Is it wrong NOT to believe in God?

1. 58

   lumen2lightposted 11 years ago

   Is it wrong NOT to believe in God?
   
   For every positive there is a negative, so if you do not believe in God, there would be no Devil.
   
   If there is no Devil, would this world be a better place?

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2. 60

   Kevin Peterposted 11 years ago

   There is nothing wrong in not believing in God. But just try to think of the power who is guiding all the living beings. Then you will definitely start believing in God.

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      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Is that not Nature?
      Are you saying that all the living beings (non-human) believe in God?

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      Borsiaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      do you have some evidence that living things, specifically mankind are in fact being guided in any way?
      I don't see anything that could give one that impression.

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3. 61

   annitakisonposted 11 years ago

   There is nothing wrong to believe in God. But don't run in search of god but feel his presence. This thing helps you. Blind-believe in God is not good for humans.

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4. 69

   ladydeonneposted 11 years ago

   I believe that God lives in all living things....that we are all one with God and all living things.  The entire Universe is alive and we are all energy....we all are sprung from the same source,,,,,,God, the Universe, the,higher power, Buddha, Allah, et al.
   Just as God is not a White man who sits on a throne  while wearing a white suit somewhere "up there," Satan or the devil is not a red skinny man with horns who walks among us here on earth.  Each of us create our own life experiences with our thoughts on a moment to moment basis.  If we think thoughts of health, wealth, love and abundance, we can experience "heaven" right here on earth.  If our thoughts are predominantly ones  of lack, poverty, fear, hate, or suffering, we will experience "hell" right here on earth,   If God lives within us and we are one with him, Satan or evil has no place.  God is LOVE.  Where God and LOVE lives, Satan cannot.

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   1. 58

      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that the whole Universe is alive with energy, what you perceive that energy to be is a personal choice. And yes, we create our own Heaven and Hell, but if God and Satan could just be friends…

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   2. 69

      Emanate Presenceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "if God and Satan could just be friends…"- do you mean in the human mind where both exist? God as positive and Satan as negative are ideas, not absolutes.

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   3. 58

      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Emanate,
      Why should God be the positive and Satan be the Negative, cannot they just be different?
      Does it matter if they exist in reality or just in the human mind, if they were friends they would be less to hate.

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   4. 88

      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Ladydeonne, Alan Watts wrote "The Book" in the 70s which expresses a similar concept, expanded to be that the WHOLE IS God.  We're all a manifestation.  He's on the radio now, but I haven't listened to him for a long time.  Must be in his 70s.

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   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   If you want to spend eternity in Heaven with him, yes you must believe in God. But, believing is not enough. Even the devil and his clan believe in God. We must accept Jesus as our eternal sacrifice for our sins in able to be saved by God's grace. So, no belief is not enough.

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   1. 58

      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Eternity is a long time my friend. In the words of Aerosmith, life is a journey not a destination. I would like to think the same of the afterlife.
      If God knew so much death, destruction & hatred would follow in his name, would Jesus have been bo

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   2. 0

      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely, This is exactly why Jesus was sent to save all from the world we live in today. In Heaven there shall be no more death, destruction, hatred, only love and happiness.

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6. 37

   Borsiaposted 11 years ago

   There is no inherent need to believe in gods and to those of us who don't it makes little sense to pretend to believe in a god or gods.
   As to the existence of evil; there are bad things and there are bad people. These things don't require the existence of a devil and more than things that are not bad or evil require gods.
   Some dogs are friendly and some dogs bite, neither is possessed by spirits.
   What is wrong is to try and force yourself to believe in something that make little or no sense to your logical mind.
   If someone has to spend 10 minutes trying t tell me why I should like a certain wine it is most likely that I won't like it. In fact there is a fair chance that the person promoting the wine doesn't really like it either.
   Back in the days when I attended parties where many of the party goers brought what one might well call "snooty" wines I almost always brought wines like Blue Nun, White Zinfandel or other common wines. In almost every case the bottles that emptied first were those I brought.
   Is it wrong to like simple wines? No; it is wrong to pretend to prefer wines based on what you are told rather than on your own taste.

