Why I don't believe in God

[sealybobo]

Beliefs are fine. I don't really care because it doesn't affect my life. The only time I will ever REALLY care is when it affects my life or people's lives in a negative way. That is when there is a problem. Otherwise, if they are not pushing everyone else to abide by their personal belief systems, I don't have a problem with other people having them.

I believe the man uses religion as a tool to control and keep us down. Have you ever seen that slave movie that Quentin Tarantino directed? Or maybe it was 13 years a slave? In the movie the master was preaching from the Bible to his slaves and he was quoting in the Bible where it tells you to obey your master. And let's be honest the church is the master

Definitely agree that it is a way to control people. I don't think the original idea was evil though. I think it was to try and get people to behave, as large areas could not be policed back in ancient times. I'm sure people were plundering, looting, raping, murdering, etc., so put the "fear of God" into them. Some people will definitely take advantage and abuse that kind of power.

I wonder in the times of the Greek gods, when moses came screaming down the mountain, when Paul went to Greece or when Mormonism spread, how many just went along to get along.

I can imagine the town arguments back when God was first made up. The believers so radical they would kill over it. So at what point did us non believers decide it's not worth it and just went underground

Yeah, thankfully before the concept of God everybody just sat around the campfire having a good old time.

That's when and why they came up with God. They cried because a bear ate grandma so they told the kids about the spirit world.

And God was invented before fire. He was invented in the dark. Good view of the stars.

 

[Boss]

Yeah, thankfully before the concept of God everybody just sat around the campfire having a good old time.

i think God made some homo sapiens self aware just before the Toba catastrophe to help us survive and begin His Divine plan. The rest were suitable mates for breeding, but were not as morally and intellectually developed.

I have always been sort of intrigued by the possibility of ancient aliens. I know there are some people here who don't believe in God but they believe in those dang aliens... they're surely out there, no doubt! LOL

But think about it... 5-6k years ago, some advanced alien life that is a million years ahead of us today, lands on Earth... finds life, but it's primitive. What to do? You can't really communicate with it and share this monumental event in any meaningful way... these are primitive species without much capacity for intelligent thought.

You can't stay indefinitely, you have to leave the planet eventually... so you pick out a species that has the attributes suitable for training or retention of an idea and you 'bestow' something upon them... a kind of 'brainwashing' for lack of a better term. It gives them the "tool" they need to gain knowledge and learn more, building on what they learn, etc. When they are done... whoosh... off up into the skies... lending credence to our fascination with something great in the sky.

Granted, I am applying human logic here... Imagining what WE might do in such a case... but I rationalize that logic is universal. So I think this is a plausible theory and an explanation for "God" that isn't necessarily tied to a deity. It explains where our human spirituality comes from, since nature simply doesn't explain it.

 

[Boss]

Beliefs are fine. I don't really care because it doesn't affect my life. The only time I will ever REALLY care is when it affects my life or people's lives in a negative way. That is when there is a problem. Otherwise, if they are not pushing everyone else to abide by their personal belief systems, I don't have a problem with other people having them.

I believe the man uses religion as a tool to control and keep us down. Have you ever seen that slave movie that Quentin Tarantino directed? Or maybe it was 13 years a slave? In the movie the master was preaching from the Bible to his slaves and he was quoting in the Bible where it tells you to obey your master. And let's be honest the church is the master

Definitely agree that it is a way to control people. I don't think the original idea was evil though. I think it was to try and get people to behave, as large areas could not be policed back in ancient times. I'm sure people were plundering, looting, raping, murdering, etc., so put the "fear of God" into them. Some people will definitely take advantage and abuse that kind of power.

I wonder in the times of the Greek gods, when moses came screaming down the mountain, when Paul went to Greece or when Mormonism spread, how many just went along to get along.

I can imagine the town arguments back when God was first made up. The believers so radical they would kill over it. So at what point did us non believers decide it's not worth it and just went underground

Yeah, thankfully before the concept of God everybody just sat around the campfire having a good old time.

