How Many Believe in God?

Yeah, I wouldnt believe it either if I didnt have it happen to myself, I dont blame anyone or hold it against anyone for not believing me. I believe me, thats all that matters to me. LOL

Yes, I most definately believe there is a God.
I do not follow any religion, I consider myself a Realist/Christian.

The reason for my belief, is because of all of the evidence I have witnessed for myself in my life. I used to hate God, and Jesus, and Religion. If you want to understand why, read my thrid post on this thread: www.abovetopsecret.com...

God, the Higher Power, whatever you want to call it, has touched my life in a profound way. I'll give you one example here, if you want more, feel free to ask!

I was trying to find a highlight reel of Barry Sanders. I looked everywhere, and couldn't find a thing. Then one day I found one on Ebay, so I watched it. The price went up to around $70 at the close. I deliberated for a long time about it, because I had a very hard time justifying that much money for a video. On the other hand, I didn't know if I would ever see one again. So I felt it was for me, and bought it.

After I received it, my wife and I watched it. Afterwards, I told her "man I wish I could get a copy of this to Quentin Griffin." I lived in Oklahoma for 8 years, and Oklahoma football is a religion there. Quentin Griffin played for OU when they won the national championship. Then he was drafted by the Denver Broncos that Spring. Quentin is about the same size as Barry Sanders, so I thought it would be good for him to watch how someone of his size adapted to NFL play.

Then our TV broke, and wasn't fixable because of the age and availability of parts for it. So we went to Best Buy to get a new one. We were standing there looking at TVs, and my wife turns to me and says "hey Dan, that's Quentin Griffin." I look over, and there's Quentin with his mom looking at TVs. So I went over to them and introduced myself. I told him I watched him all through college, and had lived in Oklahoma. I went on to tell him, that I had just gotten done watching a Barry Sanders video the other night, and that I couldn't wait to see him get out on the field and do his thing.

He looked at me shocked/excited, and said you have a Barry Sanders highlight reel? Where did you find it? So I told him the story I told you. He said "man I have been looking for one of those everywhere, I even looked on Ebay and couldn't find one!" So I offered to get him a copy, if he could give me his phone number to get in touch. So he gave me his phone number.

I made a copy for him, and then set up a time and place to meet with him for a drink. We met at a restraunt, sat down and just started talking. I had an overwhelming feeling again, about something I didn't even want to dare say. This was going out on a limb even for me. I told him that I don't usually tell people stuff like this, but I have a very strong feeling that you are going to get your chance alot sooner then you think.

He asked me why, and I told him that Clinton Portis was getting a big ego, and I felt God would try to humble him. When we were getting ready to leave, he asked me again about him getting his chance before he anticipated. I told him, yes I think you need to be ready to go at any time.

Around the thrid or fourth game into the season. Clinton Portis was hurt on a play, so the Broncos put in Mike Anderson. Then Mike Anderson was injured, and you know what happened. Quentin Griffin had his NFL debut. Later in the season, Clinton came back after healing from his injury. They were playing the Chiefs, and at the end of the game Clinton Portis put on a championship belt to declair he was best running back in the NFL. I told my wife here we go again.

Then Clinton gets hurt again. So Quentin got his first full game against the Indianapolis Colts. He tore them apart, and single handedly saved the Broncos play-off hopes. Just about every report after the game had some analyst saying things like "the only person I have seen run like that was Barry Sanders." I told my wife after that, Clinton Portis better mind his p's and q's, or Quentin is going to have his job. I also told her if Clinton tries to get a new contract before his old one expires, that I bet the Broncos will get rid of him. Clinton wanted more money at the end of the season, and the Broncos traded him.

Sorry this was kind of long, but I didn't want to leave out any key details. It's important I think, to show Syncronicities flow, so people understand how it works.

