Robert Seeberger wrote: > OK! > That's fair then. > I urge everyone (who cares about the subject) to provide some sort of > justification for their beliefs.
Without getting into the details of my beliefs or how they have changed and enlarged over the years, I'll start with stating that I believe in the existence of God. Organised religion has always seemed like too much work to me but the notion of God is one which I enjoy. And that is the only justification I have ever been able to come up with for my belief: I *enjoy* the notion and, therefore, I have adopted it. It seems to me that everything else just boils down to this one fact. There have been times when I have felt the presence of God and there have been times when I have seen Her in Her creation but looking back, I have never been able to say for sure that my perceptions and my analysis of them hadn't been coloured by what I *wish* to believe. There have been recurring experiences that cannot be explained in terms of present day science but that still doesn't necessitate the presence or existence of God. The reason for these experiences, if it is ever found, may have nothing to do with God. Also, given two of the characteristics of human groups, i.e. a need for order and a tendency towards chaos, it is easy to appreciate the necessity which would anyway have given rise to such a notion, regardless of the facts. Still, I believe. And, as far as I can tell, the *only* reason I believe in God is because I want to. I think it would be wonderful to have a conscious entity which has all the answers to all the questions. From a different point of view, I enjoy the idea of there being somebody who, when looking upon the universe and all its myriad wonders, can lean back in satisfaction and say, 'Now, *that* was well-designed, even if I say so Myself'. Now if there were proof positive that God doesn't exist, I'd effect a change in my belief system, although with regret. But as far as I know, all we have is an absence of evidence. To interpret that as evidence of absence seemed to require as much of a leap of faith as the belief in God. And frankly, I have more fun with the latter [ I have same attitude towards other issues, the existence of aliens, fr'ex]. Also, about the only difference adopting the notion of god makes to my life is that some people tend to think of me as a kook. That, imho, is insufficient reason to give up an intriguing concept. At least that is what I decided at the end of the 4-5 year period when I experimented with atheism and I still feel the same way. Ritu GCU All Questions Are Welcome _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
