Question:
I really want to ask this question for all who do not believe,?
I give you the Glory Father !
2007-09-26 21:11:37 UTC
Please,,before you post I ask be honest..I will give respect to you and all answer,I just ask the same from whoever answers,,

Scientise,,you believe them,so that has to take faith,because you don't really know,cause they don't really know..

QUESTION IS......Why not just ask God to give you the faith to see what others see?

What would it hurt...I am not trying to convert either,I don't understand that,,convert crap,lol..
I don't understand why some people get very upset when you ask questions as this..

Please be kind and gentle,as best you can,,lol....
26 answers:
Don P
2007-09-26 22:30:56 UTC
It sounds like you are sincere in asking this, and for that reason you deserve honest, sincere answers. So I will try to give you one.



Yes, it does take faith to believe in what scientists tell us, because we cannot do the experimentation ourselves, or observe the evidence that they evaluate, or do the mathematical calculations that they use to prove their theories (or at least come ever closer to the truth). So when scientists tell us that gravity is what holds us to the Earth, we just have to trust them, even though we can't prove it ourselves. When they tell us that E=MC^2, so massive energy is released when the atom is split, we just have to trust them. When they tell us that geological and astronomical evidence shows that the Earth is billions of years old, we have to trust them. So yes, we do take these things, and everything else that science tells us, by faith. And sure enough, we don't fly away from the earth, the atomic bomb worked (E=MC^2), and we have found much physical evidence that the Earth is indeed billions of years old.



So why don't we just ask God for the answers? Many of us have, and have never heard God tell us the answers. I can ask God right now: "God, what chemical formula will give us a cure for cancer?" I actually just did ask God that. Even closed my eyes and folded my hands, and guess what? God didn't tell me. It would be so much easier if He did, but He doesn't.



Ask God how to create a machine that will let you talk to people all over the world instantaneously. He won't tell you. But science can, and did. Ask God how to cure smallpox. God won't tell you. But science will, and has, and smallpox is virtually nonexistent today - not because God gave us a cure, but because hard-working scientists did.



Believers in God will tell you that God has spoken to them, and given them answers. Perhaps He has, but if so, then why didn't they ask God the hard questions, the ones that science is still working on. How can we cure cancer? How can we feed the hundreds of millions of people who are starving in this world? How can we stop wars and live in peace? If I really believed that God talked to me, or somehow gave me answers, these are the questions that I would be asking.



Besides the lack of reliable answers from God, there are other, more practical reason that we who do not believe in God (or who don't know if God exists) have faith in science and not in what God might tell us.



Most important, we can't prove what God tells us and indeed, we've often found that what God has told us (or what religious leaders tell us that God told us) is untrue, or extremely unlikely. Snakes talked, and walked on all fours, back in the Garden of Eden? Maybe, but hard to believe and impossible to prove. On the other hand, what science tells us can be proven and often reliably demonstrated. Science made it possible for man to land on the moon, to explain earthquakes and volcanos, to predict the weather, and (regardless of faith-based religious argument) to tell how old the Earth is, why animals and plants are different on the various continents, and why apes and humans are so similar, and yet so different.



Also, God doesn't seem to be consistent. A Catholic priest says God told him that we need to confess our sins to a priest, pray to saints, say the Rosary, and not eat meat on Fridays. Another Catholic priest says God told him that it's okay to eat meat on Fridays. A Protestant minister says God told him that you can't confess to a priest, or pray to saints, and saying the Rosary is meaningless. Oral Roberts said God told him He'd kill him if he didn't raise enough money. Okay... And Pat Robertson says God told him all kinds of things that most people, even Christians, think are crazy. It seems that God tells us whatever we want to believe, or whatever our religious leaders tell us to believe.



Another reason it is easier to have faith in science than in religion is that science admits that it doesn't have all the truth, and indeed has many things wrong. Science says, "Show us where we are wrong, so we can learn, and come closer to knowing the truth." Scientist can, and do ask, "What if Newton was wrong about gravity?" (he was), or "What if atoms aren't really little electrons circling a nucleus, like planets circling the sun?" (they aren't). Finding out that they were wrong about things such as this was the only way to correct their misunderstandings and find the truth. Scientists will even tell you that their understanding of evolution is not entirely correct or complete, and is subject to change as more information comes to light. That's why it's called the "theory" of evolution.



