# Why don't people believe in God? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766 "2013-08-21T00:49:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/581 "2013-08-22T20:43:48Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Which brings another subject to light. Are you praying for worldly things? Are you praying for something against the Bible? Did you pray for “Lord I want you to be real to me” Or did you pray for “Lord, please give me a new laptop.” Not saying you can’t pray for worldly things… > > Sometimes my prayers don’t get answered either, but then I know there’s a reason for it. For God sees all, and knows what bad or good for you. > > You’re probably going have to go more in depth more… > Or maybe…you’re learning how to walk with God? So am I by the way. > > Here’s a start: “Lord I want you to be real to me. Why don’t you answer my prayers?” > You can ask the Lord questions. Talk to Him like you would a friend. Start a conversation with Him. [QUOTE=JESUS @ John 14:13-14] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. [/QUOTE] why are you limiting him? ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/582 "2013-08-22T20:44:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How should one decide which god to pray to first, and how do you do this without offending the other gods? > > BTW: Would you mind re-reading the link I gave you _without_ filtering it through an apologist site that lies about Bible verses? Okay, pray to all the other gods first For the God that I pray to can forgive you after you pray to others. For He forgives all sin. ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/583 "2013-08-22T20:46:16Z")
> [@simster](#): > > why are you limiting him? what do you mean? I did ask for him to tell me in a more detailed way. I just wanted to address a possibility. If he feels insulted, he has the right to, then he’ll respond back with his version. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/584 "2013-08-22T20:46:52Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Would you please state which Bible verse he is lying about and explain before stating that he’s lying about it? I already did in post #568. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/585 "2013-08-22T20:47:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Not good at all. > “I know you don’t like me, but maybe you’ll change your mind if I kill my own kid in cold blood?” Did you hear the GOOD NEWS? I was planning to take you down to my basement to torture you, since you clearly deserve torture, but I then decided to torture my son instead, in your place! Isn’t that great? Now you don’t have to be tortured! As long as you accept the sacrifice my son has made for you, and live at my house and worship me, then there’s no need for all that torture stuff! Because I love you so much. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/586 "2013-08-22T20:48:58Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Okay, pray to all the other gods first > > For the God that I pray to can forgive you after you pray to others. For He forgives all sin. So you say. Do you have any idea what the other gods can do? ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/587 "2013-08-22T20:48:59Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > Well you are in luck, because I am about to tell you. Nothing you just described is unique to the “Holy Ghost”. I’ll even take it a step further - it’s not even unique to religious beliefs in general. And careful there, you are dangerously close to insinuating that a non-believer is incapable of experiencing/exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Because you’re using your own human understanding to do so… How did you come to this conclusion? You looked for what you saw on earth and, by looking at the people around, on earth, to determine that people are exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Okay, that’s true, I’m not going to deny that. But there’s more to that. How did you get to the conclusion that "Nothing you just described is unique to the “Holy Ghost” Through your earthly understanding. From what you seen in the world. I just said, you can’t understand the Holy Spirit through human understanding and worldly knowledge ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/588 "2013-08-22T20:52:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What do you think you would say if you had this experience, but belonged to a different religion? Or if you attributed it a dream from the mackerel smoothie you had just before going to bed last night? This thread is turtles all the way down - God exists because he said he exists. And the fact that he said he exists is proof that he is a loving God, because that’s what the Bible says. Once you take that first step it’s all good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/589 "2013-08-22T20:54:45Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > I have already typed in previous posts about the Holy Spirit and what it feels like. You can not gain it through human knowledge or earthly wisdom. I don’t know how else to repeat myself. Let’s use a word ‘thing’. This thing is a thing that is given to you to help guide you and give you truth and understanding. This thing, helps you to remember what is said about God. This thing shows love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to/through the person. This thing can’t be understood, or seen through the worldly views. This thing is not known to those that don’t believe. This thing can happen to you if you repent, if you admit that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus, who died for you. Who died for your sins. This thing can happen to you if you believe. - Everyone who was born before Jesus never even had a chance to experience this. - Everyone who experienced a feeling of vague/ambiguous peace/tranquility/harmony/epiphany independent of Christianity (Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, etc.) makes it hard to believe that your way is the lone true way. > [@](#): > > Do you find this to be logical? No? Well that’s because you’re using human knowledge, your worldly understanding. What do I mean by that? you only understand what you see. Which is rational. But this is not how you understand this thing. The understanding of the Spirit can’t be seen or understood that way. But remember, you can. We can only understand the world through our limitations. Why would God pave the path to salvation along a route that we are incapable of comprehending? Why are we biologically disadvantaged for the most important test of our lives? What about creatures of lower thought than us? Dogs? Cats? Birds? It’s like he doesn’t want anyone to go to Heaven. Plus, logic simply IS. It’s not a human invention. It’s a more universal truth than religion is. Logic didn’t need prophets, messiahs, or missionaries to spread it. People in Asia, Europe, South America, etc. all discovered logic independently. It’s obvious. It’s consistent. It’s timeless. It has no “start” or “end”. There are no different interpretations, translations, or versions of logic. It is much more a complete truth than Christianity. > [@](#): > > I don’t know how this is different to other feelings of peace, because, frankly, I never dove into other religions. Ask another person who has. By definition, it would be impossible for someone to experience the Christian peace as well as some other peace because then