Why are so many Christians still living an illusion?

1. 74

   Virginia Leaposted 9 years ago

   Why are so many Christians still living an illusion?
   
   I see so many poor christians who are just fallowing retarded rules and then forcing there children, who are young and niave to believe things that are beyond there understanding. They are too young to make a decesion so they it's just the parents job to choose it for them. Everyone knows that God is not real, but so many refuse to accept it and they still live day by day praying to the sky and hoping that this imaginary friend of theirs will come down and dave them. So many intellectual people still live in this twisted fantasy and I don't understand why.

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2. 88

   Kathleen Odenthalposted 9 years ago

   I find this offensive. I know many Christian people, as well as people of all faiths who are highly intelligent. Religion doesn't determine someones intelligence and no, everyone does not know that God is not real, including myself. What proof do you have of such an outrageous claim?

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   1. 88

      Kathleen Odenthalposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Seems like you are the one who is stuck in an illusion.

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      Robert the Bruceposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Actually, the burden of proof is on YOU to prove that your specific god exists. If you can do that, then we'll listen.

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3. 60

   Chelsey Wallposted 9 years ago

   It's called respect. Some people have different beliefs than you. The idea that there is a God brings hope to people's lives. Sure, some christians take things too far, but I know many good christians who live by the principles of helping others and loving their neighbors. It's people who judge others who are blind. Why does everyone have to only believe what you want them to?
   
   Also, atheists also expose young children to their views and make the decision to teach them that God is not real. I don't see a difference. I like the idea that you can teach children that there are options to explore, and promote thinking for themselves.
   
   Also, I find this question highly offensive. using offensive language and putting down people who aren't like you. It's naive to think that others should follow your own beliefs and that others who don't are twisted.

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      celafoeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      you are cleary wrong and do not understand.   It is the parents responsibility to not only teach Christianity but to also see that they show why it is the ONLY way not just expect them to follow without understanding why

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      And now you are celafoe just became as bad as the OP. You don't go around telling people your opinion is the only right one!

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      celafoeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      peep   i did not say it God did your argument is with HIM not me.

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   4. 93

      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I don't believe in your God so my argument is with people who feel the need to push their belief on others, no matter which one of the thousands of gods they do or do not believe in!

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4. 59

   The Examiner-1posted 9 years ago

   I was born a Christian and raised a Christian but when I became older I stopped believing in church, however I still believe in God. God may not be up there but he is inside each of us.

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5. 80

   PlanksandNailsposted 9 years ago

   The question and statement below the question can also apply to non-believers too. However, everyone follows a set of rules that they believe in, and will most likely raise their children within that paradigm. By saying, "EVERYONE knows that God is not real" would be saying that they know everyone. It's impossible to know everyone. Also, by saying, "So MANY intellectual people still live in this twisted fantasy and I don't understand why" is contradictory to, "EVERYONE knows that God is not real."
   
   The contradiction is, if EVERYONE knows that God is not real, then why do so MANY intellectual people still live in this twisted fantasy?
   
   Since not everyone knows that God is not real, that means that there are many who believe He is.
   
   Man cannot prove God, it is only God who can prove Himself to man.
   
   No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. - John 6:44

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6. 93

   peeplesposted 9 years ago

   Yeah, I doubt you'll get support from anyone on this. Except maybe the extremist atheists. I'm atheist, but in your post you are hateful and demeaning! I don't agree with most of Christianity. I think it was made for people who were looking for a way to control society, much like politicians, yet I would never be so insulting to an entire group of people. They believe because it works for them, and it's none of our business unless it is impacting our lives somehow (which it does sometimes). Those are the times to speak up with an intelligent response.

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7. 58

   Snøwmanposted 9 years ago

   Commandments are instructions that show us how to do things correctly, not limiting rules.
   
   I agree with you on one point. Infant baptism is evil. You can't just baptize someone into a religion when they have no idea what they're getting into. You need to wait for them to grow up a bit so they can chose for themselves.
   
   I know that God is real.
   
