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Original poster

How can you possibly believe in a benevolent God

886 replies

partialderivative · 30/04/2015 23:01

Once more, acts of 'god' have left communities blown apart.

Does any one really feel these vilages deserved it?

God's a bit of a cunt at times.

OP posts:
dejarderoncar · 01/05/2015 09:48

I am a lifelong atheist despite being brought up by churchgoing parents, sent to CofE primary, Sunday school when little and then regular church on Sundays, confirmation etc. But it just didn't take, it was all too ridiculous.

I honestly think we cannot help whether we believe or not. We have different personalities and needs, and some can believe and others simply cannot even if they want to.

dejarderoncar · 01/05/2015 09:53

I would add, as a lesbian, it would be putting myself down considerably to believe in someone who supposedly made me as I am and then decided I was substandard goods.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 01/05/2015 09:54

God is like Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy (if he or they were real), but much more malign. He's more like a Father Christmas who doesn't deliver to everyone, and gives a few of the little children cancer or an earthquake, or a violent death or a miserable life, but some of them - usually the ones who've got most already - a little extra.

Ho ho ho.

Abraid2 · 01/05/2015 09:54

There was some research I read that said that religiosity could be hereditary, to a degree, at least.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 09:58

I agree wi his having different needs

Some people do desperately want to believe in he hope that it will bring some comfort and others feel incredibly angry with god and that they are unable to find comfort in their beliefs

ShortandSweeter · 01/05/2015 10:01

That's the devil's fault. A lot of people seem to forget about the devil when it comes to this stuff.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 10:02

Bugger this phone the he/his no reflection on my beliefs

JassyRadlett · 01/05/2015 10:02

We both know calling Voldemort a cunt is not going to get the same reaction

Granted, but that wasn't the point you made. You asked why someone would call God a cunt if they didn't believe, surely they would just not believe. My response was to pint out that it's entirely logical to not believe in something and still have a view about the nature of that idea - particularly for those of us who did believe in that idea in the past.

It's even more reasonable when that idea is set up in a privileged position in our society over other analogous ideas (religions), and the idea that there is no religion at all. Given Christianity's structural power and influence, it's entirely natural that those who don't believe in a Christian god should question the logic of belief in that god, and therefore the logic of that god's adherents continuing to enjoy structural privilege.

There is, I'm sure you'll agree, a wide gap between 'mocking' (your word) those with a belief and stating one's own view about the nature of that belief.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 01/05/2015 10:04

Oh yes, the Devil. Whom the all-forgiving Lord booted out and was then very sadly, despite his omnipotence and benign intentions, forced to allow to wreak havoc all over the globe forever.

Mermaidhair · 01/05/2015 10:09

Thank you to all of the posters, who have stood up for our God! I know it's a hard thing to do, it's so much easier to fly under the radar, we know when we become Christians that it wouldn't be an easy road. Much love to you, and God bless. Xx

bumblingbovine49 · 01/05/2015 10:13
Mermaidhair · 01/05/2015 10:17

Amen

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 10:18

Questioning the belief or simply staying your do not hold that belief and and feel all religion is a load or rubbish or you want to use stronger language made up by cunts who wanted control I understand

But I am not understanding how calling something that you have no belief in a cunt it makes no sense in the same way as an atheist calling god evil

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 10:27

great post bumblingbovine49

Sistermillyrose · 01/05/2015 10:34

If you blame God for natural disasters you are actually acknowledging his existence. So that means you believe in God but blame him when disasters happen. It's funny we never seem to get threads where God is glorified for the sheer beauty of this planet and the miracle that we are here at all.
Why must God be blamed for such disasters as earthquakes but then not equally praised for the design of the universe and the huge diversity of this planet, the wonders of which are so awesome they are mind boggling and couldn't have happened by chance alone.
There are so many non believers who close their minds to the existence of God and therefore must wonder what we are all here on earth for.
The proof of Gods existence is all around us, we just need to look.

FeijoaSundae · 01/05/2015 10:38

Nobody is blaming him for natural disasters; they're saying IF he were to exist, as creator, he is responsible for all natural disasters.

Why is that so hard to grasp?

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 10:42

My own feeling is that Christian/unitarian worship is a reverential activity. I think there's an obvious problem with the idea of adoring a god who can't really get things right. So, the solution is to claim that it's right, even when it's horrific. The pagans had a more sensible solution which was to have different gods for different things. So, they could blame bad things on bad gods. Pretty logical, wouldn't you say.

I'm a Christian who thinks that Christian theology is a bit silly. But, the Church (CofE) for me, is a wonderful institution and does great good.

YouBetterWerk · 01/05/2015 10:43

Exactly, Feijoa

Subsequently, just want to clarify that those of us who do not believe in any god do not chose to not believe.
We simply can't believe in him.
It's like asking us to chose to believe that 1 + 1 = 5.
You can't chose to not believe in something if you never believe it exists in the first place.

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 10:47

Because, when there is a beautiful sunrise and the birds are singing, there's no need to get on mumsnet and express a crisis of faith.

FeijoaSundae · 01/05/2015 10:48

^^ Exactly.

To those who believe ...Is he the creator of the universe, or is he not?

If he is is ... then he created the tectonic plates that shift and rumble, and produce earthquakes on such a scale that they devastate entire countries. This is non-deniable, surely.

wickedlazy · 01/05/2015 10:51

I'm a backslider.

One thing that always bothered me, is the idea some christians lead good moral lives, so they can be rewarded by admittance to heaven. But an athiest can lead a good, moral life, and not expect any reward. Surely it's better to do good things for the sake of it, than to do good things for personal gain?

FeijoaSundae · 01/05/2015 10:53

Christians can lead downright immoral lives and be admitted to heaven.

Muslims can lead moral lives and not be admitted to a Christian heaven.

Go figure.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/05/2015 10:54

atheists are given a last chance at the gates of heaven to believe (not sure if that is from both islam and christianity)

but if you do not believe what does it matter to an atheist

DoraGora · 01/05/2015 10:55

wicked, I think that's a slightly different issue. One of the developments from it is the definition of a good act, too. Maybe a subject for another thread.

Incidentally, as pps have pointed out, and the title of the OP insinuates, in the face of great disasters, how can God be benevolent? I think the answer is, with immense difficulty.

Mermaidhair · 01/05/2015 10:59

Feijoa, a real Christian won't lead an immoral life. As a Christian I am always trying to become a better person, and more like Jesus. Just because someone goes to church doesn't mean they are a Christian, it is so so so much more than that.