What convinces you that God does - or doesn't - exist?

@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 19, 2018 10:51am CST
Many attempts have been made to prove the existence of God - some being considerably more bizarre than others. Is there a proof that really works for you? Or maybe you don't need one? Or are you convinced that all such proofs are nonsense because they are all - in Richard Dawkins' words - a delusion? To put it differently - where does reasoning get you on the question of the existence of God, one way or the other?
7 people like this
12 responses
@m_audrey6788 (58487)
• Germany
19 Oct 18
Because we exist
6 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
How does that count as proof?
3 people like this
• Germany
19 Oct 18
@indexer Because we all don`t know where we started to be alive. Just like asking where do eggs starts?
2 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
@m_audrey6788 Hm! Interesting - I don't think I've come across that approach before.
3 people like this
@xFiacre (12536)
• Ireland
19 Oct 18
@indexer Ohh, on a Friday afternoon? I have nothing to prove that he’s there or he’s not and none of the proofs really sway me. I think his existence is something that I intuit and my personal experience is simply that, personal, and it will never persuade anyone else. How I understand my own existence is that He exists. As I said, Friday afternoon is no time for this, so I’ll just go and consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and hear their silent, deafening testimony.
5 people like this
@xFiacre (12536)
• Ireland
19 Oct 18
@indexer Religious and philosophical thought should be a constant undercurrent in our pondering, but Friday afternoon is usually too full of things that have to get done before the weekend.
3 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
I am interested that you think that this is not something to raise on a Friday afternoon - would a Tuesday morning have been better?
4 people like this
@Jackalyn (7560)
• Oxford, England
19 Oct 18
I enjoy an intimate relationship with the Saviour. It is not something I can quantify or explain, but He is there and I know I am not deluded.
4 people like this
@nela13 (55684)
• Portugal
19 Oct 18
Faith cannot be explained, you have it or not.
5 people like this
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
19 Oct 18
I think this is a personal question, I do believe in God and always have but I'm not one to throw it in someone face and make them believe. There are so many people today that don't believe and that is because of this place and time we live in, with them taking God out of everything and this place is very evil that everyone is going that way.
4 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
Yes - that is a level-headed response that I can certainly relate to. However, I get the distinct impression that much of the evil in the world is caused by religion rather than countered by it.
3 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
20 Oct 18
@hillhjill I'm not sure that not believing in God means that you will then be inclined towards worshipping "the devil" - especially as the vast majority of believers abandoned the notion of there being a Devil a long time ago!
2 people like this
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
19 Oct 18
@indexer yes I do agree that it does and can come from having all these different religions, but also you have to know the real people that actually run this planet, and they are the ones that is also making people not believe and to worship the devil as they believe that is there God.
1 person likes this
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
19 Oct 18
Well, if you have faith you don't need proof. I think that's pretty clear from some of the answers you've already read. Conversely, if you need proof, there is no way you're going to believe in God. I used to be a strong believer until I had a road-to-Damascus epiphany in my twenties. One thing is for sure, if there is an all-powerful deity, he/she is one evil bahstard. (apologies for misspelling that last word, but the site insisted)
4 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
That hasn't stopped many philosophers and theologians from trying to offer proofs of various kinds, but - as you imply - none of them are particularly convincing. Many believers would claim "road to Damascus" experiences that had the opposite effect to what you say happened to you, and that is what convinces me that belief in God comes either from a form of brainwashing (such as comes from a religious upbringing) or a mental event of some kind. This is often interpreted as "God calling me", but could have other explanations that are well known to psychiatrists who use the term "auditory hallucination" to describe them. These do not imply a mental disorder, except in severe "Joan of Arc" cases, but are common enough in perfectly sane people to explain the prevalence of religious belief.
2 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
19 Oct 18
Yes - I note your problem with the "curse word"! I have had this trouble myself when trying to use words that are perfectly OK on our side of the Pond but not the other!
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
20 Oct 18
For a number of years I kind of just lived my life and didn't believe in God. I wasn't happy and life did not make any sense. So, I started to search for God and found out that he is not far away from any sincere searchers. He makes his existence and care known. I have found that the reasons that convince me that God exists may not satisfy someone else. That is ok though because I am not living someone else's life. I am living my life!
2 people like this
@May2k8 (17978)
• Indonesia
20 Oct 18
God is everywhere, everything is proven when the building collapses while the pillar of the mosque still stands very sturdy.
2 people like this
@May2k8 (17978)
• Indonesia
20 Oct 18
@indexer I think the building has the same strength as the others.
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
20 Oct 18
Doesn't that just prove that it was built better than the rest of the building?
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40170)
• United States
20 Oct 18
I know God exists because of the changes He's made in my life. I wouldn't make it far in this life without Him.
3 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
20 Oct 18
There are lots of non-believers who could say that their life has changed for the better despite not believing in God.
@db20747 (43404)
• Washington, District Of Columbia
20 Oct 18
How do U draw the conclusion that God exists??!!! What is your conclusion??!!!
2 people like this
@dya80dya (33051)
19 Oct 18
I don't know. Some people have personal experiences.
3 people like this
@Courage7 (19635)
• United States
20 Oct 18
For me, there have been far too many ´miracles´ in my life to not believe that there is a God. Also man has a built in spirituality. To me, that is more than proof because I know it myself without anyone having to prove it to me. We cannot see spirit or can we?
2 people like this