Take care all,
Tom Sawyer

I guess im agnostic kind of. Basically I believe that god lies within all of us. I see god as more like an abstract concept than an actual entity. I think god is the magic that is inherent in the universe. He is what connects everything in the world, from the plants to the rocks to the animals to us. All of us together make up god, but god is also contained within each of us. Well thats what I think, you guys probably won't understand this, but it makes sense to me and thats all that matters right? Just something to get you by day to day
Peace

ColonelForbin,
Just wanted to let you know that I understand what you are saying, and agree with you completely. I also think God is what makes up the Universal Mind. After all the Bible says God is "all knowing". I also wated to prove I'm capable of posting short posts as well. ;-)

Take care,
Tom

ColonelForbin
I understand that as well, often times I think a person has to look inwards to find god. Well actually, I think god is everywhere so, to me, doesnt matter where one looks, they will find if they really look...lol Seek and ye shall find...no doubt.

*edited for a typo cause I speak fluent typonese*

[Edited on 12-5-2004 by Darkblade71]

For those of you that wish to have proof of God laid scientifically at your footsteps please visit this site.

www.leaderu.com...

To put it in a nut shell Relativity and the Big Bang Singularity implied a creator. It is a facinating read especially for agnostics, as I once was.

Yes I believe in a supreme creator. After looking at the beauty and wonders that are in the Universe, the balance, the elegance, and listening to what my heart and soul tell me..... that's all the "proof" I need.

I do believe in God. Im a catholic, just turned. I'm going through hell at the moment, my life is in ruins, but God is looking over me and keeps me from falling.

Im a Christian. I was raised a Christian and everyone in my family are Christians. I belive there is a God because there is no proof of how everything would have come to be if there wasnt a God, and the other reasond im not going to post.

I believe in God. I was raised Catholic, my entire family is Catholic. When I was a teenager and such I hated going to Church and thinking about God, but now that I'm getting out of my teens I'm getting back into religion. ATS has actually given my faith a boost; there are so many athiests/agnostics/Christians here who start topics that I debate and post on, that it has served to strengthen my faith and help me define exactly what it is I believe. Discussion leads to great things.



Why no exceptions? I don't find it hard to believe that there is an all powerful "something" out there who has always been, and will always be. The Lord says in the Bible, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." That's exactly what I think. I don't need science to prove God's existence, or that he was created from something. He's always been there, and always will be, that's all there is.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not blind to options, or close minded, or what have you, but this is one thing I strongly believe in, and I believe its true. Some people can't or won't accept that there is a God, but I have.

It makes no sense. I'm a man of logic. There is no logic in claiming that everything needs a creator, except the creator. Nothing is timeless. There is absolutely no proof, in the entire universe, of anything being timeless.

I have made good things happen in my life, without god. Sometimes bad things also happen, and I manage to get through them, without god. I don't need god. If it's important that I believe, then god will just have to show me proof. Until then, he can kiss my skeptical ass. Most xians will gasp in shock and take two steps away when they hear me say things like that. Guess what, I haven't seen one lightning bolt yet. Nor have I had any supernatural voodoo happen. I've challenged the bastard to show himself, whether in a negative or positive aspect. He's a no show.

If you believe in yourself, and know yourself as completely as you are able, you will have the first step to knowing the divine.

There are many people who have worn down the coin of language in the word "believe in God," and/or any other word you use to describe a supreme being with various attributes.

The end result of this worn down coin of language is that words do not mean what they meant before. You have a xerox copy of what "believe," meant to someone years before. Come on now, you have a few clues such as "the kingdom of heaven is within you." Why do you keep looking "out there," too much anyway, and why do you have to "believe," to the exclusion of good sense?

If you know God, if you know as much as a human being can know about this now worn down expression of all powerful, all wise, all good counsel, you will still have to deal with all the other people who do not even have a clue even if they were the Pope himself.

Seek him an find him, but be aware, and beware, others will most never like what you find especially if it is genuinely good, genuinely wise, and you will really get it from others even those who think they know.

Find God, but keep it "above top secret," otherwise you know the consequences, more counterfeit "believers," who pass your beliefs down so they can be hijacked by psychopaths and sheepdogs, and very few who find God despite themselves.

I am also a man of logic. Please read the link below to fing the scientific answer to why God exsists.

www.answersingenesis.org...

I don't believe you are.


What logic is there in believing "god" had no beginning? You believe that only because the bible tells you so? Where's the logic in that? Not only is there no proof that god is not timeless, there's no proof that he even exists. I might be able to believe that, IF there was just one other example of such a timeless thing. It doesn't fit into the general scheme of everything that we know to exist. Not only do you want me to believe that there is a god, but you also want me to believe that he's the most unique thing in existence.

