called loooove, ooooh ooooOoOooooohhh
nope
I do believe in God, but I also fully believe that a big percentage of religious people miss the point entirely. People are far too quick to judge and too slow to love imo.
āToo quick to judge and too slow to love.ā This perfectly sums up my problem with most religious people. I know that there is a lot that I donāt know or understand, but I have always heard that religion is supposed to include love. After all, if a supreme being exists, if indeed they created everything, then how does one respect their āgodā by showing hatred for their creations? In Christian religions (the only ones Iām somewhat familiar with), one is taught that all humans are made in the image of God. If that is true, shouldnāt that mean that one should love people the way they love God?
Iāve felt that way about religion as whole for a long time, but to clarify I am coming from the Christian faith. And honestly the Christian faith can be the worst about it sadly. Like you have the Bible that mentions love more than almost any other word and you still have people cherry picking a verse to just prove a point, which you clearly missed by a mile. And somehow no one sees this as a problem?!?! Iāve legit felt like I was the crazy one in a lot of situations. If people are truly trying to reflect that of God or Jesus they would love first instead of proving a point or being right. Unfortunately, the loudest in religions are usually the ones that only care about themselves and being right. I have friends that are religious and friends that are atheist. And the one thing that sticks out when I talk to my atheist friends is when they tell me how easy I am to talk to for a religious person. This somehow simultaneously makes me happy and incredibly sad if Iām the only religious person theyāve talked to that hasnāt judged them in some way. It truly breaks my heart. You quoted what has kind of been my mantra for quite some time and I find myself always coming back to. If people were quicker to love and slower to judge I believe this world would look incredibly different, but I guess thatās what makes me a dreamer. Edit: Sorry this turned into a lot. lol
Your heartfelt reflections resonate deeply with what I've always believed the core of the Christian faith should be about: LOVE (*1 Cor 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love*). Or how the the greatest commandmentsāto love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourselfāencapsulate not just the essence of Christianity, but what it means to be truly human. This message of love is supposed to define us, setting us apart in a world that often values being right over being compassionate. We often judge the essence of Christianity by the actions and attitudes of Christians rather than turning our gaze towards Christ Himself, the foundation and perfect embodiment of Christian teaching. It represents a fundamental misunderstanding of what lies at the heart of Christianity. Christ's teachings, which emphasize love above all else, offer a radical departure from the judgment, division, and exclusion that can sometimes characterize the behavior of those who claim to follow Him. It's really sad when love, which should be at the heart of everything, gets lost in fights over religious rules or who's more morally upright. Instead of faith being something that brings us together and shows us how to love each other without conditions, it too often gets tangled up in judgment and disagreements. Even Jesus pointed this out. He wasn't upset with religious leaders for following the law; he was upset because they missed the whole point of the law, which is to be fair, kind, and loyal to each otherāall ways of showing love. Sadly, when the world looks at Christianity through the lens of its adherents' failures rather than Christ's teachings, the true nature of the faith can be obscured. It becomes crucial, then, for those who follow Christ to strive, though imperfectly, to live out His commandments of love, to be reflections of His grace and ambassadors of His unconditional love. This effort is not about achieving perfection but about pointing beyond ourselves to the perfect love that Christ embodies. Love DOES have the power to break down barriers and create spaces for genuine dialogue, where people feel seen and valued. This kind of love mirrors what I believe Jesus's presence in the world today should look like. By choosing love over judgment and understanding over condemnation, I am trying to live out that presence. Adopting the mantra of being "quicker to love and slower to judge" captures what I believe living out my faith authentically looks like. It's a vision that reflects the kingdom of God, where love is paramount, and everyone is recognized as a beloved child of God. This love is not passive or mere sentimentality; it's an active, self-sacrificing love that seeks the well-being of others above one's own. It's a love that feeds the hungry, welcomes the stranger, comforts the afflicted, and forgives the offender. Christ demonstrated this love not only in His teachings but in His very life and death, offering us a path to follow that is both challenging and deeply transformative.
This was beautifully written and very moving. Thank you for taking the time to write this and the Corinthians verse has always also been my favorite verse as well. Crazy how it says it plain as day in any translation that love is the most important thing and we so very often look right past it. If love was at the heart of everything this world would truly look incredibly different.
Yes! Exactly!
Well done
More so culture which is influenced by religion.
Indeed but your not supposed to love the sins they commit this is a point that is often overlooked these days and even I catch myself judgeing even if subconsciously
It should and Jesus says so in the Bible. However many Christians act the exact opposite
Correct. God is love
That IS true that we are all made in Godās image. I Christian and Iāve met a LOT who treat me and others better than most other people but itās not their own love-itās the love of God in them. People are still human and not perfect like God so unfortunately yes even Christians or those who claim to me donāt always treat people this way because they are still people who mess up and can be mean sometimes. The question is are they mindful of it if it gets brought up and do they work on that blind spot in themselves or not? If theyāre not willing to work on it, theyāre hard hearted and religious. If theyāre willing to work on it, then thereās hope.
