FACT: Almost nobody really believes in God.?

Question

I'm an atheist. And sometimes I ask myself what would I do if I found an evidence that God indeed exists. I know I would for sure lost any interest in my life on earth. I would not care about stupid things like going out, dating, work, etc. I'd be spending 100% of my time praying, talking to God. NOT BECAUSE I THINK I'M REQUIRED TO. Simply because that's the only thing I'd be interested in. I mean come on, watching TV or communicating with the creator of the Universe who will give me eternal life full of pleasures nobody can imagine, tough choice! It's like having a choice between watching paint dry and having sex, yeah sure I could watch paint dry... No! And don't give me that "we are just mere mortals" BS, it is just another way of saying "I do not really believe". If you truly believed you would give up everything, and spend every moment of your life praying and thinking about meeting God. I know I would.

Answer 1

very good point, and I agree. if god truly did exist, all other tangible desires would seem insignificant in comparison. really, because you would be looking to transcend the mundaness of this thing we call life. very few religions discuss foregoing the material world to find a spiritual path, the only one i can think of is buddhism when the monks give up all their worldy possesions and spend the rest of their lives trying to manifest god. yes, i will pose this to the religious zealouts at my job who constantly "tsk, tsk" me for my non-believing ways.

Answer 2

You are absolutely right! And I can't give you an answer. But when I am close to God It is like you said, 'the difference between watching paint dry and having sex.' God cannot be explained. He doesn't fit in a box. He doesn't make 'sense'. I hope you can see the evidence you are looking for.
I can tell you this, If you let down your guard and with a truly willing heart, ask him to come to you and reveal himself to you, and you WILL get what you are looking for. This message is only a set of directions. God does the rest.

Answer 3

There is some truth in what you say, however there are many things of which you are unaware. Spiritual things are not always turned on and off like a TV. Also, there is a very real adversary and he does his dirty work very well. Nevertheless there is much in the world you are unaware of. One of the recent movements in the Church is 24 hour round the clock prayer, worship and intercession conducted at a number of different places around the country, most notably Kansas City International House of Prayer. There have without question been far more martyrs who died for there faith in the last century than all the preceding centuries combined. There has been a revival in the country of China, and conservative estimates of true believers in Jesus Christ number from 80-100 million. The Church of that nation has a vision to sent out 100.000 evangelists from Western China through the most unevangelized areas of the world, and they are prepared to go with no expectation of coming back. Many thousands have already endured terrible torture and death for their faith.
I know many people who spend much of their time in prayer, fasting, worship and the study and meditation of God's Word. If these things have been hidden from your eyes, it is because God is able to make Himself known to those who earnestly seek Him and He is able to conceal Himself from the scoffer.

Answer 4

It's a nice argument, except that most religions teach that you have to live life on earth first in a way that entitles you to then have the promised rewards for an eternity.

Aside form that, it does appear to be true that even the staunchest believers carry some modicum of doubt inside, and that their beliefs need to be continually reinforced through prayer, sermonizing, and whatever gets them through the day and serves to "keep hope alive," as one celebrated sinner has been wont to say.

And your argument that if you really believed, you would pray all the time, is the same as saying your belief would be conditional on convincing the god you believe in that you have no doubts, except you would need to keep assuring him of that until he calls you home, and hope the god that would accept your prayers and not see through your assurances was actually up there waiting.

So I'd say that if you really believed, you wouldn't do what you said you would do - but that what you actually would do, if you had no doubts at all, would be to do nothing that acknowledged the belief was conditional, and that you might simply just lay still and wait to be called.

Answer 5

Actually to say that people don't really believe because their actions are inconsistent with having that belief only proves they are capable of inconsistency and/or that their beliefs don't depend on logical analysis, or on what others may require as proof, absolute or otherwise.
Some may find, and need to find, that what they learned from a particular adult was from an absolute authority. Any praying done, etc., would not be to them an attempt to meet a condition for belief in that authority. Any disobedience of a command would not necessarily signify any lack of belief in their commander.
In some people, belief in a supreme commander is as strong and elemental as if it were an instinct, permanently wired in their brain. And again, they may doubt that they are worthy of reward from that commander, but never doubt he or she is up there somewhere running the show.
To believe, as I do, that nothing can be known for a certainty is not proof there is nothing that is in fact a certainty - or that we know what the nature of that certainty cannot be.

Answer 6

No, you DON'T know that you would spend all your time praying--though I commend you if you sincerely feel that way. But are you sure this isn't just a not-so-subtle way of knocking Christians? It's always easy to say what you WOULD do when you don't actually have to DO it. While it's very true that most Christians should spend far MORE time praying and far LESS time engaging in unimportant and even unspiritual pursuits--and while the Bible says we should "pray without ceasing"--it's also true that "God giveth us all things richly to enjoy." He created the world and all the beautiful things in it for our enjoyment, and it isn't sinful to enjoy them in wholesome ways and with thanksgiving. To "pray without ceasing" means to always be in a prayerful and receptive frame of mind toward God, prepared at a moment's notice to talk to Him about anything that is on our hearts. I hope that you WILL decide to spend more time praying--maybe you'll realize that God DOES exist.

Answer 7

No, that thinking is totally ridiculous. If you spent your whole life just praying, how would you pay your bills? How could you have a family life? - Ultimately you have a relationship with God as you would your own father or friend. You don't stop "living" so you can pray 24 hours a day. After all, that's not what God asks of you.

Answer 8

Yep you have a good point.
FACT: Many of us HAVE found out how special God is and how much He loves us.
FACT: Many of us do spend much time praying and teaching about Him and all that we've learned.
FACT: The Bible also teaches us that we are to live in this world loving Him and sharing Him with others so that others can know these things about Him.
FACT: God knows we have to live and operate in this world and also wants us to be here with all these other things, but to have a balance.

Answer 9

I know God, but despite that the act of sin (going against Him) is far more tempting and desirable to the body and one falls short of perfection.

Matthew 26:41
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

As faithful as I am, even I doubt I could have done what Isaiah did and walk around for 3 years naked preaching the Word of God to the Israelites; your suggestion is that all believers should be as faithful as Isaiah, Job, Moses, etc.

Answer 10

Fact: The majority of Americans say they believe in God. Fact: Millions of people attend church, to worship God. Fact: I believe in God,and talk with him daily, many times a day. You cannot spend every waking minute praying, because as a human being, to live you must eat,sleep,bathe,procreate,go to work etc. this is called life.Who are you to judge how others who believe in God should spend their time, and dictate how they should interact with God and their faith? I wish you the best.

Answer 11

well, i spend most of my time thinking of, praying to or thanking God for something cool he showed me...When I started this new walk in sobriety, I oddly quit watching TV and spend most time when I'm not working with other addicts/alcoholics, out hiking the mountains and again speaking with my God.... So alot of us do exactly what you say you'd do...you never know who you see that is thinking about or praying to their God at anytime....It's really cool.....Hope this helps ya...Love Ya All there is Man! Kevin