God?

[Aaron]

Is there a God? This is just a topic I like to talk about.

[LuciaOne]

I have a feeling this topic will be locked. But I do believe in god ;P

[GhaleonOne]

Yeah, if it ends up out of hand, I'll lock, but we've had good religious discussion in the past without going into flamewars before.

[MiaOne]

I believe in god, but in a very naturalistic/pagan sense. I know it doesn't matter, but I've had plently of people tell me that I don't believe in god because the god I believe in isn't THE god. Whatever. Same diff. Don't spam me BTW, this topic shouldn't have to be locked. We're civil people.

[Katze]

Well..I was raised a Catholic, and I suppose that yes, I do believe in God, but sometimes I really struggle with my faith and I can't help but think "What if there really is no God? What if humans simply made up God so that we could feel secure?" Because after all, telling yourself that there is no God and that when you die, that's it, isn't really pleasant (well, in my opinion it's not).

Then again I'm only 16, I still have plenty of time to think about things, and supposedly it's natural for people my age to question their faith. =/

[Coley Lou]

I won't get into it, but I believe in God out of fear. But lately I don't really fear that anymore, so I would say sometimes. That fear used to be the only thing keeping me from offing myself...

[WD RPG WD]

If you somtimes doubt of are unsure if God is real, why not ask him? That's what the scriptures say and if you put some effort into learning of him and if you really want to know and you have faith that he answers prayers then he will answer you in one way or another. God answers your prayers no matter what form you believe he is. But you have to be sincere.

[GhaleonOne]

What George said and more. Coley, if you're believing in God out of fear, you're not believing in God at all as far as I'm concerned. Try it out of love. If I had to believe in God because he was "going to strike me down" or whatever, I wouldn't bother. Instead, I believe and have faith in God because of love, which is the very essence of God IMO. I don't want to get too theological, but even the Old Testament comments of "fear God" aren't really correct. A more accurate translation of that is "respect God". There is an element of fear, but not one in the way you're using it.

And honestly, that comment about offing yourself worries me. I hope you said that out of irrational thoughts, because it would pain a great many of us if you truly meant that...

[MiaOne]

There should be no fearing in god. God is a suposed "all good" being which means...that fear to her (yes, I refer to god as her, sue me) is foreign and unknown. Why we think that the ultimate being in the universe, who started it all has the concept of petty emotions like fear and disappointment is beyond me. Love I believe is truely the only language of god. Fear, disappointment, a need of respect and reverance is a religious ploy made up by humans to control people. If you truely love god, you will be reverant. Being "god-fearing" I see it as the biggest disrespect.

[Kizyr]

Unlimited by time, not restricted to an image, the source of everything in the universe, that's what I believe to be God. I believe in a higher power that's the source of everything in this world, down to the intellect which humans possess. I'm about as sure that God exists as I am that I exist. KF

[Coley Lou]

Well because of my upbringing I believe in God because I was taught that he exsisted. As I got older, I began to question that and I still do. I'd say at the least I am agnostic with a christian tendancy. I believe that I do not know wether there is a god or not. However I tend to find that I believe in a Christian god out of fear of going to hell. But then again in order to believe in hell I have to believe in that christian god.

I've always been suicidal. And that fear of going to hell was always what stopped me. But as I've gotten older I've started to question the reality of what I would suffer in the afterlife. Ultimately I won't know till I get there, and that is no longer a hinderance.

No disrespect to the people who are very faithful, I simply am not. And will not be convinced otherwise. Because I chose not to. If I make it that far, perhaps I'll change my mind, but for now this is what I believe.

[Erroneous]

Yes, yes I do believe in the great Althena and her grace ^_^

[ilovemyguitar]

I must say that I'm very much a hard-core atheist. I could elaborate more on this, but I don't want to insult anyone's faith (which I'm sure would be a way to ignite a flame-war).

[Scorpioeyez]

I'm polytheistic and follow the Greek pantheone. I don't believe in A god, or the JD god but I do beleive in multiple gods and goddesses.

[Pisces]

I just wanted to make a note on the "fear" issue. (Not necessarily to Nicole, just to everyone.)

Actually, it's not possible to have a belief of God (in the sense that God is God) without fear of God.

