First in reply to Winlei. Movies are scripted, but that particular movie was based on a true story and as much as it was aimed at entertainment value, it was also aimed to open people's eyes to the everyday realities that those of us that live in first world countries rarely or never hear of. As gruesome as the event from the movie that I described was, it does happen in reality. One cannot simply wear rose colored sunglasses and expect the world to change.

In reply to msharmony's first point. Would you consider the deaths and murders of innocent children to be "just"? No matter how you describe his state of being, it comes down to a simple standing of right vs wrong. If a man whom is bulletproof stands there from start to finish watching another man shoot and kill someone then is he not just as guilty as the one that pulled the trigger?

I would have to at least partially disagree with your second point. While it has always been my personal belief that if a god did not exist then the world would(likely)be ripe with chaos for the reason you mentioned. I certainly don't think in the least that it would be easier and more desirable for a god not to exist. For starters, people are not designed to be self sustaining. I've seen even the worst of people often go to their peers to ask for advice. We crumble without the wisdom and guidance of other people.

My point being that it's 100% easier for us to follow a path laid out for us by a "god" than to thread our own path. When people do walk their own path they often end up lost and that's when they end up defaulting back to the god path. Our race is young and still learning, perhaps some of us still need the god-crutch. but as psychology and understanding of the human mind advances, eventually we'll all learn to walk our own path. One not paved with slavery, prejudice, war and murder(All things promoted and condoned by organized religion).

If a cult murdered a few dozen people that didn't follow their practices, would you follow that cult? How about a religion that murdered over 100 million people for not following their beliefs? Because the majority of Americans and Canadians already are, that religion is called Christianity. Now I'm not here to bash one religion in particular. I think most of them have committed their fair share of crimes. But Christianity really tops the cake. From be-headings of pagans(non-believers)to witch hunts(burning people at the stake)to all out wars and genocides all in the name of Christianity. And when Columbus "founded" America he slaved away the native settlers and had them converted from non-religious to Christianity. So it's a religion that's been forced upon Americans from day one, and now we brainwash our kids with it. Again I'm not saying Christianity is the worst religion by any means, I'm only using it as my primary example as it best fits my point.

I'm not saying I believe in the existence of a god, because I don't.
I'm mostly posting here because the atheist forums are practically dead, which I don't really understand. Over 200k posts in religion and 1k in atheist forums. How do so many people in the age of logic and reason still believe in the existence of a god?

It is written in the bible that god is a loving god, god is a forgiving god, blah blah.

But in practice, god is a vindictive god, god is a childish god and god is a cruel god.

The whole story about Noah's ark is basically a story about a god that got mad, threw a childish temper tantrum and killed everyone on the planet save a boatload of people and animals. Does that really seem like an all knowing god of great wisdom to anyone?

If anyone has seen the movie "machine gun preacher". There's a movie based on the real life of Sam Childers, a biker that found religion after he thought he killed a man then traveling to Africa and helping to save a bunch of children from a corrupt warlord. On to my point. In the movie(based on real life) you see a bunch of children in a pile that were torched to death because they tried to escape. Was that all part of gods plan, did god "love" these children in their final minutes as they were brutally burned to death and screaming? Seems like a damned sadistic god to me.

Basically what I'm saying is that if god does exist, he's pretty much using us as lab rats in his psychological experiment.
All of the good stuff and "miracles" that he's let happen really do pale in comparison to all the atrocities that he's turned a blind eye to all in favor of fulfilling his "divine plan".

In my honest opinion the novelty of "god" died off in the 20th century. I think that many of us are smart enough to come to the realization that the invention of a god in inevitable because we all fear death and therefore invent the prospect of an afterlife, and who would be powerful enough to design such a thing? "God" and only that.

But all that is self defeating, instead of confronting our fear of death and helping to seek a method of prolonging our lives through science, we run to religion which has a long standing history of stifling science.

Many people will argue the existence of a god because they feel that they've seen him in one manner or another. His face is on a door, his face was on a grilled cheese sandwich or the classic "I see it in the miracles that happen every day". Such as what? Newborn life? Every time a baby is born it's a "miracle". Well what about those born into third world countries that starve to death before they're old enough to read or what about those born into overpopulous that struggle through their entire life just trying to make ends meet(because it's a rat race just to get a job)then ultimately succumb to suicide. Was there really a point in either of those being born just to live a life of pain and suffering with no chance for a happy ending? Or perhaps people will argue the "miracles" of rain or the sun coming up each day. Nope, the sun is a giant ball of gas and the rain is just precipitation.

God exists because like an imaginary friend when we have no other, we want him to exist and if we stop believing, he will not exist.

I know from experience god doesn't have feelings like we do. I would never allow my son to be raped and just stand there watching - and that's what god did by letting me be abused by men in my family when I was a child. God lets the most horrible things happen to me, and I have no family , no friends , and no wife or girlfriend . I will likely never have anything, and that doesn't concern god. He is real, I believe that, but he is cold .

