is god a concept to give men an incentive to be better, otherwise there would be chaos?

Question

If man had nothing to look to to give them reason to be better, would they be better. Is it that some know to be better, because they have nothing to compete with? And if man competes with others, does that mean he competes with himself to be better like god? just wondering

Ok guys it was just a question dont get so upset please. I did not mean to offend, I apologize.

Answer 1

No.

Would a person consistently do, say, or think higher or better things if they did not feel truth within their heart? That is, what would be the reward of competing with an imaginary concept? You don't understand people very well if you think that imaginary rewards from imaginary beings are enough to keep them "in line" for years upon years.

But let me just speak for myself. Imaginary rewards from imaginary beings with imaginary qualities are not enough to make me want to do better and be better. If I did not have evidence of God in my heart and soul, I would be a sloppy, self-centered, chronic-misdemeanor-committing, self-indulgent jackass. This is my nature. Trust me, I know. If this world was the only world there was, I would slather my incompetence and selfishness all over it, and I wouldn't care about any consequences except prison. And, no, I'm not kidding.

It takes more than an imaginary concept to make me want to be better. It takes more than imaginary incentive to make me want to rise above my small-minded nature. It takes true spiritual rewards from a living God who actually provides them. What the deal is, is that without God I have a dark heart and a murky mind. When I lived outside of God's grace, I was an utter and complete tool.

There was no human incentive good enough for me to change my heart and mind. Anything any of you people could have offered--money, prestige, personal glory, fame, or any of that hoo-ha--just wasn't good enough. All of it (at least the money, prestige, and personal glory, which I did have or think I had) did not change my dark heart and murky mind. It fed these things, in fact, and I craved more.

My problem was that there was nothing in this world that was satisfactory and whose promise did not wear off shortly after I attained it.

It was when I reached the point where I came to understand this for real, and I hated it, all of it, that I began searching for God in earnest.

It wasn't you, or him, or her that I was competing with, trying to satisfy, or holding up as a standard. All you people were as bad as or worse off than I was. Nobody had anything I wanted. And as for good behavior and good intentions--people who exhibited these things turned my stomach. I certainly didn't see that as an incentive either.

I hope that this answers your question. To sum up: Only God could fill the chasm within myself, and he did fill it when I sought him. If it was all just a concept, it wouldn't have worked--because I have chased after many a concept, seized upon its claims, and turned up empty-handed in the end.

God lives, his promises are real, he provides, and all that is of him endures.

Answer 2

The humorless ones are in control on Yahoo! answers. The 'God' concept, in that God is a personified deity, is in part to keep order in society. Especially in the Western world. The Eastern societies have an entirely different viewpoint of the Divine and yet, seem to have an even more orderly society. They don't particularly see God as a person either. Interesting question. People are sore headed today I guess. Nasty answers you got here.

Answer 3

This is the very reason why my big brother still believes in a god.

No, I think if we're objective, we've got lots of beings all around us that we can use as role models. (Honestly, the role model of the OT god was pretty bad! Lots of "drown everybody" and smiting and stuff.)

SO many human role models for different cultures. Gandhi, Saladin, Abe Lincoln.

No competeing with others doesn't make you "better like god." It just makes you better. If a person is motivated by competition, they're going to be more motivated to compete with someone they can actually see than a diety that they cannot see.

Answer 4

Being good is at best independent of religion and in my personal experience religion and belief in god often go hand in hand with not acting well. Whether it is an opiate for the masses might as well check out Marx.

And God set the standard for mass murder did he?

Answer 5

You don't think there's chaos in the world right now? The world is insane. But, God still Loves little old me, enough to die a horrible death, so that when I die, I can forever be with Him.
You can do the same thing.

Answer 6

The fact that even godless people strive to be better people and societies is proof against this. The concept of a god is not required to move forward, it is used to rally masses to a cause.

Answer 7

No. God is just a means of social manipulation. Millions of unbelievers in god are good people anyway. And a few believers aren't good. So, it seems god isn't about being good. It's about being obedient, and not rebelling against the established power.

Now, go ahead. Give me your thumbs-down. That won't change facts, though...

Answer 8

God isn't a merciless King, certainly he's the main benevolent King, this international has ever witnessed. He expects to be referred to as 'Father', no longer the female diminutive which you used. that is an insult till now Him.

Answer 9

If it wasn't for God, how would man even know to be better? God sets the standard.

Answer 10

No they will make their own interpretation and dominate other men and women. With the many gods that they create, chaos is still the rule.