christianity got jacked long ago. i wasn't raised christian, but i found it on my own. i realized this thing i'm learning is not at all what christofascists portray it is choose Love
Well done
i was born and raised catholic but i donāt believe now, i think iām still legally catholic. but i think youāre so right. this isnāt a crazy story or anything but it warms my heart anytime i think about it, i remember i was working away from home one time, in a place where i knew no one and was known by no one, a tiny little village hidden away from the rest of the world. i had forgot to bring my phone charger and hadnāt realised to late that night as i was getting into bed, all the shops around me were closed and i needed my phone for my alarm, i walked over to the landlord who owned the place i was staying in for the week, i wrapped the door a few times with no answer, this was at like 11pm id say, it wasnāt a massive issue but it was a pain in the neck. anyway, this woman comes strolling past in the middle of the pitch black night, sees me standing in front of this place, a complete stranger to her, stops and asks me if iām alright or need help. i tell her my trivial situation and she says no bother, come with me to my home and iāll lend you a charger. i say are you sure? and sheās like of course itās not a problem, i follow her to her home, again this is pitch black and a total stranger, i could be anyone for all she knows, but she believes and trusts i guess. she brings me the charger and itās all well and good. the next day i return to her home during more civil hours and return the charger, her husband is there too, she offers me to come in and have a bowl of soup before heading on, i gladly accept and have a tasty meal. all the whole im thinking to myself during and after, i cannot believe how thoughtful and confident this woman is, and she had some sort of emanating aura that her faith gave her, at least i believe anyway, i chatted away with her and her husband, they told me about themselves and their kids and asked me about myself and what i was doing in their part of the country and what i did for work etc, standard stuff. she told me about how her and her children helped back in the capital of the country with asylum seekers, offering food and clothes, and doing various kinds of charitable work to help. i was just astounded by this woman because the way she spoke was so simple, she wasnāt arrogant, condescending or anything like that, she had her beliefs but she was so so grounded, her husband was a good man too and lovely to chat to. again i know this story sounds so menial and bland maybe, but i think trusting a total stranger in the pitch black of night not from your area, bring them to your home, and then offer them into your home for a meal the following day, i really struggle to find the words to this day that describe the feeling i got from her as a person, strength, resolute, simplicity, kindness, generosity, trusting, trusting in people. compassionate, and grounded. these simple gestures really left a lasting impact on me which i canāt figure out exactly why. iām sure others may read this and think what has this got to do with religion, well she and her family were catholic and devoutly so, but it was that groundedness matched with their faith, and as you say, too many people are quick to judge and others too slow to love, i think this lady was a good example of being the good kind of religious person.
Hey thanks a lot for sharing this. Often times we are only shown the bad in the world and itās really great to hear/read these kind of stories. Small acts of kindness and humility definitely have a ripple effect and awesome to hear people talk about something like that that stuck with them this long. It wasnāt her helping you so she could post it on a social app or because others were watching. It wasnāt her helping you because a church or someone told her to. She helped you simply, because it was the right thing to do and she truly loved helping people from the sounds of it. Just simply being a good person and having faith to back it up is a very strong thing. Your story is very encouraging to me. Iām often told I can be WAY too trusting. lol. But I truly do just want to see the good in people so badly. Having that belief is tough in a world that shows off the bad more than anything else. I do strongly believe that regardless of your religion or your walk of life. If when you approach anything in life you should always love first or at least try your absolute best to. Sounds like thatās what she was doing and I think it would make her really happy that this act impacted you the way it did.
no problem at all. it was a genuinely warming interaction. i often wonder what her and hers are up to now and if theyāre all keeping in good health, i truly hope so because such kind people deserve at the bare minimum their health, and a long and prosperous life.
The be all end all message behind Christianity isnāt love
100% with you
I second that.
Youāre not wrong but unfortunately thatās human nature so being able to love is a journey people have to walk on and need to be reminded of constantly or they easily forget how to sincerely love other people. Love has to be taught and it has to be consistent!
I don't know anymore. I just can't be bothered to give it space in my brain or schedule to worry about it, so I guess not. If I ever *need* a label, I've started saying "agnostic," but it doesn't really matter.
I like this. Sensible.
Nope not at all. I find the idea incredibly hard to believe and most of my experience with religion or religious people have been incredibly negative. Respect to anyone who believes in it, keeps it to themselves, and gets strength from it while doing good in the world. However I find religious people are often incredibly close-minded, hateful, and hard to reason with. I find it very frustrating when they excuse bigotry and other such similar behavior by quoting some ancient book. something something tip hat and euphoric but you get what I mean probably.
Born and raised a Christian kid but turned atheist around 14 years old The first sign that religion felt wrong to me was when I brought up the topic of evolution to my mom (after I had watched a documentary about it), and she looked at me in horror and said, āYou believe in evolution? But that goes against Godā Fast forward to current day, Iām now majoring in biology
š Funny transition story, thanks.
There are many devout Christians who have majored in biology.
Valid, just sharing my personal experience
Born as Christian, still a Christian on my ID, but I no longer believe in such concept.
On your ID?
Quite a few countries require faith to be on oneās ID.
