WITHOUT GOD: No Hope, Nothing to beleive in?

Question

Ive noticed many responses from people indicating that they would have no hope in life without beleif in God. Ive also heard the statement from many beleivers "What exactly DO you beleive in?" Another response Ive seen is "You have to prepare for eternal life...God ensures me that if there is an afterlife, Ill be there."

I guess I have a few questions... Do many of you beleive simply as a CYA (Cover Your Azz) option? I mean, do you beleive only because youre afriad of what death and the "other side" may hold for you, and this religion provides as answer to that unknown??

WHY do you feel the need to have hope in life? Is not the desire to want to live right, love and experience life "hope" enough?

And, WHY do you feel the need to BELEIVE in something, over the need/desire to KNOW something?

These are serious questions from an Atheist. I wish no one any offense by posing this question. Peace and Love.

To Julia - I made one mistake, corrected myself, and this is your response? Here we were having a decent convo, and now I see that youre simply a shyte disturber. WHy didnt you respond to this question, rather than point out that I made a mistake? How F*&KING Christian is THAT?!?!!

Answer 1

Without God there would be no real reason to live. What would be the goal? Without God there is no afterlife. Without God there would be no purpose.

Answer 2

I see, that there is a certain attitude, that bother you about, Christians and even as one I can fully understand that. I think there must be some who only go to church for your CYA reason, but that is probably a very small minority.

I was never afraid of death before turning to Christ (I am more now, because I see more just how many things are there to do here and I enjoy everything more).

Hope.... I don't need hope about after death, I have certainty, not because of my own doings, but because of Jesus. It is just natural to have the desire to "live right, love and experience life".

Is it not possible to know and believe as well? I don't understand this question.

To you to!

Answer 3

I think many Believers are just following the way of their parents. No research is required. Some are indeed covering all their bases, while others are simply there for the social aspect. I have met many who want to act "Holier than thou " towards me but cannot remember the story of the Prodigal Son. Every Baptist preacher reads that story, at least once a year.
And to answer your other question why do we feel the need to believe in something?
Because if what we have now is all we ever get, what a waste of time, some of our lives have been.......

