Why do we need to "believe" in God?

Restless Soul
Restless Soul Posts: 805
edited November 2011 in A Moving Train
Hope it's ok to post this question here, if not then mods feel free to move.

Anyway, from what I can see, the two key components in most religions, (it seems to me) is the need to believe in God, as well as the need to believe he/she/it/they are "real".

But why do we need to believe in God if he etc is real?

I'm not asking this question to be antagonistic to believers. It is a genuine enquiry about something which has often eluded me. Maybe I'm just not good with non-tangible concepts, but its often confused me that if God if real then why we need to "believe" in him?  A table is real but I dont need to "believe" in it for it to be there. Have. I missed something?

Dont get me wrong, I'm not "anti-God" or anything, I'm generally agnostic I guess, but I'll believe anything if I can find a convincing argument for it. So I guess this is a question for the believers out there, why is it necessary to have to believe in God - he's either there or he's not right?
"We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
---
London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
London, Wembley, 1996
London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
London, O2, 18 August 2009
London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
London, O2, 18 June 2018
London, O2, 17 July 2018
Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 09 June 2019
Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 10 June 2019



Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • titchinello
    titchinello Posts: 3,139
    I don't believe there is A god, but i do believe that some people need something to believe in to keep them going and be strong in there everyday life.
    Glasgow cathouse-1992-2-23, San diego sports arena-1995-11-06 & 07, Glasgow secc-2000-06-03, Tampa st petes times forum-2003-04-13, London O2 arena-2009-08-18, Belfast odyssey arena-2010-06-23.Leeds 2014 - 07-08
  • arq
    arq Posts: 8,101
    relevant
    "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it"
    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Why not (V) (°,,,,°) (V) ?
  • Restless Soul
    Restless Soul Posts: 805
    titchinello wrote:
    I don't believe there is A god, but i do believe that some people need something to believe in to keep them going and be strong in there everyday life.

    I guess so, I do believe there is a spiritual dimension to life myself, but what it actually contains or consists of is is another question. I'm not so sure about that bit.

    However, I'm really curious why most of the major religions seem to have this requirement to "believe" in God and therefore believe he (she, it etc) is real. What is it about "believing" in God that is so important? If he is real then why do we have to believe in him? He is there anyway?

    I feel like there's a connection I'm not making here, so am hoping to get some insights from you learned lot!
    "We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
    ---
    London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
    London, Wembley, 1996
    London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
    London, O2, 18 August 2009
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
    Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
    London, O2, 18 June 2018
    London, O2, 17 July 2018
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 09 June 2019
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 10 June 2019



  • Restless Soul
    Restless Soul Posts: 805
    arq wrote:
    relevant


    Lol! But are you saying that if we don't believe we will cease to exist??
    "We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
    ---
    London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
    London, Wembley, 1996
    London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
    London, O2, 18 August 2009
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
    Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
    London, O2, 18 June 2018
    London, O2, 17 July 2018
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 09 June 2019
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 10 June 2019



  • LikeAnOcean
    LikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Anti-anxiety aid for the unknown.
  • titchinello
    titchinello Posts: 3,139
    when you think about it aswell, if there wasn't all these different religions and all the my god is better than your god, or my god is the only god bullshit etc etc. i think we'd live in a much better world
    Glasgow cathouse-1992-2-23, San diego sports arena-1995-11-06 & 07, Glasgow secc-2000-06-03, Tampa st petes times forum-2003-04-13, London O2 arena-2009-08-18, Belfast odyssey arena-2010-06-23.Leeds 2014 - 07-08
  • Restless Soul
    Restless Soul Posts: 805
    Gob wrote:
    Anti-anxiety aid for the unknown.

    Or maybe it's religions way of controlling thoughts...it's the first step towards creating and normalising irrational thinking processes which helps people to believe in something that patently isnt there...kind of like the emperor's new clothes...

    I can't help but think this sometimes, even though I do want to believe. I used to, but then I stopped.
    "We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
    ---
    London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
    London, Wembley, 1996
    London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
    London, O2, 18 August 2009
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
    Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
    London, O2, 18 June 2018
    London, O2, 17 July 2018
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 09 June 2019
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 10 June 2019



  • eMMI
    eMMI Posts: 6,262
    In some ways, I guess when it comes to religion and God, believing is a synonym for knowing. :think: One reason why 'believe' is used a lot, I'm sure, is because you can't see (or hear or feel or touch)* God. But you have faith, you believe He exists, therefore you know He does. :think: I hope this makes sense.

