I hardly think it logical to believe in the bible simply because it is the only thing with any definite answers. It certainly FEELS good to a lot of people, but many people, including myself, are not going to base our beliefs one what feels good. The truth rarely feels good, but that's a part of humanity losing its sweet innocence.

Agnostics, unlike other groups, have accepted the fact that they don't know the answers. I tend to think anyone who assumes they have the answers is far too presumptuous, and has far too much confidence in their own understanding, which everyone agrees, christian or no, is flawed. Although a believer in the bible may say that agnostics or atheists 'lean upon the understand of men', the truth is that they simply don't lean on what they have read or heard, because they, rightfully so, are not quick to trust a pile of words and the word of mouth from human beings as fallible as they are.

To simply... believe anything... one must have faith that there is no contradictory force, that the object of their belief cannot be wrong. You may say that the bible is perfect in all ways (whether it is or not). Theoretically, a well written fiction novel cannot be proven wrong either, as long as it exactly follows its own logic and does not contradict anything we 'know' to be true. The truth of something like that can be as real and solid as you want it to be, until someone points out that a human wrote it. Of course, like the atheist, I recognize that that work of fiction has names attached to it. Fallible human beings. And therefore, it cannot be fully trusted, whether it is 'perfect' or not.

If God's truth were as perfect and unquestionable as you say, he wouldn't need a bible to make his existence, or his teachings, known to us. They would simply be obvious to everyone.


I'll provide a couple conundrums that tend to keep me doubting (without bringing up the 'could god make a rock so heavy even he couldn't carry it' bit):


1) (this kind of is three questions that relate): If nothing in this universe can defy god's will, why is Satan allowed to do what he does to non-believers, as well as tempt believers, when using our god-given free will is merely the use of a gift. Why give a gift like that, and make us suffer for using it? Sounds like a game to me. (Set rules, allow for there to be winners and losers, define what makes you win, and what makes you lose, and see who the best of us are). Seems crappy to me, allowing human beings to be fallible, but then punishing them for eternity for being fallible. Also why can't he look upon 'sin'? Sins seem to be things that... he just doesn't LIKE. That's really what defines a sin to me. Which leads into the next big question:

2) Is what is 'good', good because God says it is?

Or is 'good' an unchangeable force, fundamental, universal?

It's a trick question.

If what is good, is good because god says it is, then we are following an arbitrary idea of good, which could change if god wanted to change it. How can that idea of good be considered solid morals to live by? At that point, you are merely following your leader, and not his ideals. As you are taught, God does not change, so... paradox. Why simply follow an all powerful being (besides fear) if in another universe it could very well be considered good to kill and steal. And you believers, in that universe, would be killers and thieves, if that's what god wanted from you.

We obviously would like to think of good as universal, fundamental. But if what is good, is good because it is universal and not just 'What God Says, Goes', then that means God is merely a messenger, an enforcer of good. In which case, all the believers seem to be worshiping the wrong entity. If what is good, is good without God, then why have God in the equation at all? Why not just be good people, live well, and die satisfied with your life?


Anyhow, these are the kind of thoughts that lead me away from my christian upbringing, and I guarantee more will follow, because god's presence is NOT so undeniable that we cannot deny it. If it were, we would all be believers.

One should believe what they believe because they believe it, not because they were taught it, forced by our parents to think it's true. And I, like many, refuse to let fear govern my beliefs. I will never believe in god simply because I'm afraid I may go to hell, there is not merit in that. I'm sure if god is real that he would appreciate my actual faith, built entirely upon my own shoulders.

To me it's the same as finally realizing there is no Santa. I trusted my sources, my parents, my friends, fallible human beings, songs and movies, and because of my short-sightedness, my innocence, my complete unquestioning faith, I believed he was real, and tried to be a good boy, so that I got what I wanted at christmas. Just imagine... your parents, friends, songs and movies, are your bible. Santa is your God. Christmas is your inevitable death. And your present is heaven.

Be a good boy.