GAINING WEIGHT... posted:

There have been many religion threads in this subforum, but I'm hoping that with a slightly different take on it, this won't devolve into that oh-so-familiar flamewar and echo chamber we've all grown to expect.

This thread's title is not a challenge, but an invitation: rather than debate if God exists, or look at the reasons to think he does not, I want to start a discussion about why believers think he does. This is not a debate - this thread will solidly fall on the "discussion" side of the subforum's title, although if fellow believers think they can examine the nuances of others' reason to make them more robust, that is by all means permissible. I don't want to hear arguments against people's reasons based on the belief that God does not exist; let's just assume for the purpose of this thread that he does. What compels you personally to believe in God? Is it a logical argument, like the Cosmological or Ontological ones of Philosophy 101 fame? A problem that in your estimation couldn't be solved without God, like the origin of life or a basis for morality? Or is it simply your experience of him - he's shown up in your life so many times and in so many ways it would be like believing there is no air?

I'd like to encourage any respondents to go into detail, especially but not exclusively if your answer is in that latter category - how did you come up with this reason? Has it always been your reason? Have you had other reasons in the past that you've later, upon reflection, discarded as inadequate? Also, to whatever extent you are comfortable, please tell us (me) what religion you are a part of, which denomination or sect, things along those lines, just for context.

Also, if there are many reasons, discuss which are the more important and why - for instance, one might say that the Dead Sea Scrolls bolstered their faith, but without them they would still believe because of how good they feel in church, or something along those lines.

Just to hedge this off upfront, I'd like to dissuade people from the response, "I just have faith." Why do you have faith, then? Something had to convince you to have that faith initially, even if it was just being taught by your parents. Or, perhaps if this is your answer, try a slightly different route: why do you have faith in the specific God that you do? If you believe in Allah based purely on faith, how do you discern that it's Allah and not Yahweh, Vishnu, or Zeus?

Thanks all! I hope this will produce an interesting collection of ideas.