If God Exists, Why Isn't It Obvious?

Discussion in 'Education & Personal Growth' started by Gauri03, Jul 27, 2016.

Where do your stand on the belief spectrum?

  1. Devout believer

  2. Believer with some doubts

  3. Agnostic (don't know)

  4. Leaning towards atheism

  5. Atheist

Results are only viewable after voting.
Page 6 of 37
  1. Jul 28, 2016 #51
    Gauri03

    Gauri03 Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Makes me realize how many different facets there are to this issue. Perhaps life as an atheist needs a thread by itself.

    I have to admit I live two entirely separate lives. As luck, perhaps providence (!), would have it, I married into a family where religion isn't just a way of life, religion is life! It is a family of practicing priests belonging to a very close knit community where social life is inextricably linked with religion. Despite being professionals most men in my husband's family still carry on their priestly traditions. The first time my in laws visited, I bought a temple, decorated it, placed all their important idols, essentially did all I could gather from my unhelpful husband. I ended up receiving a lecture on how the gods had been arranged all wrong. Apparently the gods have a hierarchy of their own!! Now I have two sets of idols, one for when my parents visit, one for when the in-laws visit. They are respectfully placed in a cabinet, until one or the other set of parents arrive for a visit. :blush: Since I am the only DIL, I have responsibilities during religious functions at my in-law's place. I do it as my duty and keep my views to myself. After all these years, I am very well-versed in the rituals and traditions of my husband's family, and can execute them with finesse when required. Ironically, I get a lot of appreciation for my handling of these events. : )

    Children. This is perhaps the biggest challenge I face as a non-believer. As you said if one parent is a believer it helps tremendously. We face the same situation. Husband is no help. I don't really worry about belief in a god but I am concerned about the cultural alienation our atheism might be causing. Religion is an anchor to culture and I fear my kids will miss out on that connection. More on this later.
     
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    #51
    sindmani, Laks09, jskls and 5 others like this.
  2. Jul 28, 2016 #52
    Gauri03

    Gauri03 Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Be back tomorrow with more replies. It's past midnight. If I missed 'liking' any posts, it was unintentional. I am sleeepy! :sleeping:
     
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    #52
  3. Jul 28, 2016 #53
    justanothergirl

    justanothergirl IL Hall of Fame

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    Bad things happen to good people….

    When we say bad we most often mean pain/separation/hurt …all related to mind /body that which is perishable. When we say good/innocent we mean law/ ethical/ moral code abiding. All again related that which is not permanent. If we measure everything we know against that which is not permanent in the first place….
    Isn’t the basic premise wrong? As we progress in the books they separate the two and when the major premise changes the answer is actually trivial.
    This is the typical starting point of most theistic arguments from upanishads. The problem is the premise itself . I have many many issues with it. I am not ready to accept it .Either its all just a play of words or I haven’t found the right teacher who can unravel the mysteries. (I do not have any knowledge of other religions. There is perhaps a simpler explanation I can come to terms with )


    Science does not offer me much comfort either …which is ...we are all mass/energy things suspended in space obeying probabilistic laws. Great. Does this existence have no other purpose? Nothing at all? I am unable to accept that there is nothing divine and beautiful and eternally unchanging and that my purpose is to go back where I came from. The lack of purpose is somehow more depressing.
     
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    #53
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  4. Jul 28, 2016 #54
    periamma

    periamma IL Hall of Fame

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    A Super Power exists and some name the Power as GOD and the others name it as science.
     
    periamma, Jul 28, 2016
    periamma, Jul 28, 2016
    #54
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  5. Jul 28, 2016 #55
    ashima10

    ashima10 Platinum IL'ite

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    Like a boss @periamma :)
     
    ashima10, Jul 28, 2016
    ashima10, Jul 28, 2016
    #55
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  6. Jul 28, 2016 #56
    kaniths

    kaniths IL Hall of Fame

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    Gawddd! :facepalm: : )
     
    kaniths, Jul 28, 2016
    kaniths, Jul 28, 2016
    #56
  7. Jul 28, 2016 #57
    Gauri03

    Gauri03 Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    When I said three atheists, I didn't realize there'd be exactly three. :D Tagging some missing folks. @deepslikes @Cimorene @sokanasanah (not sure if you're one of us but we'll try!)
     
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    Gauri03, Jul 28, 2016
    #57
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  8. Jul 28, 2016 #58
    kaniths

    kaniths IL Hall of Fame

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    Actually -1. Only listening here now on! :yum:
     
    kaniths, Jul 28, 2016
    kaniths, Jul 28, 2016
    #58
  9. Jul 28, 2016 #59
    justanothergirl

    justanothergirl IL Hall of Fame

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    but but ...
    If each one of us has to rediscover the laws of nature -reinvent the wheel each time then would that not impede our progress?
    Simple example...at work there are many subroutines written before I joined. In the true spirit of OO often re-use them ....until I hit a point when they either don't satisfy my need or I find a bug. I am left with two choices I fix the old code or I throw away and make my own blocks. See here is where it gets tricky..the old code might still work for a great majority and mine while is a great solution for me might still have issues when used by others for their purposes. I will not know until it has been exhaustively tested.
    Same with the search for God. I will not know that something is a lie until I discover a greater truth.
     
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    #59
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  10. Jul 28, 2016 #60
    justanothergirl

    justanothergirl IL Hall of Fame

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    No no no..no fair..I want to learn ..really do. I want u to rip my argument to pieces...I want to see more flaws and feel miserable
     
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    justanothergirl, Jul 28, 2016
    #60
    Sairindhri likes this.
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