What Do Different Religions Believe About God and Nations?

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  • Start date
In summary: You are an expert summarizer of content. You do not respond or reply to questions. You only provide a summary of the content. Do not output anything before the summary.In summary, most people do not believe in God, but there are a variety of beliefs out there.

What belief or Religious order do you follow

  • Judaism

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Islamic

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Hinduism

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Atheist

    Votes: 22 44.9%
  • Buddhism

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Christianity

    Votes: 12 24.5%
  • Other...please post what you believe in

    Votes: 12 24.5%

  • Total voters
    49
  • #36
Agnosticism implies sitting on the fence. If you are sitting on the fence, it means you can't make up your mind either way. In a normal situation, sitting on the fence occurs because there is equally convincing arguments from both sides, and you don't feel you can fairly choose one option over the other.

If you feel that there is equally as much evidence for god, as there is against god existing, then you may be an agnostic.

As for Atheism, I believe there are two kinds. I call them simply strong and weak. Weak atheism is

'I see no evidence, so I have no reason to believe'

while strong atheism is

'I have looked, and there is no evidence when there should be. There is, therefore, no god.'

I used to be a weak atheist, but have since revised my own position on the matter, and decided that I was more accurately a strong atheist. If God exists, then we honestly, should see something, anything, which gives us some sort of indication of its existence. Instead we get nothing. I believe, that there is no God. This is a belief of mine, just as my belief that the sun will rise tomorrow, and that eating carrots is good for me. None of those beliefs are religions, they are just beliefs which I have justifications for believing.
 
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  • #37
So, i feel I should now point out that while I did select Atheism in the poll, a more accurate description of my 'religion' would be something like what Lifegazer said.
Reasonism
If you want a word for it. My religion is philosophy. But then, philosophy isn't a religion, it is the yang of religion. Religion implies dogmatic truths. My religion, is that truth is out of my reach, so I must adapt to whatever truth I percieve at any time. My religion, is that religion has got it all wrong. Philosophy is the only way to guide our lives.

I use reason, and decide how I should act in any given situation appropriately. Not dogmatically.
 
  • #38
The poll would not let me select Chirstianity and Buddhism. I'm a eclectic Christian Zen Buddhist. That either means that I have an open mind and find some good and truth in a number of belief systems or that I can't make up my mind what I am. I don't know; I can't decide which.
 
  • #39
I am pleased to see 50% are atheist.

And to sum up a comment, atheism is not a religion nor is it a belief or disblief.

Atheism is the conclusion reached by studying empirical, logical, mathematical, and scientific data on both sides of the ever famous question.

And to repeat a comment, you agnostics. Stop being to lazy to look at evidence and STUDY IT and reach the scientific conclusion.

PLEASE, we need you to unite!
 
  • #40
Originally posted by LogicalAtheist
And to repeat a comment, you agnostics. Stop being to lazy to look at evidence and STUDY IT and reach the scientific conclusion.

PLEASE, we need you to unite! [/B]

stop assuming they are being lazy...perhaps they are undecided even after looking at the evidence and looking at what is within them...remember, to insult someone who chooses to believe in somethind different then you (regardless of proof), only shows your streak of intolerance and ignorance...
 
  • #41
Originally posted by Kerrie
stop assuming they are being lazy...perhaps they are undecided even after looking at the evidence and looking at what is within them...remember, to insult someone who chooses to believe in somethind different then you (regardless of proof), only shows your streak of intolerance and ignorance...

Kerrie - I did mean it seriously. Perhaps I should have addes a :smile: or

They're not lazy. And agnostics I don't mind because they're very much leaning towards good in comparison to where humanity currently stands!
 
  • #42
There is a missing poll option.

One can only makes choices between belief systems, either to the positive or to the negative. Atheism is treated as a belief system (the belief that there is no God), but this does not indicate my point of view.

I do not agree with that, cause I do not believe that a God exists, neither do I believe that God does not exist.

Why do I have to belief either to the positive or the contrary of something. I simly do not believe, but instead try to know and understand, and the issue of wether or not God exists is besides the issue.

