Quote from: Parodium on December 02, 2017, 10:27:41 PM

I'm a Scientist, have been for most of my life. I have NEVER believed in a supreme being, despite going to Catholic schools my entire life.

I'd like to know.... What is it that compels you to believe in God? How can you argue for his existence? Please bare the following in mind when you answer;

1. There are literally thousands of religions, each of which has members that believe just as firmly as you do, they say they feel a personal connection with God, they have their own religious books and doctrines etc, if you were born in Saudi Arabia, you would be a muslim, in Ireland you would be a protestant, seems like the place you are born denotes your religion, rather than divine intervention. Obviously you can't all be right, so how do you know YOU are.

2. Most religions state that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, all-present and eternal. If this is the case, why are people punished for sins by an all loving God, who predestined them to commit their sins by knowing the future? Why is there bone cancer in Children, and insects that burrow into the eyes of infants making them blind, could an all loving God not have imagined a reality without this? And why is there such overwhelming evidence AGAINST the existence of a creator?

3. Since the scientific era God has slowly receded into the shadows, God used to be held responsible for most things, e.g. people offered sacrifices for good health, prayed for rain, thought that God pulled the sun across the sky, created plagues etc. Now we know he does none of these, and God has been reduced to a "God of the gaps" whereby he is still attributed to things we cannot yet explain with science, doesn't seem very powerful anymore.

I'll try to respond to the major points in this thread attempting to dismantle them.

I never used to believe there was a God, during my second year of pre-med I got to a very low point in my life where I was drinking so much, had so many relationships that didn't last a couple of days, I was so depressed and ending it sounded like the only logical thing to do. Yet, in this the most dire moment of my life my whole body started to feel enveloped by unfathomable love, unadulterated love beyond anything I can explain. I was wrapped up in it and I had an otter body experience where I heard a voice tell me that I'm loved more than anything in the world. God knows all, even down to the tiniest particle and all is God. I felt no judgement or condemnation for my actions, this feeling covered or enveloped me till I was so happy that I couldn't speak and tears ran down my eyes. Next thing I knew the sun started to rise and it was morning. That day I went home and sank to my knees praying for help. The next several months wasn't easy, but I cleaned up, took a year off school and just wanted to help people. I cannot explain what happened to me, it was surreal, I was beyond words. I was an Atheist and now I'm a believer, not of any religious thought or doctrine but of Love. I learned that God is love and that's it.