There is only 1 thing that could make me change from an agnostic to a believer.
Stop all the pain & suffering being caused by the azzhats of the world trying to get richer/more powerful/more control over others.
If that happened, if war and child abuse suddenly stopped happening all over the world - then yes, I could become a believer.
I wouldn't even have to see this deity, just proof of its works in that way would be enough.
On the flip side let's say there is some sort of prime mover, a god or gods that actually do exist.
Even if that were true - in fact even more so because of that existence AND still the suffering goes on - then any such "deity" is a terrible thing and certainly not deserving of worship and obeisance by any sane human being.
What is most astonishing to me is that people in massive numbers can worship such an idea IN SPITE OF that entity's failures to deliver kindness and end suffering - it's as though they are worshiping the evil and suffering itself - which is why, in addition to being an agnostic on the subject of a prime mover (there is not 1 single indisputable proof of such a being throughout history, aside from tall tales handed down for millennia) I am also someone who views "religious" people with great disdain.
Not those who are spiritual, mind you, just the ones going around promoting this brand or the other of "religion".
They are intellectually lazy, substituting effort to gain knowledge with simple "faith"/"belief", and have NEVER seriously questioned the subject matter.
Not saying I am any sort of expert on the matter either but I did spend my formative years surrounded by the church and its teachings and even studied all the major religions, and some of the minor ones, for 2 years during high school.
It is most likely that those religious studies are what converted me to agnosticism, aside from the pure azzhattery present in the world and seemingly to me MOST present within those who profess a belief in a religion.
The most decent human being I ever met was my father-in-law.
Not once in the 5 years he was alive after I met him did he ever say 1 thing about religion or try to convert me.
He simply lived every single minute of his life in line with his belief in the goodness of a Catholic version of God who cares about people - which is far better than any supposed creator has ever done on this Earth.
Edited by
OldCoot
on Fri 12/19/25 02:06 AM