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An Innate Belief in God
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I've heard alot of believers say that the belief in God in innate. That we all have this voice if you will, that tell us that there is a God. One
need not use logic or reason when it comes to believing if there is a God, or if there isn't. I cant talk from my own experience because I was raised
in a Catholic household. All my life I'ved had an innate belief that God does indeed exist. I think its because my mom always instilled it in me. To
this day, even if my mind or logic tells me there isn't a God, something always inside of me begs to differ. I want to hear from true, or authentic
atheists. People who grew up in a secular household or something. Can you honestly say there isn't a God? Have you ever had like this innate or inner
voice that tells you God exists? I ask this question because I heard a Muslim say that we all have this innate belief in God, so i want to know if
this is indeed the case.
I only have my own inner voice. I've never heard God or anyone else speak to me.
According to Romans 1:20:
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
I never have a voice telling me that God exists. I do however have a doubt, a questioning voice that asks, from time to time, if God exists.
I'm obviously agnostic.
I'm obviously agnostic.
reply to post by 0thetrooth0
Good question!
I was raised in a secular house, never went to church, and have never believed in anything other than myself.
Religion has always made me feel uncomfortable, and I don't want to be around religious people typically.
Still have to wonder why my mind feels the need to ponder this question though.
It would be an excellent experiment (although unethical) to raise a human in seclusion until they are an adult, and see what they believe after a childhood with no outside influences!
Good question!
I was raised in a secular house, never went to church, and have never believed in anything other than myself.
Religion has always made me feel uncomfortable, and I don't want to be around religious people typically.
Still have to wonder why my mind feels the need to ponder this question though.
It would be an excellent experiment (although unethical) to raise a human in seclusion until they are an adult, and see what they believe after a childhood with no outside influences!
If you're raised in a religious family, it'll seem natural to feel like there's some "innate connection" to a god.
But people raised in other religions, feel those connections to different gods. Some feel it to multiple gods, some feel it to things that don't qualify anything like what you think of a God.
But, when someone's born, they're in a state of Implicit Atheism. You simply don't know of, or feel any gods unless you're told they're there first. People raised who are never told about god's, or are raised by parents who openly say they don't believe in any gods, never get that feeling.
It's a simple trick of the mind. And, personally, I think it's immoral to approach a child on the subject until they're old enough to critically assess any religious claims. Instead, parents insist that they're beliefs are true, until the child has an "innate" feeling that it is. This feeling automatically means nothing when you realize it's only there because of the way people are raised, and encourages such a vast variety of things depending on what the child is taught.
~
The first thing that turned me off to my family religion, is that I was raised in a religious household, but never "felt it". That "Innate Belief" never showed up to me. That left me with no reason to believe the crazy stories being told to me. When I was older, I was able to critically analyze information, which is a far more accurate way of finding truth. That only set me farther away from religion. Especially the one I was raised in, after I found out all the Lies, Biases, and overall Suppressing of Information that was used to try to convince me when I was younger, that I didn't know better to not trust.
~
Nearly Every religion claims people are born with an innate belief in that religion. It's so ridiculous. The fact that people in areas and time periods develop completely different belief systems, with nothing in common(Besides that fact that they often, not always, include Super Humans-Gods- just because of our ego) at all, is enough proof that that's wrong.
~
The "Innate Belief" claim is complete fallacious. It's one that may sound nice to believers, who are basically tricking themselves into the feeling, but it carries no weight to anyone else. Same as how a Pastafarian claiming that everyone naturally feels a connection to the FSM, wouldn't mean anything to you, because you personally know that claim is wrong.
But people raised in other religions, feel those connections to different gods. Some feel it to multiple gods, some feel it to things that don't qualify anything like what you think of a God.
But, when someone's born, they're in a state of Implicit Atheism. You simply don't know of, or feel any gods unless you're told they're there first. People raised who are never told about god's, or are raised by parents who openly say they don't believe in any gods, never get that feeling.
It's a simple trick of the mind. And, personally, I think it's immoral to approach a child on the subject until they're old enough to critically assess any religious claims. Instead, parents insist that they're beliefs are true, until the child has an "innate" feeling that it is. This feeling automatically means nothing when you realize it's only there because of the way people are raised, and encourages such a vast variety of things depending on what the child is taught.
~
The first thing that turned me off to my family religion, is that I was raised in a religious household, but never "felt it". That "Innate Belief" never showed up to me. That left me with no reason to believe the crazy stories being told to me. When I was older, I was able to critically analyze information, which is a far more accurate way of finding truth. That only set me farther away from religion. Especially the one I was raised in, after I found out all the Lies, Biases, and overall Suppressing of Information that was used to try to convince me when I was younger, that I didn't know better to not trust.