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      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Nice analogy, I can relate to the aspect of personal taste when it comes to one’s belief.

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7. 66

   TNT Huskyposted 11 years ago

   there's nothing wrong with not believing in a god. but there is always a driving force. be it science, nature, or a bearded man in the sky, everyone has something that they feel moves them in some way.

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      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well said

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8. 88

   Billie Kelpinposted 11 years ago

   To NOT question the existence of God is the true sin in my mind.  Thomas Jeffereson said it well: "Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there is one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded faith."  As for the Devil, I have no ability to wrap my head around that concept.  Evil, in my mind, can only be done by sentient beings who can reason about their reactions in relationship to their fellow human.  If they commit evil, either their minds are so broken by past experiences that they can't overcome a need for retribution or they are "wired" incorrectly and are not be able to analyze their effect on another human and are missing the cognitive functioning for empathy and/or the ability to care.

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9. 87

   tsmogposted 11 years ago

   hello lumn2light. Thank you for asking an enlightening question.
   
   1st Question: Answer: No
   2nd Question: Answer: No
   
   Q-1: Is it wrong NOT to believe in God?
   Statement A-1 = It is wrong to believe in God.
   Statement B-1 = It is "Not" wrong to believe in God
   Remove - "it", with knowledge "It" is equal
   A-2 = To believe in God is Wrong
   B-2 = To believe in God is Not Wrong
   
   Next,
   "To Believe in", is equal, therefore exclude them
   A-3 = God is Wrong
   B-3 = God is Not Wrong
   
   Remove "God is" with knowledge "God is" equal.
   
   A-4 = Wrong
   B-4 = Not Wrong
   
   Remove "Wrong" with knowledge "Wrong" is equal.
   
   The null set, or without elements, or zero, or nothing prefaces "Wrong" with
   Statement A-4
   
   Not, or negate, or minus, or subtract prefaces "Wrong" with Statement B-4
   
   Does the "Null Set" equal "Not" becomes the question as all else is equal.
   
   Consider, A "Null Set" is without anything or elements. Of essence is a Vacuum before introducing something. Or, with synonyms; space, nothingness, emptiness, and etc.
   
   Consider, "Not" is, with, and always, a something, with meaning as "not Equal."
   
   Does "Not Equal" mean "Opposite?" Consider these; Not Equal with programming language is ( <> ). The empty set with programming language is ( ∅ ). Opposite is ( - ). Where opposite means those elements that are not in the set of  "same as" or positive represented by ( + ).
   
   Conclusion: "Not equal" does not mean "opposite". Or, <>, <>, -
   
   Or, "Not" must have something to be operative as a function with and of meaning. If "Not" means to negate, then there must be something to negate. If "not" means to be unequal, then there must be something not to be equal with.     
   
   Next,
   A-5 = To believe in God?
   B-5 = To believe in NOT God?
   
   Both cases says "To believe in" and "?" are equal.
   
   A-6 = God
   B-6 = NOT God
   
   Premise: For B-6 to be True, or NOT God is true, then God must be or equal to something, even if nothing.
   
   Now, define Something. A Pronoun = A thing that is unspecified or unknown.
   
   Next, Is it wrong NOT to Believe in "something," equal with "unspecified or unknown." Original answer is No.
   
   Definitions for God are varied and vast.
   
   2nd Question: Devil alludes to a Theistic Christian or Hebrew divine entity with more than, as to religion.
   
   We proved God is simply Something. Therefore, no Devil or Devil is not a matter of God, since God is & always will be something.
   
   Wrong has duality with meaning. Ethical is of systems. Moral is of 'Self.' Ponder, "Wrong to Believe in Something."

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   1. 58

      lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for the quantum-religious lesson, Not sure if I fully understand what you are getting at, but the meaning of the word ‘God’, God is indeed something, even if it be something without substance (physical), or equal to nothing.

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      tsmogposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Your welcome. I don't see religion in the picture until added by someone. I think that was at the point of "Devil" being introduced as history shares.

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10. 71

    stanwshuraposted 11 years ago

    I like (and agree with) your application of a basic principle of physics to this theological/spiritual question.  It seems to me that the answer is forever divided.  If you are a believer, then to you, their a likelihood that you would find it wrong or at least "lost" not to believe.   If you are a nonbeliever, the question is moot and the answer an obvious "no".