That's when and why they came up with God. They cried because a bear ate grandma so they told the kids about the spirit world.

And God was invented before fire. He was invented in the dark. Good view of the stars.

You see... I understand that YOU think this... but it makes no sense to me. I broke my leg once... compound fracture... bone sticking out kinda thing... it was ugly AND painful. Especially when they were trying to reconnect the bones... I can still remember the nurse saying... "aww, it's okay it doesn't hurt, don't think about it..." And I remember thinking, "you stupid bitch-- it HURTS!" So I don't buy that we invented something that we knew was not real to console ourselves. It makes NO SENSE!

 

[sealybobo]

Boss claims to be "Spiritual" but CONSTANTLY comes off as a non-Spiritual, egoistic, arrogant ass in the Economics and Politics threads.

Why do you think my strong spiritual connection has anything to do with my treatment of idiots in political or economic debates? My God doesn't "care" because it's not a Supreme Person. If I ran across one of you libtarded pinheads drowning and didn't try and save you, that would be a different story. To borrow a phrase from my Christian friends, my soul is compelled to follow a path of righteousness. That doesn't mean I have to refrain from calling you a moron or dipshit on a message board.

Somehow, I think Jesus would disagree. Turn the other cheek and all that.

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

 

[Boss]

Why do you think my strong spiritual connection has anything to do with my treatment of idiots in political or economic debates? My God doesn't "care" because it's not a Supreme Person. If I ran across one of you libtarded pinheads drowning and didn't try and save you, that would be a different story. To borrow a phrase from my Christian friends, my soul is compelled to follow a path of righteousness. That doesn't mean I have to refrain from calling you a moron or dipshit on a message board.

Somehow, I think Jesus would disagree. Turn the other cheek and all that.

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

 

[Steven_R]

Why would a shark even need inspiration? It's perfect for its environment. Humans evolved to have big brains and opposable thumbs and an upright gait in order to better cope with our environment. We're a weak hairless monkey that has the advantages of being toolmakers (because of our aforementioned evolutionary traits of brains and thumbs). Otherwise, we'd have gone extinct a couple million years ago.

Evolution isn't like leveling up in a game.

Nope... Other primates have opposable thumbs and use tools. They lack the inspiration to do something greater than self. I can't argue that this didn't help us cope with our environment but we should see natural evidence of other species also coping with their environment by gaining the attribute of inspiration and we don't.

Human Inspiration is EXACTLY like "leveling up in a game." Our human spirituality is our most defining attribute as a species and is responsible for humans being what we are. Inspired creatures with spiritual connection to something greater than self.

 

[JimBowie1958]

I have always been sort of intrigued by the possibility of ancient aliens. I know there are some people here who don't believe in God but they believe in those dang aliens... they're surely out there, no doubt! LOL

But think about it... 5-6k years ago, some advanced alien life that is a million years ahead of us today, lands on Earth... finds life, but it's primitive. What to do? You can't really communicate with it and share this monumental event in any meaningful way... these are primitive species without much capacity for intelligent thought.

You can't stay indefinitely, you have to leave the planet eventually... so you pick out a species that has the attributes suitable for training or retention of an idea and you 'bestow' something upon them... a kind of 'brainwashing' for lack of a better term. It gives them the "tool" they need to gain knowledge and learn more, building on what they learn, etc. When they are done... whoosh... off up into the skies... lending credence to our fascination with something great in the sky.

Granted, I am applying human logic here... Imagining what WE might do in such a case... but I rationalize that logic is universal. So I think this is a plausible theory and an explanation for "God" that isn't necessarily tied to a deity. It explains where our human spirituality comes from, since nature simply doesn't explain it.

It might make me a heretic, but I think the angels were possibly aliens working for a Galactic religion that worships the Creator, and Jesus is a mystical being who bends time and space to bring his crucifixion into a single moment across every instance He has appeared to sentient races.

