reliiiiigggiiiiooon

[mysterygal]

When are we actually going to receive some proof that GOD exists?
All these religions expect you to go on blind faith, but when will people realise that's not enough? Why form eranous(don't know how to spell that) assumptions about God? Why not wait until death when all will be revealed?

[Lychee]

The proof is everywhere.

[Plato]

I thought that way for a long time. Then I realised you have to step outside your religion (the Church of Rational Thinking), to understand where religions are coming from.

[Addict]

When are we actually going to receive some proof that GOD exists?

Hello, and welcome to agnosticism.

[Amadeus]

Why are you assuming that people (and people on here) have not seen proof of God? Do you mean to ask why have YOU not seen proof of God? Does day not turning into night every 24 hours not proove something to you.

[The David]

Don't be ridiculous! 'GOD' does not exist. 'god', on the other hand, is everywhere.

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by mysterygal

Why form eranous(don't know how to spell that)

I believe you meant to say "erroneous".

If you genuinely don't know how to spell something, here are some resources I use:

1. Copy and pasting your post into a word processor such as Microsoft Word or a free alternative, such as OpenOffice.
2. Looking up the word you don't know how to spell using the online dictionary, Ninjawords, which is a really fast dictionary... fast like a ninja.
3. Looking up the word you don't know how to spell using the online dictionary, Dictionary.com, which is less fast, and more in-depth.

Interestingly, I've become so accustomed to checking an online dictionary for things I don't know how to spell that it's actually faster for me to check the spelling of a word then it is for me to write something like "(sp?)" or "(don't know how to spell that)". That’s not a jab at you or anything, just me sharing an interesting side effect of what happens when you make spell checking an automatic habit.

I was never that great at spelling, but what helped me improve was developing the habit of checking how something was spelt every time I was unsure about a word. It caused my spelling accuracy to increase, but not in the way you might think.

It’s not that I had to put effort into consciously learning how to spell something (believe me when I say that’s not something I’d enjoy doing), I just used any uncertainty I had about a word as chance to improve the quality of what I was writing (generally you have a pretty good idea if you know how to spell something or if you're just guessing). Eventually it became like a game and I’d look forward to seeing if I spelt something correctly or not. And I didn’t mind doing it since I knew I wasn’t going to force myself to try and learn it -- I just corrected the error if there was one, and continued doing what I was doing.

Interestingly, I started to get a “that doesn’t look right” feeling whenever I spelt something incorrectly because I had seen the correct spelling enough times to develop a subconscious memory of the correct spelling -- no conscious effort required (apart from the spell checking, but it’s so dead-simple I wouldn’t call it “effort”).

I recommend you consider spell checking any word you don’t know how to spell using the resources I listed above. I personally made this really easy to do by adding shortcuts the resources I referenced to easy-to-access locations. By making something easier to do, you’re more likely to do it.

Note: This method also works well for words you don't understand the meaning of.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Bruce Achterberg

If you genuinely don't know how to spell something, here are some resources I use:

You can also write it in Google... most of the time it will say: "Did you mean:" written in red... followed by the correct spelling of the word...
.

[Matthew Shea]

Mysterygal, while I would never pretend to speak for God, if you're waiting for some big revelation or undeniable proof, you're going to be waiting a long, LONG time. Belief is very much an individual thing. No one's ever going to prove God's existence, nor should they need to. You need to be truly open to the possibility, then you'll see the evidence around you. Lack of proof is part of the challenge of life. As much as it might frustrate us, not everything is meant to have a conclusion.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by mysterygal

When are we actually going to receive some proof that GOD exists?

The proof is in the pudding.

All these religions expect you to go on blind faith, but when will people realise that's not enough?

Is that ture? All religions ask you to use blind faith? I'm not sure of that. I've always thought faith comes when you feel connected to source. The faith is that everything is actually quite alright (even if there is turmoil all around) - you as a spiritual being are really very ok - that's faith. It's not that your need to have faith to believe in some form of spiritualness or God.

Why form eranous(don't know how to spell that) assumptions about God? Why not wait until death when all will be revealed?

The closer we are aligned now, the easier and familiar the transistion will be when we die. I'd agree, we don't need assumptions and I actually think most beliefs get in the way of being spiritually connected.

[Chinese Dragon]

Hello mysterygal, I've wondered about this myself a few times. I eventually deduced for myself with a very low probability of error that God does exist. Some of my reasons came from extraordinary experiences, the rest from quantum physics.

(Please atheists, don't try to argue with me. I've had more than enough arguments about this for a lifetime. You can believe in God or think he doesn't exist, I really don't care.)

Originally Posted by mysterygal

When are we actually going to receive some proof that GOD exists?

When you think of it, we really can't prove anything. It sounds weird, but I can't prove to you that I am typing a response right now. I could be telling someone else to write this, or this could have been an auto-response from an extremely sophisticated bot. We can never really prove anything with absolute certainty.

Originally Posted by mysterygal

All these religions expect you to go on blind faith, but when will people realise that's not enough?

First off, not all of them do. I'm a Catholic as a matter of fact, and no one's ever expected me to believe blindly. Any question I have in the form of "How does God exist if X is true?" is answered. The proof is all around us, you just have to know where to look.

Also this is a bit off topic but one thing I would like to point out is that the Bible is misinterpreted very often. To anyone who's found moral flaws in Christian faith, I recommend you forget the average Christian's opinion on the subject for a moment and read the Bible the way it was meant to be read.

