(How to put this delicately?) Are you, er, a bit more IFFY about the existence of god than you let on?

Question

Come on, you can be honest here; after all, none of us know your real name.

Like these cute li'l guys, f'r instance:

http://www.salon.com/comics/opus/2007/06/17/opus/index.html

UH-OH -- my bad. Sorry about the link, everyone. What can I say, it seems to work ok for me but not for you. Sincere apologies.

For the record, up until about ten years ago I occasionally described myself as an out-of-practice catholic. Then I gave it a little thought and read the bible -- and believe me, that cured me of the iffies.

Answer 1

This is a HUGE problem, and I'm glad you're addressing it.

When I chide people, asking them do they REALLY think it's possible that anything in the bible really happened, or if God is a 5th century BC Jewish patriarch (just like 'ol Abraham) they ADMIT that it's not at all likely.

But when in groups, and among their relatives, they will give out not a PEEP of protest against the most outrageous pious claptrap. Many even pretend to believe.

I think a little less duplicity in this area would be most welcome!

Answer 2

I'll admit to being iffy on exactly what "God" is. So many here (well here on this earth but yes guess here on yahoo too lolol) speak of God as an old man on a throne who issues what will and will not be. I'm already sure I don't believe in that.

But is "God" part of a God force of love and advanced souls? Or is it a singular being or perhaps a singular force? Or maybe it's something our rather small underused brains here can't grasp at all? That last one rings most true to me.

So while I definately believe in a higher force we call God, I'm open to finding out more than we know now about what God actually is. But to be clear, I do believe in God. I just think there is soooo much more than we currently know or understand from here.

Not sure why so many here seem to either have to be a full fledged believer or a full fledged athiest. I'm all for knowing what I don't know, believing what I do believe, open to learning more and curious to find out the rest when the time is right.

Answer 3

I think a lot of people hit a point in there life when they start to really question the existence of a god, probably right around their mid teens. Most people make up their mind as you can clearly see. I think either way you choose is perfectly acceptable which is not a common opinion in my experience. Atheist will say " you are so dumb to believe in a magic guy in the sky, how childish" and a theist will turn right around and say " you are so dumb to think that every thing you see is pure accident, hope you have a fun time in hell".
But the issue is never resolved, just bickering and fighting over an argument as old as human thought.
Here is the answer for both sides "Shut up and live".

Answer 4

I am. I'm a pagan Taoist and I don't believe in the actual existance of deities except as symbols, metaphors, and archetypes... but at my good friends' domestic partnership wedding there was so much love and such good wishes it was practically tangible, and if I believed in deities I would have said there was one in the room with us then.

It was so real it was a little disconcerting and I found myself wanting to attribute such solid feeling to a deity.

But it turns out powerful invocation of energy is not out of bounds of my spiritual philosophy, so I got over it. Still, it reminded me why people give credence to metaphors in the first place. It makes strange things easier to understand.

No guy in a beard and toga appeared before us, though.

Still, anyone who doesn't want a deity around who approves of gay weddings better not mess with that group, I still could swear we were about to create one.

Answer 5

At the age of 62, my faith in God is steadfast.
At the age of 35 I met a spiritual teacher that changed my life.
I wouldn't have wanted to live without having met such a one.

When you meet a teacher that tells you your life history it is mind altering. This is my experience. I am an insignificant being in the world, and that is how it should be.

All I can tell anyone is this:
God exits in all humans. When and where they find this out is their concern, but it will happen!

May every ones journey be as Grace filled as mine...............

Answer 6

No iffyness here.

I say this with absolutely truthfulness. This past year has been the most exciting and surprising year of my life. It has also been absolutely dreadful in every matter that is not spiritual. So how can I say it was wonderful? Because I know the gift I have been given is real and becomes more meaningful each day.

Answer 7

100 % atheist here. I'm being honest. I'm not really anonymous here, because anyone wishing to know my real name can easily find it by looking at my email address. I have nothing to hide.

Grrr - bad, bad link, Weemaryanne - once you're in there's no way out, and it didn't even lead to a cartoon. What about you? Are you iffy?

Answer 8

I would expect that any atheists who has done the proper homework will be pretty irrevocably committed.

There are wobblers, of course, who get nervous about not having a sky-daddy anymore and run back to the fold. But those who've really managed to take the big step back - or the lucky ones like me who didn't have to - well, they've already given up any hopes of eternal life and an omnipotent father-figure.

And there's nothing in reality, once you get there, that will do anything other than strengthen your views.

CD

Answer 9

Sure, I waiver. I think almost every one does. I also have a religion that's in the minority (not Christianity)....so some days I wonder if I made the right choice (especially when things go wrong), but for the most part my faith and beliefs are strong. They bring me the happiness and peace I long for.

Answer 10

Many are honest and many are not, you can tell by the way they answer the questions, the questions they ask, and their knowledge of the subject.

I am a new Christian who still wavers from time to time, but I know that I will see God and love Him the way He loves me. I have no doubt that I will become a Christian who is never wavering, and I can't wait for that day to come!

*edit* don't tinkle in the tub...shower sometimes though :)