New god thread: Why do people need a god?

[toman]

Pretty simple question, really. For those of you who believe in a god, why? And I don't mean "Because he exists" either, I mean why, in a literal day to day sense, do you choose to believe in a god?

[mamasharones]

No matter what you believe it's good to believe in something. It has nothing to do with whether or not god exists. Believing in god is something everyone should try to do. Whatever you believe if you believe it you should follow it and it should be something good. I think people need god or at least the thought of god in their everday life so they have something to believe in. I know a lot of people that have tried to commit suicide and after their whole ordeal they turn to god and their associated church. It helped them perservere through their sadness and it made them believe that everything is okay because there is such a being. Some one is "watching over you." I think it gives you a reason to get up in the morning and be a good person. To have morals. Give us self esteem and self confidence. But I also think that you shouldn't worry about god as much as you should worry about treating others with respect and dignity as well as being considerate and welll.... and overall well rounded person. I don't know....any thoughts?

[Unkle_John]

Besides those excellent thoughts above this post, I always believed that people need a "God" to also curb the fear of death and beyond that. I mean one dwells on is there a "Heaven" or "Hell" most of thier life. It that ray of hope it keeps the humand mind from destroying itself (for some people). I say that because some people can "grasp" the concept of PFFT, that's it and goes about life. Then again some people can't handle that and need assurance to keep surviving. Along with that assurance, they (usually) obide by the rules set by thier religion or belief to coincide with other humans so that chaos doesn't rule the world and, in following, the extinction of this spieces.

But that's just my thoughts, I'm not trying to turn anyone.

[kermit]

Pretty simple question, really. For those of you who believe in a god, why? And I don't mean "Because he exists" either, I mean why, in a literal day to day sense, do you choose to believe in a god?

god is the voice in your head. well at least I hope he is. Otherwise who have I been talking to?

P.S. I do not believe in god in a church meaning but in a belief that my mind can fix any problem.

[julesandjo]

I believe in God for basically the same reasons already mentioned. For one thing, it is what I was taught to believe and it's not really that easy to re-teach something you've believed in your whole life. As for me, I don't wish to be re-taught so I continue to believe although I've learned about others beliefs and try to respect them. I sometimes struggle with the thought that I am supposed to witness to others about God, so I ask myself how is it that I want to respect others beliefs if I am supposed to witness for God. Hmmm, more for me to ponder. But I also feel like believing in God helps me deal with death and the prospect of my own death. Like I want to believe my father is in heaven and I will see him again some day. I want to believe that my kindness toward others and my eagerness to do good will be rewarded some day when I die. It is a much nicer thought than the thought of just plain dying. Make any sense? It is so hard to deal with the loss of a loved one but if you can believe you will be together again some day it helps make it bearable. Sometimes I think we just need to believe without always having proof. I guess it just helps me make it through the hard times. Then I ask myself "am I believing for the right reasons?"

[PEACE FROG]

Pretty simple question, really. For those of you who believe in a god, why? And I don't mean "Because he exists" either, I mean why, in a literal day to day sense, do you choose to believe in a god? Just to piss you off!!!

[treehugger]

This is a tough one for me to answer? I guess with my particular set of beliefs (reincarnation)...i find the thought of being able to start new and growing constantly as a soul to true enlightenment, very attractive.

To me, I guess, when I dig way down into my essence, my spark...it is what separates me from an animal.

If I didn't believe in improving myself and believe that eventually I'd be part of the great light, I'd just as well be an animal. To feed my body and then die.

My beliefs give me hope that someday there will be Utopia.

Not sure I've even expressed it...but that's as close as I can come. :o

[Herbmama]

Toman...so not a simple question to answer! lol
First because I don't use the word "god" so much in my personal spirtuality, I do believe in a ONE. bah... it gets too confusing and akward to try to explain so god it is...second because I don't really feel like I "choose" to believe, more that I can not deny. When I am quiet inside my heart I can feel it. However none of that really answers your truely interesting question.

Some days I would prefer to NOT believe...makes it eaiser to be a bitch, to complain, to do nothing, to hate...all of which have there apeal from time to time.
But I guess the "why" your looking for is that I need to believe there is something beyond the seen conecting us all together. I need to believe there is some spark of the divine...even in people I detest. It keeps me from losing all faith and all losing hope for the world. It reminds me to slow down reconect to the earth and people I love, and to treat everything as a sacred gift.

[RockyJay]

For one thing, it is what I was taught to believe and it's not really that easy to re-teach something you've believed in your whole life.

I was also raised to believe and had good examples of people who have faith when I was growing up. I choose to believe in a God because there must be someone or something trying to bring some order into this world, it gives me some comfort that we're not just chaotically going along our business. I also choose to believe in a God because I need someone to believe in the times of hardship and someone to thank for the joys in life.