it would necessitate Christianity be wrong. Simply by acknowledging that others can come to feel peace means that others have found a way to the holy sprit independent of Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/590 "2013-08-22T21:00:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So you say. Do you have any idea what the other gods can do? So I know. I believe you’re just making up excuses now… So there are people who believe in Sikh, there are Buddhists, Hindus, and the Jewish religion. But they all choose who they want to believe in. So people who believe in Sikh are angering and accepting consequences from Buddhists, Hindus, and the Jewish belief. Buddhists are angering and accepting consequences from the Sikh, Hindus, and the Jewish belief. Christians are angering and accepting consequences from all the others. Or maybe there are those that don’t choose any- pissing off all the Gods that you can manage. I could just think of a so called god right now, and say that if you don’t believe in him, you’ll get even worse torment in hell. Oh look, you’re pissing off another. You use your free will to make a choice. If you must try other religions in order to fully accept that God is the only true God. Then I’d say, fine. God wouldn’t like it, but He’ll forgive. It’s better to test than to not try. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/591 "2013-08-22T21:02:04Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > what do you mean? I did ask for him to tell me in a more detailed way. I just wanted to address a possibility. If he feels insulted, he has the right to, then he’ll respond back with his version. Did you miss the quote from JESUS? You are limiting the power of prayer - here again - [QUOTE=JESUS @ John 14:13-14] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/592 "2013-08-22T21:05:17Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > So there are people who believe in Sikh, there are Buddhists, Hindus, and the Jewish religion. But they all choose who they want to believe in. > > So people who believe in Sikh are angering and accepting consequences from Buddhists, Hindus, and the Jewish belief. > > Buddhists are angering and accepting consequences from the Sikh, Hindus, and the Jewish belief. > > Christians are angering and accepting consequences from all the others. > > Or maybe there are those that don’t choose any- pissing off all the Gods that you can manage. > > I could just think of a so called god right now, and say that if you don’t believe in him, you’ll get even worse torment in hell. Oh look, you’re pissing off another. You’re starting to get it… ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/593 "2013-08-22T21:06:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Did you even _try_ to read the link yourself without filtering it through an apologist site? Isaiah 9:14 says absolutely nothing about a virgin birth! > Isaiah 9:14: “So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day;” > > For ghod’s sake, will you _please_ read the book yourself. ☹ Oh hahaha whoops Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/594 "2013-08-22T21:06:23Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > So I know. I believe you’re just making up excuses now… Yeah, you seem to believe a lot of things that don’t seem to hold up under scrutiny. Got anything thing to say about those wildly misinterpreted Biblical quotes you used to wave off all the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/595 "2013-08-22T21:16:54Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Oh hahaha whoops > > Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ‘virgin’ - I do not think that word means what you think it means - ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/596 "2013-08-22T21:18:45Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Did you miss the quote from JESUS? > > You are limiting the power of prayer - here again - Hmmm, maybe… But get this. If you knew what was right for your child, would you let him/her do something, would you give him/her something, that may be harmful to him/her? For example, and don’t get mad at this example, if your seventeen year old asked to go to the borders between Mexico and the United States where people are sneaking drugs and where they may bump into a drug lord, would you let him/her? If your seventeen year old asked for a car, and you knew that if you gave them a car, they would crash and have major injuries. You would prevent it if you can right? would you would prevent it if you knew what was coming? Same with God, what you ask may not always be good for you. God can see ahead, he knows what is happening. He knows what is good for you even when you don’t. For more: [Why doesn't God answer my prayers?](http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/why-does-god-not-answer-my-prayer) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/597 "2013-08-22T21:18:49Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Or maybe there are those that don’t choose any- pissing off all the Gods that you can manage. > > I could just think of a so called god right now, and say that if you don’t believe in him, you’ll get even worse torment in hell. Oh look, you’re pissing off another. So you admit to picking Jesus because he was the most obvious and convenient choice through a simple accident of birth. And you can imagine more than one god as well. Can you imagine none? > [@Timo](#): > > You use your free will to make a choice. If you must try other religions in order to fully accept that God is the only true God. Then I’d say, fine. God wouldn’t like it, but He’ll forgive. It’s better to test than to not try. So if you earnestly study other religions and you pick Allah over Jesus in the end, which god will forgive you exactly? Allah for nearly not picking him or Jesus for picking him first and then abandoning him? Will not picking any of them still garner you forgiveness, because hey, at least your tried? ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/598 "2013-08-22T21:20:01Z")
> [@simster](#): > > ‘virgin’ - I do not think that word means what you think it means - Then please, tell me, what do you think it means? Nevermind… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/599 "2013-08-22T21:20:40Z")
> [@Timo](#): > > Oh hahaha whoops > > Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. _sigh_ This is exactly why you should open that book and read it yourself and not rely on sites with obvious agendas. If you take the verse in context and read Isaiah 7:1-13(and please don’t take my word for it-read it for yourself), you will find that the prophet Isaiah is addressing King Ahaz of Judah about how to take care of enemies that were vexing him at the time. Not a prophesy concerning the Jesus unless you totally ignore all the verses in the chapter before and after that verse. ---
**Author:** ![Timo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Timo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/600 "2013-08-22T21:21:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Yeah, you seem to believe a lot of things that don’t seem to hold up under scrutiny. Got anything thing to say about those wildly misinterpreted Biblical quotes you used to wave off all the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah? But aren’t you…? I corrected myself. Isaiah 7:14. Oh…nevermind. This is embarrassing. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766.md?page=31)