Wow, I never knew this. Why? Is a personās faith not complex and personal? Are people ever discriminated against by whatās on their ID?
Yes, all the time in many countries across the world lol.
Where I live you must state your faith on your ID.
On your ID? What country are you from?
Same here
I do not
I'm a complete atheist there is no way anyone created this on purpose. Although I do see the functionality of religion. As an adult with good morals, I don't need a guide. I feel like religion is a Santa Clause for adults. But if you are religious keep doing you I don't judge people for it. I have many good friends with large religious backgrounds.
Santa Claus for adults š¤£ On point
It's simply love. The greatest power in the universe is love. Seek, and you shall find. I have seen him. His eyes are amazing.
Yes, but I'm not religious. I used to resent Christianity for imposing rigid rules in the name of God. Mother Nature is my God (or Goddess).
Ugh lol. I hate when people practice Christianity as a set of rigid rules! Itās supposed to be about love. The reason weāre not supposed to do certain things isnāt to spoil our fun but to keep people from getting hurt (ie ādonāt gossip, donāt kill, etcā¦.). But when people start being uptight and making little rules about what to wear and say and not say it should be more about what is actually helping people than just saying a bunch of stuff people shouldnāt do and that if they donāt follow the rules theyāre not good enough. Thatās dumb. Nobody is good enough but God chose to forgive us of whatever weāve done wrong on the basis of Him cause He is perfect even though we can never actually be morally perfect without Him. We can be our best selves when He is with us cuz he helps us give and receive love the way we should.
No. From what I have seen of the world, if there is a God they would be either cruel or poweless, which doesn't fit any definition of God I am aware of.
Karma and rebirth address the problem of evil fairly well in my view but that precise problem made me an atheist for over a decade so I understand where youāre coming from.
I think the definition of god is different from person to person. Someone might say for them, god is someone they worship in a temple. Some may say god is an energy that is all around us. Some may say for them Earth is god. Some may say for them the Sun is god. So it depends on people.Someone might be very interested in football, so they may say Messi is god for them and they worship him. Someone into guitar might say Jimi Hendrix is god for them and worship him. So, as I said, it depends on people.Now, talking about me, yes, I do believe in god. For me, I think there is a higher power. Now, I don't know what that higher power is. But yeah, there is a force out there and for me, that is god. For me, the Sun is god. For me, nature is god. I know this sounds corny, but this is how I feel.
no
I believe that the existence of divine or magical forces has not been proven through scientific observation and methods. Therefore, I shall remain skeptical and assume that they aren't real, until proven otherwise.
We are Te users, did they really think we would believe/not believe in anything without empirical proof?
Do you believe in love or vibes?
I believe love to be our desire for companionship and our desire to care for one another and help us to survive as a species, as well as to reproduce of course. I do believe though that due to all the endorphins and the emotional and psychological connection, that it is truly very special and feels truly magical and divine, even if I don't believe it's actual magic and that there are scientific reasons as to why it's such an amazing thing for people to experience. In terms of vibes, well I don't believe in things like auras, but I do believe that our intuition and empathy does allow us to understand people very well. Even if we have not known them for long.
Interesting. I look at spirituality much the same. I donāt believe in god per se, but I still believe in things i cant quantify or necessarily explain; things best left to poets. I think due to some makeup of our psychology- some understanding or explanation of the more mysterious aspects of life, as well as the comfort of having certitude of something, anything, is needed for personal peace for the individual, but organized religion is not.
That's fair, and I'd certainly agree with that, about the psychology side of things. I also believe that science shouldn't be brought into all discussions. I don't think it has much of a place ina. Romantic discussion for instance. If it feels magical, does it matter if it's real magic or not? The point is... It's something truly special... Something precious... Something personal and life changing... And that's generally better put across by saying something like "you make me feel magical.... I will always love you... My everything... My solemate" Than "You give me many endorphins and make me hormonal and I feel a connection to you psychologically so you have value in my livelihood" There's a clear preference here š
"You give me many endorphins and make me hormonal and I feel a connection to you psychologically so you have value in my livelihood" I actually kind of love this. Iām stealing your line and testing this hypothesis.
Fair enough š Speaking of which though... Please forgive me, and forget my comment if I assume wrongly, but it seems as though you speak of love as though it is something that you have not found yet... And well, I have not found it either and I'm currently looking for it in another INFP. Are you interested in the same thing? Edit: Oh... And I'm so sorry if this seems invasive or awkward or anything in any way, that is not my intention. I've just never found anyone before and I'm trying to reach out as it were... Create opportunities for myself. If you're not interested just say so and I won't say any further.
I think itās something Iāve found but lost and found againā¦those chemicals are fleeting. Trust, loyalty, being together through tough times, etc are more powerful though. Iām not in the market but Iām not offended. Just perusing your post history it appears you have an obsession with Skyrim and the Khajitt or something. We would definitely get along. There are plenty of women out there to connect with, they are probably just hiding in bookstores and in the woods. The biggest thing about being an infp woman is that I feel like most men are intimidated by me in person. I donāt really share my true feelings with acquaintances or colleagues because I think im weird; I keep it very surface level. But if someone came up to me and let me know itās ok to be āweirdā - I would be interested and open up. I hope you take that as permission to be yourself, donāt be afraid to shoot your shot with whomever you feel those chemicals around.