You're welcome Mark.
There is still love in this crazy world.
Take care my friend

I appreciate the kind words Annie .

I know from experience god doesn't have feelings like we do. I would never allow my son to be raped and just stand there watching - and that's what god did by letting me be abused by men in my family when I was a child. God lets the most horrible things happen to me, and I have no family , no friends , and no wife or girlfriend . I will likely never have anything, and that doesn't concern god. He is real, I believe that, but he is cold .

First in reply to Winlei. Movies are scripted, but that particular movie was based on a true story and as much as it was aimed at entertainment value, it was also aimed to open people's eyes to the everyday realities that those of us that live in first world countries rarely or never hear of. As gruesome as the event from the movie that I described was, it does happen in reality. One cannot simply wear rose colored sunglasses and expect the world to change.

In reply to msharmony's first point. Would you consider the deaths and murders of innocent children to be "just"? No matter how you describe his state of being, it comes down to a simple standing of right vs wrong. If a man whom is bulletproof stands there from start to finish watching another man shoot and kill someone then is he not just as guilty as the one that pulled the trigger?

I would have to at least partially disagree with your second point. While it has always been my personal belief that if a god did not exist then the world would(likely)be ripe with chaos for the reason you mentioned. I certainly don't think in the least that it would be easier and more desirable for a god not to exist. For starters, people are not designed to be self sustaining. I've seen even the worst of people often go to their peers to ask for advice. We crumble without the wisdom and guidance of other people.

My point being that it's 100% easier for us to follow a path laid out for us by a "god" than to thread our own path. When people do walk their own path they often end up lost and that's when they end up defaulting back to the god path. Our race is young and still learning, perhaps some of us still need the god-crutch. but as psychology and understanding of the human mind advances, eventually we'll all learn to walk our own path. One not paved with slavery, prejudice, war and murder(All things promoted and condoned by organized religion).

If a cult murdered a few dozen people that didn't follow their practices, would you follow that cult? How about a religion that murdered over 100 million people for not following their beliefs? Because the majority of Americans and Canadians already are, that religion is called Christianity. Now I'm not here to bash one religion in particular. I think most of them have committed their fair share of crimes. But Christianity really tops the cake. From be-headings of pagans(non-believers)to witch hunts(burning people at the stake)to all out wars and genocides all in the name of Christianity. And when Columbus "founded" America he slaved away the native settlers and had them converted from non-religious to Christianity. So it's a religion that's been forced upon Americans from day one, and now we brainwash our kids with it. Again I'm not saying Christianity is the worst religion by any means, I'm only using it as my primary example as it best fits my point.

I'm not saying I believe in the existence of a god, because I don't.
I'm mostly posting here because the atheist forums are practically dead, which I don't really understand. Over 200k posts in religion and 1k in atheist forums. How do so many people in the age of logic and reason still believe in the existence of a god?

It is written in the bible that god is a loving god, god is a forgiving god, blah blah.

But in practice, god is a vindictive god, god is a childish god and god is a cruel god.

The whole story about Noah's ark is basically a story about a god that got mad, threw a childish temper tantrum and killed everyone on the planet save a boatload of people and animals. Does that really seem like an all knowing god of great wisdom to anyone?

If anyone has seen the movie "machine gun preacher". There's a movie based on the real life of Sam Childers, a biker that found religion after he thought he killed a man then traveling to Africa and helping to save a bunch of children from a corrupt warlord. On to my point. In the movie(based on real life) you see a bunch of children in a pile that were torched to death because they tried to escape. Was that all part of gods plan, did god "love" these children in their final minutes as they were brutally burned to death and screaming? Seems like a damned sadistic god to me.

Basically what I'm saying is that if god does exist, he's pretty much using us as lab rats in his psychological experiment.
All of the good stuff and "miracles" that he's let happen really do pale in comparison to all the atrocities that he's turned a blind eye to all in favor of fulfilling his "divine plan".

In my honest opinion the novelty of "god" died off in the 20th century. I think that many of us are smart enough to come to the realization that the invention of a god in inevitable because we all fear death and therefore invent the prospect of an afterlife, and who would be powerful enough to design such a thing? "God" and only that.

But all that is self defeating, instead of confronting our fear of death and helping to seek a method of prolonging our lives through science, we run to religion which has a long standing history of stifling science.

Many people will argue the existence of a god because they feel that they've seen him in one manner or another. His face is on a door, his face was on a grilled cheese sandwich or the classic "I see it in the miracles that happen every day". Such as what? Newborn life? Every time a baby is born it's a "miracle". Well what about those born into third world countries that starve to death before they're old enough to read or what about those born into overpopulous that struggle through their entire life just trying to make ends meet(because it's a rat race just to get a job)then ultimately succumb to suicide. Was there really a point in either of those being born just to live a life of pain and suffering with no chance for a happy ending? Or perhaps people will argue the "miracles" of rain or the sun coming up each day. Nope, the sun is a giant ball of gas and the rain is just precipitation.

God exists because like an imaginary friend when we have no other, we want him to exist and if we stop believing, he will not exist.