Dont get me wrong I believe in god 100% but im curious how everyone else has my reason is cause we kneed something to look forward to a goal somewhere else to go after we died i like to believe where here for a purpose and not for noo reason tell me your reason

All I have to do is just look around and see God, His creation is undeniable.

I was raised to believe in God but when I died and talked to my son who had passed and he told me I could not stay.... and I was pushed back to earth.... I knew then I had to get right with God in all the ways I could.

when i look at a tree, qnd realise the immense complexity of just this one lifeFORM, then think about how all things IN NATURE work together, I KNOW THERE MUST BE A CREATOR.

ihave always believed in god. i was raised in church. altough i should go back. a ex gf died of mine. i was so lonely on the way to her parents house. i asked god to send me anyone to ride along with me. As i said the words this hitch hiker just appeared out of no where. i normal dont pick up people like that. but something told me too. we talked until his stop. i never saw him again. i know it was god talking to me to relaxing me.
i know for sure god with us on 9/11. he was there welcoming the lost ones who died. he was there for the families. he is every where any time u need him.
just rember the foot steps. the peom

O sought him out for an ex-wife that left her journal out one day and I read things that disturbed me.. I thought she wasn't feeling loved, but years later learned from her that she didn't feel worthy of me and was praying for strength to be better for me. Anyway, I sought Him in prayer after reading the Bible twice...He answered and subsequently filled me with the Holy Ghost (Spirit) and my life changed. Lost my wife over it too!! Go figure... she said she didn't want me this way but rather the way I was?!?!?!?! Go figure....so He is real and indwelling my heart and nothing can change that! Best thing that ever happened to me in my life. So, all of you out there that want that , then know this....your life will change and no matter what you do to keep your balance, you won't be able to. He will shake up and shake loose everything that is not from Him and according to His purpose for your life and He never relinquishes command and control over your steps from the time He takes you on, until the day you are united with Him in His Holy place. You will not re4main unchanged. It is a very serious decision to make and not one to be taken lightly!!! Peace, out!!!

I've been educated a christian since my earliest childhood.
I've educated myself, and more than my home and school education, I've found it's a nonsense not to believe in God.

Disclaimer: i've found, it's a not sense not to believe in God, just as my personal opinion. I'm not saying that those who don't believe in God are nonsensical.

As I child, I had a strong yearning for something I could not describe. I started to search for that and came to a faith in God.

These words of C S Lewis sum that up for me.

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

For me it has nothing to do with a fear of dying, or wondering what's next, it is about knowing and feeling close to God.

Quote from C. S. Lewis
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

No offense intended to Mr. Lewis, but when I read this I had to laugh. All this says to me is that the man isn’t looking in the right places to find peace and satisfaction in this world. It’s all here, if you know how to look. If someone isn’t finding it they just aren’t looking in the right places.

Heaven is at hand. God is with us always.

Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be answered. (isn’t this written in a book somewhere?)

I know that this is the wisdom of Eastern Philosophies, but I think it’s also in Middle Eastern doctrines as well.

There should be no need to die, or leave this world, to experience an omnipresent God. This world isn’t alien to God but is very much of God.

It shouldn’t be necessary to die to be with God when we are indeed living in God’s creation already.

And this leads me to the point that I really wanted to make,…

When people ask whether or not we believe in “God” exactly what do they mean?

They act like there can only be one definition or picture of “God”, and you either believe in that picture or your don’t.

I believe in god but I don’t view god as being in some other place. God is right here with us always.

If a person is unfulfilled in this life and is expecting to find fulfillment after they die they are really barking up the wrong tree if you ask me. Rather than using that as some sort of proof that there must be a God, I think they should view it as an indication that they are thinking of God in the wrong way.

Just my gut reaction to Lewis’ quote.

A constant yearning for the truth.

I guess I'll be the only one here to speak out as an atheist. The reason I don't believe in god is because I can see the patterns and forces in the universe at their base components through the eyes of science and reason. There isn't any point in hoping for an afterlife in my mind, I don't lament the fact that I will die one day yet most religions seem built around a fear of death.
I really do think that most religions are built around a fear of the unknown and the end of the personal thing we call ourselves. But while not a fatealist, I do think of myself as transient. One day I will pass away from the world and the only remains I leave will be the impressions I made while alive and a bit of decomposing matter that will serve as food for lower life forms.
I don't lament this process our lives are built around making the most of our short time while alive. To claim that an imaginary being of pure good will take care of us after death and watches over our lives is fantasy. To invite such thoughts into your life is to willingly accept a crutch your whole life and to walk with a stoop merely for comforts you cannot and will never know for certain. We are built to break down and pass away, this is how our bodies and minds work.
To invite into your own life a god who imposes antiquarian illogical laws onto your life and then demarnds your obidence to "His" rules from thousands of years in the past and offers no reason to this only rebukes those who disobey is to invite into your life a beggar. Churches of all kinds exist off of profits from the fears of people too weak to stand on their own. Don't claim yourself amoungst them, ask yourself what it really means to be you, ask yourself the questions that brings up. Find out for yourself why you are in this world and never look back with regret.
If you want to be given a guide to living and a direction there are hundreds of better and more personally profittable methods of finding purpose. The military, teaching, social service, and writing you own thoughts on life are all ways to enrich or defend the life you currently lead. Don't just let an invisible father figure tell you why and how you should live your life then demand that you pay an arbitary amount of hard earned money for such meaningless and thoughtless philosophy. Find a purpose, even a bad one, and live your life for you. You'll at least be less of a sheep for it.