Hows that bend your brain? lolol

 

[JimBowie1958]

Why would a shark even need inspiration? It's perfect for its environment. Humans evolved to have big brains and opposable thumbs and an upright gait in order to better cope with our environment. We're a weak hairless monkey that has the advantages of being toolmakers (because of our aforementioned evolutionary traits of brains and thumbs). Otherwise, we'd have gone extinct a couple million years ago.

Evolution isn't like leveling up in a game.

Nope... Other primates have opposable thumbs and use tools. They lack the inspiration to do something greater than self. I can't argue that this didn't help us cope with our environment but we should see natural evidence of other species also coping with their environment by gaining the attribute of inspiration and we don't.

Human Inspiration is EXACTLY like "leveling up in a game." Our human spirituality is our most defining attribute as a species and is responsible for humans being what we are. Inspired creatures with spiritual connection to something greater than self.

Obviously we have someone here who does not believe in evolution.....

 

[sealybobo]

I believe the man uses religion as a tool to control and keep us down. Have you ever seen that slave movie that Quentin Tarantino directed? Or maybe it was 13 years a slave? In the movie the master was preaching from the Bible to his slaves and he was quoting in the Bible where it tells you to obey your master. And let's be honest the church is the master

Definitely agree that it is a way to control people. I don't think the original idea was evil though. I think it was to try and get people to behave, as large areas could not be policed back in ancient times. I'm sure people were plundering, looting, raping, murdering, etc., so put the "fear of God" into them. Some people will definitely take advantage and abuse that kind of power.

I wonder in the times of the Greek gods, when moses came screaming down the mountain, when Paul went to Greece or when Mormonism spread, how many just went along to get along.

I can imagine the town arguments back when God was first made up. The believers so radical they would kill over it. So at what point did us non believers decide it's not worth it and just went underground

Yeah, thankfully before the concept of God everybody just sat around the campfire having a good old time.

That's when and why they came up with God. They cried because a bear ate grandma so they told the kids about the spirit world.

And God was invented before fire. He was invented in the dark. Good view of the stars.

You see... I understand that YOU think this... but it makes no sense to me. I broke my leg once... compound fracture... bone sticking out kinda thing... it was ugly AND painful. Especially when they were trying to reconnect the bones... I can still remember the nurse saying... "aww, it's okay it doesn't hurt, don't think about it..." And I remember thinking, "you stupid bitch-- it HURTS!" So I don't buy that we invented something that we knew was not real to console ourselves. It makes NO SENSE!

We didn't make it up knowing it was a lie. In the dark with the lion lurking we believe. Out in the ocean with sharks circling, they believe. In foxholes people believe.

I might even do it but rational calm safe me knows that's just wishful.

 

[sealybobo]

I have always been sort of intrigued by the possibility of ancient aliens. I know there are some people here who don't believe in God but they believe in those dang aliens... they're surely out there, no doubt! LOL

But think about it... 5-6k years ago, some advanced alien life that is a million years ahead of us today, lands on Earth... finds life, but it's primitive. What to do? You can't really communicate with it and share this monumental event in any meaningful way... these are primitive species without much capacity for intelligent thought.

You can't stay indefinitely, you have to leave the planet eventually... so you pick out a species that has the attributes suitable for training or retention of an idea and you 'bestow' something upon them... a kind of 'brainwashing' for lack of a better term. It gives them the "tool" they need to gain knowledge and learn more, building on what they learn, etc. When they are done... whoosh... off up into the skies... lending credence to our fascination with something great in the sky.

Granted, I am applying human logic here... Imagining what WE might do in such a case... but I rationalize that logic is universal. So I think this is a plausible theory and an explanation for "God" that isn't necessarily tied to a deity. It explains where our human spirituality comes from, since nature simply doesn't explain it.

It might make me a heretic, but I think the angels were possibly aliens working for a Galactic religion that worships the Creator, and Jesus is a mystical being who bends time and space to bring his crucifixion into a single moment across every instance He has appeared to sentient races.

Hows that bend your brain? lolol

The "real" story isn't any more believable than yours

 

[sealybobo]

Somehow, I think Jesus would disagree. Turn the other cheek and all that.

