I believe in God. I also believe he is big enough, powerful enough and capable of forgiving me and loving me when I don't act or think like I believe in him.

No, actually, if you wish to find Evil, look no further than our own species.

Nature is not evil; Nature is indifferent.

Living creatures other than Man are not evil; these beings perform their various functions and actions without cruelty or ill intent.

Man, alone, is the source of what we call "Evil". And if you think my comment indicates misanthropy in me, you're wrong. It's just the way it is. Evil arises from Man's capacity for abstract thinking, and our abilty to act upon those thoughts.

The Devil is as much a creation of mankind, as is our naive conception of God.

I agree with the prime mover explanation.

The universe came into being, it is governed by physical laws we can learn by observation and the use of mathematics. Everywhere we can see in the universe, the same laws apply - speed light, gravity, the elements, the chemical makeup and function of stars, and so on. That which created the universe and enforces the laws anywhere and everywhere is God. Every culture and religion puts a different face on God to allow their people to relate in terms they can understand.

God doesn't play chess, but god created the chess board, the pieces, and made the rules.

quote:

Originally posted by gambit123:
I just feel like there is nothing there. I pray, use to go to church. I try to be a good person. Why does it feel like he's punishing good people for no reason.

Could you explain this further? Are you saying that bad things happen, therefore God must not exist?

gambit123, I am sorry you seem to be struggling, I've been there. I do not think you need to apologize. You're human! There are many here way smarter than I (that would be just about everybody) who have posted some great things to ponder. Please hang in there an know you have friends here.

With regards to "something rather than nothing", there are so.e good videos on "closer to truth" on utube.

Theres another guy who wears a black suit and I can't remember his name but he had a great 2 hr interview with a philosopher on this subject.

Yes, and you can find plenty of counterarguments to the P.E.Q. online. These people spend endless paragraphs not confronting this rather simple question. It seems to me that all of these atheists wish to bury the question under a mountain of pedantry in order to make people cease contemplating it. That stuff is nothing more than hucksterism in a tweed jacket, leather elbow patches and all.

Gambit123,
Have faith! Good people have always been punished for the way they act or lead their lives. Evil people are out there as well as Good people, but we must go on with our lives with what ever we are dealt with. Both good and evil events happen to everyone. Be safe.

I'm a confirmed Catholic but don't go to church regularly. I too have questioned the whole idea of God over the years, and how the teaching of any church/religion makes sense. Who's right? is it Christianity, Judaism, Islamism, Buddhism, and on and on? If you trace any religion back to the roots, all are based on the beliefs of someone's idea of what it's all about.

I always come back to my belief that all of this, the universe, can't possibly be just random. Some force is behind it all. Some force created everything, the root matter that evolved to planets and life. And then if it is a singular force, then how did that force come to be? Our pea brains aren't yet capable working through this with any certainty. In the mean time we hang our hat on what seems the most likely to us.

God is who you are.

My belief in God has helped and guided me through some dark times.

Do not let the things that discourage you in life make you abandon God.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
Our pea brains aren't yet capable working through this with any certainty.

You can't pick up FM signals with an AM radio, and that's what we have between our ears- an AM radio.

That ball of goo is designed to keep your body alive on this rock, and that is all it's designed to do.

I don't know if you believe in Jesus Christ or not. He was the Son of God yet He was tortured and horribly killed. What makes you think that you deserve special treatment?

I think you're at a good place to struggle with this. Can tell by your post you didn't arrive there willy nilly. It's honesty.

Be honest with yourself like you've done here. And keep going down that path. What good is God if you only pretend or believe what you are told because that's how it's always been.

Since I was a little kid, I would look up at the sky and think, why are we trapped in here under this blue dome? How did I arrive here? Far as I can tell, NO ONE has the answer to this, and anyone pretending to know more than I do is bullshitting me.

But with that basic knowledge of nothing but staring at the sky in wonder, how anyone arrives at there is no God doesn't compute for me. That's not a shot at you, just walking through my logic.

quote:

Originally posted by gambit123:
I just feel like there is nothing there. I pray, use to go to church. I try to be a good person. Why does it feel like he's punishing good people for no reason. They say everything happens for a reason but that's horse shit. Im just starting to think and and religion is horse shit.

what church did you go to ?

did you ever read the Bible ?

everything is in there. you seem to have a very poor understanding of the scriptural explanation of why / how things are.

Focus heavily on the Gospel : Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. those focus on the literal words and teachings of Jesus.

Read / understand those and everything else will start to make more sense (Old Testament vs New Testament, the history etc)

----------------

This is a test of faith, all of life can be said as being such, find your strength, God does give it to us, we just have a hard time finding it sometimes, we’ve all doubted, but keep the faith, God is here with us.

I am not going to engage in debate, but would like to say that I too, reached that point about 15 years ago, and I have found nothing since that makes me change my view. So, you are not alone, for what's that worth.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
… you seem to have a very poor understanding of the scriptural explanation of why / how things are.

I can’t say he’s to blame. The church teaches doctrine over scripture even when doctrine contradicts scripture. That does nothing but cause confusion and questions.

21

The surest test if a man be sane
Is if he accepts life whole, as it is,
Without needing by measure or touch to understand
The measureless untouchable source
Of its images,
The measureless untouchable source
Of its substances,
The source which, while it appears dark emptiness,
Brims with a quick force
Farthest away
And yet nearest at hand
From oldest time unto this day,
Charging its images with origin:
What more need I know of the origin
Than this?


LT

End of self. Once we get ‘there’, things change.
The Big Book of AA has a chapter called We Agnostics. It changed my life. Substitute any word/condition for the word “alcohol”.
https://www.aa.org/sites/defau...n_bigbook_chapt4.pdf

Religion is merely the group marketing of personal Spirituality.