Do you believe in God?

[Objectivist]

"Do you believe in God, Andrei?"

"No."

"Neither do I. But that's a favorite question of mine. An upside-down question, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if I asked people whether they believed in life, they'd never understand what I meant. It's a bad question. It can mean so much that it really means nothing. So I ask them if they believe in God. And if they say they do -- then, I know they don't believe in life. Why? Because, you see, God -- whatever anyone chooses to call God -- is one's highest conception of the highest possible. And whoever places his highest conception above his own possibility thinks very little of himself and his life. It's a rare gift, you know, to feel reverence for your own life and to want the best, the greatest, the highest possible, here, now, for your very own."

From "We The Living" Part One Chapter 9

I just want to discuss why people that believe in a paradise-type afterlife, God, etc. places him out of reach and that we can never achieve the highest possible.

[Jack]

God -- whatever anyone chooses to call God -- is one's highest conception of the highest possible.

I have to say that this sentence is nonsensical. "The highest possible" what? What does Rand mean by the "highest"? Is she referring to the highest good, the highest attainable station in life, highest you can get smoking premium reefer?
On the face of it and out of context, it seems like it should make sense, but it doesn't.

[Technosoul]

Why not just ask them if they are selfish or not?

[SoccerfreakAB2]

I just want to discuss why people that believe in a paradise-type afterlife, God, etc. places him out of reach and that we can never achieve the highest possible.

If God was in reach, there wouldn't be faith and religions at all. Out of reach physically, but absolutely in reach mentally, is what keeps the theist in gear with his or her beliefs. There were no rules or regulations that came with the blueprints for human life. Most people on Earth simply cannot accept the random accident in time we've become. Freud considered religion to be almost on par with mental illness, but I think it's more of a psychologically induced drug. Cheap stuff, really.

[tinybear]

By all means believe in God (or whatever name you choose to call him). But please don't believe in religion.

Hey, don't listen to what I say. Listen to this older and wiser person. :)

YouTube - George Carlin on religion

[Architect]

I just want to discuss why people that believe in a paradise-type afterlife, God, etc. places him out of reach and that we can never achieve the highest possible.

Oh man, there could be thousands of reasons depending on each person. When it comes down to faith or belief I think it's ultimately because it's an appealing idea to people, like a form of denial. Like I said though, there could be, and probably are thousands of reasons people believe in God and the afterlife. I mean, how many forms of Christianity ("one" religion) are there? How many people in each religion can agree on absolutely everything about their religion with someone of that same religion? In how many ways have every passage in the Bible ever been interpreted? Even through dogmatism religion fails to perfectly unite its followers because each of its followers twists the religion's teaching to suit themselves.

Clearly there's some commonality in the belief in God and the afterlife though because those two things tend to be what religion revolves around. Why do these ideas comfort people though? Maybe God is an escape from responsibility, or maybe people are just more comfortable taking orders than giving them. I personally think it's mostly because God is essentially absolute fact conscious of pain, but again there could be thousands of reasons.

The comfort people find in the afterlife disturbs me more than anything else spiritual though because it makes this life seem unimportant and when Heaven and Hell enter the fray, it increases a person's fear of death and can make mourning the loss of a loved one more painful. But I can't blame some people for finding the idea of heaven comforting. Poor people living in gold houses, sick people living "life to the fullest, disfigured/handicapped people becoming beautiful and running full speed through the clouds.

Letting go of the ridiculous and accepting reason as the only way is a difficult thing to do, especially for the kinds of people I just mentioned. I can't say I blame them for choosing comfort over fact but I pity them for being unable to live this life to the fullest.

[PatrickHenry]

My reason for believing in Him is because I find strength in our friendship. He encourages me each day.

[tinybear]

He encourages you each day? How?

[PatrickHenry]

When I speak with Him, He spiritually strengthens me and gives me discernment to deal with my life's issues...

[tinybear]

Could you perhaps give us a specific example? I mean what did you say? And what did He say?

[ItsDarts]

When I speak with Him, He spiritually strengthens me and gives me discernment to deal with my life's issues...

There are a billion Hindus that talk to their Vishnu and get their spiritual strengthening and decernment to deal with their lifes issues as well. So is there more than one god? Their god is NOT the same as yours. How do you reconcile this? Are a billion Hindus wrong? Hawaiians believe(ed) in Akua (Kupua?), who created everything and keeps everything working, are they wrong? How do you know?

As for the OP, someone said that there are a thousand reasons for people believing in god(s), but I contend that the main ones are Location and upbringing. Most are following the gods of the local culture and/or the gods of their parents. This is (IMHO) an irrational reason to believe in any gods without some empirical evidence. Some people will feel comfort in talking to an invisable friend just like a child gets comfort in talking to their invisable friend, but most children eventually grow out of their invisable friend and turn it in for a new invisable friend that their parents like to talk too.

[treme]

Wow only post 11 and it's almost derailed into a "prove your god is the right one" pi55ing contest. What was the topic?

Oh yeah, why is heaven/paradise/etc. generally something that you can't get in your own lifetime? If you're leading your donkey with a carrot tied to the end of a stick, you lose control as soon as you enter a garden.