To ask to try and explain your faith in God

[yesterdaysgone]

I know most threads about religion get loads of "the imaginary friend in the sky" type comments. But can we have this one just for those of us who do believe and what inspires us so.

I like the idea of God. For all our faults we're quite a remarkable species on a remarkable planet. Parts of our planet are too extreme for life as it is, and to current human knowledge, life is dependent on such a narrow combination of circumstances.

My (pretty ordinary) scientific understanding of the world doesn't undermine my sense of spirituality. I can look at a stunning mountain view and explain U shaped valleys, erosion processes etc, but something touches me deeply about its beauty. I don't find the idea of those physical processes incompatible with a belief in God.
I also find myself weepy in churches, but no obvious emotional state attached.

I find human descriptions of God problematic if we apply concepts such as omnipotent, omniscient. Different religions have their wisdoms (and often follies) but that's a human interpretation of the world and they have developed to explain the world when less scientific understanding was avaliable. Religion is a channel for human behaviour both bad and good. I do associate with a religion and go to church but am not purist or literal in my beliefs. I like it as a quiet space aside from daily life and chance to think beyond my usual self-contained thoughts.

If I get to the end of my life and I'm wrong then I'm unlikely to ever be aware of it. Hopefully my beliefs have helped me to be a pretty decent person along the way which has value and they have brought me comfort at difficult times.

What a great post jynx, i wish I could explain my beliefs as well as that. It's hard to put into words, but i see Gods work all around me. The complexities of us human beings, the miracle of life, our capacity for such deep love, emotion, joy, compassion etc. I couldn't possibly imagine we are here by chance, life would be so futile. I think we all reach out for God constantly without always being aware. We aren't "complete" here on earth, we are always striving for that illusive thing, which to me is God.