Donna Mae posted in topic "Is there a God?" :

"I believe it as soon as I see it. The problem with this statement is that when you see it (the Judgement), it will be to late to believe then".

Besides that that only MAY BE TRUE (as it is subject to the existence of that deity which many of you call "God", and if there is any judgement at all), there is another problem with this point of view.

YOU may believe in the existence of God, and in the powers and features attributed to God, but if you don't believe in the existence of (your and any other) God : what can one do?

Born into a Christian family I rejected the belief in (any) God(s) at the early age of 12 years.
I did not change any other habits and viewpoints. I have not murdered anyone, pay my dues where demanded from me, do a lot of unpaid volunteer activities, am a member of an international disaster team, still help old women to the other side of the street (if they want to go there), and am open to other views (i.e. also to Christianity). But I do not believe in the existence of God.

Donna may be correct. Or she may not be correct. It is the wellknown ´Wager of Pascal`.
Should I fake it than? Would an omniscient God not know I would fake it?

Most of you are all 99,999.999.999.999.999% (1) convinced that there is that deity called God with all these characteristic descibed to it, while I am 99,999.999.999.999.999% (1) convinced that the deity called God does not exist, and that there is no ´Satan`, that there are no ´Heaven and Hell`, that there is no ´Final Judgement`, etc.

Besides that everyone should be allowed to believe whatever ´feels good`, you can not force a belief upon yourself or another. I do not see any reason neither to even try to change my position. But I respect whatever you believe in.

All I do not respect are the conclusions some of you draw from your religious beliefs. Like a 6000 years old earth, or the creation myth converted into anti evolution attack (a rather intolerant approach towards those of other views, while creationists demand full tolerance towards their own views (but most of the time fail to provide themselves towards those of other views). Just as you are allowed in your belief(s), I am allowed in what I feel right !
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Now what can (and-or should) one really do if one does not believe in (and or questions) the existence of God?
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(1) 99,999.999.999.999.999% : sassyT claims that there is nothing you can know 100%, so 99,999.999.999.999.999% than
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jillianleab

Credendovidis, I think you are absorbed with your views and lack the ability to objectively respect anyone else's views. The reason I think this is:

You must have missed it in my early post, so let me put it in terms you might understand:

I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN. I AM AN ATHEIST, A HEATHEN, A NON-BELIEVER. BUT I HAVE RESPECT FOR OTHERS, AND I HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE THE WAY THEY DO - FAITH.

Here's the thing, your approach, it sucks. You're confrontational. Your're demanding, and apparently you read what you want in people's posts (since you think I'm a Christian) and react to it instead of comprehending what has been written (please see my sig for help with that). Is it one of those, "If you aren't with me, you must be against me" things? Isn't that a Christian principle? This entire thread has been an example of you pushing your standards on others, while you are unwilling or unable to accept that from others. You're completely inflexible. You object to Christians who verbally assault you for your lack of belief, yet here you are verbally assaulting people for not phrasing things the way YOU want them phrased. Instead of having this argument (I can't believe, which, for the record, I agree with) with an individual on this board who has actually bullied you into it, you have decided to launch a pseudo-attack on all the theists on this board, and condemn them all when they don't refer to something as their BELIEF.

You say it doesn't bother you that other people BELIEVE, but apparently it does, because you just can't get over that their reality is different than your own. It is apparent to me you want to argue. You want to prove your point, you want everyone to say something is their belief, no matter what the basis in their post is (you do it in other threads too).

So carry on, since I'm sure none of this will have any effect. I encourage you again to use your "ignore" button for people who demand you convert to their beliefs. If it bothers you so much, you're probably better served ignoring them, because honestly, people who behave in that manner are not going to change their approach because some guy on the interwebs said so.

And with that, I'm unsubscribing.

Credendovidis

Reaction to jillianleab
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Re. your own personal views :
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As this is a Christianity board all my posts are focused on that religion. Your personal religious preference is not relevant here. Nor is mine.
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Re. your reaction :
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And all that because I keep pointing out the difference between BELIEVING something and CLAIMING that what one BELIEVES is not FACTUAL till one provides objective supporting evidence for that claim?
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What one BELIEVES may be a form of reality to that specific BELIEVER, but it may SEEM as foolish and/or wrong to anyone else. Note : I do not say that such a person IS a fool or wrong.
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Re. your statement "... I HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE THE WAY THEY DO - FAITH."
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I also have that understanding. And do in no way attack people for what they believe and for their faith.
But that does not mean that what Christians believe is reality, nor that they have the right to qualify others for their views ... Christians have the mission "to spread the word". Not to push it through other peoples throat.
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Re. your allegation : "... and (you) lack the ability to objectively respect anyone else's views..." :
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Respect never can be "objective". Either you respect other people and/or other peoples views, or you don't. Showing respect is something else than agreeing.
I nearly always show respect for other (religious) views. I even add frequently lines like "With all respect" in situations where one has to strongly oppose something stated by someone else.
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In my entire life I have always been extremely tolerant to other (religious) views.
I often add to my posts lines like "from me you may believe anything you prefer. I even support your right to do that."
Of course you can always start nitpicking and lifting words and sentences out of their wider context ...
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I started this topic to underline :
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- the actually negative approach towards non-Christians by calling their views here on this board WRONG
- the resulting de-motivation of non-Christians by bombarding them with quotes based on belief only.
- that what one believes is just that : BELIEF. And that it only becomes true by providing objected evidence.
- the approach as if one can swap personal belief as if it is a book page. Specially in the view that people stating that, often also mention that their own belief is as solid as a rock. So why should whatever I believe be any different than solid like a rock?
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Your approach here ... well ... really amazing ...