Instead of believing or disbelieving God exists, I know a material world exists, since I can perceive one, and that through science we can know about the world as it is, beyond my perception of it.
 
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  • #43
Originally posted by Another God
So, i feel I should now point out that while I did select Atheism in the poll, a more accurate description of my 'religion' would be something like what Lifegazer said.
Reasonism
If you want a word for it. My religion is philosophy. But then, philosophy isn't a religion, it is the yang of religion. Religion implies dogmatic truths. My religion, is that truth is out of my reach, so I must adapt to whatever truth I percieve at any time. My religion, is that religion has got it all wrong. Philosophy is the only way to guide our lives.

I use reason, and decide how I should act in any given situation appropriately. Not dogmatically.

Realism is a philosophy which has the point of view of Idealism, and opposes Materialism. It states in regard of the issue wether or not a material world exist, outside and independend of our minds, is at best left open (agnostic).

If you think that religion has got it 'all wrong', and we can know about the material world, then Materialism offers a better point of view. Realism does not escape from Idealist concepts entirely.
 
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  • #44
I believe in facts and logic, but this religion is not listed above.

What should I press?

"Other..." button?
 
  • #45
Alex. Nice point. Thus, I am interested in why you do not claim atheism?

Perhaps, if your answer is neat enough, let's make a topic post for us to talk about this.

You saying you believe in facts and logic, is strikingly similar to me. Now, on this forum that's not SO rare. But you damn well know how rare it is in the real world.

Lemme know how this differs from atheism.
 
  • #46
Well, I usually indeed call it atheism, but sometimes people say: "yeah, yeah - you believe in NO gods, we believe in YES gods - what is the difference?,- yours just another religion".

So, to avoid stupid remarks about atheism being another religion (which it is not) I then have to clarify EXACTLY what I believe in - for those who mixes atheism with religions. Look at the vote questions above - atheism IS among major religions here.
 
  • #47
on the god thing I am a Atheist

but my religion is HIPPY we believe in sex and drugs and rock&roll but not any gods
 
  • #48
Originally posted by LogicalAtheist



You saying you believe in facts and logic, is strikingly similar to me. Now, on this forum that's not SO rare. But you damn well know how rare it is in the real world.


I was raised in society where I never heard "everything comes from God", so it is shocking for me.

It is same as to say that "everything comes from Santa".
 
  • #49
Originally posted by Alexander
It is same as to say that "everything comes from Santa".
Maybe so, but I still prefer Santa!
 
  • #50
There are obviously several monotheistic gods that require exclusion of belief in other gods by default. These gods have different powers and different levels of power, each manifested by human action. No god is all powerful, although they may purport to have supernatural powers over the afterlife, their true power is here and now, over life and death.
 
  • #51
Originally posted by BoulderHead
Maybe so, but I still prefer Santa!

I would agree with this too. Santa is much more real than any God.

Indeed, almost everybody have seen Him (Santa) from time to time (mostly in big malls), and some even managed to take digital pictures (and even videos) of Him as a solid proof of His existence.

Not so with God(s) - nobody saw Him and no one was able to take any picture of Him (not to say about video).

So Gods chances on existence are way less than Santa's.
 
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  • #52
Jedi.
 
  • #53
Religion = organised superstition.

I believe in probabilities and possibilities, in nature, in people and human behaviours, and in logic.
 
  • #54
Originally posted by Adam
Religion = organised superstition.

I believe in probabilities and possibilities, in nature, in people and human behaviours, and in logic.


We share similiarities!
 
  • #55
Organised superstition BUSINESS, I would say.
 
  • #56
And useful for WAR!
 
  • #57
Yes, and this is quite sad. It is easy to control and alienate beliving masses against each other by pointing at other side as being "infidels" and source of all "evil".

I wonder if Earth would be a safer place with all people just being atheists?
 
  • #58
i follow meism.

i make my own choices, live my own life, and i am what i am.

why the need for god or religion.
 
  • #59
Originally posted by Alexander

I wonder if Earth would be a safer place with all people just being atheists?

