Beliefs are not necessarily related to religions, though...People used to believe the Sun goes round the Earth. Why? Because it was plain obvious. The Sun does rise every morning, and sets every evening. How can any sane person deny that the Sun is moving? Then it turns out they were wrong. Why were they so sure that they are right? Out of fear? Out of bigotry? No, they just simply trusted their eyes and the scholars who reasoned for it. But it turned out to be a mere belief. A false one.
But it is highly subjective what you accept as evidence. The Earth is billions of yrs old, it is confirmed by carbon dating, geography, etc. How can anyone deny it? Well, certain creationists simply doubt the reliability of such methods. It is not a sufficient evidence for them. But they are convinced that the Bible is reliable. That is more than enough for them.
So, what you may refuse in an instant, as it holds no evidence for you, may be enough for someone else. If a random stranger tells you that the universe has always existed: you may say 'are you crazy? There was the Big Bang'. Then the person turns out to be a renowned scientists who has just proposed a mathematical model which says there was no BB and the universe has always been.
Let's say another random stranger tells you that your house is burning. Would you believe him/her? Maybe yes, maybe not, but you'd still be concerned. What if it's actually true? Now someone may say this is just a fear motivator...
But let's take another example. I say I'm European. Do you believe me? Why? Why not? At the end of the day, it's a choice. You either choose to believe in smtg or not. If you say you can't know, then you chose to believe you can't know.
But ridiculing others is stupid. The Quran says:
"And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah , lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do." /6:108/
But everyone believes in something. Remember that belief is a choice. A choice based on a level of certainty.
Official definitions may differ a bit:
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: a feeling of being sure that someone or something exists or that something is true
: a feeling that something is good, right, or valuable
But in the end, even if someone says that there is nothing but this life and there is no purpose in this life: that's still a choice, and to make such a statement also requires a level of certainty to say that there is nothing more but what you see. But then, the person still holds life valuable, otherwise he/she could just suicide. (See Camus). Look at the above definition: 'a feeling that smtg is valuable'. So, we all believe in smtg. And we follow what we believe. Or else, there is not much point in believing. You choose to follow a path coz you think/feel it's good for you. If you say that you can't just be sure about anything: then you don't feel that something is not ok with your current lifestyle? And if you're fine with it, then you believe that you do what's best for you. A few decades later it may turn out that you are not satisfied with your achievements: but you can't be sure in advance.
Now the belief in God is called faith. If you don't believe in God or the afterlife, basically you are the judge of your own life. On your death bed, you'll evaluate yourself, and you'll die with some regrets, sure, as well as with some good memories. You'll decide if your life was worthy or not.
I think there is a common misconception about this afterlife thing. I can only speak for myself, but to me it's not just a question of hell or heaven...It is a question of responsibility. Did I live a life for which I can take the responsibility even in front of an almighty Creator? Therefore, it is also an irrelevant question to me, if I can be sure. If I was wrong about something- I'll be informed about it.
" In the end you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you used to do." /9:94/
"Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation , but He intended to test you in what He has given you; so race to all that is good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ." /5:48/
(((Now, inbefore some mockers appear and say that I'm just weak to evaluate myself: no, that's not what I said, I evaluate myself all the time, I just don't think humans should bestow an eternal judgment upon themselves and others: which is pretty much what happens if you don't believe in God. Now some may ask, why would there be an eternal judge? That's still an irrelevant question to me. The question is am I willing to take responsibility for my deeds knowing that it may get me to eternal hell, or not? Am I living a life worthy of eternal bliss? Now someone may keep asking: ' so what, you can't be sure if you are worthy or not, when you die'. And I never said I can be sure about that. I don't know if I'm going to hell or heaven. But I'm sure that I will get what I've eraned.
"Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly." /2:281/
Now if someone says: "It is not fair to be judged as you can't choose from all the hundreds of gods."
Then my answer is as I've already said. Live the life for which you could take responsibility even in front of an Almighty Judge. You can't? That's your problem. Then live the life you think is best for you, and don't worry about afterlife. But then, everyone is concerned about how people will remember them. Even those who say 'I don't give a fck about what others think', will be more concerned if they'll have kids who will have to take care of the graves of the deceased. "I want to be incinerated."- Ok, just make sure your offsprings respect you enough to incinerate you and not bury you in a mass grave. "I won't have kids. I don't want anyone to remember me." Then have a nice time dying alone, and make sure not to regret it. But no human can guarantee for himself/herself that he/she won't have any regrets at the end of their lives.
