Does God exist? I'd like to be clear in my mind

Why did your friend become a minister paddyann, if he believes "GOD is the biggest joke ever played on mankind"?

What on earth is he doing perpetuating the 'myth' that God exists? How could he baptise children with that mind set?.

I never took a bible to a chapel or church service, never saw anyone else doing it.

paddyann what an unchristian man your minister friend is ,
.judging people and repeating his judgement to a friend.

An interesting post Bradfordlass which I respectfully disagree with.

It was not acceptable for a woman at that time to be intimate with the man she was betrothed too before they were married. Mary was not referred to as a virgin due to her unmarried state but because she was a virgin, hence the immaculate conception.

If she'd been intimate with Joseph there would have been no way of knowing if Jesus was his son, rather than God's.

A Jewish scholar would in all probability doubt that Jesus was who he claimed to be, as Jews are still waiting for His coming.

I don't believe in gods either SirChenjin because as a Christian I believe in God.

I wouldn't know what he/she wanted me to do because I dont think he/she exists.Like the poster above I say I'm a humanist .Ilive my life by the same views as SOME christians ...certainly not all .The principles I was raised with,look after the old and the sick and the vulnerable ,the do unto others as you would have them do unto you thing

.The CHRISTIAN principle that appears to be sadly lacking in many nowadays especially WM governments who have made peoples lives a misery for a decade while shoring up the rich.And then trotting into a church on a Sunday for a camera call
.My friend who baptised my babies has been a minister for 50 + years and he will tell you quite honestly that a lot of folk who turn up on a Sunday dont have a humane or christian bone in their body.Its a chance to show off their new hat and walk home with their big family bible tucked under their arm to show where they've been .GOD is the biggest joke ever played on mankind,He was invented to keep the people in their place and it largely worked for a long time .People are eductaed now and not so gullible

*Seems atheists don’t believe in God because he/she doesn’t
do what they want him/her to do*

No, not this atheist. I don’t believe in gods because they don’t exist

I’m a humanist.

So of course there is no such thing as a higher deity.

It is merely a human construct found in various forms throughout history.

Used in various ways. As a control mechanism, as an answer to fearful events. As an answer to unexplained events.. as a comforter

The uses of religion are wide and varied.

All nonsense of course.

I would say that as long as it’s doing no harm.

But of course I can’t say that.

Seems atheists don’t believe in God because he/she doesn’t
do what they want him/her to do

I don't believe in God - a caring deity COULD show him/herself to the world and stop the horrors we see and hear about every day and a God who created the world would surely want to save it from climate change?
As for the proof of his existence ie the "word of God" in the Bible and other "sacred" books, these were written at a time when only some men had an education, and the rules and regulations within those books were written to frighten and control illiterate populations and also to ensure that women were seen as inferior.

That's really interesting BradfordLass and it sensibly removes some of the 'fairy tale' elements from the story. Like Chinese whispers, legends change, along with interpretation over time.

For many years I was a devout, though always questioning Christian. I never felt God was like a slot machine: 'prayer and belief in = blessings out'. Nor did I thing God responsible for any of the good or evil in the world.

I did believe that if God existed at all, we had been told (by successive religious texts), a load of lies about Him.

Jesus was, in my opinion, a gifted child who grew up to be a gifted healer and a wonderful speaker whose main message was 'live your life with love'.

A Jewish rabbi with whom I studied, told me the name, 'Son of God' was used for many devout scholars of the Jewish texts and not, as the early church decided, that Jesus was the literal (and "immaculate") offspring of God.

Likewise, the word 'virgin' to which we now give a sexual connotation, simply meant an unarried woman. Mary, who was only betrothed to Joseph and not yet married, was therefore a virgin. In those days it was acceptable to be intimate with your betrothed, not shameful.

Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, decide Jesus was divine - and much more and that started hundred of years of misbelief. The contents of our current bible was decided at that time and the Gnostic Gospels rejected.

Archbishop John Shelby Spong reiterates all this and his books are well worth reading, especially, 'The Sins of Scripture' which explain how generations of Christians have been misled.

He doesn't turn anyone away from God or their own beliefs, on the contrary, he gives a much stonger idea of the kind of God we can accept and believe in.

Hettymaud you need to read more and research more. Type in the internet why bad things happen to good people and read some of the threads. We cannot prove God exists anymore than we can prove he doesn’t. That is what faith is. I do believe but it is not always easy. Believing is not the soft option. You need to make up your own mind by reading and thinking. Many believers will tell you it’s something you feel inside that draws you.

Thank you all for such thought-provoking replies. I am touched and interested in all posts and will re-read. I really like the thought that we are all spirits and that life does not end. Thank you so much everyone. This all helps me a lot.

No problem-

My apologies - I misunderstood you, sorry

SirChenjin, no rudeness intended, the sentiments were followed with a smile- I attempted to use poker terms to present a riddle-

It didn't work-

SirChengin I agree with you on the subject of a debate. People tend to stay on their position anyway.

SirChengin I agree with you.( ^but I’m wary of generalising that atheists are/do X and people with a faith are/do Y^)

people like our neighbors who made their religion their lifestyle, but who were actually very unpleasant, you don’t have to be religious to do good, but being religious, certainly doesn’t stop people from being cruel.
I’m not suggesting this is normal Annie, I’m sure it’s not, but we used to think some of the things they did in the name of religion was horrible.

Doesn’t make who good ?

We once lived next door to some very religious people, they held prayer meetings in their home, and their whole lives revolved around their church.

They were some of the nastiest, mean spirited group of people I think I’ve ever known.

I’m not suggesting all people with faith are horrible, but it most certainly doesn’t make them good.

My friend was brought up by a strict Catholic and sees good behaviour as 'God fearing'. It's a shame she feels fear and guilt so much. I believe the majority of people are basically good and kind anyway!

I’m a bit nervous about getting into a debate about intelligence or inquisitiveness! I think it’s healthy to question, certainly, but I’m wary of generalising that atheists are/do X and people with a faith are/do Y

AnnieBach well, good on you to have such faith, it has helped you through rough times.

SirChenjin not more intelligent but perhaps they have more inquisitive minds and don't systematically accept what they have been taught which is a good thing, no?

So atheists tend to be more intelligent to start with?!

I think atheists have the advantages listed not because they are atheists but rather they have come atheists because they have them, which is slightly different. They are already people of intelligence interested in the world around them and as a result look after their health, do well at work etc etc, and then are atheist.

I think if you were to compare them with religious believers with the same level of education, intelligence etc, you would find very little difference between the two groups.