The Lord works in mysterious ways....is an understatement when it comes to my story and finding the Lord. Let me first start off with circumstances are what led me to the Lord.

The first circumstance was loosing my mom and sister in the same year. I was soooooo sad and lost and wanted to basically just die. I was drinking like a fish and doing anything to numb the pain. I was home and on my driveway and said if you (GOD) are real....show me a sign that my mom is ok and with your Son (Christ) Just then thousands of lil lavender butterflies (lavender my mom and my fav color)were all around me....They were there and then poof they were gone. I was freaked to say the least...I have seen these same butterflies in pale yellow but never lavender......ok a Sign.

I then asked my neigbor what it meant to be a born again Christian.....He explained and said the Lord's prayer with me......I went on a learning frenzy...I spent the next 6 months reading the Bible and learning what all it's many secrets were...I also went on a learning tangent with all religions I could get my hands on......For the next 10 years.....I learned, I studied, I absorbed......

The next step. I was at a ladies dinner at church one night and this gal Lola who was a prophet was going to all the elders wifes of the church and giving them a word from the Lord. Now I was like oh sure this is such a joke...Then she came to me and gave me a word from God.....A SIGN that smacked me upside my head...because no one knew of the things she said to me no one expect myself and God....so she had my full attention. She said I was going to be like a newspaper boy on the streets of New York City.....come come here about the Lord...hear about his plans for you...She said God was going to give me gifts....tongues, prophecy,.......I thought nah.....not me...Im not worthy of that....Well 10 years to the date the gifts came....and I was TOLD to use these gifts wisely go forth and spread the Good News....and the rest so they say is history.....Now Im sure Im setting myself up for all kinds of who knows what...And thats ok....because my faith In the Lord Almighty is stronger then any strife anyone could put forth in my path....

I have had so many blessings, and so much that has led me to only one conclusion.

GOD is real.....Christ will be coming.....when the whole world has heard the word.......and I know I will serve him with honor and dignity here...and also in heaven.

Thats my story....

The end.

My Grandson of 21 months, my foster-daughter of 19 months, they fill my life so much. There has to be a God.

awwwwww your so right celticfairy.....have a blessed day.....and kisses to your grandkids from the feral...

God bless

see Noden's post on Ben Stein here:

http://www.justsayhi.com/topic/show/46529

"When you are arguing against Him you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all." C S Lewis


no offence taken my old chap!! :):)

Roivas;

It is not my intent to convince you that your choice to be an Atheist is wrong - I'm sure that you've invested more than a casual thought on this subject - and have drawn your conclusions by reasoning and logic. I would like to correct you on your perspective of what a Christian actually believes, as opposed to what you think we do.

You wrote:

I guess I'll be the only one here to speak out as an atheist. The reason I don't believe in god is because I can see the patterns and forces in the universe at their base components through the eyes of science and reason.

>>> As a believer - I do as well. <<<

There isn't any point in hoping for an afterlife in my mind, I don't lament the fact that I will die one day yet most religions seem built around a fear of death.

>>> As a believer in Christ - I give death no thought. It's a waste of time <<<

I really do think that most religions are built around a fear of the unknown and the end of the personal thing we call ourselves. But while not a fatealist, I do think of myself as transient. One day I will pass away from the world and the only remains I leave will be the impressions I made while alive and a bit of decomposing matter that will serve as food for lower life forms.

>>> However - you form this belief without even a single fact to support it. Why think this way? Most religions do not fear an afterlife - they reason towards it. They look around them and think "there has to be something more than this". I know - simplistic at best. But they tend not to fear an afterlife - but strive towards the hope of a better existance after this one. Name any "religion" - they all do this.

I don't lament this process our lives are built around making the most of our short time while alive. To claim that an imaginary being of pure good will take care of us after death and watches over our lives is fantasy.

