Do you believe in God, or do you believe in what MAN says about God?

Question

Yes, there's a difference, courtesy of Dan Brown.

Do you believe in what man says about God, or do you sense the divine, when you lay under the stars...or neither?

Spirit Wanderer--sorry to break it to you, but you don't get credit for that. My atheism kinda bursted the bubble a long time ago.

Answer 1

I very much believe in God.

Just not man's major religious' interpretations of what they think he is or should be.

Answer 2

What does man know about god - right, nothing. I do feel a sense of being part of something larger when I'm under the stars, but I have a hard time with the word "god". I think the word god has too many ties to christianity and biblical representations, so in that sense I would say I'm atheist, but I do think that we are all tied together by some form of energy or something...and that is what I sense when I'm under the stars.

Answer 3

I am not sure that I would use Dan Brown, since he is a fiction writer and not a theologian. But having said this and taking Brown's word as a midrash, I always look at how God is reveled to us. In the writings of people and in the way we experience God. If the question is that women got striped out of the bible then yes they did, (it was all those pesky monks transcribing the bible and changing the women into men)

So I think it is both and we always need to seek and recapture the feminine voice in scripture and in midrash. (if you are interested in the word midrash you can read more here http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/03-Torah-Halacha/section-25.html

Answer 4

One has to begin by listening to what MAN says before they even start down the path in finding God for themselves. An isolated individual on their own is likely to be enlightened to some form of God concept but it would most likely be on the primitive side of thinking. People rely on each another to enhance and to complete ideas and thoughts. We require others to bounce our concepts to develop our own personal beliefs. The goal is to find God, not as a group but as an individual. In the end, the true religionist finds God through their intervention with the indwelling spirit. At that point no other person, MAN, will ever believe or think as they do. The point is that no matter what one believes, which maybe of value to another persons journey in finding God, it will solely be theirs and theirs only to believe. Everyone will have their variation and that is what makes being different so wonderful.

Answer 5

God has created, is running, and will destroy the Universe. God is the Origin and Destination of the Universe. God was, is, will be everywhere, God was never Created and will never die / be destroyed. God is beyond Life and Death. All religions of world teach human way to get close to God. You give your Best, God will give thy Best. Ask God for help and forgive, God will help and forgive you. Pray; Worship and Thank God for everything. Remember wherever there is Happiness in Life, there will be Sorrow. To get Happiness, you must master Sorrow. For Success in Life; Believe in Self and God, Learn from Past, Concentrate in Present, Plan for Future. Have control on, be the master of, not the slave of your body, senses, and mind. Purpose of this Life is to Gain and Share utmost Knowledge and Experience to differentiate and choose Right, Good, God against Wrong, Bad, Devil. Set your Desire level perfect or OK to be brave, no low to be coward, no high to be cruel. You have rights of Survival, Self Defence, and Freedom.

Answer 6

Yes I believe in God, the Holy Spirit and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I believe in some things people say about God. I also believe God gives me the answers sometimes, but I have to be open enough to listen no matter what the answer is.

Bottom line, God is all about love and forgiveness. We must confess our sins and ask for forgiveness and it will be granted but only if we are sincere in our apology and desires to not sin again. We can not fool God.

Answer 7

Yay, it's YOU! LOL -- so glad You asked this question! A lot of people don't see the difference and simply accept human authorities to interpret scriptures, and then they fall out fighting with people who listened to someone else!

Spirit Wanderer, why would that make You specifically a Christian? Men (meaning humans) all over the world have claimed to be the voice of God.

Answer 8

I believe what my own eyes, ears, and my other senses tell me about this world. I do not sense any "God" or any sort of higher power (other than nature) in this world...sorry. I made my own conclusions about your and every other god. I have a sense of awe when I look into the stars, but nothing divine, sorry for burstin' your two-sided bubble there...

-EDIT- Also...if I believed in what MAN had to say about God...then I'd be a Christian wouldn't I?

Answer 9

I believe in him on my own and always have since I was at least 3 or 4 years old. I can see his handy work in nature and in all living things. It seems we are all apart of him and are all connected to each other somehow. I only believe what men say about God when I know deep down inside that it is true.

Answer 10

I believe in God. I sense order and intelligence in the design of life.

I believe the Bible is the word of God; given to us through words spoken to inspired people.

Mankind can't seem to agree on much of anything in these days; and if they do manage to agree, disagreement comes in a very short time. It seems a little foolhardy to stake my future on public opinion

Answer 11

I often find myself in a state of awe and wonder with regards to the universe that I am part of. I don't attribute this feeling to a god or anything a 'man' might say about the hypothetical existence of one.