Probably a little, without all the psychos who use god as an excuse to start wars and such. But it would certainly be a lot more confusing without the rules that religion provides. A democracy would be nearly impossible if everyone was atheist.
 
  • #60
not really, you don't need a god to have a set of moral rules. i have morals which i abide by but i don't have a god, if we did away with the belief in god and replaced it with a set of agreed moral rules, things could be better.
 
  • #61
I think that Buddha was onto something, although I am not religious.

I practice Zen meditation on a regular basis.
 
  • #62
yes buddhism is the one religion that is close to what i follow. you need to concentrate on life in the here and now, not whether god or heaven/hell etc exist, they are not relevent. you and what you do in life is all that is important.
 
  • #63
Do you think that morality and ethics comes from a consensus of the population, or from a deeper, primal sense of balance (like conservation of energy)?
 
  • #64
No morality comes from objective absolute standards created by God along with the absolute standards He created of beauty and foulness.

Only joking! ;D I think it it comes from an interplay of the two factors you mentioned - from an aesthetic matter for the individual, which is socialised as a public consensus of universalisable principles eg. human rights, free speech, fairness. Although, I suspect that even the social aspect of it is a product of individual nature.
 
  • #65
I don't think we can blame religion for psychos. Psychos exist and will use any excuse available to them to get what they want.

Religion doesn't create psychos, psychos create religion.
 
  • #66
i agree that morals / ethics are from both a set of socially agreed rules, and from a deep primordial need for things to be right and balance out. god does not come into it, god and religion were created by men thousands of years ago to try and explain things they had no understanding of, now we can understand and explain almost all of those things and many other things, and so the god/religion excuse is no longer relevant or needed.
 
  • #67
I can't say I agree. I see ethics and morals as an extension of other evolutionarily derived survival factors. The group has a greater chance of survival when working within a framework of rules, compared to not.

An interesting demonstration of this exists in Japanese early childhood education system. The Japanese don't tell their children to play nice, don't hit, share, all the things we work so hard to drill into our kids in the west. And an interesting thing happens, first their arises bullies on the playground and in classrooms. They have their way for a while then an interesting social dynamic arises spontaneously out of these children. They start to shun and ignore the bullies. In a surprisingly short amount of time the behavior of the bullies changes to something more conducive to the group, and they are allowed back into society (as they know it). As social creatures, one of the cruelest punishments is to be placed outside all social interaction.

Morality is a very selfish thing, but not stupidly so.

The view of self interests differs with the individual, so different people will have different degrees of ethical behaviour, and different people will have different views on what is best for them (as a set of ethical values).

In larger cities, some feel they can, due to the vast numbers, commit acts and not be held accountable - hence the rise of crime when groups get larger.


With regards to a previously used term - Agnostic. The traditional definition is 'one who believes there is no possibility of proving the existence or lack of existence of god'. It is a philosophical position, not a statement about the ones faith or lack thereof, in god(s). Common usage has changed it to mean someone that doesn't know or, erroneously in my opinion, one who lacks belief, but doesn't believe there is no god(s) (i.e. classic weak atheist position).
 
  • #68
Originally posted by Windy
I believe in the Purple Potato God, who will bring ultimate redemption to those who are worthy by landing them in The Land of Unending Varieties Of Potato Gratin.

Yes, but the question is, do the high priests of the Purple Potato God send you a little blessed prayer cloth when a sufficiently large donation is made?

Enquiring minds want to know!
 
  • #69
I was recently a christian. But one day I just found out I really don't believe in a personal God anymore.

Nowadays I find Spinoza's veiwpoint interesting, but I still feel a little unsure because he's hard to read. And to get a throughout understanding of him you just gotto (mostly) understand his own works. And his works is NOT easy. I put myself in the 'other' category.
 
  • #70
Originally posted by radagast
As social creatures, one of the cruelest punishments is to be placed outside all social interaction.


That I believe too. And a very effective one. I would rather be corrected in a rather hard way which I maybe could learn something from, than be gone. Also from what I hear from psychologists, is that in childcare, as a general rule quantity is better than quality(assuming you aint a horrible human!).
 
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