>>> Well - that particular idea of the purpose of the Christian God is. He does not wait for the afterlife to take care of his followers. Once a person becomes a believer - the "taking care" part is immediate. <<<

To invite such thoughts into your life is to willingly accept a crutch your whole life and to walk with a stoop merely for comforts you cannot and will never know for certain. We are built to break down and pass away, this is how our bodies and minds work.

>>> What you call a "crutch" is a puzzlement to me. When I need something that is outside of my means or ability to locate, I call upon God, and it is provided for me, if it is in fact something I need. This happens at my job so frequently, that those who I work with are often so amazed that they rely on my relying on God to get them what they need. <<<

To invite into your own life a god who imposes antiquarian illogical laws onto your life and then demarnds your obidence to "His" rules from thousands of years in the past and offers no reason to this only rebukes those who disobey is to invite into your life a beggar.

>>> This statement is a fact of ignorance over the purpose of the bible, and the demands of God within it. Have you read the bible? All actions have consequences. Some of these consequesnces are good, others are bad. The bible is not a set of "rules" but of warnings. They warn as to the consequences of actions. The statement "God is not mocked - as ye reap, so shall ye sow" basically says it all. No matter how good an intention behind an action is, it is only as good as the perception - it does not conclude that perception is reality. So too - with an action of evil. Most think when the consequence is not immediate - that there will not be one. Again, the perception may not be the reality. For time is not a factor in consequence. some are immediate - some have ripple effect - others occur over time."

Churches of all kinds exist off of profits from the fears of people too weak to stand on their own. Don't claim yourself amoungst them, ask yourself what it really means to be you, ask yourself the questions that brings up. Find out for yourself why you are in this world and never look back with regret.

>>> This statement is very true. However - a discerning believer is not likely to get "sucked in" to such institutions. It is those who blindly accept what they are told as the truth - without investagating for themselves who are doomed to be duped. <<<

If you want to be given a guide to living and a direction there are hundreds of better and more personally profittable methods of finding purpose. The military, teaching, social service, and writing you own thoughts on life are all ways to enrich or defend the life you currently lead.

>>> I do not blindly put my trust in what is taught by any man. Period. Especially one that is not supported by at least two or three "witnesses". No believer does. <<<

Don't just let an invisible father figure tell you why and how you should live your life then demand that you pay an arbitary amount of hard earned money for such meaningless and thoughtless philosophy.

>>> See note above about blindly following false shepherds. The bible adresses this matter quite clearly. If one is a believer - they don't participate in this scam. <<<

Find a purpose, even a bad one, and live your life for you. You'll at least be less of a sheep for it.

>>> Even a bad one??? Might you want to rethink this. I'd rather one be a blind sheep than take this advice. <<<

Just a perspective of a Christian believer who feels that you have grossly mis-represented what my life is about.

Ok, I was raised in church but made up my own mind by searching and looking at many aspects of different religions.
I have had many times I have seen with my own eyes the spirit relm, I have seen Hell with my own eyes {Not like the movies by any means nor had I seen/read it anywhere else}
I have seen demons standing and felt the heavyness in my city, I have seen Visions and felt God surround me.
I have prayed and Gotten what I prayed for through no result of my own ability.
I have seen Aitheist's who were the farthest people from God be touched and changed.
As far as following His rules or He'll send you to Hell, that is simply not true; God has set up a guiedline for us to live by, God Made hell for Satan and his demons, by following Satan it is logical that you in reality send yourself to Hell.

Also let me clear a few things up.
Ghosts are Demons called familiar Spirits, It is a Demon that Follows a person around for they're life and knows them well {Is Familiar with them} Then when the person Dies, the Demon takes a Ghost like form telling phychics or others of the like all information that is asked.
Moving chairs/objects or speaking "Truth" of what only one person might know.
When I talk about this, many times people will look at me in shock or not believe me.
Funny how they can Believe in Ghosts but not in Demons.