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11. 65

    Lady Guinevereposted 11 years ago

    I believe in God, but I don't believe in Satan.  Why is it that everyone says that to be a Christian you have to believe in the duality of good and evil?  Where does the Bible state that you must believe in both?  I don't see it.  God is Nature and it is a cyclical so there is no need to do anything with it,.  It just is. Now evil to me is not for everything has a reason.  Our thoughts manifest things and if we do not know what that is or the purpose of such then we call it evil.  There is no such thing as evil because everything has a place and time and purpose--under heaven.  It is all within us.  The only other thing that I can think of is that GOD and SATAN are the same person or entity...which religion states that they are not.....

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       ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       This is definitely an interesting thought, because many spiritual principles teach the "yin/yang" you can't have one thing without its opposite and both are necessary for the whole.

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12. 87

    liesl5858posted 11 years ago

    It is not wrong not to believe in God but for me I do believe there is a God up there Who is looking after me and everyone of us. It is up to us human beings if we  believe in Him or not.

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    M. T. Dremerposted 11 years ago

    A lot of parents, both religious and non religious, want their children to make a choice. Believe what you want to believe and be true to yourself. However the question you're asking is rarely incorporated into that choice. For example, a christian parent might be okay with their child picking a different religion, but they won't necessarily tell the child "It's okay not to believe in god". Because, in the minds of theists, it isn't okay to not believe in god. I grew up in a non-religious family and yet I never heard that phrase. I just assumed there was a god because everyone else believed in him. It was a personal revelation when I became an atheist. Granted, I was able to make an informed decision about it, but it would have been nice to hear someone say that it was okay not to believe in god. Honestly, that's the most important statement for choice because it gives our children the freedom to explore other religions (not all of which are deity based).
    
    So, in answer to your question, it's not wrong to disbelieve god, and I think it's crucial that we tell our children the same thing. Otherwise you're not really offering them a choice. With regards to the world without a devil, I honestly think it's better off without either. A powerful evil force would be bad, but so would a powerful good force, because we are all subject to that single force's sense of morals, which may not coincide with our own. Basically, god or the devil, would be a dictatorship over mankind, and we all know how that ends up.

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       ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I love this answer so much, you have really hit the nail on the head.

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14. 58

    taburkettposted 11 years ago

    Your question is a very ambiguous one - because each individual must choose for themselves if it is wrong.
    John 16
    1“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
    12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
    
    And so it came to pass - Jesus was taken from the flesh and then he arose to be with the Father.  Every Christian knows that the path to the Father is through the son.  For it is the faith of the Christian that permits them to traverse this world and then rise to sit by the Father.  Those that believe shall live a righteous life for they shall remain whole even after departing the physical world.

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    edhanposted 11 years ago

    There is no right or wrong when someone does not believe in God.
    
    But as for me, I do believe in God. I believe there is a beginning in life where we are being created. There is a purpose for our living on earth.
    
    Even you believe that there is no God or Devil, it may not be a better place since every human tends to feel greed and jealousy.
    
    I believe it is what we are being taught from young in order to be a better person when we grow up.

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       lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I agree, there is no wrong and right, and religion has an effect on us all. It is irrelevant what faith you are, or if you are atheist, the word of God and religion has and always will be instrumental in the choice of each individual’s beliefs.

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    Freeway Flyerposted 11 years ago

    If God were as noble as many people believe, then I doubt that He (or she) would get all bent in shape by people who questioned his (her) existence. You would think that he (she) would care more about their treatment of their fellow human beings than about their theology.

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       lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       No being (normal or supreme) is beyond reproach.
       A lot has changed since the birth of Christ, what was relevant then, is not necessarily relevant today.

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    relawsheposted 11 years ago

    I believe that God & Satan both indeed exist, but if I just decided not to believe in them any longer, that would have no bearing on whether or not they actually exist.  Their existence is not determined by my belief. 
    
