Why do you believe in G-d?

[Muslimwoman]

Hi all

I just fancied a ramble on about something that mentally struck me yesterday. I am often asked, given my scientific background, why I believe in G-d and I have never really been able to do more than shrug and say "I just do" or "my gut tells me G-d exists". Let us be honest, we people of faith have absolutely no proof that G-d exists.

I arrived back in the UK a couple of days ago and immediately went to 'hug' my books, I know I am a daft old cow but I love my books. I closed my eyes and picked a book at random to read (of course I am a fickle human and decided I didn't want to read that one and picked one I did want to read).

So I yesterday I was half way through Terry Pratchett's book Reaper Man and something struck me. The series of books are a comical look at numerous human foibles and this one looks at what would happen if the entity often thought of as Death (a 7 foot skeleton, with a sythe and a horse called Binky) were to 'retire'. In this book he does and gets a job on a farm and calls himself Bill Door. On the farm is a cockeral, called Cyril, with a memory problem.....I quote:

"Bill Door found a piece of chalk in the farm's old smithy, located a peice of board among the debris and wrote very carefully for some time. The he wedged the board in front of the henhouse and pointed Cyril towards it.
THIS YOU WILL READ, he said.
Cyril peered myopically at the 'Cock-A-Doodle-Doo' in heavy gothic script. Somewhere in his tiny mad chicken mind a very distinct and chilly understanding formed that he'd better learn to read very, very quickly."

Despite having read this book numerous times before I was never particularly struck by this paragraph. Yesterday I was. Some years ago, somewhere in my tiny mad human mind a very distinct and chilly understanding formed that I had better believe in G-d because He sure as hell believes in me.

Perhaps athiests are right and when we die there is nothing, no G-d, no eternal rest just nothing, the end, we are wormfood. However, if this is the case then my faith during my life is not wasted, I hope it has made me a better person and helped me to be kinder to my fellow creatures. However, perhaps I am right and the athiests are wrong and when we die we do indeed stand before G-d, who will judge us for our deeds and our belief in Him. I certainly know which side I would want to be on then.

I suppose that sounds like 'hedging my bets', which is not a correct understanding of my belief. It's that distinct and chilly understanding somewhere deep inside my mind that there is an all seeing, all knowing G-d and one day I must answer to Him.

So what are your thoughts on why you believe in G-d? Can you describe that urge inside you to believe in something we have no proof of, in a world where we demand proof for everything?

Salaam

[JosephM]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

Hi all

So what are your thoughts on why you believe in G-d? Can you describe that urge inside you to believe in something we have no proof of, in a world where we demand proof for everything?

Salaam

Salaam Muslimwoman,

To me, God is self-evident and requires no proof. God exists as a Reality and it doesn't require my belief. Why should I yet believe in that which is self-evident. Belief signifies a mental act or acceptance and may or may not be true. Belief is not required 'to know' that God exists.

Love and Peace,
JM

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by JosephM

Salaam Muslimwoman,

To me, God is self-evident and requires no proof. God exists as a Reality and it doesn't require my belief. Why should I yet believe in that which is self-evident. Belief signifies a mental act or acceptance and may or may not be true. Belief is not required 'to know' that God exists.

Love and Peace,
JM

wa aleykum salaam JM

Thank you for your response. I was not suggesting we need proof - clearly I believe in G-d and I ask for no proof, either from G-d or man. What I find interesting is my inability to explain to someone that does not believe why I do believe. There is no logic, no proof, yet I do believe.

Salaam
MW

[Impqueen]

I'm afraid I can't really answer your question MuslimWoman because I feel pretty much the way you do. I just do. Although I have to admit I've never had the chilly Cyril feeling!

[LeoSalinas22]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

wa aleykum salaam JM

Thank you for your response. I was not suggesting we need proof - clearly I believe in G-d and I ask for no proof, either from G-d or man. What I find interesting is my inability to explain to someone that does not believe why I do believe. There is no logic, no proof, yet I do believe.

Salaam
MW

but there is proof, woman. look around you, the wind, the planets, gravity, the grace of a woman, our heart which seemingly beats all by itself, our thoughts. all of these things are unexplainable, yet man tries to explain but can't. it is a mystery till the day of Resurrection. these are only a few reasons why i believe in God because man can't explain these things. all these are just theories of man. but to me, God explains them fully.


I Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. I Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

just my point of view. thanks and God bless...

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by Impqueen

I'm afraid I can't really answer your question MuslimWoman because I feel pretty much the way you do. I just do. Although I have to admit I've never had the chilly Cyril feeling!

It wasn't a recognisable moment in my life Impqueen, it was just as I read that paragraph yesterday I accepted that this explained why I believe and I think that at some time in my life my brain felt that chilly feeling. It is like if I say to myself right now "there is no G-d" something at the back of my mind rolls around the floor laughing at me and then taps it's foot impatiently until I get mentally back on track. Maybe I am just a nutcase but it is like my mind somehow knows things that my forebrain is blissfully unaware of.

[JosephM]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

wa aleykum salaam JM

Thank you for your response. I was not suggesting we need proof - clearly I believe in G-d and I ask for no proof, either from G-d or man. What I find interesting is my inability to explain to someone that does not believe why I do believe. There is no logic, no proof, yet I do believe.

Salaam
MW

Yes, an oversight on my phrasing Muslimwoman. You did not suggest we need proof. To one who 'sees' the evidence no explanation is necessary or even possible. That is why I say it is self-evident. When asked why I believe, the only thing that comes to mind is how is it that the person asking cannot see that which is evident for themself. In my view, that which Is doesn't require the mental act of belief. ie: If you hold a coin in your hand, there is no need to believe it is there.

