This is the creepiest anti-religion thread I’ve seen on the forum.

Believing God literally exists is creepy for a lot of us

So you believe that mortal man can derive an ethic that is superior to God, (who happens to be all-everything)? That's reaching a bit, no? — synthesis

Not reaching at all. As men are interpreting their "version" of what God intends (the existence of God is irrelevant since there is no direct intervention or direction provided by God) any ethic is derived from man, not God. Therefore, all ethics are derived from man and are of equal stature. Horrific things have been done in the name of religion, I would put money that more have been done on behalf of "divinity" than simply "because". I can't be wrong if "God will it."

"kill them all. God will know his own."

One of the reasons that religion is meaningful is that man needs something above himself to base his morality on. With this foundation, he rationalizes every damn thing and ends up committing great atrocities in the name of his intellectual depravity. — synthesis

That is certainly a commonly held view. I am not so sure it works. One of the problems with religion is that it doesn't offer a moral foundation. What it does offer is many conflicting ideas which are interpreted chaotically or cherry picked by religious followers for subjective reasons and often in atrocious ways.

Which is why on issues like abortion, the role of women, capital punishment, euthanasia, homosexuality, drug use - believers contradict each other, all thinking they have God's view on the issues covered. Christianity can lead to the KKK or to Martin Luther King. With religious morality what you have is subjectivity - people making choices about right and wrong, based on personal preferences and interests. God scarcely comes into it.

This probably helps to explain why so many atrocities are committed by believers. Just look at the countless child abuse cases world wide, committed, perpetuated and covered up by every level of religious belief and church groups.

Believing God literally exists is creepy for a lot of us — Gregory

Definition of "atheism" - A philosophical system for explaining to people who don’t believe in God why you don’t either.

Not reaching at all. As men are interpreting their "version" of what God intends (the existence of God is irrelevant since there is no direct intervention or direction provided by God) any ethic is derived from man, not God. Therefore, all ethics are derived from man and are of equal stature. Horrific things have been done in the name of religion, I would put money that more have been done on behalf of "divinity" than simply "because". I can't be wrong if "God will it." — Book273

Look at it this way. Man had to create God as a giver of that which man ultimately aspires. It doesn't matter if it is man's thoughts and words, only that it comes from a higher source (whether it does or not).

Religious people go back and forth on this all the time and eventually figure out that they cannot figure it out (or it doesn't matter). The point is...there must be somewhere you can go to consider the moral path when the not-so-prudent part of us rears its ugly head.

One of the reasons that religion is meaningful is that man needs something above himself to base his morality on. Without this foundation, he rationalizes every damn thing and ends up committing great atrocities in the name of his intellectual depravity.
— synthesis

That is certainly a commonly held view. I am not so sure it works. One of the problems with religion is that it doesn't offer a moral foundation. What it does offer is many conflicting ideas which are interpreted chaotically or cherry picked by religious followers for subjective reasons and often in atrocious ways. — Tom Storm

Humans, being the way we are, desire perfect systems. Religion is anything but. The Ten Commandments is a good example of a moral foundation. What each individual does with it is another matter. It's not like you buy religion from Amazon with free 2-day shipping and free returns.

Which is why on issues like abortion, the role of women, capital punishment, euthanasia, homosexuality, drug use - believers contradict each other, all thinking they have God's view on the issues covered. Christianity can lead to the KKK or to Martin Luther King. With religious morality what you have is subjectivity - people making choices about right and wrong, based on personal preferences and interests. God scarcely comes into it. — Tom Storm

Each religion kind of spells things out. People do all kinds of things with it, though. It's like sports fans. Most are just casual observers while others completely immerse themselves in it. It's actually a great thing that this is way it is because when everybody starts thinking the same way, horrific things start happening.

This probably helps to explain why so many atrocities are committed by believers. Just look at the countless child abuse cases world wide, committed, perpetuated and covered up by every level of religious belief and church groups. — Tom Storm

I guess that's why we've never won the "species of the year" award at the planetary awards ceremony.

Believing God literally exists is creepy for a lot of us — Gregory

Why do you think that is?

As an aside, I have been a very serious Zen student for over thirty years and at one point took a couple of years off to dedicate myself to full-time Zen (meditation practice at a Zen Center).

Once in a while, teachers from the local colleges and high schools would bring their students to the Zen center to check it out. The looks on these kids faces were incredible to behold as they were completely freaked out by the whole thing.

I worked a lot in the garden and when the students got near, I would say, "hello," and they wouldn't know what to do. Some would kind of smile and other would just scurry away. What really threw them was everybody dressed in their black meditation robes in the zendo (meditation hall). I am sure most felt wonderful heading out of there!

People are just really unsure of what's going on when it comes to religion/spirituality. It's a good thing. :)

Why do you think that is? — synthesis

Because it is like saying someone's else's father (maybe Jesus?) is super perfect and is your true father. It's rather intruding

Man had to create God as a giver of that which man ultimately aspires. — synthesis

Yes. People want to believe in a God "as they understand it" (NA, AA, ect)

Because it is like saying someone's else's father (maybe Jesus?) is super perfect and is your true father. It's rather intruding — Gregory

Something that makes you uncomfortable is making you think and grow. It's a good thing!

Man had to create God as a giver of that which man ultimately aspires.
— synthesis

Yes. People want to believe in a God "as they understand it" (NA, AA, ect) — Gregory

Religion works on many different levels, and...

...as it is said, "There are no atheists in the foxhole."

Well ye I'm not saying get rid of religion. But we have the right to voice our arguments and feelings

Foxholes? I saw someone set someone else completely on fire once and I didn't think of God once. I called the police but if I get scared I never think of God

Well ye I'm not saying get rid of religion. But we have the right to voice our arguments and feelings

Foxholes? I saw someone set someone else completely on fire once and I didn't think of God once. I called the police but if I get scared I never think of God — Gregory

You can say whatever you like...and should.

I guess the idea of the saying is that when we are scared enough, we hedge our bets! :)