Do you believe in a God?

[Synarch]

Order is different than purpose.

Chemistry is highly ordered, but this fact does not imply the divine to me. Maybe it does to you...There are many things in nature that humans do not understand, but we will, given time.

But Purpose? Meaning? Those are metaphysical, and ultimately unknowable, except if you decide that not knowing is unbearable and bring in GOD, as security blanket for incurable solipsism.

I'm not talking about material order.

 

[/DG/]

Yes, the bible has much common sense and wisdom in it. The book of proverbs is really great; and even if someone is not interested in it as a christian, it can help them tremendously in life. But, a christian that doesn't read the bible is a ship without a sail or paddle because the Holy Spirit speaks to us through it.

I am not here to preach or condemn others for their non belief or differing beliefs, but I am excited about Jesus, and you are getting me going, so you'll just have to deal with it I can't contain the joy I have because I KNOW how awesome He is. Jesus has proven His love for me over and over and over; He has literally chased me down several times and when something is in my best interest, and I don't want to do it, He will bug me until I do He truly does help me with every little thing, has invested Himself in me in many ways, gently teaches and guides me, never laughs or judges me for my stupid or childish moments, forgives me when I am totally bad, lifts me up when I am down, provides financially and meets all my needs, helps me in my career, healed my mother from stage 4 cancer that filled her entire lung but she never lost a hair on her head and never had a problem breathing - I could tell you a zillion things He has done for me and all are WAY beyond anything I actually deserve; I will never be able to return or repay Him for them; and I wish I did even a small percentage of what He does for me. I think about Him all day, every day. Being a christian is who I am - it's lifestyle. That doesn't include perfection though for sure! Yep, Jesus has my heart and my life, and He's powerful enough to ensure it for eternity!

You make me smile.

 

[Into It]

Yes, the bible has much common sense and wisdom in it. The book of proverbs is really great; and even if someone is not interested in it as a christian, it can help them tremendously in life. But, a christian that doesn't read the bible is a ship without a sail or paddle because the Holy Spirit speaks to us through it.

I have been thinking about reading proverbs. But it isn't at the top of my list. I will get to it though, someday.

Edit: Disneygeek, weren't you an SP yesterday?

 

[Synarch]

I have been thinking about reading proverbs. But it isn't at the top of my list. I will get to it though, someday.

Proverbs is good. Much of the NT is very philosophical.

 

[/DG/]

Edit: Disneygeek, weren't you an SP yesterday?

Yeah, I've been doing a lot of type-hopping.

 

[Stanton Moore]

I'm not talking about material order.

Oh, you were talking about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Thanks for 'clarifying'.

 

[Synarch]

Oh, you were talking about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Thanks for 'clarifying'.

Nice! But, that was Christian scholasticism, which, I agree, was rather ridiculous.

On the other hand...

If you don't see it then it, wasn't meant for you to see
If you wasn't born wit' it then, it wasn't meant for you to be

 

[Stanton Moore]

Nice! But, that was Christian scholasticism, which, I agree, was rather ridiculous.

On the other hand...

If you don't see it then it, wasn't meant for you to see
If you wasn't born wit' it then, it wasn't meant for you to be

See what? Your confusion? that is obvious to all.

 

[Fluffywolf]

What if God is merely a natural cosmic idea instead of a representation of an entity. A formula that holds all of the universe's factors in one huge balancing equation.
Ultimatly predictable for omniscience.

The absolute understanding of everything. Balance 1on1.

 

[Synarch]

See what? Your confusion? that is obvious to all.

 

[ADISCIPLE]

Hmmm, I think you miss the point in some of the standard theologies as well as those of ThinkingAboutIt. It seems to me as if there is a relatively standard theology behind that statement. I could be wrong, or maybe I live in a world of abnormal Christians...

I don't think the bible is just simply good teachings. I also don't think you have to turn it inside out and round about. It's rather cut dry in many ways. In others it is not.

Maybe so, I've only read it through one time. I am going to read it again to get a better understanding. And as far as the religions go, I definitely started by studying the major religious texts such as the Koran and the Torah. And now I am studying Buddha. I love Buddha.

 

[ADISCIPLE]

Ha, I don't have a negative impression of you at all; it was just an observation. If anything, I appreciate your fairness and precision.

Thank you.

 

[ADISCIPLE]

I am not here to preach or condemn others for their non belief or differing beliefs, but I am excited about Jesus, and you are getting me going, so you'll just have to deal with it

This was the response I desired, and I like your enthusiasm.

Although I think it is sad you have to offer a disclaimer. If that is what gets you up in the morning and helps you during your day than why should you have to?

I want people in life to ask me about things when they get to know me, I want the people to say, "I am really happy this guy is here, he makes my day" when I come into my meetings. I think everyone should try to meet the potential of their human spirit.

 

[Oom]

Voted "No". God built the universe from nothing? *Stops reading and burns the book*

I don't believe in god that way because it's illogical. But I certainly don't bash people that do believe in a god. Most of my relatives do, and they're the happiest people you'll ever meet (mostly because of their love of their religion). They don't push it on anyone either.

It just makes me happy to see that some people can believe in something. It is the thing in their lives that makes them happy. I on the other hand cannot wrap my head around the lack of logic in religion. I'll find something else to believe in that makes me happy.