Religion, on the other hand, claims to already have the truth, to know the answers, and denies that it can be wrong. You cannot question religion, at least not in the minds of true believers. Religiously speaking, it is nonsense to ask, for example, "What if Jesus wasn't really resurrected?" or "What if Moses was wrong about the creation story?" Asking such things is heresy, and used to even be punishable by death!



Another reason non-believers don't ask God to give them faith to understand, or to show them the truth, is that it makes no sense to do so. Why would you ask someone for the truth if you don't even believe he/she exists? I'm not being flippant here, but suppose that I, like the ancient Greeks, believed that the world, and a supernatural pantheon, was ruled by Zeus. And suppose I suggested that you ask Zeus for faith, so that you could understand the truth, and to know him. You probably wouldn't do it, would you? So why would a non-believer in God ask God for faith or understanding?



You asked a reasonable question, and I have tried to give you a reasonable answer. These are just some of the reasons that non-believers don't just ask God to give them the faith to see the truth. I hope it helps you understand their thinking, and gives you some things to think about too. Best of luck to you in your own personal journey to the truth.
Lex
2007-09-26 22:30:17 UTC
Because faith cannot be given. God can help strengthan it, but it already has to be there.



Think of it this way, you can't grow a tree where a seed isn't planted. You can water and water it, but it's not going to grow.



If you want faith, here's what you should do. First, desire it. God will help those with desire. Second pray about it. Talk to God. A lot of God's gifts are made conditional only upon our asking. So you will need to ask him. Third, study. Finding God isn't easy. Forth, test. Practice what you learn. See how it made your life different. Fifth, reflect. And sixth is repeat all the steps.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:34:36 UTC
The reality has been laid before you as detailed above. I cannot really improve on these answers without taking you through history and, in particular, religious history, which are areas that I suggest that you do more research on.

It is not enough to merely accept the lovely stories that you were taught as a child and never ever question their validity. That is the behaviour of sheep.

Once you have researched the origins of religion and realised that ALL gods are man-made inventions, then will you reach adulthood and accept the grim reality of life.

There are NO gods - it's all fiction.

Thus, there is no heaven, hell, satan, angels, soul or an after-life.

I know that you will find this difficult to accept but not half as much as my accepting your version.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:27:00 UTC
I used to believe in God...strongly, piously, proudly and righteously for 25 years. I was (and think am) one of the nice guys. I cannot think of anything bad I have done to anyone or said bad stuff or hurt others. This sounds kind of pompus, but seriously man, other than some small stuff like white lies I am a very nice guy (no girl ever noticed it though).



Life and God have rewarded me with nothing but pain. I lost my faith. I see jerks, bad people getting all the good stuff (that is okay, but the nice guys could do with lesser pain).



If you/me were God, we would give the good guys atleast some small breaks. The only logical explnation is that human beings are animals, it is still the savannah desert out there and the stronger animal wins. That is all. No God, No BS.
Alan
2007-09-26 21:32:59 UTC
First, I have faith in the scientific method. The process of evidence gathering, experimentation, developing models, and then attacking those models to find the weak points and to improve them over time. I don't understand all sciences, of course, but I think it is the best model for understanding the Universe that we have.



Second, which god should I ask? Since the belief in god is not based on rational evidence then I could try to talk to Yahwah or Zeus or Allah or Krishna. Which one would answer? You are, I guess, presuming the Christian god of the bible but that is only one of thousands and thousands of possibilities.



Third, if by chance, I sense an answer from a god that is different from yours what would you say? Likely that I am wrong. But what would you base that on? Your personal experience? But why is your personal experience any better than my personal experience?
?
2007-09-26 21:37:24 UTC
I don't know that it takes faith to believe in Science, after all some of it is pretty self-explanatory and has been proven.

If I compare sciences service to humanity with that of religion, religion starts to look utterly absurd as opposed to just silly.

Will the faith in a God remove a tumor from my brain?

Everyone, including Christians, depend on modern science every single day. "God" is pretty stingy with those miracles so far as I can tell. I'll take my chances with science.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:48:00 UTC
I believe in science, because even if it is not completely accurate, it is useful for making predictions. Once we have a working model, we can improve on it if we need to.



