Is believing in God intellectually lazy?
345499
Absolutely not. That's ridiculous. I think there's a LOT they don't understand. I'm the only Christian one in my family, if I was intellectually lazy I wouldn't believe in God at all, just like them.
806044
Well said, and thank you. You might have a point. I'd like to think that one doesn't have to have no faith, to have manners, intellect, and a sense of humor. But If you've ever noticed someone who is deeply religious, they are always trying to convert you, or convince you otherwise. Whereas I've never tried to push my belief on anyone. In fact, If it wasn't for people, mostly coworkers, trying to ask for donations, or just asking me questions about my faith, they would never know that I'm not a religious person. But based on that one principal, now they keep there distance...Goddamn hypocrites!!
603863
Absolutely not.  Though I am not an atheist (anymore), I have found that the atheists I have known are just as mixed and variable as any other group I have ever met; some have very good, well-reasoned thoughts as to why they believe there is no god.\n\nI will point out that the evidence that there is a god is purely based on experience.  Suggesting that atheists are stupid for believing there is no god is just as wrong-headed as suggesting that true believers are stupid for putting their faith in a force that cannot be observed objectively.
15045
I think everyone worships something whether they believe in God or not.  Some people even worship the idea of not having a God because they have to tell everyone about it.  I do agree with your idea about weakness.  I think that people who are insecure about their beliefs tend to try to recruit people to believe the same thing so they don't feel alone.  Those who are secure about their own beliefs tend to keep quiet and go on with their lives.  They don't need to feel justified that their beliefs are okay since they have their own truth.
465793
My opinion of Atheism is each to their own. Why should you care about it? That's a tough one for me to answer. I could say that most people who would describe themselves as atheists are weak willed and too lazy to have the courage of a conviction. But then some smart cheeks will say that that can describe 90% of the believers. So in the end its important to know your options I guess.
242142
My experience has been that most Christians seem to think they have the monopoly on the word "God", so I dont use it. Try something else like Creative Force, Higher Power etc.\n\nTry looking up Deism(sp?). Ben Franklin and most of those who signed the Declaration of Independance were Deists.
9625
No. I think God would find our day-to-day existence kind of boring. Everything amusing thig we do he's probably already thought of.
415985
Why should someone believe?  There's no proof.\n\nI find it interesting that so many people equate God with an accountability in their lives.  Are you so terrified that without someone holding a big stick and a carrot over your head you'll do something awful.  Take some responsibility for yourself, do the right thing because it's right, not because you are afraid of the consequences or desire a reward.  How juvenile.
289763
You can have both.While intellect uses reason and logic It is not at all a contradiction to have faith or hope or wonder about the mysteries of life .Scientists cannot measure some things so they cannot be proved or disproved.Yet.
1041648
I don't think so.  I believe that people who do put alot of faith in god are giving the credit of their actions to another being.  God didn't create or plan your actions- you did!
673784
isnt all religion a pointless exercise?
426334
no, believing or not believing in something like god is neither bad nor good. It's what you do with the belief or disbelief that will determine whether it's a bad thing.
832860
More importantly, and I suspect this is what you're getting at, why would a god who wants worship set himself up to be totally illogical and irrational? I think that if there was a god controlling it all, we'd be somehow predispositioned to believing in him, rather than having to ignore all logic and reason just to get into heaven.
740659
No, what God does is not a parlor trick. God's will is true, \n\nThe only magic I "believe in" is more ha-ha slight of hand fun,.
640335
I think I am just a little bit dumber for just reading that. seriously. You should spend your time becoming better educated. once you have a pHd, then I will read your foolish questions. \n\nAnd about my belief in God...it still remains.
617064
I agree. Many times on this site, I'll see a good question, and then some well intentioned Christian say, "you just have to have faith," or "faith isn't about logic."  It's quite irritating.  I know I have so much to learn and am ignorant myself, but it seems like some people check their brains at the door when it comes to faith. God wants us to love him with all our minds as well.  \n\nRejecting worldy wisdom doesn't mean we're supposed to be ignorant.
752616
Whether I believed in God or not, my behavior would change very little.  I believe that life is more pleasant when we treat each other with respect, compassion and generosity, and demand the same from our leaders.  It is worse when we seek to comfort ourselves to the detriment of others.  Promises of reward and threats of punishment are not necessary.\n\nIt's not a matter to me of whether I believe God exists but whether God, as presented, makes sense.  If God created us to endure a series of tests or a rule-bound game, with an absolute reward/punishment outcome, I'd consider that God unworthy of the concept.  If God is a co-witness and fellow traveller who values experience over obedience, whose concept of justice is based on compassion rather than rules, and who would never consider abandoning one of his creatures, I could buy into that.  \n\nGod is supposed to be omniscient and omnipotent.  They say knowledge is power, then they say power, especially absolute power, corrupts.  Not quite true.  As humans, we can never have absolute knowledge or power, only "more" of each.  It is the remaining ignorance and fear that corrupts us because our grasp is tenuous.  Were someone to have absolute control of all power and knowledge in the universe, that person would be invulnerable and would understand everything.  That person would have no needs or threats, and no obligation to "settle" others' conflicts.  That person would be free to either ignore the problems or to objectively show a better way out of them.\n\nIf you are a parent, you may have had an experience of children fighting among themselves, understanding both of them perfectly while realizing that their dispute is meaningless.  Or you may have comforted a child facing a new experience, or cautioned a child incapable of recognizing a danger.  That's what it would be like for God.  Dispassion, wisdom, and patience would be God's attributes.  Anger, revenge and score-keeping just don't fit the picture.  These are the attributes of weak, fearful, childish humans.\n\nThe omniscience we lack is the reason we are in conflict, because we don't understand each other.  The omnipotence we lack means some of us will be stronger than others and we would likely exploit that for the sake of our own security.  God would transcend all that.  Absolute knowledge is understanding.  Absolute power is compassion.\n\nIf God were presented logically, as a loving creator who calls us out of fear into confidence and sympathy, I could go for it. The petty, capricious autocrat painted by Bible-thumpers doesn't make the grade.