Is belief that a god exists a choice?

[juvenissun]

For me, belief happens after reason and logic demands it; not before.
So no; for me belief in God is not a choice.

Ken

You choose to trust logic. It is a choice.

By the way, more than 90% of contents in any theology are logically sound. They are more logical than most of the reported news.

Logic is NOT an excuse of not accepting God.

 

[NannaNae]

I was indoctrinated into the faith, as a kid. Not really much choice, there. But, at the end of the day, any person can decide to believe or not believe in a deity, or follow a religion. Even in countries where you are ''forced'' to follow a certain religion, no one can police your thoughts. You will always be in charge of your own thoughts.

yep and that is exactly why God made it so that we have to choose to follow him and then mean it enough to follow through. and anything less is like not choosing him.
then everything else is just an 'ism' of mankind and control.
he plans to judge every man by both his heart and his actions and those peoples own laws and judgements against others. to find the truth and make a proper judgement.

 

[Eudaimonist]

You choose to trust logic. It is a choice.

Do you choose to trust that 2+2=4? Or that the Law of Non-Contradiction must hold (e.g., you can't have your cake and eat it too)?

I have absolutely no choice in that, or in any matter of logic. I don't see how it can be any other way.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Davian]

You choose to trust logic. It is a choice.

By the way, more than 90% of contents in any theology are logically sound. They are more logical than most of the reported news.

10% of your religion is not logically sound?

Logic is NOT an excuse of not accepting God.

Priceless.

 

[Archie the Preacher]

In the normal state of existence - spiritual matters aside for a moment - humans tend to make decisions on the basis of what makes the most 'sense' to them.

There are a number of factors which determine 'making sense'. One of the main factors is what one is taught as a child. "My Daddy told me..." is the justification for all manner of opinions and choices. On the same note, religious (and anti-religious) training while young has a great effect on most people. Sometimes the 'effect' is in the reaction to the teaching or training.

There are those - and I like to include myself in this category - who observe as much as possible, look through alternatives and eventualities and then decide on the basis of the most intelligent alternative to the question.

And of course, two people can analyze the same factors (as in the paragraph above) and conclude different solutions. Scientific research is filled with such.

This changes somewhat when the idea of God enters the discussion. This is not merely a historic discussion of whether someone lived. The discussion of whether Ivan the Terrible lived is much less contested than whether Jesus the Christ lived. Ivan the Terrible never claimed to be God and demanded love, fealty and obedience for all time in all nations.

When God enters the discussion, at stake is one's entire way of life; one's values, one's morales, one's life goals and one's Eternal destiny. Yeah, that changes the nature of the debate.

Interestingly, the debate rages - as to 'choice of belief' - in the Christian community. The difference of opinion between 'Calvinist' and 'Arminianist' includes the idea of 'predestination'. So a 'proper' Calvinist is obliged to say "God chose me" rather than "I chose God".

In the spirit of transparency, I was raised in a Christian home. I am by choice - as far as I can tell or relate - a Christian. From my studies and observations, I am sure the Bible is the revelation of God to mankind; and that it is reliable in terms of the lessons it teaches, the nature of God as revealed in the Bible, and the outline of history it displays. This conclusion simply seems more likely and logical than any other alternate theory.

However, I am not a 'Young Earth Creationist'. My parents were and most of the teachers I knew were. So all the brainwashing - - didn't take. Not because I do not 'believe' the Bible, but because I believe that is what the Bible relates.

 

[Davian]

Davian

Davian, part of the problem is that there is no decisive consensus on just what constitutes "evidence," nor is there a consensus on the methods (or even hermeneutics) to be used.

Strange that I only see this excuse used by those that lack evidence.

Without which, we're all batting half-blindfolded.

Speak for yourself. I am not the one positing the existence of "gods".

It is a rough analogy, not an argument or explanatory comment. So sure, if you want to be ultra-literal about it, it is more like the glass being 33.4 percent full. The real question is, "how thirsty are you?"

For religion? Not at all.

No one has 'lowered' any bars... Actually, I would contest the hegemony of just about any epistemological structure; they all have weaknesses reflecting the limitations of our human ingenuity. Let me be clear, though, I'm not saying we shouldn't appropriate them in our attempts to build various views and understandings of the world. It's just that we also need to recognize their limits.

Show me how you "recognize" those "limits" in a manner that allows for "gods" but does not also leave the Earth covered in giant, invisible, immaterial marshmallows.

