"Why Believe in God" ad campaign

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Again, they never claimed that as a goal.

And they didn't dismiss anything, they asked a question.

Further, they are hoping to make some like minded people feel a little less alienated during the holidays.

I am usually pretty polite about religion and I usually say all the right PC things. "No, I don't believe in God, but I respect your belief in God." "I am not religious, but I admire ritual and tradition."

At the end of the day, though, I don't believe in God. And it's dismissive to think, "People believe in God because that's what they need to believe." But, yeah, that's pretty much what I think most days.

And I have plenty of intelligent, good friends who do believe in God. Some even believe in Jesus. I have one friend - a very witty writer - who doesn't believe in evolution. And I do respect my friends. And I do respect their traditions. But there has to be at least some part of me that thinks their wrong in order to know I'm right. Heh. I don't feel God's presence. I see no evidence of a god's or gods' existence other than the life they were given through stories. And for me, the power of myth *is* very powerful.

But, again, at the end of the day, I think it's myth and some think it's real. And a part of me, as respectful and mindful of my friends as I want to be, I do shake my head a little at them. And, they, in turn, shake their heads at me. I'm okay being in the wrong if I am in the wrong. Doesn't need to be real for me.

So, there's a little close mindedness in all things, I suppose. And I think all the sexy humans are trying to do here is interject a little bit of their own belief system into the holiday season. Hurrah, I say!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

And a part of me, as respectful and mindful of my friends as I want to be, I do shake my head a little at them. And, they, in turn, shake their heads at me.

This is kind of why I love being agnostic. Or, well, spiritually undefined. I get to shake my head at people who spend time shaking their heads at each other, because I really have no firm assumption either way. Is there a god? Possibly. Is there no god? Possibly. Do I feel the need to define anything? Really, not so much.

And, thanks, man, for posting this in the daily grind, which is not visible to non-members. I'm still a closeted agnostic in some circles.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Is there a god? Possibly. Is there no god? Possibly. Do I feel the need to define anything?

Out of curiosity (and this gets to the core of Richard Dawkins view of atheism), do you consider those two possibilities to be equally likely?


I, for example, also view both as possible. One is just a hell of a lot more likely than the other.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Alex

Out of curiosity (and this gets to the core of Richard Dawkins view of atheism), do you consider those two possibilities to be equally likely?


I, for example, also view both as possible. One is just a hell of a lot more likely than the other.

Honestly? I don't put too much thought into it.

I feel a deeply spiritual connection to nature, and to other people.

Love, and the power it has, makes me feel stronger and I've seen it do amazing things. And my Catholic family brought me up believing that "God is love." I don't think they were exactly trying to say "God is another name for that everything-is-big-and-connected feeling," but that's sort of where I've landed in my spiritual journey. Is that actually a higher power? I dunno. It feels high and powerful to me. Is it more likely that feeling is a construct of man? Sure, I guess. But, you know, it feels divine to me, in its way, so I remain open to the possibility that it is.

Man, I've never been so honest about how I feel on the topic. Well, in writing. It's hard - my family is so very tied to their religious beliefs, and with my mother's health in particular, I'm not willing to waste the little time I have left with her on a conversation that will truly break her heart.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Man, I've never been so honest about how I feel on the topic. Well, in writing. It's hard - my family is so very tied to their religious beliefs, and with my mother's health in particular, I'm not willing to waste the little time I have left with her on a conversation that will truly break her heart.

I can very much relate to this concern. I had a period where I felt it was very important to let my family know where I stand, mostly so I wouldn't have to lie to them when this stuff (inevitably) comes up. But now, it's so much more important to me to simply love them and enjoy their company.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Man, I've never been so honest about how I feel on the topic.

I'm glad you have been. It's pretty much precisely where I am spiritually myself, and it somehow gives me that everything-is-big-and-connected feeling to know that you grok it that way, too.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by flippyshark

I can very much relate to this concern. I had a period where I felt it was very important to let my family know where I stand, mostly so I wouldn't have to lie to them when this stuff (inevitably) comes up. But now, it's so much more important to me to simply love them and enjoy their company.

This is worth repeating. It's become my exact view on my family. It has to be.

Dig the ad campaign.

[Gemini Cricket]

This about sums it up for me:

"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion." ~ Abraham Lincoln

I post it a lot. It's on my Facebook page.


CNN just did a story about Jim Jones and the Guyana mass suicide and that tragic bit o' history is enough for me wanting never to be involved with an organized religion ever again. The story creeped me out as a kid and it creeps me out now as a big kid. I remember watching the movie Guyana Tragedy as a kid and then going to church later on that week. I remember thinking 'how is this different from Jonestown?' I just can't put myself in a place where I'm supposed to speak and sit and stand just like everyone else and feel good about it. I like thinking for myself.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Is there a god? Possibly. Is there no god? Possibly. Do I feel the need to define anything?

I definitely feel a need to define God once that becomes the topic of discussion. The question "Does the Biblical God Yahweh exist?" is a very different question from "Is there a universal energy that binds everything together and causes there to be something rather than nothing?" And there are nearly infinite other ways to understand or define the noun "god."

[Betty]

Originally Posted by flippyshark

"Is there a universal energy that binds everything together and causes there to be something rather than nothing?"

This is much more to my thinking then that of a God and heaven up in the clouds and a devil out to tempt everyone to sin. Thanks for putting it into words for me. When I try to explain it I end up rambling a bit and can't really clarify it as well as you just did.