[Edited on 5-12-2004 by Satyr]

Interesting argument(s)....
Here's my thoughts and my opinion:

Your comments seem to echo from this--
If the universe needs a cause, then why doesn't God need a cause? And if God Doesn't need a cause, why should the universe need a cause?

Hmm, is this what your implying Saytr?


Here's something I learned awhile back:
Whether you are a Theist of an Atheist, there are only 2 possible theories of Ultimate Origin, in regards to God:
A) Something has always existed eternally and without being created. One can call it God or one can call it matter. This theory stipulates that God exists because there was never a time when he didn't. Did God not say that he was "Alpha and Omega--the Beginning and the End"? As such, External existence is the Frist Cause without a cause: God.

B) Something came into being out of Nothingness without cause, again, call it God or call it matter. This theory merely implies that External existence is not the First cause without cause of God's existence. THat God must have just appeared out of the Nothingness and without cause.

Mainstream theory is that space, time, and existence went from non-being into Being in a split second of an eye when a 'singularity' (the universe condensed into a pinpoint) exploded or expanded. No one spends much time thinking about this or discussing just where the 'singularity' came from or why and how it exploded or expanded, but there are two possibilities: 1) "It" (God or Matter) always existed or 2) it appeared out of Nothingness and without cause....again, as mentioned above.

Your choice what you want to call it. Many choose to call it God and others choose to call it 'not' God.



seekerof

[Edited on 12-5-2004 by Seekerof]

Excellent explanation Seekerof!

Satyr, what have I done to make you think that I am not a man of reason? When have I been unreasonable? or is that I just do not share your view of the world that makes me unreasonable?

My reason tells me that in order for even the smallest organism to have formed out of the chance of amino acids bumping into one another would constitute a miracle in and of itself. What I have done is look at the evidence available and found that the alternative to God is a 1 in 10^113 chance of life formed by itself.

[Edited on 12-5-2004 by BlackJackal]

Exactly, Seeker! So, if some type of matter always existed, and it is "god", then why would anyone assume that it had a need for a consciousness? Does the universe have a consciousness? And if so, is it therefore "god"? If we can't relate to this consciousness, is it really even a consciousness at all? Or has man contributed human emotions to non-human things, as he so often attempts to do? The problem is, humans can't comprehend anything except human emotions. God is the most human supernatural force I've ever heard of. Therefore, I have no choice but to believe that he was created by humans...or maybe not "created", but given characteristics that satisfy human comprehension. I wish god would just smack me upside the head, then I could believe. I've done everything I know to prompt some sort of response(bad or good) out of this invisible entity. Still, he remains completely non-existent and apparently powerless to communicate. Do you suppose god's been kidnapped?


The chances of there being one unique, all powerful, timeless god are even more astronomical than that, though. You don't think so?

[Edited on 5-12-2004 by Satyr]

I believe in God but not in Religion.

God is impossible for the human mind in this reality to ever comprehend.

In my mind I can only see that the universe and life was created by some intelligent entity. There are no odds about the exsistence of this being because I don't beleive that understanding it is within our power. I can't say if it is the God in the Bible or if it is Zeus. All I can say is that everything is a little too complex to just happened.

I agree with you, this is why the whole religion thing is hard to discuss, debate and decide about. I think the movie Dogma put it best, let me paraphrase... The worst thing to happen to faith is the factioning of all the religions. I really don't know if Catholicism is better than other religions, but what I do know is that there is a God and that Christianity's viewpoint is the one that makes the most sense to me (albeit with some hypocrisies, mistranslations of the Bible, etc, but men aren't perfect, and religion is a human creation).



I am also a man of logic. I love logic, be it in math, philosophy, whatever. But there are some things out there, I believe, that are larger than ourselves and just may not be definable by logic. Enter God. I love logic, but I also love God and know He exists, and I've accepted the fact that he has always been and will always be.

I was gonna get into the nothing is timeless thing, but I need to take a while to collect my thoughts into coherent ideas.