~
Nearly Every religion claims people are born with an innate belief in that religion. It's so ridiculous. The fact that people in areas and time periods develop completely different belief systems, with nothing in common(Besides that fact that they often, not always, include Super Humans-Gods- just because of our ego) at all, is enough proof that that's wrong.
~
The "Innate Belief" claim is complete fallacious. It's one that may sound nice to believers, who are basically tricking themselves into the feeling, but it carries no weight to anyone else. Same as how a Pastafarian claiming that everyone naturally feels a connection to the FSM, wouldn't mean anything to you, because you personally know that claim is wrong.
Originally posted by sixswornsermon
reply to post by 0thetrooth0
Good question!
I was raised in a secular house, never went to church, and have never believed in anything other than myself.
Religion has always made me feel uncomfortable, and I don't want to be around religious people typically.
Still have to wonder why my mind feels the need to ponder this question though.
It would be an excellent experiment (although unethical) to raise a human in seclusion until they are an adult, and see what they believe after a childhood with no outside influences!
If there's one thing I've noticed, It's that it always tends to be religious people that get supposedly possessed and such. That's what scares me about religion.
Is it that powerful, that it can make you mentally unstable?
Originally posted by DAZ21
I only have my own inner voice. I've never heard God or anyone else speak to me.
IF everyone has the "spark" of God within them... God speaks to you every day...
I AM speaking to you right now...
Originally posted by DAZ21
Originally posted by sixswornsermon
reply to post by 0thetrooth0
Good question!
I was raised in a secular house, never went to church, and have never believed in anything other than myself.
Religion has always made me feel uncomfortable, and I don't want to be around religious people typically.
Still have to wonder why my mind feels the need to ponder this question though.
It would be an excellent experiment (although unethical) to raise a human in seclusion until they are an adult, and see what they believe after a childhood with no outside influences!
If there's one thing I've noticed, It's that it always tends to be religious people that get supposedly possessed and such. That's what scares me about religion.
Is it that powerful, that it can make you mentally unstable?
IF you "believe" in evil entities, you give them power... Belief is VERY powerful my friend
reply to post by DAZ21
Well, I do not like to offend anybody on the internet or IRL, but I personally do not like the strength with which the religious cling to their convictions.
I am willing to admit that I am wrong in regards to the things that I believe, but are they also willing to examine their faith? The answer is typically "no" from my experiences with them, and then the argument tends to devolve. I will leave it at that.
To clarify, I do not belittle people for their beliefs, I just may tend to avoid them if they think or believe a certain way.
Well, I do not like to offend anybody on the internet or IRL, but I personally do not like the strength with which the religious cling to their convictions.
I am willing to admit that I am wrong in regards to the things that I believe, but are they also willing to examine their faith? The answer is typically "no" from my experiences with them, and then the argument tends to devolve. I will leave it at that.
To clarify, I do not belittle people for their beliefs, I just may tend to avoid them if they think or believe a certain way.
I was raised in a very religious family and I'm now an atheist. For a couple years after letting go of the belief in God, I sometimes wondered. But
the reasons that I'm atheist are much more real and strong than any reason I've ever had to believe that a God exists. And I no longer wonder if it
does.
I don't think we have an innate belief in God. We have an innate sense of wonder and curiosity... We seek explanation for what we experience. We ask... "How did I get here"? "What is the purpose of my life"? "What happens to me when I die"? And since there are no known answers to those questions, we speculate.
People are generally uncomfortable with not knowing...
Belief in God came from the very first time man started wondering and asking these questions... He figured that the sky brought the rain, the warmth, the seasons... He looked to the sky for answers. And over the years, religion was born... Man made God in his image. A leader to watch over us, take care of us and punish us when we did wrong...
We didn't have to wonder any more. We could feel safe and secure, knowing that God was going to take care of us...
Problem is, we have advanced enough, scientifically, to know that these stories that people have been handing down for generations make no logical sense whatsoever. But people are scared out of their shorts to give up the structure they've devoted their life to.
I was a "heavy Christian". And now, I'm a better person and I'm free.
,
I don't think we have an innate belief in God. We have an innate sense of wonder and curiosity... We seek explanation for what we experience. We ask... "How did I get here"? "What is the purpose of my life"? "What happens to me when I die"? And since there are no known answers to those questions, we speculate.
People are generally uncomfortable with not knowing...
Belief in God came from the very first time man started wondering and asking these questions... He figured that the sky brought the rain, the warmth, the seasons... He looked to the sky for answers. And over the years, religion was born... Man made God in his image. A leader to watch over us, take care of us and punish us when we did wrong...
We didn't have to wonder any more. We could feel safe and secure, knowing that God was going to take care of us...