Eljay, sorry if my comments have come so rudely, they were far too over the top and failed to convey my point properly. My indictment of religion is mostly targeted towards the institutions that build up around these ideals. Faith is one of the most dangerous things humans have ever invented, history is rife with examples of its manipulation and abuse.
Religion has always managed to use its power towards truly evil ends from the current persecution of homesexuals and the halt of scientific progress, to mass executions for people who would dare speak against the earth being the center of the universe. I'm more admonishing every person at the base of a pyramid for holding up such a destructive force.
To put some spurs against your statements though there are rules in the bible I bleieve there are some 360+ rules on how to live your life, how to punish criminals, how to atone for sins, and what exactly a sin is. Some of these include when it is proper to beat your wife or how much you should pay the family of a person whose slave you have beaten to death, not really applicable guidelines to living today. Yet from those very same pages are the other rules that people have so ferverantly claimed are laws delivered by god to the pens of man that MUST be followed.
And actually my reasoning for not believing in an afterlife is because there are no facts to support it, the reason I claim that it is out of fear should be clear if you read through the subtext of any religion. All religions see and accept that life is basically unfair but take this idea and propose that eveyone, in the end, gets their just deserts be it hell, heaven, reincarnation or whatever. The idea that there is more to life than what we see is not without basis, but any part of our selves living after death is baseless. Any uncontriveratable proof of an afterlife is most often made up or is simply wishful thinking in action.
Of crutches and religion I rarely move from my stance that religion creates people dependant on it so it can perpetuate itself. If you believe you have to go to the temple once a week and tithe 10% back to god for all he's given you the church has reached its goal. To facilitate this end they tell people that only the light of Mohamed or Allah can redeem your wrongs and bring you from the depths of suffering. Why do people need to be forgiven by a person that lived 5000 years before them, or has never been proven to exist at all? Isn't it simply better to accept your own previous failings and make strides to improve them? Can't people forgive themselves without being told that they're forgiven? Any organized religion would tell you I'm wrong in every important respect because I went straight from committing the act that brought me low to trying on my own to find out how to fix things that I didn't give god the chance to show me how fallible I am.
As far as where I have gotten all this information I have read the bible, it wasn't much of a page turner but I got there. I'm also an ex-catholic so my religious knowledge isn't without basis. I've made studies into the other monotheistic teachings and found many similarities between them all, so much so that if they were to simply consolodate and become slightly more geared towards product placement they could outcompete Microsoft. The buddist philosophy seems like a good idea on the surface, self improvement through disipline and finding the best path for yourself to enlightenment. That's actually where it fall down though as it describes the attempt to attain nirvana and pass out of the world, which is so natural that any living thing can do it. Still I do like some of the teachings of Budda and don't really deirde a religion that simply prefers t contemplate rather than conquer.
So that's about how I feel about religion, if it were decentralized and didn't cling to traditions and try to stifle change to cling to their power structures I wouldn't spend as much time advocating change. Religion tells people they are being judged by values that were arrived at by a group of bishops over a century and a half ago and pushes goverments to follow these same policies, while contributing nothing themselves not even tax money. I think I'd feel much less bitter towards such intitutes if they had to pay the price of admission like everyone else to participate in politics, but that isn't going to happen.
For the individual I would say it would behoove you to analyise your reasons for being of your current religion, and don't just assume I'm trying to get you to change your beliefs for my own benifit of personal agrandizement. If you really really want to believe in the divine aspects of life, life ever lasting, and the inherant good of all people trust me you've missed something. Better to take these ideals and make them goals not truths because people really aren't inherently good if you don't believe me read the link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tees/7063366.stm
And remember it is the height of human arrogance to envision a divine perfect being and then assume it looks just like you and made you in his image. Gods aare created by people, not the other way around.

many have valid points in their statements/arguments BUT.. and this is JUST my opinion.... there are some I will agree with and others not..

I had JESUS and CHURCH forced down my throat for many years of my life.. being that my parents were very catholic and AVID church goers.. until the fated day my father said to me.. "if you don't believe ME.. read it for yourSELF!" and proceeded to hand me a bible.. well.. I read it.. cover to cover.. and WOW.. how contraditory can you BE??!! OMG.. my dad couldn't argue though with me any longer about the "Importance of church/religion" cuz IN the bible it states clearly.. "LET NO MAN ERECT A TEMPLE IN MY NAME.. FOR YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD!!!" MIND blowing wouldn't you say? specially with all the CHURCHS/TEMPLES etc.. we have today? anywho.. I chose to investigate FURTHER.. so I proceeded to check out OTHER 'religions' and MOST follow similar edicts as the 'catholic' bible.. but with minor variances.. ultimately.. relaying pretty much the same message.. LOVE.. PEACE.. RESPECT.. EMPATHY.. and FAITH!

How did I finally come to GOD???
at the age of 17 I died at home.. and woke up in the hospital.. during my 'departure' I crossed over to the 'light' and was told by what I deemed GOD himself (a omnipresent voice) that this was NOT my time and I had YET MUCH to do.. there were many people milling about the 'tree of life' but none I knew.. and was returned disappointingly BACK to my rendition of Hell..(I am a survivor of Cancer!) my LIFE was changed forever.. for obvious reasons.. my fears of DEATH vanished and I KNEW there was a purpose to LIFE! including my very painful one!

now..? I believe GOD is my best friend.. I don't attend a church to talk to him.. prayers are more on a conversational level and I know I'm NOT alone to walk thru the trials and tribulations of life!!! I put all my FEARS, HOPES, DREAMS and DECISONS in his hands.. allowing LIFE.. to unfold as it SHOULD!