Last stupid religious question, I swear.... To God even?

Question

Why do people who believe in God make up every damn excuse they can to justify his existence? How many rabbits can you pull out the biblical hat? Why do believers justify, to no ends, every contradiction in the bible, or if not contradiction, scientific fallacy?

And now I'm done with religion, and back to my secularist ways. I hope. There may be a second coming of my Atheistic heathenism.

Thank you in advance for all comments I am sure to recieve in lieu of answers.

In response to zeropluslessthan:

I liked you anwer. I did. And I liked the quote on Kant. I, however, do not feel it is ignorant to admit what is unknown, is simply unknown. One could say Christians are ignorant by supplanting scientific fact with the belief in a creator. Ignorant by filling gaps that has not yet been measured by science with the supposition of a Lord, invisible man in the sky.

About Kant, no.1: The burden of proof resides on the one who purports there to be a Lord.

No. 2: If you I told you I believed in purple three headed dragons, would you acquiesce to their existence as well? One cannot prove that purple three headed dragons exist, nor can one refute that. But if I say I saw one, you would most likely want proof.

The supposed contradictions are irrefutably strong enough to dissuade this former Christian from following the scripture, as I am sure it dissuaded other born again Atheists, so to speak.

I don't judge others for their beliefs, maybe a little, but ultimately who cares? I really ask these questions because I try to understand people's psychology and wrap my own mind around my consciousness. Thank you for your answer, man. Have a good day.

Answer 1

Because some people find that the only way to justify their own existence is to believe in a greater being. IN order for them to see the world as something they can understand, they need to describe it as a spiritual experience, rather than a scientific one. On a certain level, I suppose, it is what you make of it. The problem is that it is impossible to completely Disprove the existence of a God or Gods. And in order to stop people from believing, one would have to disprove the existence. But since God is supposedly a higher being, we cannot prove or disprove his/her existence therefore, the scientist and the pious cannot ever come to terms with each other. The scientist want proof that a God exists in order to make them believe, and the pious demand proof that He does not exist in order to make them stop believing. And in the circular nature of the problem we will never truly be able to deny nor verify the existence of a god and are left forever with the debate.

Answer 2

Why do people who believe in God make up every damn excuse they can to justify his existence?

I think that there is actually a fairly straightforward answer to this. It deals with confusion about two issues: first, science vs logic; second, the nature of religious experience.

Science vs Logic:

In logical reasoning, axiomatic statements are combined in such a way so as to justify conclusions (basically). Although I may be mistaken, I believe this is most often used in philosophy. (The "logic" of computer programmers is somewhat different, as it actually deals with the mechanisms of "thought", not the derivation of logical understanding from universally accepted axioms.) Science uses experiments to discover patterns, which it can then use to make predictions. Many non-scientific and/or non-philosophical people (read "the majority of the world's population") don't understand the significant difference between the two, nor do they understand properly where the religious debate should properly rest.

The Nature of Religious Experience:

Many believers of God will point to personal experiences or to the personal experiences of others as a "conversion" time. These personal experiences provide the justification of their belief (note that this phenomenon is not unique to Christianity, nor even to those who believe in the Bible). Few "believers" actually believe because of an irrefutable logical development. Yet in attempting to explain themselves, they mistakenly resort to such logical tactics in their communications with others. In actuality, their belief is a hypothesis which they tested or which others they trust tested and found to be true. This is a scientific theory, not a philosophical development. Logic cannot and should not be used in the justification of the existence of "the Divine".

How many rabbits can you pull out the biblical hat?

I apologize, but I do not fully understand your metaphor. If by "rabbits" you mean different interpretations, then the evidence points to a virtual limitless supply. The different religions who believe the Bible have amazingly different views on what it represents. What is comical (and tragic) to me is that, recognizing that believers must show a unified face, they simultaneously place great importance on the Bible as the ultimate truth and yet dismiss the different interpretations of events and/or doctrines among the different denominations as trivial and unimportant. This seems like an enormous contradiction to me.

If by "rabbits" you mean supposed proofs of the Bible's truth, then I would suppose that there would be a near infinite supply here, as well, because people are convinced that the Bible is supernaturally true, but they don't fully understand their own conviction. If they understood that they believe because of personal experiences, perhaps they would be less desperate to find "proofs" of Biblical divinity by pointing to obscure passages, making illogical interpretations of them (often highly debated), and then claiming irrefutable proof of a supernatural guiding intelligence. Isn't it logical that if a supernatural intelligence made these claims, they would be a bit more clear?

Why do believers justify, to no ends, every contradiction in the bible, or if not contradiction, scientific fallacy?

Once again, they are convinced of the truth outside of logic, but feel the need for logical consistency to validate their own experiences. Note again that this is because of the erroneous placement of religion inside the philosophical domain. Science has little problem with apparent contradictions, relying on the hope that future generations will be able to reconcile them. A lack of logical consistency does not invalidate the observations. If this were otherwise, we would still be in the dark ages.

Answer 3

I am an athiest, and I love to be called apon to show how my beleives are true. I have never had a hard time in my arguments becuase the burden of truth is on the ones who make great claims. My claim is that I dont beleive what makes obviously no sence and cannot be measured tested or even personally wittenessed. The burden of prove is on the one who decides that a man lives in the sky and watches over you in your life. Thats a pretty great earth shattering claim. Therefore the burden of proof is on you the bible humpers. I just find it sad that your only way to back up your beleive is to just say I beleive it becuase it was written. Anything can be written in a book, and just becuase the book is old does not mean its sacred, it just means its old. Science constantly requires proof fro every beleive in its structure, and it also understands that the beleifs are mearly structures that help us understand and are not the end all truth, becuase knollage is an ever growing ever changing beast. Reiligon is too slow to catch up with that understanding.