    God, for example, is an omniscient Being who is unfathomable in His entirety by our finite, human minds, so He exists whether or not I say He exists.  He does not need my approval or my permission to exist, and He will continue to exist even if I vehemently declare over & over that He no longer exists.  I cannot kill Him or cause Him to cease to exist by ignoring Him or wishing He would go away. 
    God loves us and wants a relationship with us, but doesn't "get bent out of shape" (as someone has said in the answers) if we refuse to believe in Him.  But God has fashioned the world in such a way that whether or not you decide to believe in God is the single greatest decision of your life, so I'd certainly think carefully about your answer! 
    
    And it doesn't matter if you think that "the world would be a better place" if there was no God or no Devil, because the simple truth of the matter is that they both exist and they are at war.  Perhaps the world would be "a better place" if God & the Devil didn't exist, but they do, so that's a moot point.  There are forces of good & evil at work all over the world, inside peoples' hearts & minds, and these manifest themselves into horrible actions sometimes. 
    So just because you "wish" something wasn't a certain way, or you "decide" not to believe in something, does not negate the fact that it IS that way, and it DOES exist.
    
    "'The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”' --Psalm 14:1

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    IDONOposted 11 years ago

    It is not right or wrong to believe or not to believe. It is a choice. But, for those that don't believe, who gave you the freedom to make that choice?

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       lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Our ancestors; across all walks of life who fought for freedom from tyranny; both religious and non-religious.

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    peachpurpleposted 11 years ago

    No, it is not wrong. Each and everyone of us have the freedom to believe or not believe in GOD or whichever GOD. Free thinker is still the best. No need to pray or observe any occasion  . Just be truthful to yourself.

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    bunnypoetaposted 11 years ago

    No it is not wrong to not believe in God once:
    
    As a human being carrying the power of free will, you can believe in whatever you wish to believe, but would you say that you didn't believe in God in front of the INQUISITION (church) back in time?
    
    What happened to those that said that earth was not flat back in time?
    
    or
    
    What has been said to those such as the Portuguese sailors/adventurers/conquerors when they said that there was more land to be discovered besides of what was already known back in the old blind "sane" days?
    
    Today everyone claims to know something & yet the blindness (presumptuous knowledge) that erupts among us is far more insane than the one found inside of only a few heads (church, kings, etc, etc - rulers) back in the & I repeat old blind "sane" days...
    
    You are supposed to agree or disagree as a human being & ITS OK TO DO SO as long as you CAN BE FREE (deliver your opinion), NOT DAMAGING (respecting) OTHERS FREEDOMS (opinions).
    
    You were meant to be free, but a free "bird" that respects others "birds" too.
    
    www.bunnypoeta.weebly.com
    
    Best Wishes
    
    Bunnypoeta

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       lumen2lightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Respect, bunny:
       Freedom is the key; and insanity is just another form of being different.

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    DDEposted 11 years ago

    It is not wrong to not to believe in God it is up to every individual to figure out their beliefs in religion. Sometimes people choose different things in life.

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    Man of Strengthposted 11 years ago

    It is not wrong to not believe in God, but are we talking about Jehovah in Christianity or Allah in Islam? That's where the conflict starts. People who do believe, begin to think their God is the only or correct God. Spirituality is a deeply personal issue and feel free to believe or not to believe.

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    lone77starposted 11 years ago

    Question everything. Even your own beliefs and authority.
    
    But not believing in God is like not believing in yourself. I don't recommend it.
    
    There is only positive and negative in a duality-based universe such as this. Take Newton's law of action-reaction, for instance.
    
    Do you believe in gravity? Would it matter if you did? If you stepped off of a tall building, would you be safe from going "splat" if you didn't believe in gravity?
    
    What if the "devil" is your own selfishness -- your ego?
    
    God and the Bible teach humility, which is the antidote to ego. You want to make the world a better place by getting rid of the devil, you don't accomplish this by not believing in gravity or God. You don't do it by not believing in a source of evil, either.
    
    Facing reality is better than delusion. By the same token, creating reality is far better than facing reality. Creating is something that only a child of God can do, because they were born in the image and likeness of the Heavenly Father. Not believing in God, is thus spitting on your own birthright and on your true, immortal self.

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