I believe in a deity, simply because there has to be a starter to the universe. I think it was Newton who said that? Or something like that. But whatever, it would be boring if everything can be explained. I don't like organized religions and I believe they're useless (to me), but if it works for you, then that's all that matters.

Wow, it always blows me away at how many times I've seen this topic resurrected so to speak. It's great to see such a hunger for knowing the truth. This topic in itself has taught me a lot when it comes to explaining God to people. I eventually got to thinking, what was it that got me to believe in God and the gospel. It wasn't philosophical, theological, scientific arguments and evidence but it was God's presence that satisfied my questions. I don't know if any of you guys have read the book of Job before, but it's about this guy that basically had to endure an incredible amount of suffering. Towards the end of the book, he is asking God for a trial. So that he can know what it was that he did to deserve this suffering. Job kept coming up with all these questions, but finally God answers him (I think with alot more than he could handle). But it was the fact that God showed up that basically satisfied him. It's definitely a choice, but I think it's a choice that deserves a lot of consideration. If you guys don't already know, I used to be muslim and take it from me it wasn't easy giving up everything I ever knew to be the truth and following Christ to a life of rejection from family and friends, but God is absolutely worth it.
I think it's especially hard for atheist and probably everyone out there to accept God, because it involves calling into question everything you believe in. If you guys want a cool analogy check this out: Matthew 13:44. God is definitely worth it.

Quote from lightning90

he's existance is absolute. what he made of is not for us to question. but lucky us he gave us the option to believe in him or not. and i chosen to believe in him and his creation without a doubt. sometimes ignorance is a bless.

I'm sorry, but that's just plain old bullshit. I'm not supposed to question your god, but I am supposed to believe in it? COME ON.

As for your creation needing a creator argument, you can't honestly believe that it states that your god assuredly exists. Assuming there was something to start matter, it would inevitably have to be very simple in nature. Nothing as complex, or as illogical as your god would have started it.

Ignorance may be blissful, but it is sickening to those of us who choose the route of knowledge. Go ahead and believe what you want, but the externalities of your choice do negatively impact others.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/DarkSageRK/ReligiousTrash.png[/img]

Just a thought, i wonder if some muslims and christians are bugged by atheists considering them 95% identical in their beliefs.

And i think the argument that since something had to creat us, there exists a god that created us.
Problems:

1. if something vreated us, why a god, why not many? why not a force? And why should it the thing that created us still be around here and today.
   Example, i have a mother, she gave birth to me. However, she doesn't have to be alive or near me after birth.
   A just as possible theory would be that god transformed himself into the univers. We are of him.

2. The argument demands that something has to have created us, but as ares6 said, doesn't demand that whatever created us needed to be created. And saying that god was allmighty and creat himself leads me to aks why the universe can't be allmighty and creat itself.
   Maybe "god" wasn't the first? Maybe there is a cycle of gods? Maybe one god created this universe from whatever was left over from the last universe?

          While i get the idea, i don't think it is watertight or leads to any specific deity.
   

sigh, the last posts from the believers really bring the stone era to the 21s'.
the phraze "sumthin mustve created it" was what created god in the first place. ppl who didnt know why stuff happend, simply threw it on those "gods".
"ooooh, that was a strong wind, god gave a good fart this time, huh?"
nowdays every kid who went to school knows that the world is round, and revolves around the sun not vice versa.
since we have our answers soon i see god disappearing into the history, since we dont need him/her/them anymore.

the best security guard, EVER.

I believe god is just something made up to give people hope in bad times. I also believe the world whould be better off if nobody believed in god, i mean look at those muslim extremists, or those annoying jehova's witnesses knocking on your door te "bring you god" -.-

[img]http://www.signaturebar.com/uploads/images/16183.png[/img]
[img]http://www.signaturebar.com/uploads/images/18040.png[/img]

Quote from moritana

sigh, the last posts from the believers really bring the stone era to the 21s'.
the phraze "sumthin mustve created it" was what created god in the first place. ppl who didnt know why stuff happend, simply threw it on those "gods".
"ooooh, that was a strong wind, god gave a good fart this time, huh?"
nowdays every kid who went to school knows that the world is round, and revolves around the sun not vice versa.
since we have our answers soon i see god disappearing into the history, since we dont need him/her/them anymore.

It's easier to answer everything with "God/gods" when it's unknown. With the world's growing awareness and pursue of science, God/gods is/are phasing out.

Also God/gods made a great scapegoat for religious wars. "Because God says so, lets go kill infidels and take back our holy land." It's just a decorated territorial dispute. It's just a evolved version of what apes other animals do.

** [color=green]Mad people either have no sense or too many extra senses... [/color]**
[color=red]On the net, men are men, women are men and children are the FBI. =D[/color]

hahah the god thread! oh my i haven't been here in a while!

:]

the mention of the stone age... aww... might not be totally fair. although there isn't strong evidence to prove god's existence... it's still fun to find evidence to disprove him, right? ^^

only if people try to cover up that evidence do we rise up and call them cavemen!

..

uh oh... i think i just insulted a bunch of cavemen. 😐 (geico commercials anyone?)

-Max

Quote from DeLtA_IjK

only if people try to cover up that evidence do we rise up and call them cavemen!

..

uh oh... i think i just insulted a bunch of cavemen. 😐 (geico commercials anyone?)

They have their own show now and talk skit. Let's ask them about the dawn of god.

** [color=green]Mad people either have no sense or too many extra senses... [/color]**
[color=red]On the net, men are men, women are men and children are the FBI. =D[/color]

Just a note on science, it throws up at least as many questions as it answers. Few scientists will tell you that we will ever know everything. We invent models to explain things, and then apply them. Good point is gravity, Newton discovers that the force is inverted to the squared distance, using that we can launch rockets and calculate satelittes and what not. Here is the important difference between scientific theory compared to religious ones, we can build on them.
Example Evolution: The theory allows us to track relationships and ancestory of species helping us to explain why we have an appendix and what those wierd fossils are all about. The intellignet design theory is a dead end. No connections to be made, nothing to be found out, no system.

P.S. I wouldn't encourage calling people cave men. For most of human history pretty much all humans believed in the supernatural, doesn't make em bad uncultivated or stupid people. We are a small forum, lets keep things friendly

juust found some pics to prove my point. thank you yuu valentine.

big kaboom: "gavriel, pull my finger!"
http://planet.nana.co.il/atheist90/Image51.jpg

the thinking man:"nonono, we should first invent religion to justify our acts, then invent the war!"
http://planet.nana.co.il/atheist90/22.jpg

dammt stupid nana site.. just visit
http://www.planetnana.co.il/atheist90/humor.html

the best security guard, EVER.

there's no image....

[color=green]Life, what would it be without so much wrongs and rights?
[/color]

[color=red]Star Trek XI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZiR-NETDr0[/color]

i corrected it....(i hate nana)

the best security guard, EVER.

Quote from moritana

i corrected it....(i hate nana)

Still nothing.

** [color=green]Mad people either have no sense or too many extra senses... [/color]**
[color=red]On the net, men are men, women are men and children are the FBI. =D[/color]

how atheists see theists | how theists see atheists
[img]http://a387.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/28/l_cc7bf557b6f3780d3b6a03313e163502.jpg[/img]

sigh, maybe its bcuz of the difference in countries, idk... damn nana site.

the best security guard, EVER.