Does It Matter If God Exists?

[Left Coast]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

 

[Samael_Khan]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

I would think that if it mattered to a god if we think it exists or not, it would have done a better job in letting us know that it exists.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

No, not in one sense. God matters, only if God matters to you for the everyday world that we apparently all share.

 

[Mindmaster]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

It's all presumption as to whether God cares what you've done in your life or not anyway. No one has asked him, so no one knows, lol.

Anyway, my take is whatever created the universe did it like bacteria do... If there is one thing, and you want to make many there is only one way to go. Divide. A couple of amino acids and a billion years later and you got us. It's not really complicated to understand from this perspective. That doesn't imply of course that he directly created humans, as he would have had no need to... Just bind the universe by certain laws at the beginning and eventually all these things pop up. I'm not sure this creators love would be any different than a parent -- you want them to succeed, but the success isn't really in the individual but in the net, lol. I don't think he has any need for acknowledgement, or is even conscious in this consideration.

 

[ReluctantMathematician]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

Think about it from the other angle: Even if God does not exist. . . does it matter? Because if God does not exist then that is the current scenario we are in and yet it seems to matter a great deal to many people. Which would mean that the importance that people place on the existence of God is not dependent on if God exists or not.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There are lots of threads floating around the forums these days arguing for and against God's existence.

God has not made her presence known to me in my life. I see no reason to need to believe in her in order to be happy, to reason, to behave ethically, or to understand how things work.

Perhaps God judges our fate in the afterlife? If there is some life beyond death in which she will judge me, I have no control over my fate, as I don't even know what the nature of such an afterlife would be, or by what criteria I'll be judged. Humans offer lots of opinions on that subject, but none has presented a convincing argument that demonstrates they are any more in the know on the subject than I am. So I have no reason to live my life any differently based on what may or may not happen beyond death.

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

No, in the general scheme of things. The conversation I'm having with PureX makes more sense when it comes to god if you change it to does it matter to find ways to deal with the unknown. Some people are indifferent to it and others that question is the source and purpose of their existence. If god is the personification of the unknown, then yes, it does matter eventually. Most people tend to "find it" in horrific experiences, enlightenment, meditation, or right before death. To me it's important with being at peace and accepting the unknown. But I think it matters for others to find a "tangible" idea they can relate to-a purpose, mission, etc-so, if one wants to live a good life, why would it not matter?

 

[Left Coast]

Think about it from the other angle: Even if God does not exist. . . does it matter? Because if God does not exist then that is the current scenario we are in and yet it seems to matter a great deal to many people. Which would mean that the importance that people place on the existence of God is not dependent on if God exists or not.

Indeed, people believe God is important, even if they turn out to be wrong about her. Why do they think she's important? Why does she matter?

 

[Left Coast]

so, if one wants to live a good life, why would it not matter?

Because God is unnecessary for living a good life, so far as I can tell.

 

[Estro Felino]

In my vision, since God has given us free will, His existence would not matter.

So you do have a point.
PS: I am a Theist

 

[ReluctantMathematician]

Indeed, people believe God is important, even if they turn out to be wrong about her. Why do they think she's important? Why does she matter?

They think it matters because of centuries of religious indoctrination.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Because God is unnecessary for living a good life, so far as I can tell.

Finding your place in an unknown universe can result in a good life just as much as being indifferent to it. It is necessary after awhile because humans have so many experiences that to deal with uncertainty is a huge thing. Most people go through the stages of grief because of the process of accepting the unknown takes on so many emotions. If we learn not to have that grief process throughout our daily living, then yes, I believe "god" for lack of better words is necessary. However, it doesn't need to be a cosmic thing and definitely it doesn't need to be a deity or religious concept.

Have you dealt with the unknown before? Many people who have say it changed their lives. It's an awed-experience.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Indeed, people believe God is important, even if they turn out to be wrong about her. Why do they think she's important? Why does she matter?

She doesn't matter in only one sense. If I have to take on my old position of atheism, then she is nothing but cognitive, cultural, moral and psychological relativism.

