God And His/Her Existence

Hello everyone! Let's get right to it. God. you know that guy, or girl. Some people say it's read, and others disagree. I've always been fascinated with religion. Not just Christianity, but all types. The old Native American religions of the Hopi and Zuni tribes, then there's the ancient Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and so on. Religion has always interested me since I was quite young, and I even got to study world religions in college. Even took an Early European history class and learned how Catholicism basically built Europe from the ground up after the Mongolians invaded the country. 

I love discussing religion with people, especially the die-hard fanatics. People get so heated and put-off when I try and discuss because I approach the subject calmly. I allow the other person to speak their mind and give their opinion. I simply listen and respond. People love to talk about what they're passionate about, and a lot of people think debates are two people yelling about how their side is right; I disagree strongly. Arguing is trying to understand the other side and see if you're side is right. You need to listen to that other side, though. You need to understand your "enemy" to better know yourself. People don't do that with the controversial stuff. They just want to shout their opinions, so people get annoyed when I don't shout back. I don't mind.

Personally, I'm not a religious person. I'm not atheist, either. Agnostic is as close it can be I guess. I don't know what the answer is, and I'm okay with that. For me, religion is great for people looking for guidance in their lives. People that need that light in all the darkness. I don't need that guidance. I'm fine with wandering off on my own and feeling my way through. You never know what you'll find, and it's fun to discover new things. That's what researching religion is for me, discovering new things. I'll read about something and say, "Oh, that sounds like a swell place to go after I die. It'd be cool if that's what happens." If I had to choose a religion to be a part of, it'd be Hinduism. It's simple to follow. That's pretty much all the reasoning I need. It's simple rule system. 

Now then, the topic of the day: Is God real?

I'm not going to get too much into detail - that would be an extremely long post if I tried. But, I can share certain bullet points on both sides of the argument. Remember, the best debater knows his opponent as much as himself.

Pro-God Argument

• The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.
• The Universe had a start - What caused it?
• The Universe operates by uniform laws of nature. Why?
• In terms of explanations about life--why we're here, what the purpose is, what is important in life, what to value or strive for--God has better answers than anything people have ever read anywhere.
•  God provides the best explanation of the historical facts concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

God Is Not Real Argument

• No real evidence
• The Bible is not enough evidence
• There are too many different religions that believe that they are right.
• What kind of God has created a world in which children die in floods, starve to death, perish in agony from TB and malaria? What kind of God allows people who worship and adore him to be murdered, raped, tortured and come to countless other hideous ends?

Again, I'd like to point out that - even though I don't fully believe in God - I am not hateful towards anyone that has a strong faith, or any faith for that matter. I love talking about religion to believers not to bash on them and laugh at them or tell them they're wrong; I am more interested in why people believe. Not to argue, but to understand. I've read most of the texts. I've read the bible twice, I've read parts of the Torah, Hindu and Buddhist texts. I've done enough homework to have a logical and adult conversation about religion with believers. I don't want to make people angry, but I find it fascinating when people do erupt and begin yelling their faith at me. If there's one thing I can't stand about religion is when people attempt to shove it down my throat. I don't preach my views, so I'd appreciate others to do the same with me. 

What do you guys think about religion? Are you religious? Are you not? Does God exist in your life, or is he/she just a shared imaginary friend? Do you think that God is an actual being, or more of a concept? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and here's a fun treat that I found when I was looking into this topic. I found an article of Stephen Colbert discussing the existence of God with Ricky Gervais. There is a video accompanied on the article and I highly recommend watching the video. Those two guys are extremely skilled at arguing. Give it a view, and share this post with your friends. I'll see you all tomorrow.

Buh-bye.