Help No offense, but am i the only one who doesn't understand how some people can still believe in a 'God' ?

[Leider]

I don't get it either. I've been an atheist since childhood even though I was raised catholic because none of it made sense to me. Sometimes I want to believe, but it's impossible no matter how much I try to convince myself.

 

[isthisit?]

I think the question that made me religious was that everything needs a cause and a beginning. But the universe cant cause itself so the only possibility is that there must be someone outside this plain of existance who made this universe. That being is god.
This got me into religion but getting to christianity was a whole different thing.

 

[PianoWaves]

I think the main reason I found myself in Christian fundamentalism was a lack of information. I was only subjected to books, videos, and other peoples' experiences that lined up with those specific religious beliefs. I personally don't think of myself as someone who is rebellious for its own sake, which meant that if my worldview was going to change it had to come from an outside influence.

After enough time building my "apologetics" repertoire I felt confident enough to read some books from the opposing side. I think the first book I read was "How the Bible Actually Works" by Peter Enns which is where the dominoes started to fall. After a lot of reading and pondering I ended up in the place I am now, labeling myself as an atheist agnostic.

I think one of the most eye opening realizations I had was concerning the whole God vs Satan story. It creates this "us vs them" mindset, which works as a great way to dehumanize whoever you don't agree with. Your opponents are no longer human because their whole being is possessed by Satan, the father of lies. You are no longer reasoning with someone of the same human race but fighting the cosmic forces of evil. You are the enlightened one, they are the deceived one. You get to look toward the future where the ultimate victory over evil is guaranteed. This creates the potential for a whole lot self-righteousness and arrogance.

 

[Scythe]

Religion-wise I don't know, like having faith that something good out there is watching humans.

I do think there can be an agrument made for *something* out there, since we do have paranormal activity or other un-explained happenings. Although I wouldn't believe anything would help humans.

Some people joke about humans being god's simulation game and they're just watching the shit burn. Not sure if anyone genuinely deeply believes in it more than a joke / one liner.

 

[angel164]

you know when they say "the more you know, the more you go insane." I have experienced this phenomena so much
And religion in a way shuts off or numbs out the desire to know and understand our existence, by already providing us with a structured fixed ideas.
So we don't get confronted with the disturbing reality that we exist and the fact that even if we try to convince ourselves, that we know why we exist, NO ONE can provide a 100% accurate answer of why we exist and what even are we.

its terrifying to not know anything, and its disturbing to realize that no matter how much you try, you cant fully actually know what you want to know.
religion numbs all that horror very easily, humans avoid discomfort at all costs, so it makes perfect sense why people still believe in gods.
Religion gives meaning to a horrifying meaningless existence.
a survival thing for humans to keep reproducing? a coping mechanism?