 

[Left Coast]

Finding your place in an unknown universe can result in a good life just as much as being indifferent to it. It is necessary after awhile because humans have so many experiences that to deal with uncertainty is a huge thing. Most people go through the stages of grief because of the process of accepting the unknown takes on so many emotions. If we learn not to have that grief process throughout our daily living, then yes, I believe "god" for lack of better words is necessary. However, it doesn't need to be a cosmic thing and definitely it doesn't need to be a deity or religious concept.

Have you dealt with the unknown before? Many people who have say it changed their lives. It's an awed-experience.

I think everyone has dealt with the unknown before. So yes, I certainly have. I just see no need to think the unknown is a deity.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I think everyone has dealt with the unknown before. So yes, I certainly have. I just see no need to think the unknown is a deity.

Yeah, that is psychology. I see a need and that is psychology.

 

[Left Coast]

Yeah, that is psychology. I see a need and that is psychology.

What need do you see?

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

But why ask if it matters if God exists without applying this principle equally to your life in other ways? Like, does a proper understanding of gravity matter? What about atoms? What about whether the Earth is round or flat?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

What need do you see?

It is a crutch that I lean on because it makes me feel better in terms of hope and against the meaninglessness of the physical universe. I have no problem with it being a crutch, because it works for me. And I accept that you do without it.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

In short, even if God does exist...does it matter?

For all intents and purposes in my life (much like it seems you are describing) God may as well not exist, even if it so happens that He/She/It does exist - it may as well be that this thing called "God" doesn't exist given all that I have experienced.

If it presented itself in some way, or made itself a prominent part of my existence in the shared reality we inhabit, and had even a portion of the properties that all walks of people try to apply to it, then sure, I would be entirely remiss if I didn't consider it an important piece of knowledge that this thing called "God" exists. But as it stands... there is no such presence. It's as if it doesn't even matter already.

The only thing stopping me from drop-kicking the notion out the door entirely and never speaking of it again is all the other people around me who constantly profess to know so much about this thing called "God," and want that I should "experience" it like they do, or even act according to this "God's" will and designs for me. The main problem being that I only get word of those designs FROM PEOPLE. Very suspicious activity, if you ask me. Seems entirely dishonest and deceitful. Just tell me, yourself, what you want me to do, and then we can get into a discussion about whether or not you have any authority over me. I honestly think that that discussion is exactly the sort of thing that these people with prescriptions for my life want to avoid - and one of the main reasons they like to hide behind this "God" idea.

 

[Left Coast]

But why ask if it matters if God exists without applying this principle equally to your life in other ways? Like, does a proper understanding of gravity matter? What about atoms? What about whether the Earth is round or flat?

That's an excellent question. Understanding gravity, the shape of the Earth, and so on is necessary to accurately understand features of the world around me. God is totally unnecessary in this regard as far as I can see. She explains nothing.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

For all intents and purposes in my life (much like it seems you are describing) God may as well not exist, even if it so happens that He/She/It does exist - it may as well be that this thing called "God" doesn't exist given all that I have experienced.

If it presented itself in some way, or made itself a prominent part of my existence in the shared reality we inhabit, and had even a portion of the properties that all walks of people try to apply to it, then sure, I would be entirely remiss if I didn't consider it an important piece of knowledge that this thing called "God" exists. But as it stands... there is no such presence. It's as if it doesn't even matter already.

The only thing stopping me from drop-kicking the notion out the door entirely and never speaking of it again is all the other people around me who constantly profess to know so much about this thing called "God," and want that I should "experience" it like they do, or even act according to this "God's" will and designs for me. The main problem being that I only get word of those designs FROM PEOPLE. Very suspicious activity, if you ask me. Seems entirely dishonest and deceitful. Just tell me, yourself, what you want me to do, and then we can get into a discussion about whether or not you have any authority over me. I honestly think that that discussion is exactly the sort of thing that these people with prescriptions for my life want to avoid - and one of the main reasons they like to hide behind this "God" idea.

Well, if all religious humans were of the Objective Authority kind, you might have a point, but that is not the case.