To me, the proof of God is simple…

Before the "Big Bang" there was nothing. And then the Bang happened, and there was everything. So if there was nothing, how did a Bang happen at all? Something had to cause it. Absolutely nothing is causeless in this universe.

And speaking of universes, even if there are more of them, they had to come from somewhere too.

We don't know that "there was nothing". In fact – the mathematics suggest that ours is one of possibly an infinite number of universes. Is this the case? I don't know. At present there are emerging technologies which may prove the existence of a parallel universe. What then?

In fact – we can only infer that there was a "big bang". It appears that way to our limited understanding.

500 years ago we "knew" that disease was caused by witchcraft or evil spirits. How? Our religions told us that it was.

I have seen nothing that requires the presence of a divine intelligence.

BTW – there are "causeless" things in this universe that we can actually see. Google "virtual particles" and then google "quantum entanglement". THEN tell me that everything "that we know about" has a "cause". The universe is a far stranger place that you're giving it credit for.

1.) I've never used the term "religious nuts" except in regard to morons who believe their god tells them to kill unbelievers.

2.) Virtual particles are real. They have been directly observed and can still be directly observed in a properly equipped lab. Further – if these virtual particles interact with other particles they become something different and more permanent. This phenomenon has been directly observed. This includes one virtual particle interacting with another virtual particle. For me it's easy to imagine virtual particles popping into existence in an otherwise empty universe where there is "nothing". Given enough time there could be enough mass created "from nothing" to create the theoretical "Big Bang". God is not necessary in this scenario.

3.) The theoretical existence of "dark matter" seems to be pointing to the existence of a parallel universe. Some physicists suspect that a percentage of mass from this universe is being shunted into an alternate universe (or being distributed into other dimensions) which would account for the discrepancy in observations versus calculations.

4.) I've seen the site you referenced before and remain unconvinced. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. I launched myself on a spiritual quest in 1991. I've read hundreds-of-thousands of pages of religious texts, analysis and opinions. I've studied world religions in college. I've talked with Catholic priests, Protestant ministers, Buddhist monks and Sufis. I've visited temples in China and witnessed voodoo rituals in the caribbean.

The conclusion that I have arrived at is that it is impossible for humans to know the mind of a god. It is impossible to know if there is an afterlife. It is impossible to know what god's plan is and that there is nothing that we could do on this earth to prepare for an eternal afterlife…. much as it is impossible for a fetus to consciously "prepare for" life after birth.

This is a settled point: FAITH = (BELIEF WITHOUT PROOF) Proof denies Faith and without Faith I am nothing. (Sound familiar?)

I require proof. Once someone tells me to "just believe it" my spidey sense starts tingling.

There are those that would claim belief without evidence, proof, is the noblest of virtues.

Clearly true…. otherwise Ghost Hunters would've been cancelled years ago.

Well I think this is almost my first posts here. Hey can I start a I give Kudos page? lol Okay this isn't the thread for this.

This post is intended to be humorous and serious, I am tired.

Here are the reasons I don't believe in god or christianity. Please note this comes from a past worship leader with over 30 years devotion.

Don't hold that against me, its easy to get sucked in, especially when your brought up that way. I was looked up to, until I started thinking

differently. Now anytime someone offers to pray with me, I ask that we pray their eyes are opened to reason. Usually they don't like to

pray that with me..

But I digress: Here are some reasons.

1.) Without scripture (language in general) there is no evidence for any god. If scripture was removed from the face of the earth, there is nothing we can point too, outside of language, that says "god".

2.) Faith is not a virtue, its a vice. By definition it is belief without logical proof or empirical evidence, and irrational postion to hold when it comes to living ones life by some manual written by man or taking direction from another man.

3.) God… a being whose only definition is that he is beyond man's power to conceive.

I will say I believe in the possibility of god but I sure am leaning a lot more towards there is a lot more of me in god, than there is god outside of me.

WWGSD..

Sigh…if that's how you choose to go about life, more power to you. Seems pretty empty and sad though. What exactly do you live for? I mean, in your worldview, life is pointless right? There's no reason for it. We are just machines with the biological need to reproduce. For no reason. There is no reason to reproduce, because in the end, reproduction gains us nothing. The entire species will either be wiped out, or will move on to be something else according to the evolutionists…But WHY? You may say that if we reproduce better than the next life-form than we are the better species to live. But again, why? What does it matter? There would be no point or purpose in seeking knowledge. No urge to do what is "right" for another person that we care about. Shoot, why have emotions at all? They don't help me mate. Heck, they mostly hindered it when I was a teenager! /laugh.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />

So again. I affirm your right to believe what you do, but I also claim the right of thinking you are crazy to want that kind of worldview. /unsure.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

god doesn't require people to believe in him god doesn't say anywhere that a man will be cursed for not believing in him, well except for OT.

Some of the most wonderful people in the world who are giving, just, loving, caring, devoted to communities and more are not christians or believers in god. Its not a prerequisite for fruitful life, a giving life, a compassionate life. Purpose is what people can make it. It shouldn't be what others tell you or give you. If you get it in your faith and in your beliefs, then that is great. However, please know, the same can be gained without it by others without it. Ask yourself seriously what it is your faith is giving you, that a person with love compassion devotion direction motivation and well defined purpose doesn't have. I mean absolutely no disrespect. You seem to equate non faithful people as pretty sad, or empty, no purpose, etc

I respect your view.

WWGSD..

/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' /> But at least you can live guilt free and do whatever you want now right!? /laugh.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I'm guessing that in all those years of devotion, you never bothered to study apologetics. Maybe I'm wrong. But still, it's sad that you have rejected it. But….whatever! I certainly don't want to evangelize! LOL!! The funny part is, that a few years ago, I was where you are now. I hated it.

Don't feel bad, I really don't hate it. I have been godless for about 10 years. I have had more joy in my life these past 10 years than I have had

in the 30 before it /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

I respect where your at, I really do. It's just not for me, and I am not a bad person for not being where your at /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />

What do you mean live guilt free? What you need god for a conscience? I am quite human thanks, and guilt is felt by people if they mess up. Unless your psychotic and I don't think there are Psalms for the psychotics.. lol Just antipsychotics lol

Actually I do what I feel a good man would do, not what someone who thinks they are a good leader wants me to do, or tells me to do, or thinks I should do. I like to think for myself /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Something that you learn most organized religions really don't like. lol

WWGSD..

I agree in the fact that we are all a part of God as much as he is a part of everything. We have to look no further than ourselves for proof of this.

I wish I had proof of that, it sure would be nice to not have the responsibility of being my own god. *sort of chuckles*

I do believe in the idea of spirituality, I could even go as far to say there could be creator, but in order to take on these ideas and make them more true

you do have to remove reasonable doubt, and replace it with faith.

When you stated in an earlier post about properties that make us different is Soul?

So part of the mysteries of man could be, because we are in a physical body does this mean only physical bodies contain souls?

Can a body exist without a soul? Can a body hold more than one soul? How does a body know what soul belongs to it, or vice versa.

What are the properties of souls and what is the property that holds that soul to one particular body.

There is definitely something more to mankind than just what its mind can think of. I also think this is the same type of questions that mankind

has always asked from the time we could reason.

BTW, I don't think anyone who chooses a religious lifestyle to be crazy.

WWGSD.