Answer 4

We don't make up excuses. Immanuel Kant showed quite clearly that atheism is philosophically unjustifiable. It is as impossible to empirically prove the existence of God as it is to disprove the same. This is because God stands outside of everything that is testable by scientific means.

Atheism must be maintained by propaganda.

I don't agree with Kant that Atheists and Theists are in the same boat though. God stands outside of what is testable, but Jesus did enter time and space, and that, like it or not, is not a lightweight 'excuse' for the existence of God. All atheists have to 'disprove' God is their own desperate disbelief.

We justify scripture because it is where our faith has foundation, and because, frankly, atheist arguments are based on lots of ignorance and uncharitable readings. This is not to say that there are no objections to scripture that are worth taking seriously, but the supposed 'contradictions' are not remotely strong enough to force Christians to abandon scripture.

Answer 5

Oh wow brother,
Ok 1. purple 3 headed dragons don't exist because logically they have no reason to exist, a creature with 3 brains and 1 body would be retarted by shere thought overload, and purple matches with nothing found in nature abundant enough to make a natural selection of that color, you do believe in natural selection don't you?
2. God exists, I'm no even going to try to fit this in here but I DARE YOU to read C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity who proves WITH LOGIC that there is a God and the mostly likely if not 100% sure identity of God is the Christian one. go on I dare you.
the diffence between a true cynic and a just someone who likes to hear his own voice is the cynic wil eventually listen.

Ultimately if you want the truth, why do I believe in Jesus, God and the whole thing?
because its the truth.

Answer 6

Actually for me I find myself wondering the same thing but for different reasons (or I should say from a different direction). I’m an atheist looking for god because I’ve seen just as much proof that there ‘is’ something beyond this as there is not. Or at least there’s just as much reason to believe that something could have caused this universe to exist as there is of some natural force at play in its creation. I won’t entirely expect for you to fully understand why I believe this, than just to say that many years ago when I first went to college for computer programming I took some classes in quantum physics as a sort of elective and it seriously opened my mind to some rather amazing and slightly unsettling possibilities*. I’ve never been one to follow on intangibilities, but in this instance I seriously began to have some doubts.

When you look throughout history at all the great minds of science, you see that many if not most of the truly great ones had some belief in a creator or spiritual entity behind everything. Einstein, Newton, Darwin, Hawking, Penrose, Goddard, Heisenberg, Dyson, Sagan and even Schrödinger had some belief in a higher force or being or state in the universe (I should know I’ve collected their journals and biographies). This is because everything they were proving about the nonexistence of a god and the orderliness of a universe guided by natural laws only helped to cause their undoing because it opened more questions and gave these men more insight into how it might have been possible that these present conditions weren’t arrived at by mere chance. I know I’m making an argument for intelligent design, which I’m not entirely comfortable with in its current interpretation.

As for me I’m a Buddhist and have been for almost 15 years, I find that it’s not as extreme as the views of Christianity nor is it as “in your face” either. In fact the latter quality was why I chose not to become Christian, I figure why should I want to spend eternity with a bunch of half crazed Christians if their image of heaven (which none of them can agree on) turns out to be true. I’d much rather find peace and enlightenment here on earth than hope for it on my deathbed or in the afterlife. Or another way I see it is a moment of rationality is worth more than a lifetime of righteousness. Live as a good person because you care for the message your life leaves to those around you, or be good because you fear for what may come in the hereafter. The decision is pretty clear to me.

* and no, the professor wasn't a christian or religious woman, in fact I don't know what she believed.

Answer 7

This is a quote that I live my live by and apply to every person in it

"The truth is, no more and no less, what each and every individual believes to be the truth until that person changes their mind"

It doesn't matter if I believe in aliens or Bigfoot or the sky is green and grass is blue. The quote above is universal. It applies to the worlds religions as well. God...Muhammad ...Vishnu ... Zeus ... Odin...... none of the above..... And its all the same thing. I cant convince you to believe in God any more than I can convince you to believe in the Royal Order of the Articulate Gopher.

Its all about what you want to believe .......... so allow others to do the same

Answer 8

well i really do not even want to answer your question.. you are so all fired out to put christians down because of their beliefs...i think you are wrong.. i am a born again believer and as long as i have breath i will tell gods word as i see it and what the bible says.. and gods word is true.. i really feel sorry for people like you.. and you have no hope in you or for the afterlife either...i can just pray that god wakes you up before it is to late... but let those who have ears hear and those that are deaf believe in their own ways.. if you turn away from the word of god you are deaf...and you are blind also....hopefully somthing will open your eyes...

Answer 9

"Sounds like you need God more then ever right now , dont worry all you have to do is ask him into your heart and let him take control of your life, hes going to anyway ."


WHAT KIND OF SICK **** IS THIS?!?

This is what Im talking about people, I have numerous family members and friends who are religious and we get along great...but this is just sickening!!! Why would anyone want this for themselves WHYWHYWHY??? Let God take control of your life are you freaking kidding me? I refuse to allow my life to be dictated by some celestial being (which I dont have to worry about because it...yes I referred to it as IT...doesnt exist). Look I am a loving, caring, happy, friendly, and succesful person and all without believing in God. I dont need the Bible to teach me how to be nice, and if you have ever read the Bible some of the stuff in there I would want ANYONE to believe was right. (read Luvidicus) Anyway not trying to piss people off, but that lady needs some VERY intensive treatment if she believes some "being" is going to take control of her life or take over that guys...

Answer 10

because the reasons are limitless to justify His existence..your very existence is one reason that there is someone higher than you..and by the way the bible is perfect there are no contradictions in it..the human mind is just that limited to connect the truths of the bible. there is a proper way of interpreting the bible if you want the truth be revealed to you