Believing God is easy, it costs nothing. What should we aim at: to believe God or to seek God?

Question

Believing God is easy, it costs nothing. We believe only if we are not sure. To make sure, you have to make efforts. For the weak belief is convenient. There are many believers of God!
Those who don't know, believe; those who know, trust. Isn't trust more beautiful and valuable than belief? Which is more important: to believe God or to seek God? Do you prefer the convenience of belief to hardship of genuine search for God?
In the garb of belief are we not hiding our inability or weakness? By believing outright, are we not accepting defeat before facing the trial of seeking? Is it real humility or humiliating oneself?

Answer 1

You've stumbled on an interesting question.... No doubt (in my experience), most believers are exactly as you describe them: superstitious and fearful rather than true seekers of God. This is probably why it is so easy for many people to deviate from their religious dogma while still believing they are doing nothing wrong. I see it all the time with Christians struggling to balance religious beliefs with modern worldly ones. People are often just "covering their bases" with a blanket of religion, just in case God really does exist. I think religion instead should be about trying to change your behaviour whenever you realize that it is somehow lacking. So I agree with you that we should seek God, not just believe in him.

On the other hand, I think you went a bit further with this line of thinking than I am comfortable with. In the first place, we must not be quick to deride the "lazy believers" I've mentioned above. I actually find it reassuring that such people at least recognize something good in religion and want to identify with it. Isn't that better than living completely away from God? Besides, it's not for us to judge how well they are living according to God's plan.

Secondly, I get the sense that you are suggesting it is better to not identify with any specific religion, so that you can seek God out more openly. I hope I'm not putting words into your mouth; in any case I disagree with this reasoning. I am one of those people who believe there is such a thing as a "right" religion and that God has a very specific plan for us. I don't mean that all people of other faiths will burn in hell (LOL!), but that there is universal truth and we must all find it.

Hope my thoughts are not too confused!

Answer 2

Seeking god won't get people far, believing god is easy and convenient, and you can believe and get on with your life, if you believe god can affect the physical or mental world then you can trust god, but if you believe that god cannot change much in this world then you can only believe in god without trust, i believe in god but don't trust god to live my life for me, how can anyone be sure if there is no physical proof in this physical world, how is it humiliating if it is in out mental world rather than the physical world and it affects no-one else.

Answer 3

In my Christian, Full Gospel opinion, an important factor has been omitted from your question - We must 1) believe with our minds but more that that because even the demons "believe" or "know and accept" that God IS! 2) we must trust with our hearts, that is to say confess our sins to Christ and trust that he has already paid the price for our sins and we must accept this free gift of grace, because it is not of our own works, but HIS! Then finally and most importantly 3) confess (publicly acknowledge) with our mouths that Jesus is Lord of our lives.
Are you trying to earn a badge of humility so all will know your works? Hmmm, "Take up your cross and follow me . . ."
Read the Book of Romans.

Answer 4

It's got a pretty high cost.
You must subjugate yourself to an imaginary entity, constantly suffering the pangs of doubt and self loathing for your entire life. "Is that sin? Is this sinful?"

It all boils back down to faith. Either you believe in something that you can never prove, or you don't.

It's actually more important to god. Else, you're no better than our primeval ancestors, dancing around a camp fire, praying to the sky gods to bring back the sun.

Answer 5

You cannot prove the existence of God, therefore the only option is to merely choose to believe or have faith.

To believe absolutely without a shred of doubt in something that cannot be proven (and really doesn't even sort of lean towards that conclusion), would merely make you gullible or stupid.

I doubt if theres a God, he wants everyone to be stupid...

Answer 6

Belief is only easy for those who are able to do it. Some of us humans are simply unable to believe the impossible. Not understanding that fact is the root of religious intolerance.

What you propose is a glorified version of Pascal's wager, as irrational as it's ever been.

Answer 7

First you believe him and then.......thats it,seeking is not an option because you can't doubt thus can't seek and I simply do not know people who seek and do not believe and even if they seek that usually means they get away from god eventually
Thats why religion has the iron clad rule believe not seek

Answer 8

You make the same mistake everybody does. Your definition of believe is wrong. To believe is to believe and nothing less. To believe is easy you say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,how sad you are...............

are you good? you will probably say yes,,,,,,,,yet I can tell you that there is only one who is good. You and I are far from being good yet I'm sure you have used that noun for yourself more than once. The second you understand what believe means you will understand why you are not good and why you don't believe in god......

Answer 9

I don't seek God because I don't believe He gets involved with us here.

Answer 10

i make an effort to do both...I believe already, I seek him throughout my life during trials and years of shaky ground