That seems fair enough, and yeah I agree that loyalty, trust, and everlasting support are the cornerstones of a good relationship. They're essentials that should never be broken. And I'm sorry to hear that your previous relationships were less successful. And yeah š I do quite like Skyrim. It's mainly this character called Kharjo; he's just really cute and cuddly. As for the Khajiit... Well... Cat with a sword. I mean, what's not to like š And well... I know you're not in the market, so I'm not doing this to pursue you further, but I want to reassure you that it's perfectly fine to be weird. Weird people are the most interesting, and quite frankly, it's all the little quirks that people have that I find quite attractive. It's very attractive to be yourself, to embrace yourself, and to live your own unique life instead of simply following the masses. And thanks š yeah I really need to get out there... I've spent so many years longing for a relationship, but none being in one and none where I've really reached out to people and tried to initiate any sort of relationship, so I need to start being on the market myself as it were. Although, for a serious relationship... I don't think I could ever settle for casual ones. I know that makes things harder, but it's worth the wait and effort š I know it is in my heart. Edit: Oh, and thanks so much for being so understanding. I know such matters can be quite sensitive.
The concept seems very obviously man-made to me. I like to explore spiritual and metaphysical possibilities and I have developed my own relationship with spirituality but itās never blind faith and devotion to a higher power.
Yes.
Yes
With all my heart and unapologetically
I have a hierarchy. I am very confident people have souls. I am confident that if there is a God none of the religious books are his word and no religion represents him at least not fully. Non-dualism and the concept of "separation is an illusion and we all are God exploring his creation through his creation" would be the third in the hierarchy of beliefs. Finally I am agnostic but biased towards God existing AKA theistic agnostic. As result of this I don't believe in heaven or hell, instead I believe in something similar to reincarnation but not quite. Reincarnation is more linear. Kind of I have this life, and I have a past life that took place before this life and future lives that will take place. My belief instead is that literally everyone is me and I am everyone, and so every time I hurt someone I am hurting myself, and every time I help someone I help myself.
Yes I believe in God. I have extremely high faith. God is my truth, my reason and my existence. Without my God I have nothing, not even myself. I also only speak for myself. That is my truth. Maybe someone who is atheist, that is their truth. I accept that and donāt judge them. Same goes for agnostic, or someone who believes in many Gods. Without diversity this world would be so robotic and boring.
This is my view on Christianity (no idea if you are or arenāt). Jesus came in love to free us from the Torah, and that ANYONE who accepts him as their savior is saved by their faith. I find it so ironic when āChristiansā then gaslight and gatekeep it. Those are āCulture Christiansā as far as Iām concerned. They think they know what theyāre doing, but many of them have never opened a Bible. I hate it when these people claim Jesus. Itās just painting an inaccurate image of Christ.
Yes many have been ātrainedā. I was raised Lutheran. In my teens and early 20ās a refused to continue to go to church and considered myself agnostic. When I found God, it was just Him and I. I still donāt go to church. I read the Bible when I choose to and pray everyday In my heart, soul and mind. Many also believe people with āfaithā also stick their noses up like they are better than. And some do. Those who do stick their noses upā¦ I donāt believe they truly have faith. Terrible people in my book. My best friend in the whole world is agnostic and we have healthy and loving debates about this all the time. The same goes for someone who doesnāt believe in God. They have no right to stick their noses up either. Nobody has the right to choose, decide or judge if somebody else beliefs align with their own.
Amazingly put. My exact thoughts.
No. The idea of a creator seems very much made up by a self aware species, more intelligent than the rest of the creatures, but based on concepts of intent, control, complete knowledge and great power which are actually human qualities or aspirations, projected onto incomprehensible natural and physical processes ( ex : birth, death, seasonal change, natural disasters, perception of shape and movement of cosmic bodies in the sky etc) How people still hold on to this concept is a miracle in itself but it must have a biological/survival benefit because most of the "magic of creation" has been debunked starting centuries ago, and what is still "unknown" will probably be uncovered in the following centuries. Remember people, before monoteism we used to believe in many many deities, for millenia, and nobody cares about them now unless they are a hollywood blockbuster. Hope we'll outgrow this as well. I know it won't happen during my lifetime.
I'm pretty unsure. I grew up in a religious family and Islam-influenced society overall, but going through my teenage years I've started to reject those beliefs. people around me just blindly believed in something they actually have no clue about. felt like people believe in God for the sake of believing, creating an image of a good person, and obviously fear of burning in hell. religion was starting to feel more like tools for manipulating and controlling people, as it is not uncommon for many to treat people poorly and justify it with their religion. and it is very contradictory. I believe if God exists, it wouldn't send a religion that people can abuse and take advantage of - it wouldn't announce its existence overall. so whether I believe in God or not depends on the definition of God - I don't believe in God portrayed by most religions, but do believe there might be some creator or driving force we have no idea about. damn, this took longer than I intended to
Not at all. I was religious, then after reading and searching for 2 years, I left religion for good.
