Why do you CHOOSE to believe in what you believe?Justify.?

Question

For religious people:

Why do you believe in religion and God and all the religious texts?
Is it because you are lured by the promise of all the good things that you will get in this lifetime as well as your afterlife time? Is it out of greed?

Is it because you are a weak-willed person so you think you need "guidance"?

Tell me -------- WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
And if one day, it is proven that your God does not exist, will you turn against and accuse this religion which you have placed so much faith in and got nothing out of it?


For atheists:

Why do you choose to believe there is no God? WHY?


WHY DO YOU STRONGLY BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE??? WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE? WHAT LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE?

Do notsimply tell me you believe because you simply want to believe. There MUST be a reason at the very minimum.
If you are not even sure of your reasons (WHY?) and of HOW you reason your belief, how can you say you BELIEVE in WHAT you BELIEVE!!! Justify to me, please!

Answer 1

I believe what I believe because I chose to do so, and because I believe that it is correct.

I do not do so out of fear of death (the afterlife is irrelevant in my mind) and I do not do so out of monetary gain. In fact I likely lose money due to my convictions (keeping kosher is expensive).

As for guidance, that might be a reason, but I am certainly not objective enough to judge if I am a weak-willed person.

And if one day I find evidence to disprove my convictions, I will reassess what I believe and adjust my life accordingly. I would not turn against my former coreligionists because it would not be their fault, they would be as ignorant as I.

And if their is one thing I have learned is that hate harms you more than the other person.

Answer 2

I've always believed that religion is a ploy created by man to keep people in line. You have to dazzle people with grand stories of the afterlife and make them think their life has some greater meaning or else they might go crazy. Most people can't stand to know how insignificant they are. It just crushes them to think they're here for a short time, experience life, and then become nothing. So we give them a pacifier called religion.

Personally, i'm an agnostic. There could possibly be a greater power, but I see no evidence of it. Until I do, the Bible and all it's counterparts are works of fiction. And poorly written ones at that. Why waste my time believing in a fantasy or restricting myself because I don't want to be 'punished'? To me, that's the same as pissing my life away.

As a sidenote, more people kill in the name of religion around the world than anything else. Imagine how stupid these people are going to feel when there is no other side, no reward. Oops.

Answer 3

Hi, my name is Rebecca, and I am an atheist (hi Rebecca!!) (lol! joke!)
I do not choose to BELIEVE there is no God, I choose to acknowledge the fact that there is no god.
There is evidence stacked up against god, and not enough for god.

I believe in what I know, and I can't believe in an imaginary, invisible "designer".

Evolution first led me to many questions and doubts. Then I just studied my *** off and came to the conclusion that there is no god. If you want more detail you should ask a more specific question, coz, if I was to truely answere all these questions, I'd be here all day!

Answer 4

I believe in God, he is my everything. I choose to believe in God because he is realy, he does exist and he is the creator of all things, there is plenty of PROOF that God exist and that he is here he is everywhere. If you believe in spirits, demons, and believe they exist then you must believe in the devil? There is proof of God even tho God has been taken out of schools and out of many public affiliations, however that is due to the standards this country holds now. People are in deed afraid of God, as well we should be b/c this world is a disaster. Jesus says if you deny me I will deny you in front of my father, it takes more than a sinners prayer to be saved and to walk with God. If you read in the Bible you will see we are walking in the in times, we are in revelation, the earthquakes in diverse places, the strange weather, SORRY there are some things that SCIENCE just isn't ready for that are fixing to happen. The truth that God exists is all around us, I choose to have faith in God b/c he is here, I have trust and faith that he will take care of his people, it is not and never was God's will for this world to be the way it is however people who are easily deceived have made this world what it is. I know that I will not be disappointed when I come to my death b/c I have a home in Heaven where the angels play and sing. God Promises us heaven and his forgiveness forever, God can forgive you too if you only ask and find a church......

Answer 5

I believe what I believe cause I think it is right. I don't really think that there is any other way to tell you why.

The evidence that I see comes from everyday life. I formed my beliefs from the experiences I have had in my life. And I am sure some of my beliefs will change or get an upgrade from time to time, but the basis of them will stay the same.

Answer 6

I am a Scientologist and I believe in that which I have seen or experienced myself.

Through the application of Scientology to my life I have found I can get the results I expect.

I use the technology of Scientology to both study and teach. I have seen my students improve in ability. That's either because of the Scientology techniques, my personality(not) or the fact that someone is there helping them to study. All of the above are due to me being a Scientologist.

Answer 7

I believe in God because it (faith in Him) started out as a test. I really didn't think saying the sinner's prayer would help me in the slightest, and I didn't think it would have any change of my life. But it did, almost immediately in fact.
I have for several years now now walked in faith, and I have learned to "hear" God's voice. My prayers are answered, I now live a life of confidence, peace, and joy.
And let's just say that in the end, when all is said and done there really is no God, well gee, what did I really loose by believing there was?
So, I didn't get to go out and cheat on my husband. I didn't get to steal that wallet someone left behind. I didn't get to go out every weekend and make myself sick on booze.
Yeah, I'm giving up a lot, and its all for nothing huh?

Answer 8

My own personal, direct experience is my guidance. From several personal experiences, I know God exists.

As for religious texts, I take what is practical and try it out in my life to see what happens.

Belief is not a word that applies for me.
I am at peace and free (liberated)...I no longer suffer or fear.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 9

there is no proof of god, in absence of proof- there is no god.

we can't just go around inventing theories and fantasies. there must be a standard of proof.

otherwise we live in a world where he-man can call on the power of greyskull with his power sword to turn himself from a seemingly wimpy (but still powerlifting) prince into a slightly bigger version of himself in a loin cloth to battle a dude with a skull for a face on a daily basis- and never quite bang that hot red-head he always hangs out with.

and you have no proof that we don't- therefore we do.

Until god can be scientifically proven to exist- he doesn't face facts and move beyond your childhood dreams of bieng one of the space explorers to discover voltron.

Answer 10

my religion does not have religious texts, dogmas or beliefs as such. it's about experience and perception, temporarily suspending disbelief (as one would when engrossed in a good book or film) in order to experience the universe differently. there are no leaders/follwers, no mind control schemes, no "answers," only a quest for better questions. Whether any god "exists" or not is irrelevant in the conventional sense.