   Why do you chose not to believe in God?
   If you were shown evidence that God exists what would you do with it?

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8. 60

   Christine Oliverposted 9 years ago

   No one is forcing you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. Just like we don't have to accept that your grammar and spelling are horrendous.
   
   
   But to answer your question: Life is hard. Having someone or something to believe in - whether real or not - gets us through those dark moments and helps us appreciate the beautiful ones. It's called faith. Faith in something, or absolutely nothing, gives life a purpose. Even if it's an illusion, it's an illusion that gets people through their day. That's something to appreciate.

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9. 72

   lone77starposted 9 years ago

   Perhaps for the same reason many atheists are living an illusion -- arrogance to think they know it all.
   
   Does your poor spelling have any bearing on your intelligence? ("fallowing" instead of "following," "niave" instead of "naive," "there" instead of "their," "decesion" instead of "decision," and "dave" instead of "save.") Poor grammar, too. But I have a younger brother who has a 200+ IQ (unmeasurable), believes in God and can't spell worth a darn. He's a genius when it comes to mathematics, engineering and mechanics.
   
   What is truly retarded is thinking that you "know" there is no God, because you don't have evidence. If you ever studied logic and debate, you would know immediately that this is an argument-to-ignorance type logical fallacy.
   
   Using generalities like "everyone knows" is also a dead giveaway of poor logic and frequently flabby ethics. All you need is one person who does not know your claim to disprove your claim. I don't know it, so you're automatically wrong, because it is at least "everyone minus one." Why a problem with ethics? All too frequently, someone who makes such claims is trying to pull a fast one for selfish purposes. They are obsessed with self and their own viewpoint -- so much so that they do not take the time to do the hard work to think things through. We find politicians and marketers doing this. Also salespeople who don't care about their customers, but just want to make the sale by whatever method works.
   
   There is far more to the universe than is sheltered in your limiting worldview. You're looking only at the effect side of the equation (the created objects); spirituality looks at the other side -- the creation (cause) side of things.
   
   You're like the blind person who condemns everyone who says they've seen "red" or "blue" or "green." Just because you cannot see colors doesn't make you right.
   
   God created us all in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26), and He is Not Homo sapiens. Meditate on that. You might find understanding in this lifetime. If not, perhaps the next.

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      FeniqueSposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Lone77star,
      Like your brother, I have a son whose IQ is above 350, spells like it sounds.  Can't add or subtract, but give him calculus or trigonometry no problem.  Former teachers still scratching their heads of him.

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10. 55

    celafoeposted 9 years ago

    WHAT AN OFFENSIVE AND RIDICULOUS STATEMENT.   While you have a right to your opinion, you have NO right to speak for EVERYONE as it is clear you do NOT KNOW everyone.     I KNOW THERE IS A GOD and I serve Him and not myself as you do.   I know Him personally and communicate with Him as all Christians can and I see His works and presence daily.
    It is clear that, for what ever reason, you have an agenda that is against God and will end up hurting you more than anyone else.
    God is available to anyone and everyone (whosoeverwill) who will honestly seek and find Him.    And there is a special reward reserved for those that refuse.    I would not want to be in your shoes when the final day arrives and I would say you should be sure you are correct before making such blatantly false statements.    You will be held responsible for them.
    As far as your statements about children they are equally false.    The father is responsible for the children.  and he will answer to God for the job he has done.    Woe to the father that does not teach his children properly about and introduce them to our God.
    In conclusion I tell you that you are on very unsafe ground making such statements on a Christian blog.   You must Repent .

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       peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Christian blog? Where are you?

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       celafoeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       read the headings

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       peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Are you calling HP a "Christian" blog" or the question a "Christian blog"? Neither are accurate.

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       celafoeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       i can see you are  a liberal.  The heading for this section -whatever it is is "Religion and Philosophy (9,327)»Christianity, the Bible and Jesus (2,250)»Christian Living (286) "    its about Christianity not fooloishness and aethism

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       peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I can see you are an extremist. It's called a Q and A section. Maybe if you weren't being so rude and nasty you would have figured that out.

