AIBU to ask if you believe in God - particularly if you didn't previously, and what that's like

[Pinesinthedunes]

Just as the title says really. I don't believe in God. I'm very curious about those who do - particularly those who didn't previously. How did your belief develop? How do you conceptualise God? Can it be a choice? I have a lot of admiration and curiosity for anyone who is able to sustain a sincere faith in Western culture. How important is having a community around you to strengthening your faith? Thank you in advance for any thoughts on this you would be happy to share

@MayThe4th

But the bible was written by men. Why can't you separate it from Jesus and god?

Posting on the thread is not taking it over ffs.

I believe in God, although my conception of God over the years has changed so much that I think I've almost refined it out of existence (something like "the connectedness between things, the working out of the universe") which is probably closer to the Buddhist concept of karma than a traditional Christian notion of God. I do consider myself a Christian, just one who allows a larger role for metaphor in my interpretation of the Bible than might be standard.

I don't think my approach is that unusual, at least not in the UK; in fact, most Christians I've talked to about this have a conception of God that's along the same lines- God as a force of love and connectedness rather than a personality who does or doesn't get involved in what goes on in the world- so the sky fairy jibes don't really hit.

It is when OP specifically directs a question to people who believe in God asking what it's like and you get lots of atheists responding and posting the same thing (I don't believe in a God that allows children to be hurt etc).

Start your own thread instead of derailing OP's.

Uh oh, the thread police have arrived.

It's not thread policing to call out atheists for preaching on a thread where OP is asking from opinions on those who believe in God.

Of course it is. The thread wasn’t asking for opinions of people who believe in god, she asked “to ask if you believe in God,” and then asked what it was like if you did.

So it stands to reason that there are going to be posters who will answer “no.”

No, she says 'I don't believe in God. I'm very curious about those who do - particularly those who didn't previously.'

I never had a choice not to in that from birth I was indoctrinated into a faith

I've since left that faith, however my belief in a higher power remains- simply free from the shackles of what I believe are rules and concepts imposed by mankind on the supernatural

I didn't lose my belief in that I interact sometimes with a higher power/supernatural and find peace and love in that, because that continues regardless of shedding my former beliefs and is my lived experience

Should I find new evidence that suggests I have been kidding myself - my beliefs would evolve again

That’s pretty much nonsensical. The actions of something don’t make it exist or not exist.

Many belief systems see God as everything, good and bad (you appear to have a very narrow definition of the God you don’t believe in)

How do you conceptualise God?

Although I’m always interested in how Atheists describe God, it often isn’t anything like many believers conceptualise God. So I would like Atheists to explain exactly what they are rejecting.

I believe in God, I believe a man named Jesus walked this earth once but I don’t believe he was the son of god. I went to a catholic school although my parents were not practicing catholics and I didn’t get any religious conditioning at home, but I did because of my school. I don’t know when I ditched the idea of Jesus being the son of god.

I am not interested in any organised religion, I don’t discuss religion with anybody. It is just between me and God.

I really, really, really hate seeing outrageously religious people post on facebook, Instagram & elsewhere online 😡
Saw a posting on fb of a new ichthyosaur fossil found in England not long ago, and most of the comments on it were 'this is fake' 'earth is only 6000 years old' 'drowned in the flood' and so on, all by bible bashers in America or Africa etc.
So they try to hijack a scientific post with their narrow minded views and shout down and insult others for believing in actual demonstrated science.

Boyfriend posted on a video of a Harpy eagle - world's largest eagle and quite spooky looking up close. They hunt monkeys & sloths in South America & can carry prey twice their body weight!
Lots of nice comments and chat, BF mentions the African Crowned eagle -which is related & only slightly smaller - hunted our ancestors young only a few million years ago. Australopithecus or homo erectus I think?

One guy exploded in the comments! American, he hurled around ten posts - which BF calmly refuted - before he got REALLY nasty. BF just blocked and reported him.
It's the blind pigheadedness of 'the bible says this' , to which BF says 'which version on the bible? Various Vatican councils removed around a third of original text. Plus which translations?' etc.
It's reasonable to compare them to well known old fairytales which change and are reinterpreted by every telling.

