Why be passionate re. belief or disbelief in God's existence? Why not be neutral since we don't know for sure?

Answer 1

Well if the question of God’s reality existed in a vacuum, then one could afford to be neutral as to the question of whether God does or does not exist. If this issue were merely confined to academic discourse and had no consequences to the outside world, we could treat God with the same laid back attitude that we treat other areas of abstract academic deliberation, such as string theory or Plato’s theory of knowledge.

Yet, any observant person can tell you that many beliefs, even abstract ones, have consequences. Theism, in its various religious incarnations, has serious ramifications for the world at large. Religion has been the catalyst for many wars, has obfuscated the issues in global disputes that would otherwise be remedied, has siphoned untold amounts of money from credulous followers, has dictated our legislative process towards irrational and destructive initiatives (i.e. banning government funding for stem cell research), has subverted rational deliberation of morality and ethics, and has exhausted the intellect and time of many talented people, who would have otherwise used their personal strengths to better uses. And this is only an abridged list of the deleterious effects of religion.

Given how much religion has exploited society or has possibly benefited it, it would make sense that the central tenet of most religions, which is the belief in God, should be examined rigorously. If one were to be passionate about one issue, I think the belief in God, or disbelief in him should be high on ones list of priorities. On which end of the spectrum one falls in the debate over God’s exist, and what society chooses, will determine to a great extent our future and our well being.

Probably the best book to read on the subject, of how we should not be neutral with respect to belief in God, is Sam Harris' book "The End of Faith". It is probably one of the most seminal books, concerning religion, that has been written in the past few years. I can't recommend it enough.

Answer 2

I was raised without any religion. I grew up with no really firm spiritual beliefs. I was a self-proclaimed agnostic (a word I was always having to define for people, as I'm sure you can appreciate.) I was interested in different ideas of spirituality. I was in fact strongly inclined toward paganism. Then a stranger gave me a New Testament on my college campus. I began reading it secretly because I was embarrassed to have anyone think I would read The Bible. And the more I read, the more I felt that Jesus Christ was Who I had been searching for all along. I accepted Him as my personal savior on the same night I finished reading that New Testament. I was alone. It was about 2 AM. Oddly enough, I remained wary of other Christians for a long time. I did not know anyone who was a churchgoing Christian. And I myself did not join a church for years. So in my own case, the belief came before any desire to join a group of people.

Answer 3

Because we are genetically programmed to be 'spiritual'.

We are genetically programmed to look and embrace something big we believe is above ourselves and above our intelligence, that can explain questions we could otherwise not answer. A god, a religion, spiritualism.

Some people can find this in science, and satisfy their spiritual thirst in scientific answers. Science is another form of religion in a way.

I think nobody is right or wrong. We all have our own truth. What we believe is true.

There is no single answer. There are thousands of religions, with their own beliefs and visions, and many of them think they are THE correct one and the other one is wrong. That is sad, but understandable.
These people are so caught up in the mechanism they cannot see the whole picture, e.g. that spiritualism comes from within ourself.

if you would drop some newborns on an isolated island, and they would grow up, by the time they would be adults they woiuld have develloped a type of religious belief.

so why not be neutral like you ask... some people can ... but most people 'feel' something and therefor, 'believe'

Amen ...

Answer 4

You will not be able to debate this topic with any religious person because they accept the existence of a god on pure faith: reason just doesn't apply, and there's no such thing as neutral for a religious person. What you're overlooking is the vast difference between religious belief and knowledge. Such belief arises despite any knowledge, not because of it.

Answer 5

You are absolutely right. No one knows for sure about God's existence or non-existence. To fight over it 'passionately' would be stupidity. But on personal front one cannot stay neutral. Since this is a Gray Zone and most people prefer things either in Black or White, hence the crying need for some belief to hold on to.

All this argument over God, fights over religion, desire to convert people to their way of thinking, are in actual fact quite meaningless. God is a personal matter, to be revered in one's heart...

Answer 6

seems to me that you could be neutral or disbelieving about God's existence, BUT I don't think neutrality would be an alternative to belief, since belief is a matter of faith not fact, and faith is not something you can stand on the sidelines with--it inevitably gets you engaged in what life is all about.

Answer 7

Faith knows and faith is passionate.
The faithless use their egos and any ego is passionate.
Without passion we have no life, whether you believe in God or not. There lays the reason for a lack of neutrality, we all want to live.

Answer 8

because people need something to live for, some cant coupe with the possibility that there might not be any definite reason for existence. People say that faith is all they need to know god exists but they dont realise that if you have to have faith than that means it probably doesnt exist or you would believe. there is no proof that any god exists at all, i dont know where these people find these books that must have very one sided arguements, or use alot of bad science.
I say just dont care about and spend time doing better things, after all "god is all forgiving" supposedly.

Answer 9

That's a great point... I don't like it particularly that agnostics are criticized for being fence sitters, they are admitting to they fact they have no idea, so I think that in itself is brave seeing alot of times its actually just essayer to 'believe', or have belief in something that to admit you don't know....

I usually identify with being atheist, but I am pretty open to the fact that there may be a god, I just don't believe it.... I like to listen to the arguments of those who do believe though and I love to keep an open mind. Why shut yourself off from something that might very well be the truth, just because it goes against what you currently believe? Its pretty much the thing that annoys me most about hardcore believers, there ability to keep such a closed minded view about it all.... why would you do that to yourself?

Answer 10

It's best to be passionate in the belief of God's existence for 2 reasons:
1. If we die, and God does exists, we wouldn't be damned.
2. If God does not exist and yet we are passionate for him, there is no loss for us, since human nature suggests that we long for a transcendent being beyond us, thereby satisfying our longing.
To summarize, passion for God's existence can be narrowed down to 2 words.
salvation, satisfaction
Not having the passion of which can also be summarized to 2 words:
damnation, loneliness