We have very, very different viewpoints. Atheists generally don't see faith as something we don't have, but still want to have. We see it as something we don't have _or_ want.



Also, why should we want to see what you see? Why are our viewpoints any less valid?



Faith is nothing but a tool for those who can't get along without it. You can't or won't stand alone, so you use a god as a crutch.



These are my opinions on the issue, anyway.
Keyring
2007-09-26 22:13:57 UTC
"Why not just ask God to give you the faith to see what others see?"

Huge contradiction here. Why would I ask something I don't believe in, to help me believe in it? I'm sorry and I respect your tolerance, but I believe in logic and science over beings that I have no evidence for. I could just as easily ask you why you don't believe in Hindu gods.



And as people have said, science is fallible by its very nature. Religion claims not to be.
Dreamstuff Entity
2007-09-26 21:30:27 UTC
why don't ask thousands of other gods, alphabetically?



http://www.godchecker.com/



Science can be VERIFIED. You understand it, and then accept it - or come up with a better alternative. none of this "blind faith" crap.





Nobody has ever provided any evidence that any gods, much less a specific god, exist. People believe in specific gods because of indoctrination from an early age, tradition, hallucinations, fear of torture (for gods sadistic enough to threaten it) and other similarly illogical reasons. But no gods exist in reality; these are all stories, created for people who were scared of the world long before we understood it. Now we have no more reason for these superstitions.



What's the harm in religion:

http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/harm.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_religion



How harmful the bible is in particular:

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/

http://www.evilbible.com/



The origin of the Jesus stories:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa5.htm

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa2.htm

http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/jesus.html



How illogical religion is in general:

http://godisimaginary.com/

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/



The alternative:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/

http://www.infidels.org/

http://www.positiveatheism.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:21:45 UTC
The first half of my Life i actively did ask for such a thing. I thought there was something wrong with me because so many around me were "talking" to God. And my Dad claimed that HE really understood the Bible in a way Scientists could not because they were not "born again". I did search for this knowledge, i did ask for help from your God to understand all of this. It never came. As i grew i realized that there was no such thing and would be no such thing. I believe that this sense of the Holy Spirit is really Self Delusion. I do not mean that in an insulting way, you asked for my thoughts and there they are.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:18:59 UTC
Scientists are believed not becasue of faith, but because their conclusions involve a logical cause and effect approach. Basically, if X+1=7 then X=6 (<--- obviously scaled way down to prove the point)



Somehow most religions think X+1=7, so since we don't know what X is, X=God and its not our place to question it. And when someone shows us that X=6 and not god we will get very offended and attack science and its evil logic.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:22:11 UTC
"I am not trying to convert either"



"ask God to give you the faith to see what others see"



You're not huh? Uh huh...



At least science is looking for answers, not believing, say, a 1920s first grade science book and saying that's all there is.



Some science is interesting, but it's not my religion or anything I even care about that much. Most I find probable, other stuff can be left to scholarly studies since few of us would ever get it. I'm just here living my life, deciding on my own what is real and what is not. I do not need your pretend god.
T I
2007-09-26 21:35:49 UTC
A Believer has the Holy Spirit with them. God has gave the gift of Mercy to his children. I am a new believer. I would not even think about doing this until I was in such a bad place, I just needed the truth. And I opened my heart and received it.



Unbelievers have a completely different reality than a believer. It is hard to comprehend why everyone doesnt just ask God, cause its so easy. We are self centered beings, there are too many reasons to list why everyone cant do this.



This is my personal experience,,,"...whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of th eglory of Christ, who is th e image of God, should shine on them" 2 Corintians 4:4 and "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". 2 Cor.4:6



Only God can save someone.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:27:24 UTC
When I was a child being brain washed into christianity I did ask god to give me the faith that others see. He did not see fit to make me hallucinate or make up stories in order to fit into a cult atmosphere. I am glad I am not delusional.
Melty Blood
2007-09-26 21:23:06 UTC
Everything takes faith, every step, there is no real impression in human minds what they could *Actually* be doing.



Equalibrium, as with everything, is neccesary.