As far as fairies, pixies, and the rest...do you know of any historical references we should look as to ascertain as to their existence?

The argument from antiquity is a fallacy, but I would say, if not for the fairies, how would the gardens grow?

 

[juvenissun]

10% of your religion is not logically sound?

Of course.
But don't worry, atheism is probably 100% logically sound, or limited. Very boring.

 

[Hetta]

Is belief that a god exists a choice?

I believe so yes. I was raised in a Christian home and was sent to a Christian school/taken to a Christian church, but I fell away as a teen and didn't return until later in adulthood. I still feel it as a choice to stay or go, and that is probably the reason that I stay. If I felt that it was forced on me, I would most likely rebel and fight it.

 

[juvenissun]

Do you choose to trust that 2+2=4? Or that the Law of Non-Contradiction must hold (e.g., you can't have your cake and eat it too)?

I have absolutely no choice in that, or in any matter of logic. I don't see how it can be any other way.


eudaimonia,

Mark

One can certainly choose to trust an idea which is not logic. Why not?
If you need a translation so you can understand, then here it is:
One can certainly choose to trust an idea which is not proven.
Such as: a light saber.

 

[bhsmte]

Of course.
But don't worry, atheism is probably 100% logically sound, or limited. Very boring.

Are living rocks 100% logical?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Davian

Strange that I only see this excuse used by those that lack evidence.

Can you demonstrate that what I've stated is an excuse?

Speak for yourself. I am not the one positing the existence of "gods".

Oh. So, what infallible epistemology do you subscribe to?

For religion? Not at all.

Well, you can lead a horse to water......

Show me how you "recognize" those "limits" in a manner that allows for "gods" but does not also leave the Earth covered in giant, invisible, immaterial marshmallows.

It's called "methodological materialism." Surely, you've heard of it.

The argument from antiquity is a fallacy, but I would say, if not for the fairies, how would the gardens grow?

I wasn't attempting to use any argument from antiquity; one from twenty years ago would suffice. My point is, we don't see anyone offering historical evidence of fairies, elves, etc. All of the ones I know about are in children's books, not history books. If you know something that I don't about fairies and elves, please enlighten me...

 

[Ken-1122]

You choose to trust logic. It is a choice.

Logic is simply a tool I use to help determine the truth. i no more choose to trust logic than I choose to breath; it is something that comes naturally

By the way, more than 90% of contents in any theology are logically sound. They are more logical than most of the reported news.

Logic is NOT an excuse of not accepting God.

Only 90%? So 10% of your theology is probably untrue? If 10% of a news program were untrue, I would not listen to it. If 10% of what came out of someone's mouth were lies, I would not trust that person. So if 10% of your religion is not logically sound; that is not an excuse; that is a legitimate reason for disbelief.

Ken

 

[Ken-1122]

Of course.
But don't worry, atheism is probably 100% logically sound, or limited. Very boring.

Reality is always more boring than fiction.

K

 

[jacks]

I can't speak for others, but for me all my beliefs are a choice. It's just that sometimes the choices are very limited.

 

[Non sequitur]

Is belief that a god exists a choice?

Is belief that I love my parents a choice?

 

[Ken-1122]

I can't speak for others, but for me all my beliefs are a choice. It's just that sometimes the choices are very limited.

How far are you able to take that choice? Suppose Bill Gates were willing to pay you a billion dollars if you could believe you could fly like a bird; could you choose to believe it?

Ken

 

[dysert]

No, not a conscious choice. While I have seen many claim for it to be a choice, I do not see them demonstrating it.

Can I, as a adult, believe in Santa as a real, living being? Yes (I was surprised myself). Can I choose to believe on a moments notice? No.

Who said anything about a moment's notice?

 

[Ken-1122]

Can I, as a adult, believe in Santa as a real, living being? Yes (I was surprised myself). Can I choose to believe on a moments notice? No.

How did you go about convincing yourself that Santa was real?

Ken

 

[dysert]

There is plenty of evidence, where absence of evidence is evidence of absence. Should there not be evidence for the existence of gods if gods exist?

Where claims of the glass being half full are unsubstantiated.

If we lower our epistemological bar enough for gods to jump over, we may also allow over fairies, pixies, reptilian humanoids, and extraterrestrial aliens visiting earth to make crop circles.

Why should there be (physical) evidence for the existence of God?

 

[Ken-1122]

Why should there be (physical) evidence for the existence of God?

The same reason there should be physical evidence of fairies, pixies, and other imaginary creatures before their existence is believed.

K