Why you do or don't believe in God?

[summerbloom]

Interested to hear people's views on why they do believe in God or on why you don't believe in God.....

I do. I'm a biologist. I can't comprehend the universe being an accident, it's too perfectly designed :)

I do.

People often sneer because I have a scientific background, but faith is a personal thing. I find those that denounce it with certainty à la Dawkins to be arrogant.

I don't. Hell was my deciding factor and the idea that a supernatural being I was supposed to worship could condemn anyone to eternal damnation.
You get older you meet a few criminals and you realise many of us are victims of our circumstances and upbringing.
Once you stop believing in hell and heaven it all falls apart as you're then creating a pick'n mix god.
The Christian god was always way too interested in people's sex lives as well.

I just don't. The mental gymnastics needed to believe such bizarre things take it beyond belief for me. It gives people comfort so I can see why they choose to let themselves believe. Each to their own.

I don't - because I'd like to see some proof before I committed to believing something that seems implausible (to me).

I sometimes wish I did, there must be a comfort in religion. I have friends of various religions (and other atheists) and don't feel all 'Dawkins' about it. It's just my personal belief based on the evidence I've seen.

I couldn't word it better than the first poster. However, I do think that all religion is man made and largely manipulative balls

I don't. I believe we adapted to our surroundings; evolution.

I'm agnostic so differ from an atheist in that I know there IS an answer. However, I believe the answer is beyond current human understanding (unknowable).

I can't believe in a god that can do things like give babies and children cancer and have people all over the world starve to death. If he doesn't exist then he's an arsehole

Does exist*

No

I find it astonishing anyone does, to be honest.

I'm on the fence. I'm not baptised or confirmed or anything like that. My mum believes, but what I can't get my head around is that God is supposed to talk to you, and I just don't get this. Are we talking literally or metaphorically?

Though I do believe in a creator, and I would live to believe that we are cared for as individuals, I just can't rationally think that that can be the case. War, famine, cancer personal hardships that people are given way too much to bear. I tend to think of us as more of a science project akin to an ant farm...

I don't see any evidence for the existence of a personal God who takes an interest in humanity. On the contrary, in my opinion the world makes far more sense if thought of as being driven by blind, impersonal forces rather than by a higher power guiding things.

I don't but have utmost respect for people who do.
I don't because it hasn't been proven that there is one.

I don't. It just seems so obviously made up as a way of explaining things before people could. We still can't explain everything but, as I've heard it expressed, the space for God or gods becomes smaller and smaller. And then comparing all the different religions, extant and extinct, clearly gives the lie to any organised religion being the 'one true word of God'.

I can sort of understand a general belief in the numinous, though I don't have one myself, but I really find it hard to understand adherents of specific clearly constructed religions.

I do. He gives me strength when I feel weak and comfort when I feel vulnerable. I believe that he is the goodness in all of us. I don't believe he's an omnipotent being that sits in judgment of us or someone who points a finger at a child and gives it cancer but I do think He's the love and strength to get us through those dark difficult times. Hard to explain in words but I just feel His presence all around me and deep within me.

shuttytown could I ask what makes your think God gives children cancer etc?

*you

I don't, mostly because I think it's bonkers and totally implausible. But also because when you look back at the history of religion, it's so patently obvious a) why religions were invented and b) that if there are so many different ones they can't possibly be true.

Agnostic here. My logic and brain doesn't, it makes no sense. But a wee little part of me senses something.

I sometimes think there is an architect god that set up the laws of physics that made it all happen. It just all seems so odd to have nothing that explodes into something
I struggle with a god that needs to be worshipped and cares a lot about what women wear and what we eat etc.

I don't know why I still believe (brought up practising Catholic). It's not a rational thing. And it certainly isn't for want of questioning. I just do.

No I don't believe. I think most organised religion is a way of controlling the masses.

I do believe, I'm a scientist too. If I'm brutally honest its a crutch that I need, that's why I believe. I have had four stillborn DC, plus babies lost to late and missed miscarriage and one last chance miracle baby (DS). The idea of my non surviving children being happy in heaven, and getting to cuddle them again one day brings me so much comfort, I just can't cope with thinking of alternatives. I nearly lost my mind, believing gave me something to cling to.

All religions are human inventions, mostly written at times when no one knew any better. That these far fetched, superstitious and medieval stories are still relevant to so many is despairing.

Quite simply, the fact that we don't know everything about the universe does not mean that the default answer must be "god" and to think so is incredibly lazy and naive.