Do you believe in God/a higher power?

[CuriousAboutWhatYouThink]

Not religion. I have no time for organised religion and the associated man made rules.

But do you believe in 'something'?

For context, my grandad was a CofE vicar but my parent rebelled against it and we were brought up broadly l in the religion (eg we celebrated main religious festivals like Easter and Christmas) but not as practising Christians and without a particular belief in God.

As an adult, I have friends of different faiths and none and it's something we have discussed from time to time. It's also something I used to discuss with my grandma who had a very strong belief in God but also believed the Bible until she became older when she still had a strong faith but admitted she thought the Bible was largely nonsense!

I suppose I've always felt that there is 'something' but I refer to it as the universe. I don't know, I always feel that there has been 'something' looking out for me.

That doesn't mean bad things have never happened because they have and religion/belief doesn't protect anyone from that. And it doesn't mean my life is anywhere near perfect because it's not. But the universe has always seemed to 'step in' when needed.

I don't know. I'm going through a tough time at the moment but I have a feeling everything will turn out to be OK because it always does.

Agree.

But it’s provable by quantum mechanics. Unlike a god.

I think about things like snowflakes.

Why is every snowflake mathematically perfect but also unique?

No one can even see that except under a microscope.

What is the probability that this is random chance?

No, it’s not.

If there is a higher power it will be beyond our comprehension and the frankly, bizarre notions of religion we currently have which are glorified population control.

Nope.

They're all fairy stories, a legacy of a time when we didn’t understand the world and had to explain natural phenomena by resorting to “magic” and “gods”.

I suppose it also fulfils an understandable desire for there to be some meaning or plan behind a random, chaotic universe.

I tend to believe this too, but why were we born? Why do we have consciousness for our life span and return to nothing?

Me too. It would have helped so much.

But it is pointless. That doesn’t mean it isn't great to be alive for however long we manage to stay alive.

Could you explain this please?

Why is your life pointless? And what does religion give you that makes it worthwhile?

No, there is no evidence whatsoever for God or a higher power.

All religions were clearly invented for controlling the population and trying to make sense of our existence before scientific explanations were available.

It’s called physics - each snowflake travels through the atmosphere and encounters different conditions.

Do you honestly think someone is actually making them??

My parents were never religious, but I went to schools which taught very firmly according to Christian beliefs, and it never occurred to me to question them. I did question some church practices, and for instance could never really understand why being Christian required us to come together to sit through a really dull service every week and listen to the vicar's limited stock of sermons over and over again. After I left school, the only times I went to church were for things like weddings and christenings, school events in church, and some Christmas ceremonies.

However, as time went on, I questioned Christian beliefs more and more, and simply couldn't get my head around the contradictions. Perhaps foremost was the concept of a loving God who allows awful suffering amongst innocent people when he is supposedly all-powerful and could easily prevent it. I also never saw any evidence whatsoever of, for instance, life after death. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that the reality is that there simply is no god and that that makes the universe make so much more sense. Subsequently nothing has made me change that view.

Yes, I do. Human beings need a belief system. Those who are atheist will put faith in other (not necessarily divine) things. No matter what beliefs are held, they have to exist, because then otherwise a person feels like a void, a husk, and we all know where such feelings can lead. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.

I believe in God, I wear a cross pendant (I have a few different ones) and I have a KJV Holy Bible. I haven't stepped foot into a Church in many years and I know I really ought to start again. I believe everyone is a child of God and atheists are simply lost (not meant with any disrespect). I believe God is joyful when someone finds or rediscovers their faith, be that in Jesus, or merely puts trust in God.

Others may choose to believe in the NHS, a random tree or shrub in their garden, or perhaps even just a small trinket/keepsake given to them by a relative. You have to believe in something. "Gotta have faith" as George Michael said. Not deliberate, I just have the song in my head.

No but if there is something when I arrive at the pearly gates , I will be having words !

Does there have to be a reason? Do you ask the same questions about why insects and all other animals were born?

This. It's why every religion makes god in their image, as per the Montesquieu quote - "if the triangles made a god they would give him three sides".

Nope. I only have to see the news and watch what is going on in the world, often in the name of religion…

No. It’s not possible. I understand why people find comfort in it. But no.

Nope. Absolutely not.

It's just a "belief" just that. Several hundred years ago, people were "God fearing", because if they didn't behave in a certain way, they thought they would be confined to the firey pits of Hell. I went to Sunday school, church,at 15 decided I didn't believe anymore. My oldest DD went to a church youth club,in her teens, the priest was struck off for underage sex. Most of the wars are caused by religion.

It's an outlook I find quite puzzling. "Unless there's a non-human intelligence observing what I do and with poorly communicated plans about how I should live my life, then it's pointless. Building a life with someone you have a real connection with? Meaningless. Watching your children grow? Why bother? Learning stuff, creating things, laughing, trying to make the world a better place... all completely pointless."

I get that what I do with my life is of no importance to the universe as a whole but it's enough that it's important to me and those I care about. I don't see the need to feel part of some cosmic-scale master plan to make what I do worthwhile.

I'm a Pagan polytheist, and believe in the existence of all gods and goddesses from all pantheons.

I believe the Abrahamic God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims exists, but believe he is just one deity among many.

The deities that I am personally interested in/drawn towards are the Irish and Welsh deities. Though recently I have been praying to Venus and Mercury, and giving them offerings, because I would like their assistance.

It’s not actually true that most wars are caused by religion.

There was a study that found only 7% of wars were primarily religious in nature.

Most were primarily about economic expansion, territorial expansion, dynastic struggles, etc.

I'm open to the idea of there being a god, but don't believe there is.

If "or a higher power" includes the Simulation Hypothesis then that doesn't feel that unlikely, but still wouldn't say it's more likely than not, so wouldn't say I believe in it.