Let me apologize up front. The following statement is recycled from an earlier question. "Does God exist?"

~~~Have you ever noticed when a disease strikes a tree. The original trunk, limbs and leaves die, but the root in an effort to survive sends up a new trunk to take the place of the old.
A fruit tree and oak can also sense their own demise, and will produce its' greatest flourish of fruit and acorns in a last ditch attempt to keep its' lineage and species in tact.

So, I think the Creator has probably died, but created mankind in an effort to keep His Holy Spirit alive. Master Jesus came to show us how to live, and direct us to the everlasting life.

Live Well and Long........... ~~~~

Answer 4

There are three types of people
Good in heart and actions
Bad in both
Oscillating
In Oscillating minds, though they might not harm others, they do severely think about the cruelest of sadist activities(just an example)
It is punishment, shame caused by the punishment and other which prevent them from doing wrong.
These people fear the law and not their conciense.
Unfortunately they are the mmajority of humanity. Hence is why religion covers glittering words for the truth that good deeds gives good life. As they are in search of good life and it is not unlawful to do good activities, they do, and not for the sake of doing it.

Your question says that you do things not just for its fruit but for it.
Not all are so. Religion gives you a better path, to be short a life like Christ(If you are a christian), a life like prophet mohammed(in case you follow islam), a life like Buddha(you can fill) or a even better choice a hybrid of them all and better.

To summarize,
Thats the language for kindergardens and not Phds. If you are Phd understand it with that maturity. Dealing Phd syllabus with Kindergarden brain is an offence in the world of religion and also in that of the geeks.

Answer 5

What you are asking for God to prove Himself To you. If you want proof look around. We may have the ability to copy minute parts of His creation but, to create life from nothing, try it & see how far you get. Start with something simple say a single cell. Now take away any labs,controlled environment, any sample or growth mediums, now it's just you & your will. how's it going so far? Got a migrane yet? When you get tired of trying sit back, rest & look around. You'll see the wonder of what God created for you. The balance of so many variables that hold this web we call life together are so fragile someone has to be running the show .

I say these things to you not to insult or belittle you merely to give you somethings to think about. As to your statements about eternal life, yes, God designed us as eternal creatures guaranteeing those who accept His son Jesus Christ as their " PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR " eternal life. As to living & and doing good works, without faith in Jesus they are just kindly acts. Heaven is not a show, you can't buy your way in.

Without going into my personal life all I can say is being a Christian is not for wimps if you think it's easy you have no idea how we struggle on a daily basis with our sinful nature. Again, yes we are designed for eternity it's just a question of where you want to spend yours Heaven or Hell?

Answer 6

I pretty much feel like life is hollow and empty without God, but sweet and delectable with him. It really isn't a cover my bets kind of thing. I like God for who he is and who I am when I am around him. Even when I was a little kid, I was always sort of bothered by the whole "I love God because I want to go to heaven (or am afraid of hell)" kind of thing just seemed wrong and, well, selfish.

It still sort of blows me away how much God loves us. I mean, here he is God, and he goes and becomes one of us, a helpless baby, counting on us to feed him, to teach him how to walk, to comfort him when he is hurting. He didn't have to do any of that, but he did it to love us perfectly and to teach us how to love like he does.

I'm not really sure about the belief vs. know thing. I mean I can't think of anyone I know better, love more, or trust more than God.

Answer 7

Why don't we just live, is that what you are saying? Christians do live and love. Having a relationship with Christ only makes this life sweeter. He adds peace is times of fear. Confidence when I am unsure. passion to my relationship with my wife. a love I could have never understood for my children. Is there more than the assurance of my place with Him when my life is over here.. Looks like there is doesn't....Jim

Answer 8

In the beginning of my faith journey to God I did desire Heaven to "CYA" as you said. This is not a bad beginning for one would still avoid and fight against evil or avoid and fight evil deeds. However, the mature Christian, as I have become and am still growing to be desires Heaven because God is there. Although the fear of Hell is a good, it is not good to let that forever be a motivator for any Christian. It is then they still walk and work in fear and not in faith. They will not go to Hell because they are afraid, but while on earth they will not experience the wholness and goodness of God's mercy and love. You can tell who these people are because they are forever shouting and explaning God as a punisher and that life on earth is purely evil. In fact, it is rare that they even demonstrate they enjoy life and especially a life with God.
Yet, we must remember that from the beginning God made the world good, beautiful, and orderd. All of the world and all that is on it is graced by Him. Now man can fall from grace, man can receive grace, but man can never lose grace even on earth because all creation is graced by His hands.
As far as living rightly and loving as we should these are signs of hope. Hope that all we treat justly and love properly will be reconciled to God. It is not a sign that is separate from actual living of life.
And we must not mistake belief as being separate from knowldge. As our Holy Father Pope John Paul II tried to teach in his work "Fides et Ratio" that faith and knowledge are not opposed to one another. It is the two working in conjunction to know there is a God and who that God is. As St. Anslem says, "Fides et intelligam" Faith and intelligence are necessary in the Christian life to believe in what we know and know what we believe.
Please do not take my answers as definitive. Let them lead you to knowledge that is more helpful and sure than what I have written.
I hope this has been helpful. May the Lord bless and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.
God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

Answer 9

Funny, I was thinking about CYZ option just today. I really believe without God, I will have difficulty dealing with problems. Also I believe in the K word. People, who do not believe in God and the law of the Karma can do more wrong.

Answer 10

The fact that you are asking this question tells me that you really are not an athiest at all but perhaps an agnostic. If you really believed there was no god you would not be concerned about this.
I believe in God. I know Him. I have have personally become acquainted with Him. I have discovered His unconditional love for me. I don't need to 'hope' for I KNOW my future. I have discovered 'perfect love'....the kind that most people never find. I did not choose to accept Jesus Christ as my savior, friend and Lord of all just because I was afraid of hell. I chose Him because he loved me! Others say they love. But He showed me He loved me. I had to stop looking at people and religions and look at Jesus Christ himself. He is for real! He is Peace. He is Love. He is Joy. He is everything I will ever need. If you want to know more... .email me. But please, don't be crass if you are really serious.