My beliefs

What a lovely refreshing thread VQ.

I am not sure what I am really. Maybe an atheist ??

I do not believe in "god" as I cannot see how something/someone can hold the power of life over all of us. Additionally if (and it is a big if) such a thing did exist how twisted would he/she/it have to be to dish out out cruel illnesses to little children, allowing murders, disease,tragedy etc.

My Gran at 97 is a devout catholic. She tells me god is responsible for all the good that is around us. My argument is that he or she cannot jut take credit for the good things but must take the blame for the bad things too.

I believe in God, I believe that Jesus was the Son of God who died for our sins. I believe He made us and then said something along the lines of "OK here are 10 rules I would like you to live your lives by, but it is up to you whether you do or not". I also believe that when we fail to live by the rules and we ask Him to forgive us, He does so unconditionally, says "OK I forgive you now go and try again" and, when we fail again, forgives us again.

Although I know there are many GNs who don't have any belief at all and think it is all superstitious rubbish I gain a great deal of comfort from my faith.

Thank you for starting this thread Vampirequeen. I guess I would have to call myself an atheist if I were to call myself anything at all. I was brought up in the C of E, went to Sunday School, was baptised and later confirmed and then got married in church. For a long time after that I would have described myself as an atheist but I have always believed there is a spiritual dimension to this world that deserves further exploration. I agree this does not have to include a notion of a god, but I have not ruled it out. I occasionally attend church, at times that are important to me. I am very drawn to the ideas of the Quakers, which I believe recognise that everyone seeks for understanding in their own way.

I used to have faith and it can be very comforting but it can also be a cause of fear and despair. My mum finds it very comforting to believe she'll see my dad again which is lovely but a friend is terrified she will go to hell because of something she did when she was a teenager.

I have had faith in the Christian God since I can remember. In the last few years I have lost my faith somewhat (mostly because of the convincing arguments my son puts forward about how we are just nerve endings and suchlike ). And other reasons of course.

But, like I have said before somewhere, there is something that keeps me hanging on.

#cantquiteletgo

I am still trying to work out my beliefs, but I would like to make one point that I have found thought provoking.

The sun, big orange thing in the sky (well, sometimes) we call it the sun, the French would call it la soleil (forgive spelling and or grammar, please) in German it would be de sonne, in Chinese it would be something else etc etc.

So, we are all talking about the same thing, but just with a different name, agreed?

So perhaps God, Allah, Buddha etc are all the same thing, but with different names?

I don't really believe we will actually see again our loved ones who have died. But perhaps there is another way of coming together.

Are we permitted to ask those who hold these beliefs 'why'?

I did suggest that idea on this forum somewhere, phoenix, but it was pointed out that some religions have many different 'gods'...

I don't think I have anything that would be called faith but I do believe that we have a kind of immortality in the memories and influences we pass on to other generations, whether good or bad. I think I have been extraordinarily lucky to have known someone that I would describe as genuinely "good". She was a profound influence on my life and also that of my daughter. Consequently, her goodness, honesty and integrity pass on down the line as aspirations for children who never knew her.

vq I admire the simplicity and openness of your thread title.

I suppose I’m an agnostic. I don’t know for sure whether there is a god or not. If you look back through the ages at all the gods of Egypt, Rome, Greece, Scandinavia, etc. how do we know that the Christian god is any more real than those were. Perhaps in 10,000 years people will be saying that the Christian god was no more real than, say, Zeus, Ra, Thor and any other pagan god and there will be some new religion.

Ancient people believed their gods were real as do people now. What’s the difference? People can believe what they want, if it gives them comfort, whether it’s fairies, gods or whatever. I believe that human beings have it in them to be good or moral without some religion telling them that they have to be.

I believe that religions were formed by powerful people to keep the rest in line and control them. The religions got richer and more powerful and laid down more rules to control the populace.

The Catholic view that priests should be celibate doesn’t sit well the belief that Jesus lived during time when priests (Jewish – as Jesus would have been a Jew) were married.

Difficult to put into words without offending people, but I do believe that the bible is no more than a story like the myths and legends of ancient gods.

absent What a wonderful life-gift to have received.

My therapist was one such a woman, as you describe, and she was able to open up my eyes to the goodness in others. Her legacy is priceless.

I have known people like that too, and they have had a lasting influence on my life and my way of living, such that my children will have benefited from those people too .

And I see DD1 passing much of it on to her children too.

I believe in the power of love and goodness and also in the power of evil.
Both can have great influence on peoples lives.

feetlebaum of course you are permitted to ask 'why?'. I'm sure you would receive a different answer from everyone you ask. I hold no particular beliefs so can't answer your question. But I am open-minded and look for answers in many different places. Each to their own

Perhaps that's God Ella. And the meaning of "the devil"

I'm a Humanist. I feel everyone is entitled to hold on to any Faith they wish - or not believe in anything Spiritual at all. As long as the action of their Belief doesn't harm anyone else, then I don't see it should matter.

I don't know where they come from, but I don't believe in a god or a devil.

I agree Goose.

Ella No, I don't believe in an old man with a beard or a red creature with a forked tail!

Goose Maybe I'm also a Humanist as I agree with what you have written

Agreed, goose.