Originally Posted by mysterygal

Why form eranous(don't know how to spell that) assumptions about God? Why not wait until death when all will be revealed?

Well, you see, that was kind of the point, believing while we're here on Earth. (or the Moon, or Mars, wherever we go in the future) I think God is testing us to see if we believe. People could argue and swap logical proof on the existence/absence of God for the rest of their lives, so I think that if there was a logical way to prove either argument the other belief system would have died out long ago. So I think it's much more likely that it's designed that way to be a test of faith.

[Mark Lapierre]

For what it's worth I share part of your sentiment, mysterygal. As others have said belief in God is a personal thing and where faith is concerned proof is irrelevant.

I don't see any issue with what anyone chooses to believe, whether it be in God, or in Russell's Teapot. However, I do see an issue with forcing those beliefs on others, which includes indoctrinating children before they've developed the ability to think for themselves. In that case I say the argument is relevant, the arguments so far given (all arguments I've heard, not just the ones in this thread) are unconvincing, and the burden of proof lies on the believers who are attempting to get others to believe.

Chinese Dragon: How was the Bible meant to be read, and who decides that?

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by mysterygal

When are we actually going to receive some proof that GOD exists? ....... Why not wait until death when all will be revealed?

Wait until death? Then all will be revealed? Is that your expectation? Where did it come from? What kind of proof do you think you will get, upon death? A logical proof? A scientific proof? The proof of direct experience? What makes you think it isn't possible to have direct experience now, when you're still alive? Or that others haven't already had it?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

However, I do see an issue with forcing those beliefs on others, which includes indoctrinating children before they've developed the ability to think for themselves.

I think a great way to remedy that would be to discuss all the religions and beliefs you can with your children as they grow as well as imparting critical thinking skills. They will have all the information and skill they need to choose what best fits for them. I think it would have the added bonus of making them tolerant of other's who do not share their beliefs. I believe children can be trusted with these decisions and that exposing them to a wide range of beliefs, cultures and languages will go a long way to making our world a better place to live in.

[Pterodactyl Handler]

Originally Posted by Bruce Achterberg

I believe you meant to say "erroneous".

If you genuinely don't know how to spell something, here are some resources I use:

1. Copy and pasting your post into a word processor such as Microsoft Word or a free alternative, such as OpenOffice.
2. Looking up the word you don't know how to spell using the online dictionary, Ninjawords, which is a really fast dictionary... fast like a ninja.
3. Looking up the word you don't know how to spell using the online dictionary, Dictionary.com, which is less fast, and more in-depth.

Interestingly, I've become so accustomed to checking an online dictionary for things I don't know how to spell that it's actually faster for me to check the spelling of a word then it is for me to write something like "(sp?)" or "(don't know how to spell that)". That’s not a jab at you or anything, just me sharing an interesting side effect of what happens when you make spell checking an automatic habit.

I was never that great at spelling, but what helped me improve was developing the habit of checking how something was spelt every time I was unsure about a word. It caused my spelling accuracy to increase, but not in the way you might think.

It’s not that I had to put effort into consciously learning how to spell something (believe me when I say that’s not something I’d enjoy doing), I just used any uncertainty I had about a word as chance to improve the quality of what I was writing (generally you have a pretty good idea if you know how to spell something or if you're just guessing). Eventually it became like a game and I’d look forward to seeing if I spelt something correctly or not. And I didn’t mind doing it since I knew I wasn’t going to force myself to try and learn it -- I just corrected the error if there was one, and continued doing what I was doing.

Interestingly, I started to get a “that doesn’t look right” feeling whenever I spelt something incorrectly because I had seen the correct spelling enough times to develop a subconscious memory of the correct spelling -- no conscious effort required (apart from the spell checking, but it’s so dead-simple I wouldn’t call it “effort”).

I recommend you consider spell checking any word you don’t know how to spell using the resources I listed above. I personally made this really easy to do by adding shortcuts the resources I referenced to easy-to-access locations. By making something easier to do, you’re more likely to do it.

Note: This method also works well for words you don't understand the meaning of.

Wow... I must say, I'm impressed.

That... that may just be the most condescending post I've ever read on the internet!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

I really don't ever get the condescending vibe from Bruce. I think he's genuinely trying to help out with his very infomative posts. Hopefully the OP will take it in the spirit in which it's intended.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by mysterygal

Why not wait until death when all will be revealed?

Ever since I was a little I figured the likeliest scenario would be a black-out. I don't think anything will be revealed to us after death; all we have is this life.

Wouldn't it be great to have a near-death experience, and get all inspired and transformed lit up and say hi to the afterlife but just pass through like a journalist, and go to your own wake and see what nice things people have to say about you that they wouldn't cop to when you were alive, and see who is sneering and saying things like, "I'm glad she's dead -- she never returned my Frampton Comes Alive and she smelled like seaweed." And then your eyes burst open and your auntie who was knitting and praying by your bedside is so startled by your unexpected recovery that she has a heart attack and SHE has a near death experience but comes back, too; and then you have someone to talk with about it. And then the two of you can gang up on the person whose Frampton album you never REALLY had; no, she gave it to her sexually confused college boyfriend while she was high on cough syrup and completely forgot about it, and only thought it was you because it was you she told was pregnant while "I want YOOUUUU to show me the way, every day" played on her parent's stereo. And you and your auntie could authoritatively inform the sneerer and everybody else as to the contents of the waiting room between life and death.

Wouldn't that be fun?