An exercise for theists... what emotion do you feel when you think the words, "maybe there is no god."

Question

I'm really looking for honest, from the gut responses. Of course, if you've never doubted you really can't answer this, so I'm basically interested in hearing from people who've at one time or another felt doubt in god.

What was your first, honest, feeling or emotion.

Answer 1

Depression.I have thought about it before,but my "gut" tells me other wise.But,If there was no God,then I would just be holding on to life for the sake of those who love me.But,yes for about 6 months I doubted the existence of God,and I had to slowly crawl to where I am now.Where am I now?I have no freaking idea.

Answer 2

Thinking the words 'maybe there is no god' is not the same as actually doubting. My emotional reaction to thinking the words is puzzlement -- I'm willing to try on the idea for size, but I don't know what the world would look like if God did not exist. In other words, my belief in God is the center of my understanding of everything else, so, take away God and nothing makes sense.

As for real doubt, what exactly are you talking about? If you are attempting surreptitiously to ask, 'Why don't you theists make an effort to doubt the fairy tale you think is true?' then I have nothing to say to you, since it's an insincere question that does not respect me or my convictions. But there is a type of existential doubt that's actually essential to faith. It has to do with attempting to grasp what it means to live in a universe where the creator is not self-evident, where we human beings often feel like, and maybe are, creatures abandoned to our own devices. Holding up something we call 'faith' as a shield against this type of doubt is dishonest; it denies an essential component of what it means to be human. How does it make me 'feel'? A little depressed, a little worried, a little anxious; the same way anyone would feel setting out on a dangerous journey to an unknown destination with all our normal comforts taken away.

The experience I am describing is not an argument against theism, I hope obviously.

Answer 3

In a sense pity. Use to get angry but that is not a useful emotion here. Anger does no good at all because it doesn't promote the true beliefs of what faith is all about. Pity however because it not only falls on the unbeliever but also the claimed believer. That is truly heavy and here is why.

The claimed believer if true to their faith would model the example of Jesus. Simply put they would live by the example of putting others before themselves. Treating others in the manner in which they want to be treated themselves. Loving their neighbors as themselves, having compassion (concerned passion or concerned love) for others. But all too often these things are not what is shown by those who claim the faith. The pity is that is the part of faith that is believable and when it is not shown that is what is unbelievable.

I have doubted God and been anger many times but I didn't realize that it was out of my own selfishness and didn't get my own way. But the ways taught by Jesus are the ways of selflessness and we are not willing to deny self for most anything. It really isn't some big secret but it is hard to accept.

I don't know if that is an answer that you can accept but that is the best I have to offer.

Answer 4

I don't know if this is for theists only . I certainly have and do most of the time . and am settled into an agnostic view that I dunno if there is a god or not but there's a lot more to this universe then either science or religion can explain .
and trust me there is a LOT more then either can explain .
also most devout theists I know have at one time or another have had the feeling under stress but most of the time they come out stronger in the end . I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones.

Answer 5

Honestly.. I feel like why is it that only certain people have this knowledge of gaurantee that there is a god. Almost anything can have a scientific fact or study done on it, what about the dna of god or jesus? Also, where do all the dead people really go, do their spirits really meet God in the end? and do love ones meet each other when they are dead? If so what about if you have more than one love in a lifetime. I just think the world is too big for one man to hold in his hand. Also what does god do for us on the earth, not what had he prepared for us, but what he does right now. I think people need justification and leadership on themselves, its a unconcious believe to have faith in someone that you have never met, but need so much in your life. Also, what if god never did exist and this could be proven, would you still believe in him. I think that god might be a learnt fact that has been carried on through many decades, and the bible might be someones interpertation of how the world should revolve: with rules, and love for each other and the fact that someone is always watching you so be good. But, on the other hand maybe we live in a spirtual world and were placed on earth as humans? Im not sure....I just know that no one can tell me what to think and Im very open minded to what others have to say about god, but dont judge me on my opinions...like most bible thumpers do LOL

Answer 6

i hope you don't mind me answering this even though i am not a theist.

i doubted God too. I used to think i doubted God's existence, but then i realized, i was only doubting His mercy. it's a big thing for me, because i could consider that as the darkest part of my life. i felt so lost and stressed out. i felt so depressed and alone.

if in the end there's no God, it's fine by me, but if in the end God is real, i can honestly say i didn't lose anything.

just sharing my thoughts. thanks for your question.

Answer 7

it relatively is no longer plenty appropriate to the reality you have self belief what has no longer been proved (or that it relatively is been generally taken aside by utilising technological information), it relatively is the ludicrousness of choosing to have self belief in something that has no longer something apart from an previous contradictory e book to base the religion on. If there became an previous e book appropriate to the FSM would you experience derision in the direction of me if I defined what faith became extremely of why I picked that god? you in all threat would, you will fail to understand my selection, except of direction you have been conscious I had gone by way of indoctrination to have self belief in the 1st place. What i'm attempting to declare (and failing i think of) is that I question the dedication to faith in something that has no commencing place bar an previous e book written by utilising human beings for the duration of a era while technological information became in it relatively is infancy, human beings have been superstitious, human beings have been ignorant, for this reason it relatively is subjective, it wasn't written by utilising a god. i think contempt for people who Cherry %. because of the fact your faith relies on the e book and yet you brush aside what does not healthful.

Answer 8

Part of proving any concept is to consider the opposite position
it is only a logic step and as such carries no guilt or remorse

Answer 9

I don't have much feeling. Rather, I just think of it as a philosophical proposition. Then again, I did my undergrad work in philosophy and religion, so this is par for the course.

Answer 10

I am not a theist, but I deconverted this year. When I was beginning to question my religion and beliefs, I felt intense fear and even mourning. It was kinda like a breakup from a codependent relationship.