Salaam,
JM

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

but there is proof, woman. look around you, the wind, the planets, gravity, the grace of a woman, our heart which seemingly beats all by itself, our thoughts. all of these things are unexplainable, yet man tries to explain but can't. it is a mystery till the day of Resurrection. these are only a few reasons why i believe in God because man can't explain these things. all these are just theories of man. but to me, God explains them fully.

I agree with you completely Leo, for myself. The problem comes when discussing this with a non-believer. You point to the sky, the stars, the trees, etc and say "look at the amazing things G-d has created", to which they reply "evolution, science, photosythesis, etc - now show me G-d". It is so frustrating, we clearly see something that non-believers cannot see. If I hold a glass of water I can prove scientifically it is a glass of water but whilst I believe in G-d I cannot hold anything in my hand and scientifically prove G-d exists.

[JosephM]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

I agree with you completely Leo, for myself. The problem comes when discussing this with a non-believer. You point to the sky, the stars, the trees, etc and say "look at the amazing things G-d has created", to which they reply "evolution, science, photosythesis, etc - now show me G-d". It is so frustrating, we clearly see something that non-believers cannot see. If I hold a glass of water I can prove scientifically it is a glass of water but whilst I believe in G-d I cannot hold anything in my hand and scientifically prove G-d exists.

MW,
It seems to me it is only frustrating if we are attached to our belief or the desire to convince another. Perhaps, this knowledge is not with logic or reasoning. If it were, it would only hold until someone with slicker logic or reasoning came around.

JM

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by JosephM

MW,
It seems to me it is only frustrating if we are attached to our belief or the desire to convince another. Perhaps, this knowledge is not with logic or reasoning. If it were, it would only hold until someone with slicker logic or reasoning came around.

JM

I don't see it as trying to convince others, it is just discussion when people ask me why I believe in something intangible. Perhaps it is my ego that feels a need to even respond to the question? I am off to stand in the naughty corner again.

[InLove]

As salaam aleykum, MW

I love the way you write.

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

Perhaps athiests are right and when we die there is nothing, no G-d, no eternal rest just nothing, the end, we are wormfood. However, if this is the case then my faith during my life is not wasted, I hope it has made me a better person and helped me to be kinder to my fellow creatures. However, perhaps I am right and the athiests are wrong and when we die we do indeed stand before G-d, who will judge us for our deeds and our belief in Him. I certainly know which side I would want to be on then.

I would rather live life in the hope that there is renewal, than to resign myself to the idea that death is a permanent state. Something inside me--my spirit, I believe, holds a knowledge that is given from the Source of All Being, which is just too big for me to comprehend until after I actually experience that death and emerge victorious. And so also, of course, I can't prove it to anyone. It is something each one of us, apparently, must experience for ourselves, at least once, in this world as we know it now. When my time comes in this life to rendevouz, as they say, with death, then I will be facing it with the weapons and fruits of that Love which testifies in my very being. I cannot hardly even speak the following words, but if I am wrong and there is nothing, then as you say, at least I have lived in the ways of kindness toward my fellow beings.

That said, I know several very kind people who call themselves athiests, and show as much or more love in this world than I do. I must admit, I don't know how they do it, but I suppose we all are who we are for a reason. I can't explain this anymore than I can prove or disprove to anyone the existence of an intelligent and loving Creator. I think my atheists pals are deluding themselves, and they reciprocate. But then we join efforts when it is time for the local food drive! Hey, maybe I'll use this in my next debate with them--I'll ask them if they don't think it is amazing, and they will probably say something like "Maybe, but what does it have to do with G-d?"

What if I said out loud that I know because I have heard His voice? Don't worry, my dear Muslim friend--I'm not going to say it. I couldn't prove it anyway.

(Perhaps I really am delusional.)

InPeace,
InLove

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by InLove

I love the way you write.

wa aleykum salaam

Right back at you.

Originally Posted by InLove

What if I said out loud that I know because I have heard His voice? Don't worry, my dear Muslim friend--I'm not going to say it. I couldn't prove it anyway.

If you said it I would believe you, I have rarely met such a sensitive and gentle soul as yours in this life and who else would G-d speak to if not the meek? I would also be dying to know what He said to you. Of course I would assume His message came through an angel but that is just my beliefs kicking in. Sometimes it is terrible thing to love G-d, as He tells me I must live my life in full, yet when I think of standing before Him I want to go NOW.

alfa salaam habibty

[InLove]

I must write you a letter.

[hidayah]

Oh dear. When I read the question (Why do you believe in G-d?), I was rooted on my seat for a long time berating myself! Why do I not know this!

But after pondering and muttering angrily to myself, I relaxed and let the world flow into me. I felt my fingers rest on my arm, I heard birds and when I looked up, I saw massive clouds moving innocently past as if they were laughing at me for not knowing the answer to such a simple question. Then I felt my stomach rumble for food.

It struck me right then. Of course there's a G-d.

Why? I am here, aren't I? Breathing, feeling hungry, sticking my tongue out at those darned laughing clouds! Oh I don't know. It's probably a stupid reasoning. Descartes said, Cogito, ergo sum (I think, therefore I am)

I guess, what I'm saying is, I think, therefore He Is.

Does that make sense?

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

wormfood

Like all things, I would say, wormfood is not wormfood forever is it? So, I don't mean to be trite, but does wormfood and renewal have to be mutually exclusive?


BTW, as a fan, do you know that Mr P. is a supporter of the BHA?

British Humanist Association

s.