Do You Want to Believe?

[itheman]

This is my first subject to this forum.

I would like to ask a question and I hope I'm not out of place in asking it.

First of all, let me state that I am an atheist. I don't believe. But despite all the problems that I have with religion, I still find myself wanting to believe. Mostly it comes from having a religious family and wanting their approval. And sometimes it seems that I'm being wishy washy.

But I often wonder if you're an atheist do you sometimes feel the same way?

[Bluefinger]

Honestly, a part of me does want to believe in god(s), if only to make things easier for myself and/or to comfort myself. But with what I have learned about the world around me and how it works, along with the information of the nth number of different flavours of deity to choose from, I'm just left unable to believe. My mental model and understanding of the world and universe just cannot accommodate for such a thing as a deity as an actual, real entity.

Also, in knowing about all the different institutions for just one particular faith, and all the problems and scandals that have occurred between them, I'm left with a rather cynical and negative view of organised religion. So, even if I did decide to believe, I'd most likely end up being a deist, because of my negative impression of organised religion.

In summary though, it would be easier for me to believe, but even so, I just can't. My understanding of the world around me just cannot reconcile religious beliefs into it.

[Sandafluffoid]

I used to want to believe, but not any more. At heart, I am an anthrophile and I have a great deal of faith in the ability of humanity to continue being human. The more I think about it, I find myself happier with the idea that it's up to us to make our way through an indifferent and sometimes dangerous universe than I am with the thought that this universe is the result of the designs of some distant and inscrutable being.

[Vene]

I want to believe in what is real.

[azolgar]

Well, I often have problems getting into stories containing magic or fantasy. There's always a nagging voice in my head shouting "Physics/causality does not work that way!".
Concerning your question I sometimes try to imagine what it would be like to "believe", mostly with the simple topic "the universe was created by god" or something. Such a topic is the least observable.

It doesn't work. The complex, incomplete theory of the Big Bang etc. just 'feels' more right than trying to convince myself that there is some intelligent purpose behind the existence of the universe. In fact, it seems arrogant. The cosmos is unbelievably vast, with billions of galaxies, trillions upon trillions of star systems and all this was "created" by some omniscient father-figure for us? (and in such a clumsy and impractical way, too)

Also the Christian religion just leaks "wishful thinking" from every pore. All those 'miracles' described in the bible have just been historically copied off of older faiths who in turn copied them from even older cults and religions. Son of god? Check. Born on the winter solstice? Check. Died, buried and risen after three days? Check. Performed miracles (healing, raising dead, walked on water etc. etc.)? Check.
So along comes Christianity, copies all these things and then proclaims that they are the true, one and only real religion out there.
Yeah, right...

Any religion is superstition. The belief in the supernatural, afterlife, angels and demons (in some form) is as old as humanity. It might have been useful when we could not explain natural phenomena and people were scared, but were are much, much wiser now.
It's time to let go of those infantile fantasies when dealing with the natural reality and stop trying to fool our own minds into accepting something that is not real.

[tolpuddlemartyr]

I really like stories with magic in them, and I like some of the things that come out of the church. When I went to my Nan's funeral the Anglican service was rather nice. The priest was a nice, sensible man and was really good at helping and facilitating bereaving families.

But reality is reality, I can't fly or leap over tall buildings with a single bound and there's no supernatural immortal father figure looking after me. On the plus side, when I'm dead I'll just be dead. No eternity of roasting or kissing the supernatural daddies arse and that suits me fine.

[Dragon Zachski]

I wanted to believe in Christianity so hard.

At first it was because it was the only thing I knew.

Second because the church I was going to was nice and encouraged free thought... which was exactly why it became harder and harder for me to believe.

Still don't know whether I'm an agnostic or a nature pagan of some sort. It's hard to tell.

I should add, however, that I do sorta believe magic exists, but that it's nowhere close to what it is in fairy tales. No flinging fireballs, no making people love-stricken with you... and certainly nothing like healing people or raising the dead or any such nonsense.

[yojetak]

Yes. Just so I could make social situations easier.

My boyfriend had a really hard time deciding whether or not he wanted to date me because I didn't believe the same thing he did. Was fucking sad.

[Old Viking]

My desire to believe is equal to my desire for piles.

[DeadpanDoubter]

I want to believe like I want a hole in the head. According to the most popular beliefs, I'd be sent to eternal torture unless I change myself completely.

[kristine]

May 13, 2010 16:56:21 GMT -5 @yojetak said:

Yes. Just so I could make social situations easier.

My boyfriend had a really hard time deciding whether or not he wanted to date me because I didn't believe the same thing he did. Was fucking sad.

I don't know if I would want to date anyone that is that judgemental that what you believe would turn them away from you - but to each his own I guess.

Believing would make things easier and give me a ready made social group where ever I went, but I don't want to believe something that isn't true - so I want the benifits without the drawback of having to draw and quarter my reason and logical thought.

[shiftyeyes]

Your question can be taken two ways. Do I wish some sort of religious mythology were more or less true (and would believe it due to its truth value), or do I wish I could believe it regardless of its truth value.

With respect to the first, most of it doesn't do anything for me. It would be nice if I could have a reunion with lost loved ones after death and possibly get other cool bonuses like finding out what my dog thought about me. But I think an extended afterlife would probably be too much like this life or just be boring. I like the idea that my Dad's spirit occasionally helps me through challenges and takes pride in my accomplishments, but taking that to its logical conclusion gets a bit weird; if it were true it would mean he can see me whenever, which would suck. It would also be nice if there was some sort of universal karma enforcer (no rewards/punishments after life, just during), but I'm not sure I'd trust its morality. So I like some of the mumbo-jumbo if I don't think too hard about it.

For the second one: I have no need to be religious to appease family or friends. In general, religious/spiritual people are happier. I can't answer the question as to whether I'd be willing to sacrifice some skepticism and critical thinking for increased happiness.

[yojetak]

May 13, 2010 17:27:32 GMT -5 kristine said:

May 13, 2010 16:56:21 GMT -5 @yojetak said:

Yes. Just so I could make social situations easier.

My boyfriend had a really hard time deciding whether or not he wanted to date me because I didn't believe the same thing he did. Was fucking sad.

I don't know if I would want to date anyone that is that judgemental that what you believe would turn them away from you - but to each his own I guess.

Believing would make things easier and give me a ready made social group where ever I went, but I don't want to believe something that isn't true - so I want the benifits without the drawback of having to draw and quarter my reason and logical thought.

I showed him the light... so to speak... of how retarded that thinking was.

[valsa]

I used to want to believe, and sometimes I still wish I could. Mostly because religion is often a great comfort to people ("opiate of the masses" and all) and you can usually find an in-built sense of community in a religion (via church, mosque, temple, coven, ect)

However, being an atheist, I can find all the positives of religion without needing to believe (I just have to work a little harder) and I don't have to deal with all the negatives. Which is pretty sweet.

But that's all intellectual. As this point in time, I'm actually not able to believe. My religious friend and I were talking about faith and we've come to the conclusion that my mind just isn't wired for it. I explained it to her like this- say we’re both standing at the edge of a cliff. Someone tells us that we could step off the cliff and there will be an invisible floor to keep us for falling. You're able to put aside what you see with your eyes and have faith that the floor is actually there. But, no matter how hard I try to push aside what I see and know is there, I can't step off that cliff because I'm simply unable to have faith that there's something else there.

[Sleepy]

The only reason I want to believe occasionally is when I see or hear about a dead animal. It fucking kills me to think about it. I like to think that when my dog goes, he'll be in Doggy Heaven nomming steaks in this large field.