If God really doesn't exist, how can a world so obsessed with religion be convinced to look elsewhere for answers...to dedicate their lives to REAL goodness and not endless, empty worship?
122530
it stems from a time when there were very few educated people, and they needed a way to control the masses. It was essentially the first form of government.
654027
I dont question my existance because I am filling a spot on the planet which would otherwise be an empty space.\n\nI never question God...He is all around us.\n\nI wont ever be good enough, so I just settle for who I am\n\nmy sole purpose in life is to bring about joy to anyone who I come across.....do you feel the joy??
91391
God won't be mocked. Even the most faithful who believe in God have not seen him, and just because you can't see him does not mean he doesn't exist. \nYou want proof of his existance but can you prove that he doesn't?\nLook around you, his proof is in all the beauty that you see in his creations. There also are many quiet miracles to behold. I know science would have us all believe that we were developed in a test tube, along with every animal,plant,bug or living thing. That is not the case. Besides the bigger question is WHY? There has to be a purpose for all this madness.
136673
Everything around you is true because of god caring for you. Anyone who says there is no god is making a fool of himself coz his/her very existance is due to a power beyond his/her imagination and control which we name god. This is regardless of religion/holy books. Imagine what would be your situation if you were running for your life in a place like Iraq. Instead you are sitting before your laptop , having fun in a protected environment, drinking coffee, hearing music and talking crap that "God is not there"...lol....which by itself proves that god cares. Some things are beyond explanation....
573159
Interesting question.\n\nI guess the answer may vary. \n\nI, as a believer, will think it's much harder to prove that God doesnt exist. But to those who dont believe in God, they'll just say the other way around: it's easy to prove he doesnt exist. They will start to argue: I cannot see Him, I cannot hear Him, touch Him, feel Him. these argumentation, however, are difficult to be accepted by the believers.\n\nIf refering to standard scientific research characteristics, these people's argumentation indeed make sense. it's easy to say He doesnt exist. But we should remember knwoledge is very progressive. 1000 years ago we may find it difficult to believe that we can go to the moon. And we should be aware that not all things in this world should be standard-scientifically proven.\n\nNow, those stupid profesors, researchers, etc, may find it difficult to believe that God exists. But someday they'll realize how stupid they are.
224075
Wow, good question!\n\nFirstly, your question is concerned with the idea that God believes in Himself. If He believes in Himself then He still has one believer. But then anyone of us could believe that we are God, which is why I would prefer to use the definition of God as our creator.\n\nSince you are asking 'can there be a God if...' can we first start with the assumption that there is a God, and he does have believers? If you can accept this idea, then it should be quite easy to accept that He doesn't just cease when people stop believing. He still created us, even if the creations reject him.\n\nOf course it depends what you mean by 'be'! If we don't talk about, or know about, God, then what would be the point in there 'being' a God. If he has no point, then is his existance still relevant?\n\nI've asked more questions than I have answered, but I hope this gives you something to chew on!
185616
You shouldn't worship anything or anyone.  If there really was an omniscient and benevolent deity, why would he want you to worship him?  \n\nAnyone that wants to be worshipped has some serious self-esteem issues.
135544
I've been on the other side where I thought that people who didn't believe in god must feel lost.  (I was raised to think they are evil.)  So, I can kinda understand why some religious individuals think that non-believers feel some sort of void or are immoral.  However, I also view that stance as an immature belief.  It doesn't take a lot of looking around to realize that agnostics and atheists are very content with their worldviews and live ethical lives.
249165
Okay...\n\nSo let's not deal with the "God exists" theory.\n\nHow about the God(s) OTHERS believed in instead.\n\nAre you going to tell me that cause they DIDN'T hear about Christ that THEY were wrong?\n\nHere's something else. MANY religions do NOT believe in Hell. So, how do you explain their beliefs? Are THEY wrong? How do you know? How do you know YOU aren't wrong.\n\nI believe that the WHOLE religion thing as a whole is just messed up.\n\nWhy should ANYONE believe, or pound others in the head to make them believe that what THEY know is right? Who says so? Why are the Baptists right? Or the Buddhists? Or the Jews? The Islamic? The Catholics? The Pagans?\n\nWHy can we not let everyone just go ON with their life. If they are happy, leave them be. If you are happy, just be content.