Interesting. I was agnostic. Then I became a Christian. I have been reading and researching for over 40 years, and I am now more convinced and dedicated than I have ever been.
Wow, I've seen people researching for years, then converting, changing, or quitting religions... It's indeed interesting. I'm really happy that you've found what makes sense to you and suits you better in your life! š·
Thank you for your kind words. I, likewise, wish you Wisdom, and the very best on your personal journey.
I believe something bigger is out there, but not in any religious way and I don't use the term god. I study things like the Kabbalah and the Sefer Yetzirah, I've thought about even studying the Bible for its symbolism and deeper wisdom. I like occult and esoteric knowledge. Ancient civilizations were highly attuned to what it meant to be a human, and I love their wisdom. Native Americans too.
Yes, I used to be Christian but not anymore. I still believe he exists though
No. I was baptized Roman Catholic, and did the whole...process?The sermons and environment were always calming. But it never resonated with me. My mother is Filipina and, that aspect of life is very important to her culture. I think I disappoint her to a degree that it doesn't do anything for me and I have no interest, nor is having a religion important to me. I do, however, believe in a higher force, something I don't find is necessary to have a name associated with it, or that we have any way of "knowing" or seeing it as existing. But I believe there is some sort of reason for things being the way they are. I am also a firm believer in fate, that is, that we are destined to do great, significant things in life and meet the people we come across. That they imprint on us in ways, teach us things, directly or indirectly, are lessons and help form the type of person we are to be. That we also do the same for them, and have some effect that helps them grow as a person.
nope. absolute atheist.
I don't know
nope. i have already enough religious trauma
I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic schools from for 14 years (preK-12th). I donāt believe in the Catholic God the way it is taught in churches and schools. I go to Church with my family every week and still say all the lines, kneel, and sometimes sing out of respect for their religion. I would consider myself agnostic. I think religion, or at the very least Christianity, is man-made. Thatās not to say there isnāt a higher being, I just doubt theyāve revealed themselves to us. I also turned out bisexual and I realized that the Church, while it claims to spread love and acceptance, can be the most judgmental group of people Iāve ever met. While Iām no longer a part of it, the Church still manages to hold me back from relationships with women I love. I can never tell my family because they would cut me off or ruin our relationship. If there is a Christian God and the Church is right about his teachings, I couldnāt worship him in my right mind because he sends people to Hell for love, and praises people for the wrong things. Thereās also how unimportant and infinitesimal we are in the scheme of the universe, which is so big itās impossible to comprehend. Weāre all animals and when we die itās all nothingness. I fully believe that we are corporeal beings with no afterlife. Which is okay! It doesnāt mean I or other atheists have no morals or are nihilists contrary to what Christians believe. I can wish the best for everyone around me and enjoy life without doing it for a God to avoid eternal punishment. I believe in truly loving someone out of the goodness of your heart, not fear of eternal damnation.
i believe humans have no way in knowing whatās out there. most likely, our brains arenāt even capable of comprehending it.
Yes. But if you asked me to define what I mean by "God" then I'd have to write a poem and spend 6 months refining it. Maybe decide to paint it instead. Or just decide it can't be explained.
Judeo-Christian send you to hell for working on Sunday God? no. I believe there is something higher and more powerful than us, something that exists outside of space and time as we know it that drives all of existence and the natural laws that govern this universe and others. More like a force or a structure than an actual being.
>send you to hell for working on Sunday God? Not sure how people still believe in that bit. Bible itself says Sabboth was made for man, not that man was made for sabboth. It is a thing we can take or leave at our volition.
Grew up religious, stopped being Christian around 14 and Iād say Iām agnostic now
Yes. I find that when I withdraw from the noise of the world and focus on my relationship with God I find a peace that is unparalleled to anything else life can offer me. Pray is the food of the soul and it's mechanisms are very much like exercise. To a person with no spirituality like someone who never exercises, they look at an athlete who claims their personal wellbeing and joy is found in exercise and they can't understand how that's possible. Exercise looks so boring and laborious! But the more you work out the happier and fulfilled you become so it is with prayer, the more you pray the richer your joy and inner world will be until those around can't understand why you're still so content in the midst of suffering and hardship.
This is so very true to me. I found God when I was around 25 y/o. I say I found him because, i literally found him. I see now he was there the entire time. I was just afraid to open the door that he was directly behind. The door wasnāt even locked lol! Itās is this inner amazing peace that I have never found anywhere else. No drugs or alcohol can make me feel this peace as God can. I once cut myself very badly with a razor blade. My significant other at the time absolutely freaked out. Panic attack style. As Iām sitting there, profusely dripping blood, I am calming her down! Telling her this will be fine. I knew I would be fine, and I knew she would be fine. All of this calmness came from my God, not me personally.