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

I looked up the definition of love and it says nothing about Jesus. You can define love without Jesus.

People loved long before Jesus, no?

 

[Boss]

Oh now you don't deny Jesus?

Why are you trying to use Bible tricks on me?

I didn't say that I believe Jesus is the living Son of God.

Personally, I think Jesus was a very spiritually-connected person who was often misunderstood. For instance, when he is quoted as "claiming he is God" he is trying to convey the nuance that we are ALL with the spirit of God... we are all God. We intrinsically all have God inside us. I can believe that.

I think beyond that, his message of peace and love are the embodiment of who is was. The only deviation from this was turning over the tables in the temple. That basically got him killed. Son of God? Rose from the Dead? I'm not sure on all that. People believe it... that's all I can say.

Things I find more fascinating is Noah knowing to build an ark for a flood. Moses leading his people out of Egypt and predicting Jesus. Then... The wise men from the East, totally unrelated to all of this... through their own spirituality, get this kind of dream/interpretation thing where they are compelled to follow a star westward where a new King would be born. And-- We can actually use technology to go back in time to that period and confirm things like the movement and position of Jupiter, the Moon and the Sun, and it all fits precisely with the timeline.

There are many incorrect details of all this, but yeah... it likely happened close to how it is told. Jesus wasn't born in a manger, it was the lower level of a farm/house dwelling that was common in the time, they didn't have inns. It happened in December but Jesus was 8-months old. He was born in April. He may not even have been born in Jerusalem. The "wise men" weren't kings... we don't even know if there were three, they just brought three gifts and came from somewhere near modern day Iraq.

To me, it's just a fascinating story all the way through. Whether it is all true or not? No idea... But I think it is laughable to "conclude" that Jesus never existed.

 

[Indeependent]

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

I looked up the definition of love and it says nothing about Jesus. You can define love without Jesus.

People loved long before Jesus, no?

Boss means "Tough Love".
You can't tell us you don't know what that means.

 

[Boss]

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

I looked up the definition of love and it says nothing about Jesus. You can define love without Jesus.

People loved long before Jesus, no?

Nope. People before Jesus were killing each other and murdering each other but thinking it was all okay because God wanted them to. Kind of like the Radical Islamists are now. You see, Islam is almost exactly like Christianity without Jesus. They've not had their Jesus.

When Jesus came along, he brought the message of peace, love and forgiveness. He promised that if you walk in the light of God you will have eternal life in heaven. And basically... that is all.

So you see, Jesus is Pure Love. That's simple to figure out if you have any intellect. Everything Jesus stood for is Love. Everything Jesus died for is Love. It is an act of Pure Love to give your life on the cross so that all mankind can live in heaven and be forgiven for their sins. Regardless of whether you "believe" or not... that is a pretty dang selfless act of Pure Love.

 

[Indeependent]

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

I looked up the definition of love and it says nothing about Jesus. You can define love without Jesus.

People loved long before Jesus, no?

Nope. People before Jesus were killing each other and murdering each other but thinking it was all okay because God wanted them to. Kind of like the Radical Islamists are now. You see, Islam is almost exactly like Christianity without Jesus. They've not had their Jesus.

When Jesus came along, he brought the message of peace, love and forgiveness. He promised that if you walk in the light of God you will have eternal life in heaven. And basically... that is all.

So you see, Jesus is Pure Love. That's simple to figure out if you have any intellect. Everything Jesus stood for is Love. Everything Jesus died for is Love. It is an act of Pure Love to give your life on the cross so that all mankind can live in heaven and be forgiven for their sins. Regardless of whether you "believe" or not... that is a pretty dang selfless act of Pure Love.

Yes, many Jews think that's what Paul was trying to accomplish.
If Paul saw what ACTUALLY happened he would turn over in his grave.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes, but Jesus is pure Love and I'm most definitely not. I try, but I ultimately fail.

Oh now you don't deny Jesus? When did you convert? You went MIA for a bit. Did you join or start a cult?

He's not commenting on Jesus as Son of God, but as a historical figure.
You see Boss, I defend you when the context calls for such.