Problem is, we have advanced enough, scientifically, to know that these stories that people have been handing down for generations make no logical sense whatsoever. But people are scared out of their shorts to give up the structure they've devoted their life to.
I was a "heavy Christian". And now, I'm a better person and I'm free.
,
edit on 1/30/2012 by Benevolent Heretic because: (no reason given)
If there's one thing I've noticed, It's that it always tends to be religious people that get supposedly possessed and such. That's what scares me about religion.
Is it that powerful, that it can make you mentally unstable?
Yes, 99% of all "Possessions" and such are by people who believe it can happen, or more natural occurrences that later get blamed on possessions.
One word, for both the "Innate Belief" and "Possessions", Placebo. Simply believing in something can cause your brain to cause it to happen.
~
Reminds me, of my families religion(Second time, in one topic, I know), they had the deal about demons. They convinced many of the people(Christians, non-religious, any background) who they got to listen to(Door to Door, Bible Studies, ect, these were Jehovahs Witnesses, you know what they're like) that the mere fact that they were showing interest in the "Truth", demons would start harassing them, trying to turn them away from it. Throughout my childhood, I'd heard many people experience that, many. They were then taught that embracing the religion would give them God's protection. I very well remember hearing many times that even shouting "Jehovah" would usually be strong enough to keep them at bay.
I've heard enough people experience it. And the answer why is simple, the Witnesses psyched them out, and they psyched themselves out. Our brains work like that.
Of course, the absolute proof that it wasn't any demons, is that those experiences only served to push people into the religion. Demons would know that would happen, and would know they were only harming their cause. So, obviously, they wouldn't do things like that.
Just another example of how our brain gives us subjectivity that isn't at all real. Subjective feelings are downright useless at figuring out fact.
When I think of some figure with a grey beard out there somewhere in the ether ( like I was told at school ) I can't seriously consider for one
minute that it holds any degree of truth whatsoever. So if there is a God, I certainly don't know in what capacity.
Something in me wants there to be something. When you ponder over the very fact that the universe exists, how it might have come about, the energy that must have been there for eternity, the concept is so far beyond comprehension that a natural thing to assume is that there are higher forces ( or force - singular ) at work. Whether that is simply down to a lack of understanding and wanting an explanation for it all, I don't know.
I believe in something but I just don't know what it is. I struggle to take anything serious like religeon because of the way man has forever twisted things throughout history for his own benefit. I wouldn't trust whether it is the truth or a complete pack of lies. From what I can gather, everyone who has invested in religeous belief systems are all totally convinced that their deity or way of life is the correct one. How can they all be correct and if they are, then for what purpose does it serve to even have religeon? It doesn't make you a better person, it doesn't mean you have something I do not ( you might think you do but you really do not ) If I'm following a life based on instinct and good moral judgement without being brainwashed into some dogmatic belief and there is a God, surely I have lived by fair standards and applied myself in a worthy way.
Also, you'd think a God who seems so keen on people to worship him, would at least make a slight effort to actually show that he does, indeed exist.
I have a feeling inside that there is something but like before, I can't put my finger on why.
Something in me wants there to be something. When you ponder over the very fact that the universe exists, how it might have come about, the energy that must have been there for eternity, the concept is so far beyond comprehension that a natural thing to assume is that there are higher forces ( or force - singular ) at work. Whether that is simply down to a lack of understanding and wanting an explanation for it all, I don't know.
I believe in something but I just don't know what it is. I struggle to take anything serious like religeon because of the way man has forever twisted things throughout history for his own benefit. I wouldn't trust whether it is the truth or a complete pack of lies. From what I can gather, everyone who has invested in religeous belief systems are all totally convinced that their deity or way of life is the correct one. How can they all be correct and if they are, then for what purpose does it serve to even have religeon? It doesn't make you a better person, it doesn't mean you have something I do not ( you might think you do but you really do not ) If I'm following a life based on instinct and good moral judgement without being brainwashed into some dogmatic belief and there is a God, surely I have lived by fair standards and applied myself in a worthy way.
Also, you'd think a God who seems so keen on people to worship him, would at least make a slight effort to actually show that he does, indeed exist.
I have a feeling inside that there is something but like before, I can't put my finger on why.
Originally posted by xxsomexpersonxx
If there's one thing I've noticed, It's that it always tends to be religious people that get supposedly possessed and such. That's what scares me about religion.
Is it that powerful, that it can make you mentally unstable?
Yes, 99% of all "Possessions" and such are by people who believe it can happen, or more natural occurrences that later get blamed on possessions.
One word, for both the "Innate Belief" and "Possessions", Placebo. Simply believing in something can cause your brain to cause it to happen.