My second foster family were a bit too religious but they'd never do stuff like this. And then the young Earthers wade in as well.
Give me strength.

You can be spiritual and not believe in God with a capital G. BF is good friends with a local CofE vicar, and they have long jovial discussion with all matter of topics.
Even the vatican belatedly pardoned to Galileo for accusing him of heresy for his astronomy findings.
And think they've moved on from opposing evolution as fact now.
Bible or religion does not hold the answers - hardly any in fact.
One thing I do think is "be excellent to one another" - a cheesy cliché from those Bill & Ted films but a simple statement of good will to everyone.
Soz for rambling.

@Nannyfannybanny, kudos to your DC!

Unlike DS, I don't think the Jesus of the bible existed - there would be archaeological evidence and Roman records (all that is claimed dates from after his time). The Jewish priests were working with the Roman oppressors, so there was a strong desire for revolutionaries with a kinder version of the religion and a hopeful message. As this took hold, it would make sense to roll these charismatic rebels into a single, symbolic character.

The great ones would definitely have been Derren Browns! Derren did a series on the 'miracles' performed by preachers all over Asia, Africa and America to this day.

People 'coming back to life' wasn't as rare then as it is today - though it still happens. As DD says, diagnostic instruments weren't very advanced. Several conditions can mimic death, which is why most cultures have a tradition of watching over the corpse for at least a few days.

I have my own ideas about what the mind's "God spot" represents in evolutionary terms - a remnant of the infant's perception of the parent, perhaps, and a sense of connection to all living things which seems to be default in most creatures. For me individually, the idea serves as a useful pivot for tried & tested psychological tools, I don't afford it any overwhelming importance.

Ah the good old “God Spot” a desperate attempt to rationalise the irrational. What I’ve never seen is anyone coming at this from the perspective of there is a god and these neural pathways are more developed the more spiritually advance someone is.

A belief in God does not have to involve following a religion

Well, I've seen someone coming from that perspective now!

"these neural pathways are more developed the more spiritually advanced someone is" - is far to woolly a statement for me.

What does "spiritually advanced" mean?
How does the possible (not definite) existence of a "spiritual" brain function evidence the existence of a god?
Why is it irrational? What's wrong with looking for reasons?

When I first started meditating, I used to have to spend at least 40 minutes getting into the desired state. Now I can do it in a few deep breaths. I've clearly developed neural pathways that some people would call "spiritual" - but I'm guessing you wouldn't?

I've found this thread so interesting and helpful to lurk on and read. Thanks OP for starting and thanks to those who have answered the question. I do despair a bit with any thread like this because it inevitably gets people chipping in who have an axe to grind and want to debate the existence of God/evils of religion etc. Can we just have one thread where people can share their personal experiences of faith without people coming in wanting to prove a point? It is so predictable and dispiriting. WE KNOW, we have heard it all a million times on a million threads!

Meditation isn’t spiritual in itself though is it, it is what arises during the meditation that is .

it really doesn’t matter whether a statement is too wholly for you, it doesn’t stop it potentially being true, just because it doesn’t fit within your ideological framework is pretty irrelevant as to its validity. Maybe not everything that is true can be tested using the scientific method.

what is spiritually advanced? it means closer to experiencing life as a spiritual existence, able to see beyond the physical, further a long the spiritual journey

Does the existence of a spiritual brain function evidence God? well I would say it neither proves or disproves in equal measure.

Theres nothing wrong with seeking reasons as long as you don’t limit yourself to only looking at things from one perspective.

Love this.

Of course you do. "Counter cultural, traditional and very conservative", yeah I think we all know that that means.

Meditation isn’t spiritual in itself though is it, it is what arises during the meditation that is

I can only understand "spiritual" as some kind of ill-defined woo, @OMG12, so I don't understand your meaning here. Tell me, though, would you say prayer isn't spiritual in itself?

Well define prayer, it would depend on the intention and meaning attached to it otherwise it’s just words,

your inability to define spirituality is really not my issue, although I’m intrigued as to how you can reject something you cannot define.

There goes another of your Great Leaps, @OMG12 - I haven't rejected it!
But never mind, we're turning into a derailment. Good night.

Thank you so much for posting this. One of my favourite poems that I've not read for a long while. It brought me to tears. So beautiful.