What do you believe in?

[Polak]

So, what do you believe?

Do you have a religion or perhaps you are not religious but believe in God?

Or you might believe there is something out there, but not sure what it is, or you believe nothing.

I am not trying to start a debate on whether there is a God or not, nor do I intend to start up any religious arguments, but as it's a subject that interests me, I am just curious to know what people on this forum believe in, if anything.

As I started the topic, I will reveal my beliefs. I am Catholic myself. Occasionally I have doubts, as I think many believers do, but for the most part I tend to stick to my faith. I don't think I could ever completely lose my faith, even if occasionally I question it. I couldn't find myself happy in a world that I thought had no real meaning to it.

[matt]

I was raised up as a Catholic, but it wasn't a religious thing, but merely a cultural one. Right now i don't believe in a God, or in supernatural entities. I find no rationality in it.
Agnostic or atheist? Maybe agnostic.
But i respect the believers, unlike many liberals and atheists.
Despite i don't believe in God and i'm not Catholic i enjoy very much Christmas and Easter (i don't go to church of course), but they are almost a "spiritual ritual" and part of my culture.

[Polak]

I see that you live in Italy Matt.

Are you Italian, if you don't mind me asking?

[matt]

I see that you live in Italy Matt.

Are you Italian, if you don't mind me asking?

Yes, I am.

[bugylibicska]

I was raised in the Catholic faith, but soon I`d my doubts. As Cioran said: my problem with religion that I cannot approach it through the mind. You believe or you don`t and I`m such a skeptic that even doubt my own skepticism. The spiritualism of the North American Indian and the Eastern philosophy of Taoism the closest to my liking. I dislike people though who openly attack and ridicule religion, but cannot offer any viable alternative. And despise those so called evangelists who are preying on gullible people for no other reason, but to enrich themselves fraudulently.

[martinjt]

Seems to me people are largely religious because they can't handle the concept of nothing after death, but nature doesn't care whether you live or die. The only meaning, if there's any, is to reproduce and continue the cycle of life.

[Polak]

So martinjt you don't believe in God but you believe in nature, which isn't even a being with any sort of intelligence, to be smart enough to have designed the world in such a way that it survives and keeps going. Interesting.

[Duketown]

So, what do you believe?

Do you have a religion or perhaps you are not religious but believe in God?

Or you might believe there is something out there, but not sure what it is, or you believe nothing.

I am not trying to start a debate on whether there is a God or not, nor do I intend to start up any religious arguments, but as it's a subject that interests me, I am just curious to know what people on this forum believe in, if anything.

As I started the topic, I will reveal my beliefs. I am Catholic myself. Occasionally I have doubts, as I think many believers do, but for the most part I tend to stick to my faith. I don't think I could ever completely lose my faith, even if occasionally I question it. I couldn't find myself happy in a world that I thought had no real meaning to it.

So martinjt you don't believe in God but you believe in nature, which isn't even a being with any sort of intelligence, to be smart enough to have designed the world in such a way that it survives and keeps going. Interesting.

I wonder Polak.. Could you give a description of what you think god is? Some sort of intelligent being that designed cosmos/nature without being part of it? Does that being have more attributes? And is that creator god the same as the biblical god/allah/jahweh? I think it's important to at least have a solid definition for this discussion since everything is a matter of interpretation, which originates for a large part from culture (whatever that may be).

And what kind of questions do you have that makes you sometimes question your faith? I think the concept of faith is believing (or even feeling) while not knowing. So why question? Does your ratio contradicts your faith? And what are the ultimate reasons you tend to stick to your faith? And since you write "for the most part", can it be that you partly belief?

And why do you need faith to give you real meaning to life? What part of faith gives you this purpose? Can't you apply the believing-while-not-knowing-concept to life itself? And what is that real meaning for you?

And as a catholic, how do you relate to your spiritual leaders and the Vatican institute? Or is your believe more of a personal experience without churches? And which version of the catholic bible do you prefer? Have you ever read non-English bibles to exclude translation problems? And did you complement your research with non-biblical texts and non-canonical books referenced in the bible?

And how are your feelings regarding other current (or former) beliefs, gods and religions? What are your main arguments to value catholicism above those others?

And I'm curious myself but how can we debate on whether there is a God or not, while not having religious arguments?

[nogomet]

I sense this topic being locked very soon.

[subway14]

I sense this topic being locked very soon.

that's what I wanted to say too

[Polak]

A lot of interesting questions Duketown.

Ultimately though, I didn't want this to turn in to a debate, I just want to know what different people here believe or don't believe.

I suppose its party my fault, for replying to martinjt about nature, but I have always been fascinated by those who won't accept a God but happily attribute the design and self survival of the world to the non-thinking non-conscious entity known as nature.

Anyway let's get back to just everybody saying what they believe and leave it at that. Don't be scared, it isn't politically incorrect to state your beliefs.

[Duketown]

I don't want an argument either, but I do strongly believe it's really important to have solid definitions for such a delicate subject. Since you're opening a topic to discuss this and since your openings post raises more questions than it makes clear, I think it's better to start with some questions and determine some definitions. After that, I can decide whether I want to participate in this discussion on a forum. But just stating opinions without debating is no match with an international football forum (or discussion board); better to start a blog or podcast then.

[Polak]

I don't want an argument either, but I do strongly believe it's really important to have solid definitions for such a delicate subject. Since you're opening a topic to discuss this and since your openings post raises more questions than it makes clear, I think it's better to start with some questions and determine some definitions. After that, I can decide whether I want to participate in this discussion on a forum. But just stating opinions without debating is no match with an international football forum (or discussion board)

That's why this has been started in the general discussion forum, where people post things not related to football.

If I wanted to start a full scale detailed debate thenI agree, it would probably best to do it somewhere else. This topic is simple - it's basically do you follow any religion? If not, do you believe in God? You can also explain your answer but don't have to.

martinjt and bugylibicska were able to respond to what I thought was a fairly simple question. Why is it so complicated to you?

If you want to have a much deeper debate with me about it, feel free to PM me.

[ignjat63]

but I have always been fascinated by those who won't accept a God but happily attribute the design and self survival of the world to the non-thinking non-conscious entity known as nature.

It is easy. It is the infinite regress argument.

[Lorric]

If you just want to know what people believe in, maybe a poll thread would be a better option.

I'd like to think we have a mature enough selection of members not to have a discussion thread degenerate into a mess but I can certainly see why people would be leery of participating in one.