Religion Americans Skeptical Of God But Think Heaven Is Real, Somehow

Maybe they don't necessarily believe in the Christian idea of Heaven, but they believe in some form of afterlife and that's the easiest thing to call it?

I mean, I think we'd all like to hope that we don't just cease to exist after we die. I would rather not just blink out after my life is extinguished. Whether that means we're in some form of consciousness in the afterlife, or reincarnation, or something similar to the force or whatever.

 

Ha! How you feeling Denny?

 

That sounds like 'teh sux' honestly.

 

Fashionable even. Then there is the rebel status.

 

That's depressing

 

Actually I find it curious that this question would be pursued along such a narrow path. I asked a question one day, Why do men need religion? Being some what dubious about the subject in several ways, I decided it was time to see if I could study the issue, and answer the question. Answer the question to my satisfaction only, as it soon became obvious there would be no end to the matter if I would attempt to answer the question for mankind.

That mission took about five years of study. The key to completing the effort (to my satisfaction) was in the Declaration of Independence, "they are endowed by their Creator...".
What's this? Jefferson? The critic of Religion? More study.

Then to fill in the blanks, one must compare the religions to find their contribution and impediments to society. No I don't mean Algebra. And no, they are not all equal but some are parallel.

 

Ha! Well you don't need to wear that shoe!!

 

Thanks for the day brightener, Denny. Just what we all need on a Monday.....but I think anyone who doesn't believe in some kind of creator (and therefore some kind of afterlife) isn't paying attention. The doubters use unspeakable and unexplainable tragedies to dismiss the idea of of a God, but this world isn't so much about God as it is about us. I tend to believe that we're here as a test to see if we are worthy to continue to exist. Call it a soul or whatever you wish, there is an individual energy in every human that drives that person. It's not physically tangible, and therefore can't be easily explained away (if at all) as part of the grand, cosmic chemistry experiment that might possibly account for virtually everything else. I get that coincidences happen all the time, but I personally have seen enough evidence to believe firmly that something exists beyond this life and this world. And if I'm wrong??? I'll never know.....and neither will anyone else. I choose to believe, based on my version of evidence. And as far as prayer goes.......I've learned that's it's selfish....and usually useless.....to pray for one's self. When I pray for others is when I usually tend to see results.....

 

Unfortunately, you or I won't know the truth to that until you or I croak.

Taking a page out of Dennys book.

You first.

 

I personally feel that there is an unknown, explainable component to the Universe. Do I believe that there's an old man sitting on a thrown in the sky? No, but I think there's something. I have no idea what that entails. Religion, on the other hand, has been used to control the masses for thousands of years because people fear death and they fear what they can't explain, so it's easier to use "God" as a catchall for the unexplainable.

 

Religion is a good thing for many reasons.

For one, it gives poor people something to live for. It provides a good set of rules to live by. And it eases the fear of the unknown. Because it's depressing as hell to think you have such a short time to live then you die and cease to exist. Plus it helps you cope with the loss of loved ones.

I'm kinda with you, along the agnostic thinking. There absolutely could be a God, I just don't know for sure.

 

I don't really understand why it's so depressing that you cease to exist when you die. That's just how life works..

 

Think about your mind and how you think.

Then think about what if in 5 seconds you died and no longer could think and ceased to exist. Therefore never getting to communicate with your best friends, wife, family etc.

That's depressing.