I was talking to god the other day and I said to her in me there is someone who really, really would like to believe in you. So can you explain to me why I don’t?
Silence ensued.
So, mortals, could you on god’s behalf explain to me why I don’t believe in her?
maryshelley----As an atheist how can you say her, him, or it?
It depends on your need for God. If you feel self suffient, then you will have no desire for one
We already know some about god. Our concept now includes matter made of atoms, the DNA molecule present in all life forms, all life coming from one cell and before that prebiotic molecules.
Like this: her, him, it.
Actually, turtle, this is a good question for anyone, believer or not or anything in between. Making “God” a projection of anything physical is simply an action of the religious energy of the psyche. I see nothing wrong and everything right in recognizing and realizing the internal aspect of divinity within each human, but sometimes this energetic and spiritual activity gets bound up in something physical which is then taken as a literal “God” instead of a symbol for a divine energy that exists everywhere and in everyone.
jonquil can you explain to me how ‘a divine energy that exists everywhere and in everyone’ is not something just as physical as ‘her’, ‘him’ or ‘it’?
Haha, that gets riht on your nerves doesn’t it Jonquil, you’ve mentioned it before.
Pretty much everything contained in theology is anthropomorphised, from the conception of appearence down to morality. I personally usually let it slide whatever person they refer to god in (first, second, third person). I think it’s pretty arbitrary.
Also, I don’t think it’s a sexist thing as you’ve mentioned before Jonquil, but merely just a convention to refer to god as a ‘he’. Just as we refer to humankind as ‘man’, it’s just a phrase nowadays. Although it probably has sexist roots.
Actually it is sexist to refer to “God” as a male, and to refer to “humankind” as “man.” That’s because we live in a society where sexism is prevalent and institutionalized.
jonquil are you a human, a woman or a shester?
I only agree with you in the sense that it is institutionalised, but I really don’t think it is sexist at all. Even I will refer to god as ‘he’ usually because it’s just the common way of speaking about god.
In perhaps less qualified example, the idea of a father ‘giving away’ his daughter to get married obviously has sexist roots. But (in the society I live in, anyway) is it a sexist thing to do so? No, just a nice tradition really. It’s arbitrary nowadays.
Would you agree with me that it is harmless? Or do you really think it has an adverse effect on society?
There is no need for you to believe in a God. Do you still need your parents as you did when you were a small child? Some adults do need their parents, some do not, some need a God, some do not. Belief is about need. What do you need to make you feel secure strong, behave in a mannerly fashion, What sort of guidence do you need, what type of emotional support do you need? It obviously cannot be fullfilled by religion.
A parent or God fullfills certain needs in people, sometimes its friends, sometimes its yourself. If we all had the same needs we would not be individuals. We would not be able to grow and learn from others. Be grateful there are those with different needs, be grateful for what you are. If someone has a need to be a part of a group of people that need to believe in a God, then maybe that person has a need to be with people that can be related to as an extended family. Most humans prefer the company of people they can relate to. Religion fulfills a familial need that they cannot get just from family. As I said before Gods hold the hands of people that have a need for parenting. Gods are the parental authority that is needed.
Whether you need it, like it, want it there is a god around. Life and the universe----what more could you want. btw I want more.
I just want someone else to clean up around here for once
Since you are so nurturing kriswest would you help me with my homework. Xmas time, remember.
Unfortunately its in the rules on this forum that we can’t. Otherwise hon if I could I would. What is your homework just out of curiosity, Its been a couple of decades since I have attended any class, you might not want my help anyway 
I belong to a basic research nfp corp. My assignment is pre-biotic molecular evolution. Can you help online?
UUUUMMM I hate to tell you this but I know next to nothing if not nothing about that, If I could I surely would.
Kris----do you believe that we are all descended from one celled life forms?
We as in the human species or most if not all species on this earth? Most living animals including us share the same DNA to different extents. That has to mean that we all started out with the same gene pool somewhere.