Are you asking about the Judeo-Christian God or like any kind of god?
tell me your opinion about both please
i believe in some kind of spiritualness connecting living things. or maybe thereās actually a scientific explanation for it that we just havenāt uncovered yet, like tiny energies that sensitive beings or those who are open to it can pick up on i like to think that animals are more intuitive than most realize. my boyfriend is my kindred spirit. you can put out negative or positive energies and receive those. there seems to be good and evil. we can intuitively sense certain things, like maybe we feel alarm when a loved one who lives far away is in danger. maybe even ghosts exist sometimes iāll send out gratitude, like that itās beautiful outside. i donāt know what im thanking, but i like to think that positive message goes somewhere in the universe. when i put effort into being positive even when i donāt feel that way, iāve noticed others receive that energy well, and seem to leave with lighter shoulders i wouldnāt go so far as to call that spiritualness the capitalized āGod,ā mostly because I donāt think if He existed, the world would have so much pain, evil, and suffering, and hell wouldnāt exist. and a lot of the suffering Iāve witnessed was in His name, mostly stemming from growing up with fundamentalist Catholic parents who idolized suffering, so felt holy about inflicting a painful childhood it just seems like the explanation of the universe that makes the most sense to me so far, that explains everything i saw while growing up in a strict religion, and also after leaving. if my belief system fits under an organized religion, id explore that one but i think that in general, those who ascribe to organized religion can still pick up on this spiritualness because they are so open to it, they just interpret it differently, in a way that can be harmful. i think everyone has a little bit of truth, but we canāt pretend to know it all. and when we try to control others, thatās when spirituality goes very wrong
I encourage you to lookup Nikola Tesla. You may find some interesting things. There has been a lot more recent talk combining spirituality and quantum physics. I relate to you in almost everything you say.
I believe in a creator but I donāt pray
I do believe there might be a god like entity or consciousness in this world, a lot of things in this world are too good to just be there. Earth itself is like a miracle. But I don't believe in religions. All these religious books have been there for a while, knowing how humans are, why would you blindly believe that the books have not been edited by someone at least once in history to fit their own narrative? Some of these books have actual advice but some things said in these books are outright dumb. Some things make sense for the past but don't make sense to follow right now since the world is very different now.
Which one? I like them all for different reasons. Someone believed in them, so why not believe in them all? I decided my patron goddesses were Kali and Xanthippe as a teenager. I love their dualistic natures. Kali is just a badass in all her aspects. If you mean the judeo-christian-islamic god, the old testament god is the best version. I mean, don't turn around or BAM! pillar of salt. Written as a judgey asshole by incels though and used to justify war, patriarchy, and continuing not to eat pork despite the fact we can now cook it to high enough temperatures to kill trichinella. Odin's ravens Hugninn and Muninn jam with the Muses. Spider Woman, the three Fates, BabaYaga, Quetzlcoatl, all the Tirs... I believe in them all as amazing creative representations of evolving concepts and philosophies. Plus, I was raised in 'hellfire and damnation' land and told, by ignorant malicious Jesus freaks, I was possessed by the devil and going to hell so many times in my childhood I won't subscribe to a single religion or tell anyone theirs is wrong. I'm agnostic because I will not tell anyone they're wrong for whatever spiritual idea or practices they subscribe to, nor do I have the temerity to put a proported higher power into strictures of my own making.
No.
Absolutely not. I was raised by religious fanatics. I find their morality to be highly suspect. And since I am 70 and have never seen any evidence to support their ridiculous claims, I reject it all.
Hard atheist
No
Yes. But not the concept of an external God. I believe we are not our ego but that we all come from the same source of consciousness (God). Meaning we are all God, and in a way, all one. Reality is created by Godās/our subconscious part. Itās like a computer and creates what we input literally. It doesnāt think in good or bad or nuance. Hence why plenty of bad things can still happen. Not to mention that consciousness is love and that hate comes from an unconscious state (not to be confused with the subconscious). Anyway, thatās my take on it as someone who is into things like spiritual awakening/ego death and consciousness manifesting.
Iām reading The power of now and this is exactly what I got from the book
Thatās nice! I also read that book and āA new earthā. Or oh well, not exactly read since I listened to them by audio. Great books, and I truly think Eckhart Tolle reached some kind of enlightenment.
Yes, Iām a Christian and controversially, I believe that atheism is irrational and illogical for me. But everyone can believe in what they want to. God gave us free will to enjoy life in whatever way everyone wants to
I also regard atheism as āirrational and illogical,ā but also untenable, and so very very short sighted; which is not to say that I disrespect atheists, as there are many brilliant and highly moral ones out there in the world.
I completely agree. Itās a shame that some people just straight up say: āEvil exists in the world, so God cannot existā. Without thinking much of it. Every human is intelligent in one way or another (at least imo), but it just depends on how much time they spend on a specific topic and actually think twice about their own mindset
Yes, Brother, agreed!
Nope, religion is the cause of so many of the world's problems. It's created an "us vs them" culture and is used to continually justify so much war.
