I had much the same journey; I have a lot of trouble saying I believe in God, but symbolically, in my mind, when I think in those terms - well, it seems to have an effect on my mitochondria. I feel a sense of energy..
..and maybe that is enough to make it true (or I'm just mad lol).
Do you believe in your own spirit? Is there something to your experience here that is more than the sum of the flesh parts? Why should we even be aware at all when our mechanisms could simply function without a consciousness as any machine does?
If you bodies have some strange spirit moving within them, what about the body of the universe?
In terms of spirit and consciousness.. I can think of biological mechanisms that explain them away. A sense of soul or spirit may just be a conditioned response based on my Catholic upbringing; and consciousness, it's a competative advantage and I can imagine circumstances that may favour it's evolution.
However, I certainly have trouble rationalising away the 'something from nothing' problem. Kraussians would say that the question doesn't make sense.. something to the effect that something can be derived mathematically from nothing - but then, where did mathematics come from? Or perhaps the argument was that 'nothing' is not a valid state of the universe.. In any case it is unedifying.
I understand where your line of questioning is leading.. it's basically what I would like to believe; but believing what you want to believe can be a dangerous thing right? You have inspired me to meditate on it some more, which I appreciate!
I had much the same journey; I have a lot of trouble saying I believe in God, but symbolically, in my mind, when I think in those terms - well, it seems to have an effect on my mitochondria. I feel a sense of energy..
..and maybe that is enough to make it true (or I'm just mad lol).
Some questions to consider...
Do you believe in your own spirit? Is there something to your experience here that is more than the sum of the flesh parts? Why should we even be aware at all when our mechanisms could simply function without a consciousness as any machine does?
If you bodies have some strange spirit moving within them, what about the body of the universe?
In terms of spirit and consciousness.. I can think of biological mechanisms that explain them away. A sense of soul or spirit may just be a conditioned response based on my Catholic upbringing; and consciousness, it's a competative advantage and I can imagine circumstances that may favour it's evolution.
However, I certainly have trouble rationalising away the 'something from nothing' problem. Kraussians would say that the question doesn't make sense.. something to the effect that something can be derived mathematically from nothing - but then, where did mathematics come from? Or perhaps the argument was that 'nothing' is not a valid state of the universe.. In any case it is unedifying.
I understand where your line of questioning is leading.. it's basically what I would like to believe; but believing what you want to believe can be a dangerous thing right? You have inspired me to meditate on it some more, which I appreciate!
Have you heard the saying "As above so below"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97V8jw7rc9I