Why do you believe in God?

Question

Do you believe because of a miracle or an answered prayer? Do you believe because your parents raised you as a believer?

Why do you believe in God?

Answer 1

Let me share a true story. My husband had a brain tumor, which was an acoustic neuroma. He spent 2-1/2 days researching the internet through 42,000 entries on a discussion group about his medical condition to get information. At the time I went to church I noticed a clock on the wall when the pastor was praying for him. After church, my husband told me that he had found a physician through a person who lived in the community just north of us. I asked him how he found it, it was through that website and I then asked him WHEN he found it. It was at the time we prayed for him. This doctor was the top specialist in the world for this surgery. My husband through prayer was the only person when he had the surgery to survive this operation with no facial paralysis for a tumor of this size. And we met 4 other patients at the hospital that week that all had the same surgeon. We estimated that over 40,000 people were praying for my husband. Coincidence or God? The surgery was to be in two separate surgeries. His next MRI showed that the tumor was collapsing and he did not need further surgery. How about having the next surgery canceled because the tumor continued to shrink. The doctor could not medically explain this. Again there were a lot of people praying for him. Coincidence or God? This was several years ago and he has not had a recurrence of those symptoms.

What are the odds of all of these (and many other) situations that happened out of the prayers of people? They all prayed to the God of the Bible? Coincidence or a higher power watching over our family?

Other examples are many, but I learned that a relationship with God starts with one key ingredient - faith. At one point in my life, I almost gave up on God and he asked me to just take that small leap of faith. As I leaped, God met me. And I know he hears me when I pray.

What is necessary to have God hear your prayer is a willing heart that is also willing to give up selfishness and to put him first. When you give him reverence and trust, he becomes more real every day.

Answer 2

Well, before I became an atheist, I didn't even think about questioning the existence of God. While my parents and I were never particularly religious, my family on a whole still believed in the divine being, and it just seemed that God was just THERE, no questions asked. I probably didn't question whether or not He existed sooner because it's just not something that comes up in normal conversation or thought if you aren't very religious. So, I guess you could say that I believed in Him because my parents/family believed in him and took me to church a few times when I was young, but the belief seemed a subconscious one rather than a decision I personally made.

Of course, that all changed when I turned thirteen and began to notice how other people had different gods but believed that their God was the one, "true" god. Soon after I realised that there was no reason that Christianity is better than Islam or Judaism, so I began to reconsider my belief. While I didn't get into the technical bits of it at the time, I decided that being an atheist was the best choice available to me considering the lack of evidence backing up religion in general (although, looking back on it, I probably started out as a very weak atheist). I didn't become outspoken on the subject or a stronger atheist until recently, when I became more interested in the religion debates. I also started reading more books on religion/atheism in this time frame.

Answer 3

I believe in God, which to me means a higher power, not necessarily the Judeo-Christian male god-figure, because there are things on this earth and in the universe that are just too beautiful to explain any other way. There has to be something more than just what we see and know here, something Else that has created this, and something that loves and cares for us.

My parents raised me without any religion at all, really, other than a loose interpretation of God. On an academic level, I studied theology of many kinds while I was in school, and continue to do so to this day. I think about my beliefs all the time, and have often wished I could find a church that really fits the feelings I have.

Sappy though it may be, this is why I believe. Giving birth to my children clinched it for me.

Answer 4

I am a thoughtful believer. My parents would have fit in well with most of the God haters here slamming God and laughing at people of faith. The idea of life springing from lifelessness has always too big a leap of faith for me to except. The idea that an Eternal Being brought the universe into being makes a lot more sense to me. Then studied, first the New Testament then the Old. I found Christ there ever where. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and He made me His child through faith. I have continued to study since then and my faith has grown. God has given me a spiritual gift of teaching. I love talking to others about my faith and to point the direction to Him and through His to life..... Jim

Answer 5

As a kid, I believed in God because I grew up Catholic...you asked no question, you just believed.
As a teen stopped believing and became an Atheist.
Today, I believe in God because there is reason to believe...I look at the sun rise every morning and wonder at that great marvel.
What would happen if a scientist made the sun and it broke down for a week?

Answer 6

I found God on my own, through reading the Bible, asking the tough questions, and receiving logical answers. And yes, I have had miracles and answered prayer. My parents? They didn't believe for many years.

Answer 7

Yes I was raised with my parents believing in God and also taught to show respect for others, If you can prove what or who else to believe in I will give it a chance. God Bless

Answer 8

I used to believe in God for the same reason that most people in American believe in God and most people in the Middle East believe in Allah. I was raised to believe what my parent's believed.

Which should really make you stop and think for a moment. Children that are born into Islamic countries have a 0% chance of ever knowing Jesus. Essentially, God has condemned them to Hell before they were even born. How's that for Omnibenevolence?

Answer 9

I believe in God because I want to believe in him, he answers my prayers, and he gives me what I really need in my life.

Answer 10

He made it impossible for me not to believe. When I felt God’s love, I simply stopped doubting.

He has answered quite a few prayers and given me specific answers to questions, but it was the profound/beyond human love above all.