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    6. 69

       FeniqueSposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       HP is not a Christian Blog and the question was under the category for its type. I am a Christian and do believe in the God we cannot see.

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11. 63

    DeepThought258238posted 9 years ago

    I wonder why is it you feel the way you do, what has turned you off to believing that there is a God? Have you always felt this way? Is it the hypocrisy you see in religion, or is there an event or something that happened in your life that made you lose faith in God? Or do you wonder if God really exists, why does he allow all this suffering to take place?
    
    Sometimes when we look at the world around us it may seem like God does not exist because of all the wickedness that prevails, but just like a house that cannot build itself, there is no way that all this intelligent creation around us came about by coincidence.Hebrews 3:4 - "Of course every house is constructed by someone, but the one who constructed all things is God."
    
    I am interested in knowing more on why is it that you don't believe in God, if you would like to continue this conversation click on my profile and send me an email.

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12. 60

    Garrett Hitzelposted 9 years ago

    I find this to be a very interesting question and I experienced some things during my first year of college that made me ask similar questions. I currently attend one of the most conservative Christian colleges in America, and though I personally didn't base my college choices on religious preference, I quickly found out that the majority of my classmates did. People tell me that they chose the school because they wanted to go to a school that respected Christian values, while I just saw it as a school that had very strong academics. However, the Christian identity of the school later struck me when their "values" are forced upon the student body regardless of one's religious beliefs, an example of this is mandatory chapel attendance during the week. 
    
    The majority of students saw no problem with this, but I began to notice a trend in a good 40% of the student body. This was that many of the students, even upperclassmen, were not very cultured. By that I mean that not many of my peers had ever experienced a situation that did not fall under the circumstances that would be experienced in a sheltered Christian life.
    
    It is likely due to this that I found it common to see couples following courtship practices, and people who openly thought that as 18-20 year olds, they were not yet ready to make their own decisions. I encountered girls who claim that they are the property of their fathers until they are married, and to be completely honest I felt as if I was suffering from reverse culture shock.
    
    However there are some good attributes that I have come to associate with certain Christian values, though they are less common. I have found that those who hold strong convictions are very disciplined and intelligent, but they are also stubborn and reject foreign opinion.
    
    I cannot directly say if faith is able to make one naive, but I have come to recognize that those who are sheltered from the reality of the world are those who are least likely to accept change. On the other hand I have also seen the rebellious attitude that results from young adults who have been commanded and repressed for all their lives and in their hearts a shred of doubt formed, causing them to lash out  as soon as they are free. 
    
    I'm sorry if my reply is incoherent, but I just wanted to give a little insight into some aspects of "Christian" life that I've seen over the past year. I hope it helped. Let me know if you have any questions!

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13. 0

    AKChenoweth2014posted 9 years ago

    Hi Virginia Lea,
    
    I used to believe as you do. In fact I used to be an atheist until I had what I can only describe as a supernatural experience that was life changing at the age of 29 years. Since that moment I have been a believer and follower of Jesus Christ and I am now quite a bit older, indeed I believe that I am old enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality.
    
    In a world that offers a diet of violence, disrespect, disharmony, greed and a world without boundaries, I believe that church offers children the opportunity to experience relationships with their peers, outside of the classroom, teaching them how to love and respect their fellow human beings, as Jesus taught us. 
    With these skills they can contribute positively to their communities and to the world. Therefore I cannot accept your claims.
    
    We are more than just flesh and bone.

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14. 52

    Jodi Martinposted 9 years ago

    I think the reason why so many intellectual people believe in God is because they understand that everything that has ever been created needs a Creator.  They ask questions and draw logical conclusions.  Where do our thoughts come from?  Our intuition?  The ability to love?  Quantum physics is coming a long way in proving that there is a power higher than ourselves.  It is really getting to the point that those who do not believe in a higher power are the naive and ignorant ones.
    What proof do you have that there isn't a God?

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