    * At least that is the case for most people. Of course, some people believe to have been touched by God etc.
    "Don't be faint-hearted, I have a solution! We shall go and commandeer some small craft, then drift at leisure until we happen upon another ideal place for our waterside supper with riparian entertainments."
  • Cool Face Ryan
    Cool Face Ryan Posts: 1,254
    arq wrote:
    relevant
    you reddit, dont you?
    MSG II 5/21/10
    Tres Mts. Gramercy Theatre 3/26/11
    *formerly manutd3581
  • Brisk.
    Brisk. Posts: 11,581
    We don't!!

    Some people believe because it comforts them but that doesn't make it true.
  • CH156378
    CH156378 Posts: 1,539
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mTnSDse ... re=related
  • arq
    arq Posts: 8,101
    Cool Face Ryan wrote:
    arq wrote:
    relevant
    you reddit, dont you?

    You know it...
    "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it"
    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Why not (V) (°,,,,°) (V) ?
  • ONCE DEVIDED
    ONCE DEVIDED Posts: 1,131
    Religon/ god = social control to the norms of our society
    AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE
  • _
    _ Posts: 6,657
    eMMI wrote:
    In some ways, I guess when it comes to religion and God, believing is a synonym for knowing. :think: One reason why 'believe' is used a lot, I'm sure, is because you can't see (or hear or feel or touch)* God. But you have faith, you believe He exists, therefore you know He does. :think: I hope this makes sense.

    * At least that is the case for most people. Of course, some people believe to have been touched by God etc.

    This.

    If I told you (OP) about a table that you couldn't experience with your five senses - whether it's some kind of magical table or it's just that you're not in the same place as the table - you'd have to choose whether or not to believe in its existence too. (Unless you just don't care, in which case you wouldn't have to decide to believe anything.)
  • Wilds
    Wilds Posts: 4,329
    Restless Soul wrote:
    Why do we need to "believe" in God?

    For comfort of the the unknown concerning death.
    For comfort of having a purpose.
    For comfort of understanding what is not know about how life and the universe works.
  • Shawshank
    Shawshank Posts: 1,018
    I don't feel I have a need, or that I'm compelled to believe in God. I just do. Kind of like I know there's oxygen in the air I breathe. I can't see it, but I know it gives me life. I have a deep faith in God, and have had it for as long as I can remember. The weird thing is, is neither of my parents, or really anyone in my family were ever really church goers. I seldom went to church, and was very seldom ever engaged in that part of society. But still I always believed in God without question. Even though now my wife and I go to church regularly, and I absolutely believe in God, and accept Jesus Christ, I find myself vehemently opposed to much of what organized religion tries to push on people. Religion, in my eyes, is the biggest bunch of BS ever. Religion is nothing but man's way of trying to make themselves feel important...to make themselves feel empowered...it's man's way to make themselves feel like they have all the answers...religion is man's bogus way of pushing themselves to be closer to God. Kind of like an annoying person that tries waaaayyy too hard to be your friend. It's also nothing more than man's way of acting on God's behalf in many cases, especially when it comes to being judgmental about things like homosexuality. That's obviously a big one. I just don't see where it's our place to judge.

    I guess I just don't have a problem admitting I don't have all the answers, and I feel confident enough in my faith to be cool with that. I don't believe there's anything in Science that dispels God, and I believe that everything, the construction of our universe, the laws of physics, evolution, all of it just screams God to me. So I don't believe because I have some sort of need, I just believe because I can't help but do so.
  • pandora
    pandora Posts: 21,855
    The only frustration I have about knowing God is people equating that with religion.
  • CorduroyGirl
    CorduroyGirl Posts: 283
    Answering directly, we don't "need" to, we choose to in order to feel less random.

    As for myself, I'm ok with random... I don't believe in any gods (except for Pearl Jam :mrgreen: ) and I don't feel the need to... The way I see it, we randomly come to this world, enjoy (or not) our stay, and then it's over. I don't think I'll be meeting anyone "on the other side". It's cool, I just try to make the most of my time around ;)
    ~Can't escape from the common rule
    If you hate something, don't you do it too...~
  • BinauralJam
    BinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    Fear
  • whygohome
    whygohome Posts: 2,305
    M.Y.T.H. is
    Belief in the game controls that keeps us in a box of fear
    We never listen
    Voice inside so drowned out

    :mrgreen:
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