why apart from the risk of torture death and misery inflicted on me if i don't,should i believe in god?

Question

it cant be any better than this
really in a way the rewards are just escaping the punishment inflicted by god in the first place

Answer 1

What? No, don't rise above the fear, we need that to keep you people in line.

Answer 2

Why? Because an eternal fellowship of bliss with a righteous God (and righteous humans) beats any alternative which I might wish to consider.



I suppose your question is similar to asking, "Why should I lead a law-abiding life as a hard-working, pay my own bills citizen of this country when if I don't I could face a lifetime in a cramped prison cell risking attack by ruthless cellmates who've committed more heinous crimes than those which will have gotten me imprisoned?" Most of us can choose the preferable alternative when given the opportunity -- instead of bemoaning the fact that one choice is far less desirable than the other.



You might find the choice somehow "unfair". So be it. I for one am simply glad that I have the free will and opportunity to make the better of the two choices!



I guess you are living proof of the fact that some people will choose NOT to take advantage of a wonderful opportunity when they are presented with it -- and instead will whine and moan that they must exert themselves to make a choice at all! Hey, if that is how you wish to avail yourself of a wonderful opportunity, complain all you want. Meanwhile, I know what choice I'm making! (And you won't hear me complaining how "unfair" my choices are.)

Answer 3

You won't be tortured. You might be banned from being with God, for eternity, like Satan is. But that is the Hell people are talking about. Not fire, brimstone, eternal pain. Just being banned.



Remember this. Light can be made, but darkness cannot be made. There is no switch you can turn ON darkness. Darkness is just the ABSENCE of light.

And on the same line, Evil is the absence of good. God is good, so without his being with you, you would be in darkness and in evil. Hopefully, only darkness. The pain comes from the feeling of abandonment. Being away from God's light and goodness.



That is the Hell.



Earth is but a short stopping place for us. What we do while on it, is up to us. God will not intervene, for if He did, there would be no sickness nor disease and maybe longer lives. But we would also lose our Free Will, if He did this.

Answer 4

Which God? The Jewish God concept doesn't torture any one. If you're not among the righteous who share in the world to come, you simply cease to exist and are never brought back.



If you believe in Brahman, you don't suffer torture per se, but just life time after life time, never attaining Moksha.



If you believe in a pantheistic God concept, the universe in total as God, there is definitely no punishment or rewards.



http://pantheism.net



The Christian God ain't the only game in town.

Answer 5

There is no reason why you should. A person who doesn't believe in God shouldn't be inflicted with bible-thumping and hellfire and damnation preaching any more than anyone else. It won't make a person love God. No one can force another to feel one way or another about God, nor practice religion or a spiritual path or not.



To follow a personal path, it must make sense to you. If it doesn't make sense, then there is nothing to hold you to it. There are as many spiritual paths as there are people in this world. One of the worst things to put up with is "My god is better than your god." or "Having God is better than not having God and you'll go to hell if you don't."



I can't answer your question; that is something you will have to find inside of you. For my part, I believe there is a God, a Higher Power (of my understanding), which my religion, Eckankar, calls Sugmad. All these are names for what is known as the All-in-All, whom I think of as the Creator.



And in my religion, the most important and sacred spiritual journeys are the ones I take within myself, by myself, although I do have spiritual guides to call on. To take these journeys, I contemplate--a lighter form of meditation, and I sing HU, a love song to God. HU is pronounced "hyoo" and is chanted as a mantra in a long, drawn-out note, then repeated (don't forget to breathe) for about 20-30 minutes. Then I quietly contemplate, allowing what personal experience is there to come to me.



You are welcome to use this spiritual exercise or not, as you please. I know you will find your own answers for yourself. Really, each of us must find our own answers for ourselves.