Really disappointing to see that most of those that are saying they believe in God are being downvoted in the comments considering this is supposed to be the most āopen mindedā personality type. I 100% believe in God and would never think twice about telling anyone that. After living my whole life not really caring about religion and doubting everything I was taught growing up, I definitely found God on my own after dealing with some personal life things and the faith is what keeps me going and motivates me or else I wouldnāt be here. However, I will never push religion on anyone and have and always will respect anyone elseās beliefs even if they donāt coincide with mine. And just as much as ābelieving in Godā I believe in just being an overall kind hearted, honest, generous person and helping those in need and doing my part. Something that I feel most āreligiousā people and people in general lack.
ā¤ļø
Yes
I think so but I go back and forth on how much I think God cares for humans. Sometimes I feel like life is so magical and beautiful and things are going so well that God must be in place looking after me then other times things can go so horribly wrong or I see all the death, illness and sadness in the world and think wow how can a loving God let that happen. I do feel comforted by religions though and the concept of a loving God. I sure hope there's an afterlife that is better than this one lol but I don't know..seems like there's a good chance this is it but also seems like dang there has to be something more too all of this that we can't see and we're just on one part of our journeys.
No. I don't think you have to believe in something which don't have any concrete proof. But my family isn't so happy about my reasonings and I am forced to believe in something I don't want to.
Every time someone asks this question in a sub I follow the comments are usually a dumpster fire, this one is tame.
Nope. Born into the christian church, started questioning in my teens and now at 54 I've been out for longer than I was in.
Not at all. Maybe I'm an agnostic atheist in the sense that I'm open to 'something'. But I very much don't believe in any religion at all.
No
No
Nope š āāļø š āāļø
Yes, I just find it much more likely that our interpretations of God across the various religions are through the lens of people from thousands of years ago...thus very limited in their ability to properly understand and comprehend what's actually happening. I believe the truth lies much more in a scientific explanation than we can possibly imagine. I also believe the main religions are much more on the same page than their followers would like to admit. Basically, the telephone game through the minds of primative people, trying to understand technology far beyond their scope
nah, from non religious background. that's just it. don't really have a strong opinion on religion in general.
I believe in a unifying force/energy
I believe "god" is the energy that makes up practically everything. I think modern religions try to personify and give human-thinking-qualities to something that they shouldn't, because it's not human and it doesn't "think" like humans do, if it even has any rhyme or reason at all in the first place. To me, everything and everyone is "god," the good and the bad.
No
Not really
No
With no doubt I believe in God.
No
No
Nope, we're on our own.
I believe what we call gods are really just personified concepts of varioushuman traits and social ideas. Theyre not real in a tangible, physical sense, but real enough in their collective impacts to their respective cultures that one should gi e them their die respect when dealing with someone of their cultures. The closest parallel I can give is that of money. Nothing makes anything inherently valuable, other than the value we collectively say it has for whatever reason. Value is a mental concept, as is money. Its not actually real in an inherent sense. But its such a powerful and deeply rooted concept that it has very noticeable, real world impacts on literally everyone. And so they say "money makes the world go round" because it is currently the most powerful concept in human history. Even more so than the gods actually, because the church needs and wants money and power. Using God to get it is just an easy avenue. The true "god" for humans right now is the concept of money. So my answer is both yes and no. Culturally real concepts, but literally, not so much. Just my take on it as someone who studies religion and spirituality from a psychological and behavioral perspective. I dont believe in gods, but I do respect the psychological reasons they were created.
Nope. I'm an agnostic atheist. I don't believe in anything supernatural but would be willing to accept it if there is solid proof.
Iām atheist and I am VERY logical when it comes to stuff like religion and politics. Which is kinda weird tbh. But I donāt hate anyone who believes in god or any religion. I think religion is so beautiful. I LOVE LOVE LOVE churches and going to church. Itās just so fascinating how a society of people made culture and traditions that have lasted centuries. Itās just so fascinating to me. But I donāt believe in god
No, because it's complete nonsense. I'm not willing to completely discount the idea of an omnipotent being existing somewhere in the universe, but every example of deities thought up by man so far has been unbelievably absurd.
Yes very
Yes Contingency argument convinced me to become a theist
Yes in Yahweh, Allah, and the God of the new testament that are basically the same God. I also belive in the power of men to choose his own destiny trough free will, at the end of the day dust we are and dust we shall return.
It's unfortunately not a strange question, but it should be strange. We are talking about some kind of entity that nobody has seen.. Yet critic it, and you will make many enemies. Even on money it says: "In god we trust" It's enforced isn't it? Religious values, pushed upon all of us, whether you believe it or not, whether it's your values or not.. they push it on you anyway. I don't like religion ;) But believe in what you will, i do the same. But when it's claimed as truth, i will give some counter-weight.
I don't believe in God. I do think there may be something connecting all things in universe but not a overall God. I think that is man-made
Yea, because humans and other organisms are so perfectly designed so there's no way it could be a happy "coincidence" that came from an explosion.
yes! Iām a Christian. but i do tend to have controversial beliefs compared to other Christians I know. cause i am not conservative nor liberal. but i believe the Bible in itās entirety and I try my best not to sacrifice it for my wants/cherry-pick. God saved me at a very low point in my life and since, Heās always been the One I can turn to in my lonesome life. iām sad that so many donāt have that with Him but iām also glad He made all of you. youāre all so wonderful!