Now, this DOESN'T mean TERROR. Fear of God is simply a sort of respect and awe, because if God IS God, then obviously God has ultimate power over you and could simply will you out of existence if He truly wanted to or destroy you.

But the point is that He doesn't. Love for God isn't possible without fear of God. Once agian, I want to stress that I don't mean terror.

Terror is a horrible thing. Terror includes dread and is always unpleasant. Fear doesn't necessarily include dread. Fear isn't always bad. Fear is appropriate in situations.

Anything you love, you also fear to some degree, because that thing has influence and power over you.

Anyway, that's my point.

[Etherest]

God?...sure...but I always think of god as an omni-existant figment of the human mind....or at least of my mind.

[MiaOne]

I'm polytheistic and follow the Greek pantheone. I don't believe in A god, or the JD god but I do beleive in multiple gods and goddesses.

Down with the Fauni!!

I'm just joking, making a literature referance to the Greek/Roman gods and their triumph over the Celtic Diaone Sid by kicking them right out of the Great Tree. It's not even factual per-say, more of an inside joke...with myself.

You know what you should read? American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

And again on the fear issue. I don't fear god. I love her, but I do not fear her and I don't think it's required to fear. How con one love without also having the upmost respect for that individual or being? Love is respect in so many ways. I never have viewed god as a power that would crush me if she wanted.

[Ruby]

Well..I was raised a Catholic, and I suppose that yes, I do believe in God, but sometimes I really struggle with my faith and I can't help but think "What if there really is no God? What if humans simply made up God so that we could feel secure?" Because after all, telling yourself that there is no God and that when you die, that's it, isn't really pleasant (well, in my opinion it's not).

Then again I'm only 16, I still have plenty of time to think about things, and supposedly it's natural for people my age to question their faith. =/

You know this post very accurately describes me at about that age, an age where I spent lots and lots of time going to faith retreats (Stubenville, OH anyone?) and studying more about the religion for confirmation.

And to put that into perspective, I voted "No".

Katze, biggest piece of advice I can give you is that if you haven't gone through confirmation yet (I know my church waited till around 17 so that you'd understand what it all meant.) do yourself a favor and don't go through with it just because you're afraid of what your parents will think. You'll feel guilty aftewards if you do.

[MiaOne]

You know this post very accurately describes me at about that age, an age where I spent lots and lots of time going to faith retreats (Stubenville, OH anyone?) .

You're kidding me right? When I was younger (end of 8th grade till around a junior in high school) I was highly religious (in a Catholic sense, now I'm more of a nature worshipper if anything) and I went to a lot of retreats more of them I do believe were in Stubenville Ohio.

When I was littler than that from like 6th grade into mid-8th grade I thought I was a witch. Wiccan to be exact (which isn't exactly WITCHcraft persay that's a derogortory term). And although I probably did nothing wrong and I probably didn't even do most rituals right (I used to draw the pentacle somewhere on my body every day) I was convinced that god hated me for it and that I was going to hell if I didn't repent so at the end of my 8th grade year I went on a spree of chruch retreats and I went to church (most of the time) a couple times a week because there are so many freakin' holy days. I know I went to retreats somewhere in Stubenville at least twice. Crazy! What if we were there at the same time???

[Ruby]

You're kidding me right? When I was younger (end of 8th grade till around a junior in high school) I was highly religious (in a Catholic sense, now I'm more of a nature worshipper if anything) and I went to a lot of retreats more of them I do believe were in Stubenville Ohio.

When I was littler than that from like 6th grade into mid-8th grade I thought I was a witch. Wiccan to be exact (which isn't exactly WITCHcraft persay that's a derogortory term).

I know I went to retreats somewhere in Stubenville at least twice. Crazy! What if we were there at the same time???

Actually I'm familiar a vague idea of what wicca is, I've had a few friends to followed that. The retreat that I specifically went to in Stubenville was the Stubenville Youth Conference which I was under the impression that it was held once a year. (Though I'm sure smaller ones are held there.) Most of the retreats I went to were local. Though I doubt you and I were there at the same time since IIRC (And this is a big IIRC, because I usually don't) you were about 13 or so about the time I would have been going to these conferences. (I'm 23 now)

I don't know a whole lot of devout Catholic practioners who are really educated about the faith. This probably explains why in time articles talking about the new pope such an overwheling number of Americans believe it's ok to "fudge" the rules.