~
Reminds me, of my families religion(Second time, in one topic, I know), they had the deal about demons. They convinced many of the people(Christians, non-religious, any background) who they got to listen to(Door to Door, Bible Studies, ect, these were Jehovahs Witnesses, you know what they're like) that the mere fact that they were showing interest in the "Truth", demons would start harassing them, trying to turn them away from it. Throughout my childhood, I'd heard many people experience that, many. They were then taught that embracing the religion would give them God's protection. I very well remember hearing many times that even shouting "Jehovah" would usually be strong enough to keep them at bay.
I've heard enough people experience it. And the answer why is simple, the Witnesses psyched them out, and they psyched themselves out. Our brains work like that.
Of course, the absolute proof that it wasn't any demons, is that those experiences only served to push people into the religion. Demons would know that would happen, and would know they were only harming their cause. So, obviously, they wouldn't do things like that.
Just another example of how our brain gives us subjectivity that isn't at all real. Subjective feelings are downright useless at figuring out fact.
Regarding demons, if islam was the truth, demons wud very hapily posses christians because it wud only reinforce their beliefs that demons satan hell etc is all very real n it will make then stronger christians, the demon, or jinn, wud have done his job because he pushed the person even further into christianity so he will never consider islam as being the truth because he already thinks he has the truth.
Originally posted by sixswornsermon
reply to post by 0thetrooth0
Good question!
I was raised in a secular house, never went to church, and have never believed in anything other than myself.
Religion has always made me feel uncomfortable, and I don't want to be around religious people typically.
Still have to wonder why my mind feels the need to ponder this question though.
It would be an excellent experiment (although unethical) to raise a human in seclusion until they are an adult, and see what they believe after a childhood with no outside influences!
Children shud not be indoctrinated into either atheism or a certain religion or something else, all parents shud wait till their child is old enough to make the decision for him or her self, n to come to their own conclusion of what they will believe or not believe.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I was raised in a very religious family and I'm now an atheist. For a couple years after letting go of the belief in God, I sometimes wondered. But the reasons that I'm atheist are much more real and strong than any reason I've ever had to believe that a God exists. And I no longer wonder if it does.
I don't think we have an innate belief in God. We have an innate sense of wonder and curiosity... We seek explanation for what we experience. We ask... "How did I get here"? "What is the purpose of my life"? "What happens to me when I die"? And since there are no known answers to those questions, we speculate.
People are generally uncomfortable with not knowing...
Belief in God came from the very first time man started wondering and asking these questions... He figured that the sky brought the rain, the warmth, the seasons... He looked to the sky for answers. And over the years, religion was born... Man made God in his image. A leader to watch over us, take care of us and punish us when we did wrong...
We didn't have to wonder any more. We could feel safe and secure, knowing that God was going to take care of us...
Problem is, we have advanced enough, scientifically, to know that these stories that people have been handing down for generations make no logical sense whatsoever. But people are scared out of their shorts to give up the structure they've devoted their life to.
I was a "heavy Christian". And now, I'm a better person and I'm free.
,edit on 1/30/2012 by Benevolent Heretic because: (no reason given)
i gota admit that i am VERY uncomfortable with not knowing, lol...
i think we all r, every1 in their own certain degree, it comes with the package of being human and being in the situation that were in,
Originally posted by 0thetrooth0
Regarding demons, if islam was the truth, demons wud very hapily posses christians because it wud only reinforce their beliefs that demons satan hell etc is all very real n it will make then stronger christians, the demon, or jinn, wud have done his job because he pushed the person even further into christianity so he will never consider islam as being the truth because he already thinks he has the truth.
Quite, anythings possible.
But if we know that the brain can trick itself like this, it's ridiculous to go with the more elaborate explanations with more assumptions. Occam's Razor; if we have two explanations, one that we know can happen happened, and another that relies on assuming multiple supernatural and other unproven forces exist and cause it to happen, the odds of it being the latter are completely out-shined by the odds of the case just being the former.
Originally posted by Audiokat
Also, you'd think a God who seems so keen on people to worship him, would at least make a slight effort to actually show that he does, indeed exist.
Well,let's say G-d does indeed exists ,there are quite a few miracles out there.
edit on 30-1-2012 by QuantumSeeker because: (no reason
given)
Originally posted by 0thetrooth0
i gota admit that i am VERY uncomfortable with not knowing, lol...
Yes. I was too for a while. Now, it's home. I'm VERY comfortable not knowing. How CAN we know?
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Originally posted by 0thetrooth0
i gota admit that i am VERY uncomfortable with not knowing, lol...
Yes. I was too for a while. Now, it's home. I'm VERY comfortable not knowing. How CAN we know?
Feel whats in your heart...
Thats how you know
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