468799
If I didn't believe in God, or in a divine being with laws, what would motivate me to be good?\n\nWhere does morality come from in the absence of God? Would moral laws be designed just for the avoidance of chaos? What would be the point of doing good unto others if you got nothing in return?\n\nSociety itself would crumble into anarchy if no one believed.
567113
If God does not exist, how does that for one second make my life a lie?  If I found out that God did not exist, I would not feel stupid or tricked.  I would feel disappointed, but I think I'd be rather philosophical about it.  After all, I LIKE the life I lead.  It's not as though I suffer through it because I'm afraid of hell, and if I found out that God didn't exist, I don't think I would live all too much differently.  Unless you're suggesting that loving people and helping others has no merit?  You say that at least in hell you'd be surrounded by nice people, but try reading through your question again.  There's nothing nice in that.  Quite frankly, you're giving good atheists a bad name.
514646
Of course "god" is just ideas made up by men -- there is no evidence of any kind that there is a god, and plenty of evidence that all gods have been made up by humans.\n\nThat said, and even though I don't believe any of the god fairy-tales, I don't believe that it is entirely a waste of time.  Religion and devotion to made-up gods have served *some* good purposes throughout history -- giving people hope (false hope, but hope nonetheless) that can ameliorate fear of dying, giving them a moral framework to guide their lives, giving them rituals and associations which make them feel part of a larger "something", whether that's community or the brotherhood of all mankind.  Most of those things aren't bad per se.\n\nThe idea of god can be comforting, helpful, worthwhile.  I get that.  And those things can help fearful people get through their lives -- that's good.\n\nUnfortunately, religion has also been used IN EVERY SINGLE RELIGION to control people, to try to prevent them from questioning their leaders, as an incentive to war against "unbelievers," as a way to keep the masses in line.  Many religious people will brush those abuses aside, saying that the religion is pure but there are just bad people that abuse it...unfortunately, all we have to judge the value of any particular philosophy or "guide to life" is by the outward actions it induces in its followers.  Religion has a horrible track record when it comes to seeing what actions it produces in its followers.  For every "good christian" who selflessly gives to help the needy, there are dozens more who spew hatred, start wars, condemn all who don't believe as they do, and do not follow the teachings of their own religion's founder.  Even the bible says, "by their works shall ye know them" -- that being the case, the "works" produced by those who follow religion can only lead it to be roundly condemned as a terrible guide to living a good life, and as more an incentive to hatred and violence than to anything good.  That a small percentage of religious individuals let their philosophy lead them to good lives doesn't offset the monstrous evil done by the rest of the religious crowd.  On the whole, and judging by the works of its followers, religion has shown itself to be one of the worst guides to peaceful living in the history of the world.  A failed experiment that should be abandoned by anyone who actually thinks and looks at what religion has done.
303978
I pretty much agree with you. An atheist is sure that God does not exist, and an agnostic isn't willing to commit either way. (Sort of like the dyslexic agnostic who developed insomnia. He kept lying awake at night wondering if there really is a Dog...).
337500
Yeah, always wondered that myself. Just what could one do to warrent ETERNAL suffering? Forever and ever.\n\nEven if such a god existed, who in their right minds would follow him? Those that follow such a god without even evidence that he exists must be especially foolish...
75639
"if it wasn't for religion, the world would probably be a much happier place." How do you figure? If it wasn't for religion and its warning of the evils of Satan we would all fall to Pride, Anger, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Greed, and Sloth and not know any better. And you may think that these addictions (that is what they are) make you happy, but without them, or without enough of them you get depressed- correct? It's not the lack of religion that creates an unhappy world- it's the lack of religion and knowing right from wrong, and good from bad. With out God I was depressed 24/7 With God I am happy, and a caring person.\n\nAlso you say religion is man-made, but who made man- God. Therefor it is actually God-made.\n\nGod Bless
300731
Humans have an innate longing for meaning and purpose. Then as life continues, the need for hope, importance, and worth grow and consume us. Religion fills those needs. But God is not a religion. There is a difference between following a religion and having a relationship with God. Religion will not give you what you need...only God can do that. But you have to discover that for yourself.
516991
If god in fact exists, and actually did create people, then that is a very interesting point.  So basically what you are saying is, either god doesn't exists, or if he does exist then he is irrelevant.  Sweet.\n\n~Kyle