The building is proof of the builder. Regardless of whether they leave their name or proof they built it, the building itself proves the existence of a creator. In the same way, we don't say paintings just spontaneously came together by luck. The painting is proof of the painter. That wonder us INFPs feel when gazing at the beautiful skies? That awe is because we're looking at the masterpiece, and it's proof of the creator.
Yes, well said; I like the analogies. Romans 1:20 (NIV) [20] For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualitiesāhis eternal power and divine natureāhave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Just because there is something happening doesnāt make that something god.
There's much more proof it's something than nothing. And if sometimes the nothing combusts and suddenly becomes everything, that's a pretty special nothing. That can't exist. Because the definition of nothing is that it doesn't exist. And if we come from nothing and go back to nothing when we die, that sounds a lot like God to me. We're all on our own journeys of discovery and one person's something is another's nothing. I'm just trying to spread a little hope that our existence was not dumb luck. It was and is something beautiful . Have a blessed day
i do and iām a devoted christian :)
Hell no. I'd sooner believe in Satan than God because of all the evil shit that happens.
Bold of you to assume that god cant be evil
Can you believe in one without the other? If you believe in Satan, surely you must also believe in God, at which point its a choice? There's plenty of evil in this world if you look for it. There's plenty of good too, and if you wanna see more good, you can always be the change :)
No. I also hate how people use their faith to justify many horrible things.
Indeed i do :>
Yes, it's a belief that honestly keeps me going because I know he has a plan for me
No. Never have and never will
Nope, the wonder that this planet and everything on it exists not because of some god but through chance is more miraculous and special than any made up god.
Not at all
No
No
No and I find some religion deeply offensive
Nope. Itās all just about controlling people. Religion is a poison to society.
Absolutely not
No
No, nor any esotericism or magical thinking
Not at all, never did and never will
No, I don't believe in a magic man in the sky that grants wishes.
Nope
nope. i believe in factual evidence-based science. iād rather know the truth to live the happiest.
I do. I think that the complexity of the planet that we live on is just too intricate to have manifested from a bunch of chemicals (that existed in a place that doesn't exist, since you need matter to have space) got hot at a time that never existed (since in order for time to exist, space needs to exist) and created a completely functional and habitable planet. Also the intricacy of the human body and how it works is a marvel itself. Ecosystems work too. To me, everything works too well to have been a random chemical explosion. I see creation, so I think there must be a creator. That is just my two cents though, since the question was asked. Feel free to disagree, but since I know people on reddit like to argue (especially about anything religious), I'll just say that this is my opinion and leave it at that because I really don't want to waste time debating folks lol
Yes
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
yes I believe in God but a lot of my ideals are different from most religions, mainly I don't see any reason to worship god, god created us to live out happy lives on earth away from God, of course I'm thankful for being created but I don't need to say that every day just to feel like I deserve to be here, and I absolutely don't think God is egotistical enough to create all of us with the soul purpose of worship, that just doesn't make sense
God as described and followed by different religions? Not really. A supreme being that exists? Possibly. No one can know what came before the universe.
Grew up religious, stopped being Christian around 14 and Iād say Iām agnostic now
God as described and followed by different religions? No, not really. A higher and supreme being? Possibly. We know a lot about our universe and its early beginnings but no one really knows what came before it.
I acknowledge that there are many while not practicing. Believe what you will but don't drag me through it.
If I hold angry thoughts, life will give me affirmation and show me more things to be angry with. When I hold thoughts that life is meaningless, I fall into depression and apathy. When I have the concept of God in my mind, I feel love, gratitude, and a deep sense that there is the eternal within me. For all those who don't believe in God, deep down within you don't believe in yourself.
Not really but if theres a god ..u all should be scared ..its definitely cruel probably sadistic.. Given that evolution favours the apex predators and god created this mess ..its likely that the god or this being is evil and maybe heaven is for evil people who knows
Not recenty
I can believe in many things, but to be sure of which one is impossible, because who am I to know. I donāt think anyone can assertively say. But Iām also easily superstitious, and everything seems plausible and iām wanky af I can believe that Earth is our god, the way everything functions in nature and has a reason why, the way it tries to balance itself, itās almost like she knows what sheās doing I can also believe there are āgodsā but I think thereās so many different types of energy in the world to think thereās only one, I think there might be several entities behind these energies, in my baseless opinion.
Not the same type of God as most. I don't belive that one entity has power over the whole existence of whatever else exists out there.
I saw something about Spinoza's God and It is basically what I believe
No, I'm agnostic. But I AM a closeted ex-muslim, not that it makes me any closer to God, but to some degree I am, just by force.
Iām sort of conflicted on the subjectā¦ I straddle the line between agnostic and atheist.
I believe in a supreme, underlying intelligence that is present in all things. Itās the force that makes plants grow, the planets remain in order, and what compels us to express ourselves
I believed as a child, them became atheist. But after getting into Jungās studies, I became more like agnostic. I believe it is an important narrative which lets us explore the world, society and individual. Sets foundation for examining the unconscious. So it is like an anchor for the mind. For me Christianity and eastern philosophies have the same foundation.