Answer 6

God does not torture human beings, human beings torture human beings God dose no longer deliver any good guy or woman to hell. merely via fact some one dose no longer have confidence in Jesus Christ dose no longer propose that they are going to visit hell. If human beings say this they're they that don't be conscious of the Lord. merely by using and via Jesus Christ can guy be saved it is actual. yet what's the actual which potential. Dose it then propose that merely via fact some one dose no longer have confidence that they are going to visit hell incorrect. It merely potential that the guy has lost the possibility to return to stay with Heavenly father and His son Jesus Christ in heaven. For the lord has yet another place arranged for his infants who do no longer save his commandments .for undergo in innovations that no unclean ingredient can inter into the dominion of heaven. what's hell, hell is a place have been the depraved go persons that harm and kill others who reason soreness and suffering. Hell is have been shall we positioned it this type. shall we are saying hypothetical speaking I kill some one which is harmless and the family contributors go through super soreness via fact of what I did . Now I die and God say to me be long previous for i be conscious of you no longer for you have chosen to do evil and deliver me to hell .i'll fell the rigors of the lack of ability of there toddler of the only which I killed and the suffering that i'll sense won't ever end for it's going to be for all eternity for the lord say that there is no end to this torment. that's what hell is it is an identical with persons that abuse family contributors and others. The soreness they reason would be there hell and suffering.

Answer 7

You don't have to do either - believe or not believe. Makes no difference to the reality if a God does exist or not. If you believe in eg. Oxygen or not, you and every other living orgasm keeps breathing. Don't think a tree or an ant has even an inkling into oxygen.

Peace.

Answer 8

Believe in God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ at the risk of having eternal life, and the possiblity of reigning with Him in Heaven, or inheriting the earth alongside other people.

Answer 9

To have a direct relationship with your maker a person loves u like a parent watches after you sets aside the best walks by your side through thick and thin

Answer 10

Many people find a peace in knowing that there is a Celestial force watching over them and guiding them through their lives. I've never much believed in trying to use hell to convert the masses it just seems wrong.

Answer 11

God has shown me clearly that if we want to get back to the early church experience, and carry it forward today, then we need to get back into our Bibles, and learn the truth for ourselves. We cannot get any closer to the truth, than if we read God's Word about something. God's Word, if I'm not mistaken, was not presented in just words (as it is today), but also in POWER!



For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.



1 Corinthians 4:20



For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power [the Greek word 'dunamis' tells us that this is MIRACILOUS power!], and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.



1 Thessalonians 1:5



If we want to see what the will of God is here on earth, then our only reliable source is the Bible. The Holy Spirit led me to point out three very powerful keys to understanding on the will of God here on earth, and although I already covered them, I want to list them one more time:



#1 The garden of Eden was God's desire and ideal home for man to live in. God never corrupted it, man did when he opened the door to sin. By looking back at God's original plan for man, we can get a sense of what He desired here on earth. Jesus went to the cross to destroy the work (or fruit) of Satan's work (see 1 John 3:8) and redeem us from the curse of the law (see Galatians 3:13).



#2 God wants His will to be done on earth, just as it is done in heaven. In heaven, there is no lack or poverty, there is no sickness or disease, or any symptoms of a fallen world. We all dream of going to heaven someday, but how many of us would believe God when He tells us that He wants His perfect will done here on earth, just like it is in heaven?



#3 The will of the Father which was being demonstrated through Jesus' earthly ministry. It was not the will of God to heal people back then, while letting those of us today suffer with cancer. Jesus not only proved the will of God here on earth, but He also sent us forth to continue proving it until the day He returns for us (see John 20:21, Mark 16:15-18)

Answer 12

If you're asking what advantages would accrue from belief, the answer is that you will be a better and happier person and you will have access to a supportive community.

Answer 13

It is not a requirement according to my faith, a person will or will not believe as they see fit, to push them to come to a faith against their will is wrong and harmful. We feel is best to allow people to believe as they choose, and go based off their actions :)

Answer 14

they would say so that you have morals and virtues. but that isn't something that comes really as a given whether you are or aren't a believer. the best answer i guess is so that you always have hope.

Answer 15

The choice is ultimately up to you. Nobody should tell you what to believe in because in the end, what our beliefs is all we have.

Answer 16

You love obeying the 613 commandments and love an invisible man-in-the-sky.

Answer 17

Don't throw your insecurity at me, DEAL with it



Peace

Answer 18

It's called free will. Make the right decision...or else.

Answer 19

because the cake is a lie...