He said Jesus is pure love. What does that mean then? Does he mean the message?

Pretty easy sentence, silly boob. You comprehend what Love is, right?

I looked up the definition of love and it says nothing about Jesus. You can define love without Jesus.

People loved long before Jesus, no?

Of course they did. People actually lived lives before Jesus and organized religion, believe it or not. I've asked before, what happened to all of those "souls" who had no Jesus to be sacrificed for our alleged "sins?" The sin where some chick in a garden ate some apple after being tempted by a serpent.

 

[Boss]

Yes, many Jews think that's what Paul was trying to accomplish.
If Paul saw what ACTUALLY happened he would turn over in his grave.

Well see... I don't know about any of that. I am a Spiritualist who doesn't subscribe to any organized religion. I have respect for some religions and other religions are pure evil. Some denominations of otherwise good religions are pure evil. So I can't hitch myself to a Religious Wagon and I won't ever be able to. Now, maybe I am wrong? If so, I'll definitely ask God why He didn't "move" me?

 

[sealybobo]

Oh now you don't deny Jesus?

Why are you trying to use Bible tricks on me?

I didn't say that I believe Jesus is the living Son of God.

Personally, I think Jesus was a very spiritually-connected person who was often misunderstood. For instance, when he is quoted as "claiming he is God" he is trying to convey the nuance that we are ALL with the spirit of God... we are all God. We intrinsically all have God inside us. I can believe that.

I think beyond that, his message of peace and love are the embodiment of who is was. The only deviation from this was turning over the tables in the temple. That basically got him killed. Son of God? Rose from the Dead? I'm not sure on all that. People believe it... that's all I can say.

Things I find more fascinating is Noah knowing to build an ark for a flood. Moses leading his people out of Egypt and predicting Jesus. Then... The wise men from the East, totally unrelated to all of this... through their own spirituality, get this kind of dream/interpretation thing where they are compelled to follow a star westward where a new King would be born. And-- We can actually use technology to go back in time to that period and confirm things like the movement and position of Jupiter, the Moon and the Sun, and it all fits precisely with the timeline.

There are many incorrect details of all this, but yeah... it likely happened close to how it is told. Jesus wasn't born in a manger, it was the lower level of a farm/house dwelling that was common in the time, they didn't have inns. It happened in December but Jesus was 8-months old. He was born in April. He may not even have been born in Jerusalem. The "wise men" weren't kings... we don't even know if there were three, they just brought three gifts and came from somewhere near modern day Iraq.

To me, it's just a fascinating story all the way through. Whether it is all true or not? No idea... But I think it is laughable to "conclude" that Jesus never existed.

Funny you need to see Obama's birth certificate but not jesus'

 

[Indeependent]

Yes, many Jews think that's what Paul was trying to accomplish.
If Paul saw what ACTUALLY happened he would turn over in his grave.

Well see... I don't know about any of that. I am a Spiritualist who doesn't subscribe to any organized religion. I have respect for some religions and other religions are pure evil. Some denominations of otherwise good religions are pure evil. So I can't hitch myself to a Religious Wagon and I won't ever be able to. Now, maybe I am wrong? If so, I'll definitely ask God why He didn't "move" me?

It's admirable to be spiritual; I wish more of my robotic Observant Jewish acquaintances were more spiritual.
Paul wanted a Reform Judaism; a notion rather popular amongst Hellenistic Jews assimilating at the time into Greek and Roman culture,

 

[ChrisL]

Yes, many Jews think that's what Paul was trying to accomplish.
If Paul saw what ACTUALLY happened he would turn over in his grave.

Well see... I don't know about any of that. I am a Spiritualist who doesn't subscribe to any organized religion. I have respect for some religions and other religions are pure evil. Some denominations of otherwise good religions are pure evil. So I can't hitch myself to a Religious Wagon and I won't ever be able to. Now, maybe I am wrong? If so, I'll definitely ask God why He didn't "move" me?

Oh, well be sure to fill us in on what he says, Moses.