# 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:** 39
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/762 "2013-09-04T12:29:27Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > John 10 verse 34…36. Jesus reminds them of the Psalmist calling them gods and son’s of god. Using as I see it to be Jesus never thought of himself as the Creator etc. but, believes as the Psalmist, they are part of a greater whole. Centuries ago the Word God seems different that it is today. Mot of the early gods were just men of power. and the Pharos could even name themselves a God. Christianity has pretty much redefined the word “god” so that there is only room in the universe for theirs. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/763 "2013-09-04T13:29:22Z")
To the OP: I gave up on God when I was seventeen. I found Jesus (He found me when I got around to asking Him for help) when I was 27 and I have never looked back since. Why did I give up on God? Simply, I had bought into the conventional concept of God promulgated by mainstream Christianity. I was raised a staunch Episcopalian but, as I’ve implied, I became an agnostic/atheist for 10 years. As mild as the Episcopal Church is on the question of “hellfire”, etc, it still is Bible based and these questions loomed. 1. How to reconcile the Old and New Testaments, (two entirely different concepts of God). 2. How to account for the obvious (to me) internal inconsistencies in the New Testament. 3. How to account for evil/Satan in the world given God’s supposed omnipotence and beneficence. 4. And what about “just wars”? WTFWJD? Long story short, I threw out the baby (Jesus, God) with the bath water (“scripture”). Today, I thank God for my idea of Jesus (from the New Testament) and thank Jesus for my idea of God (personally revealed). I have no need for organized religion and “scripture”. Aloha ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/764 "2013-09-04T14:08:25Z")
> [@jsutter](#): > > To the OP: > > I gave up on God when I was seventeen. I found Jesus (He found me when I got around to asking Him for help) when I was 27 and I have never looked back since. Why did I give up on God? Simply, I had bought into the conventional concept of God promulgated by mainstream Christianity. > > I was raised a staunch Episcopalian but, as I’ve implied, I became an agnostic/atheist for 10 years. As mild as the Episcopal Church is on the question of “hellfire”, etc, it still is Bible based and these questions loomed. > > 1. How to reconcile the Old and New Testaments, (two entirely different concepts of God). > > 2. How to account for the obvious (to me) internal inconsistencies in the New Testament. > > 3. How to account for evil/Satan in the world given God’s supposed omnipotence and beneficence. > > 4. And what about “just wars”? WTFWJD? > > Long story short, I threw out the baby (Jesus, God) with the bath water (“scripture”). > > Today, I thank God for my idea of Jesus (from the New Testament) and thank Jesus for my idea of God (personally revealed). I have no need for organized religion and “scripture”. So basically, you picked out the verses you liked, and filled in the rest yourself? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/765 "2013-09-04T14:18:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So basically, you picked out the verses you liked, and filled in the rest yourself? That’s not an unreasonable approach. (I mean, as long as you don’t pick the parts that say you don’t get to pick which parts you believe in.) ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/766 "2013-09-04T14:25:15Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > Actually, the Bible is to blame along with the people. OK since people wrote the Bible. But most people are looking for God in all the wrong places. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/767 "2013-09-04T14:32:07Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > OK since people wrote the Bible. > > But most people are looking for God in all the wrong places. You are no different than any other religionist-you pick and chose the stuff in the Bible you already agree with, then flesh out the details with rationalization. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/768 "2013-09-04T14:49:08Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So basically, you picked out the verses you liked, and filled in the rest yourself? Sure. Why not? 😉 ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/769 "2013-09-04T14:55:44Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > OK since people wrote the Bible. > > But most people are looking for God in all the wrong places. He’s god. Shouldn’t he be in all the places you look? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/770 "2013-09-04T15:54:48Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > He’s god. Shouldn’t he be in all the places you look? Only after you find God within yourself will you find Him everywhere. Everything begins and ends with you personally. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/771 "2013-09-04T15:59:36Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Only after you find God within yourself will you find Him everywhere. > > Everything begins and ends with you personally. The universe revolves around **QuickSilver**? ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/772 "2013-09-04T16:01:17Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Only after you find God within yourself will you find Him everywhere. > > Everything begins and ends with you personally. Thats your belief, and you’re welcome to it - but that is not the subject of the OP or many of the other posts in this trhead - which is discussing a more universal ‘God’ or even to the OP -the ‘God of Christanity/Bible’. so - you have defined a God that fits your world view - and you;ve offered to create gods for others on demand and to thier specification - but none of that speaks to a) that that god even exists b) that that god is more valid than someone elses view of god. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/773 "2013-09-04T16:04:00Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Everything begins and ends with you personally. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > The universe revolves around **QuickSilver**? Vindication at last! ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/774 "2013-09-04T16:25:00Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Thats your belief, and you’re welcome to it - but that is not the subject of the OP or many of the other posts in this trhead - which is discussing a more universal ‘God’ or even to the OP -the ‘God of Christanity/Bible’. > > so - you have defined a God that fits your world view - and you;ve offered to create gods for others on demand and to thier specification - but none of that speaks to > > a) that that god even exists > b) that that god is more valid than someone elses view of god. Many people tell me they have prayed to God over and over but nothing happened. So they think God don’t care about them or don’t exist at all. Yet millions of people would disagree with them saying God has helped them in many ways. What do you think is the difference. Is there a way to get God to listen or to pay attention. Are there certain rules to follow, ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/775 "2013-09-04T16:37:27Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Many people tell me they have prayed to God over and over but nothing happened. So they think God don’t care about them or don’t exist at all. Yet millions of people would disagree with them saying God has helped them in many ways. What do you think is the difference. Is there a way to get God to listen or to pay attention. Are there certain rules to follow, ‘God’ simply doesn’t exist - therefore there is no way to “get himsheit to listen or pay attention” The ways that god ‘helps’ those people is usually in a very intangible/subjective way - you are a prime example of this. Prayer to god is wish fullfillment - when it goes my way - god did it, when it doesnt god has a plan - therefore God is not required. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/776 "2013-09-04T16:41:17Z")
People’s reports about what god did are notoriously unreliable. So unreliable, in fact, that there is a special name for them: anecdotal. On the other hand, reports of god not answering various prayers are statistically far more significant. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/777 "2013-09-04T19:14:51Z")
> [@simster](#): > > ‘God’ simply doesn’t exist - therefore there is no way to “get himsheit to listen or pay attention” > > The ways that god ‘helps’ those people is usually in a very intangible/subjective way - you are a prime example of this. > > Prayer to god is wish fullfillment - when it goes my way - god did it, when it doesnt god has a plan - therefore God is not required. How could God’s help be anything but subjective. I think your training in science has biased you to normal human interaction. Anecdotal does not carry the false label unless it be proved false. I have prayed and received what I prayed for often. I have received a great deal of help from God in my life and don’t mind saying so. I am not an atheist of christian or politician or belong to any group of people who come together for the enhancement of a label. I am free to believe as I please. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/778 "2013-09-04T19:56:23Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > **How could God’s help be anything but subjective.** I think your training in science has biased you to normal human interaction. Anecdotal does not carry the false label unless it be proved false. I have prayed and received what I prayed for often. I have received a great deal of help from God in my life and don’t mind saying so. I am not an atheist of christian or politician or belong to any group of people who come together for the enhancement of a label. I am free to believe as I please. \ - that is exactly the point - Gods ‘help’ is subjective Gods very existience is subjective. There is no objective evidence for the existence of either. All of your answered ‘prayers’ can also be chalked up to positive attitude. If you want to prove your god exists - or that the power of prayer has anything other than a placebo affect - then you’re going to have to provide some OBJECTIVE evidence for it. Lets do a test - pray to your god - have himherit a) give you a piece of information about what I have on my desk _right now_ that you can use to prove that there is something supernatural going on. Its going to have to be pretty unique and not generic item. b) use one of your NDE/OBE things to come find out for yourself c) have hesheit create an item on my desk rigth now of your chooising. If the answered prayers are only good to the prayee, that is no evidence beyond wish fullfillment. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/779 "2013-09-04T20:11:30Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > How about all loving, all wise, and don’t punish you for anything. Sure. I’ve invented fictional gods like that. They tend to be a bit boring. They’re hard to make serve a dramatic purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/780 "2013-09-04T20:20:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So basically, you picked out the verses you liked, and filled in the rest yourself? > [@VarlosZ](#): > > That’s not an unreasonable approach. (I mean, as long as you don’t pick the parts that say you don’t get to pick which parts you believe in.) OOh! A logician! But, yeah, really, most religions do that anyway. They preach sermons on the verses that accentuate the points they feel strongly about…and rarely mention the verses that indicate the opposite. It’s too big a book for anyone to do otherwise. The “formal” practice among many denominations is “Use the Bible to interpret itself.” This (in theory) is a way to reconcile the contradictions. It also allows one to emphasize or de-emphasize any particular verse, by citing another verse that seems supportive…or contradictory. If you want a particular verse to be taken literally…declare it so. If not, claim it was only a parable or metaphor. Since there isn’t any way to falsify either claim, either claim is as valid as its negation. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-people-believe-in-god/666766/781 "2013-09-04T20:24:08Z")
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