Now if someone asks: 'How can you be sure that you won't have regrets, then?' That is again a pointless question. I may have regrets of course, but I'll definitely won't regret having faith in God. That faith will die with me- other than this faith, you can take nothing else in the grave with yourself. "Oh but I take good memories with me". Yeah but you know that you won't have memories, or feelings once your brain stops. "But if your brain stops, your won't feel faith either". True, but this faith is the only thing that can avail me in the grave. Some nice memories can't.
A belief/faith is kind of a hope. You hope that the path you chose will turn out good for you. For a non-believer, the best hope is to have a good job, kids, family etc, money, fame, and to die in the bed, with family around. And this person of course also has some kind f hope that there is no hell. Now I also hope to have a comfortable life and to achieve certain goals: but I'm fine with whatever happens, as long as I keep my faith. That is because I have a hope that goes beyond this life. Some may say: "Oh so you're just afraid your life would end." Again: no, I know my life will end. I'm only afraid that I'd feel ashamed if I had to stand before God. If He'd ask: 'why didn't you believe? Why didn't you want to take responsibility ?' It will be an enlightening and terrifying moment at the same time, for many people. The answer will be: silence. Of course noone is perfect and who knows, -at least I don't- , who'll get what reward or punishment- but I for one hope that I live a life that pleases not only myself and others, but God as well. I can also only
hope that my path is the best- not only here but also for an afterlife.
Still more questions: 'Oh so you just don't want your life to end, coz humans don't want their beloved things taken away so they invented afterlife.' That is not what I said, either. I'm aware I'll lose everything here- and it's fine with me. I didn't say I believe in God coz I want to get back this life. The belief in God doesn't necessarily mean anyway that there is an afterlife. These are two separate beliefs though connected. But let's say, you die, then you are judged: and then you go back to your eternal sleep. Now someone may ask: 'So you just want a confirmation, a pat on your shoulder by Big Daddy?' Well, why wouldn't I want? But that's not the main reason here. I believe in God and the afterlife for a bunch of interrelated reasons. The question was how can one be sure that his/her belief is correct? Well, if you are not sure: why are you following it? Now one may ask: 'But how can you know you won't change, either?' I may change. I never said I wouldn't. But I follow my path exactly because I believe in God and I think He knows things better than any human. I believe He led me to faith: and who knows, I may stray. But even then, I'd have to take responsibility. If someone doesn't want to take responsibility, (be it phrased "I don't think I have to take responsibility before a god as I don't believe in any"), well, that belief is not worth much, imo. It sounds like: 'I don't believe in responsibility.' But even for that, you'll h a v e to take some kind of responsibility. Deeds have consequences. Being in denial of it is useless.
If someone says after all this: 'I don't believe in afterlife, or god, but I think I'm a good person and I'd take responsibility in front of God'- Well, fine. All there is left is to see who's right u.u)))
End of QA section xD I hope I made sense. But I know that for a non-believer, it might not. But I guess we can all agree that while we can't be sure how life will turn out, if we'll change, how we'll die: we have to take responsibility before ourselves, at least. But as I said, I'm taking this concept further.
I can't be sure about many things, but that's not important. That is not the question to me. Now saomeone may still argue: "But you don't need God, you can die with a clear conscience even without the belief in afterlife." Uhm, maybe? Dunno, I never died. Neither the people who make that statement. I for one don't think I could die with a clear conscience if I didn't believe in God. And again, I take the responsibility before God.
Now this someone may desperately cling to the last possible refutal: "I don't believe in god but even if he existed, I wouldn't care, he can send me to hell, he's just a bully." Fine, you'll get what you asked for, so noone will suffer any injustice, everyone can be happy, right?
Also, a non-believer won't understand a believer, coz a non-believer is still looking for evidence, while a believer already has the evidence he/she asked for. Who knows? Someone might have asked god to win the lottery and he/she did win, so she/he became a believer. Someone may have been praying in all his/her life and never got what he/she asked for, but is still beliving because he/she trusts God, and has other proofs. For a believer, most things increase his/her faith, even things that a non-believer would perceive in an opposite way.
A non-believer may ask for evidence, but to a believer, everything is an evidence. (Well, almost everything). A believer has faith that everything happens out of God's will and He knows best. A non-believer will argue why would God care about what happens here, or why would He allow kids to die...
So, you either think that humans know better than an Almighty Creator would know, and humans have better moral values than the One who created them- or you believe that there are things we can't know/ perceive.
Just my 2 cents.