To the question, I will not allow myself to demean myself to the level of a footrest, and inflate that jerk's ego, should he exist. Even worse if he does not exist. For me, it's a matter of being loyal to the people I can trust.
God is love.
2007-09-26 21:45:51 UTC
Yes you have to have faith that a chair will hold you up when you sit or a drug ordered by a Doctor will cure your illness.



I do not need respect to tell the truth. God is not a respecter of persons nor does he have favorites.



God has given every man a measure of faith. If one comes to god first he must believe that he exist and that he is a rewarder to those that diligently seek him.



God knows the hearts of those that are willing and he makes it known. If one should ask that has no heart for him do you think God would grant him that request?



Th enemy came by night to get Elisha,his servant saw them and he was afraid. Elisha was not,why because he could see the angels of God encamped around them. The servant had feelings of doom for himself and Elisha. So Elishia prayed Lord let him see. God opened his servants eyes and he saw legions of angels round about the camp. God struck them with blindness the enemy led by Elisha took them to the man they were looking for. Elishia guided them to a place where he fed them a great feast,they regained their sight. The servant said should I kill them my father? He said do not kill them. He let them go and the enemy never bothered them again.2 kings 6:13-23.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:27:52 UTC
Why ask a deity when I can open up science journals, go to musuems, and see the evidence that scientists publish myself?



If you think science is just "ideas" that we all take "on faith", you've got a lot to learn.
?
2007-09-26 21:16:42 UTC
Well, first, it's a different kind of faith.

You and I both have the same faith about relativity, because we both probably have faith that they will work. We probably don't understand relativity, but we see it in action.
CC
2007-09-26 21:19:59 UTC
No, you are mistaken. I do not have faith in scientists. I ask to see their evidence, their data, their methods. Fortunately, they publish these in journals, and other scientists repeat their experiments to validate, verify objectively the results.



I can repeat their experiments and come up with data. I will know.



ANSWER to your question: I have asked any and all gods to show themselves to me, so that I can see what others see.



The result is a resounding silence so far. I guess your god (if he exists among the many alleged gods) is not interested. The more likely explanation is that he cannot answer, because he does not exist.
?
2016-05-20 01:41:16 UTC
If Paul was contradicting what Jesus taught, it is logical to assume that the other Apostles would have tried to correct or oppose him. But they did the opposite. Peter himself, the person that Jesus claimed would be the "rock" that Jesus would build his church upon, referred to the writings of Paul as "scripture" and the words of God himself. Since the apostles were the friends, family, and contemporaries of Jesus himself, obviously they would know more about what Jesus said and meant than YOU would. If we are not going to listen to the Apostles that Jesus himself hand picked to carry on his work, why would we listen to you instead?
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:19:29 UTC
The experiments done by scientists can be repeated, so they don't require any great amount of faith. Anybody is free to doubt any scientist, in fact doubt is what keeps science from going wrong too much. Science is fallible. This is it's greatest strength. Religion claims to be infallible. This is it's greatest weakness.
xx.
2007-09-26 21:20:03 UTC
The problem with your argument is that the people you are addressing do not believe in your god, just like you don't believe in my deities. Why don't you ask my gods and goddesses to give you faith? Because you don't believe in them like I do.
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:18:18 UTC
You're not seeing it from a nonbeliever's point of view.



Some people, like me, have had a lot of exposure to religion and there was no spark, nothing. When you find out that there's no logic to it either, that's the end of it.



Also, some will ask, which God are you talking about?
lab90210
2007-09-26 21:33:17 UTC
I think you are talking about 'empathy' this is not something we ask for, Its inherent. And it's the sense that binds us as fellows. Sociopaths are marked by their lack of emphaty, and like illiterates in denial who carry, incomprehensible to them, books everywhere, they wear their version of emphaty on their sleeves in the form of faith/belief in one-god.
curls
2007-09-26 21:17:11 UTC
Honestly what would be the point in asking something that doesn't exist for something. I don't need to ask for faith, I am happy and content in my life. Oh and which God should I ask, just in case I were to change my mind, it would take quite a while to ask them all. I don't ask you to not believe in your God, why do you ask me to believe in yours?
anonymous
2007-09-26 21:21:30 UTC
lol.LAUGH OUT LOUD! my 5 year old son is dead, where was god?


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