 

[ADISCIPLE]

Voted "No". God built the universe from nothing? *Stops reading and burns the book*

I don't believe in god that way because it's illogical. But I certainly don't bash people that do believe in a god. Most of my relatives do, and they're the happiest people you'll ever meet (mostly because of their love of their religion). They don't push it on anyone either.

It just makes me happy to see that some people can believe in something. It is the thing in their lives that makes them happy. I on the other hand cannot wrap my head around the lack of logic in religion. I'll find something else to believe in that makes me happy.

I like how you look at this with an open mind though. The thing I have noticed about some people that believe in a God is that they are able to somehow throw alot of the b.s. that comes their way off their shoulders and can just live. I admire this. This is in no way saying that people that don't believe in a God are not happy. Most of my friends fall in the "I don't care" category and they are perfectly happy. This I find intriguing because I personally can't settle without a search and eventual answer.

 

[scortia]

My belief in a god is very loosely defined. I think there is something beyond us, that encompasses everything and can be recognized only on rare occasion or by special individuals. I do not think this being is at all tangible, man-like, or comprehensible.

Just call me a Neo-Taoist.

 

[Friend]

I've always thought of God as a teacher, a bringer of light and wisdom. I tried to disprove it's existance for a time, and I became utterly miserable. Whatever God is, I feel more lit up, dynamic, and empowered just by the thought of it.

 

[ENFJ_Catholic]

As no surprise, I do believe in God. Some might find it crazy...others might agree. But I'm not here to say to believe one way or another. It's your own mind, you decide.

I sense a disturbance in the cosmic force...an INFP is getting pissed.

All hail POSEIDON. The one true god! (I'm so with you on this!)

And apparently sometimes people's feathers get ruffled at the mere supposition otherwise. And it might throw lightning rods to the likes of the Victors of this world. Unfortunately, because in the end if he wishes to hold his opinion, then fine.

Those holding to belief in God have done much to disparage this view through acts of undefendable hosility as have others in the atheistic camp (Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot). Short of these extremes, we must return to a civility of varied opinions. Firm, yes..but not overbearing in actions.

Order is different than purpose.

Chemistry is highly ordered, but this fact does not imply the divine to me. Maybe it does to you...There are many things in nature that humans do not understand, but we will, given time.

But Purpose? Meaning? Those are metaphysical, and ultimately unknowable, except if you decide that not knowing is unbearable and bring in GOD, as security blanket for incurable solipsism.

To many people order and purpose are important. I, for one, believe both are integral in living out my existence, even if it is a small part of the larger vista of things. Isn't everyone searching for meaning? But this doesn't necessarily demand for a belief in God...yes, this true.

Good question.

From a rational perspective, I can neither demonstrate nor disprove the existence of an overentity/'God'.

This stasis should not presuppose an inherent conclusion from absence of confirmable data; rather, that the notion of a creator entity does not lend itself to analysis otherwise used to define our physical world.

Presently, empirical testing alongside independent critique is our best way to transform bundled hypothesis into observable theory, as it seeks to define phenomena unfettered by superficial intervention (cultural bias; errors in calculation; broken/exaggerated data sets) that would otherwise reduce objectivity.

From a spiritual standpoint, I can say that the concept of an omnibenevolent force is a comforting thought to consider. Curiously, the same human discomfort in uncertainty that gave rise to present scientific clarity also parented historical/contemporary persistence of religious culture.

Religious faith is a series of personal beliefs concerning the supernatural reality of our shared existence. It often focuses on creative 'celestialism' (life was 'authored' by a third party, rather than progressive sophistication in biological process). It's typically an artifact of one's culture of origin (where you were born against what you believe) and generally seeks to moralize human behavior.

As the data itself is not falsifiable, we are unable to expose faith-based reasoning to the same clinical testing we can of observable information. Instead, belief is incumbent on the will of the faithful. This difference in material format does not offer definitive conclusion on the value of the data set, only that it does not have the same chemical makeup as scientific terminology.

---

Logically, I don't know that the question makes much sense to creatively ask, beyond an exercise in abstract exploration of value system. What this ultimately means to anyone else is irrelevant; people pick-and-choose what they believe on an individual level.

I can say that I'm spiritually optimistic that a creator entity exists, and that I am hopeful that life - as an ideal - is not simply a facet of neurological 'consciousness'.

I've always thought of God as a teacher, a bringer of light and wisdom. I tried to disprove it's existance for a time, and I became utterly miserable. Whatever God is, I feel more lit up, dynamic, and empowered just by the thought of it.

These last two quotes are excellent views into a view that I personally can appreciate and subscribe to. These are not "security blankets"...they are honest and forthright searches for truth.

We must realize sometimes that what the world truly needs is love.

 

[Polaris]

Language binds everything together, creates reality, is consciousness, and has infinite potential. Words are magnificent and powerful, and "God" is just one of them.

EDIT: In plain English, no I don't believe in God, since God would automatically be lower than the highest and therefore not God.

 

[nonsequitur]

Other threads on this channel have inspired me to ask this question. Do you believe in a God? This God can be of a specific religion such as Christianity, or can be Nature, Scientific rules, an Initiator, whatever. I will start by saying I believe in a God.

"Scientific rules" is an oxymoron.

Beyond that, my answer is "yes and no".

It all depends on context, and your definition of "God". My faith in God - as encompassing everything in the universe, and more than that - is not an Abrahamic faith or one belonging to any religion. I do not believe in an invisible sky bully, and tend to treat all statements about (and with reference to) God as metaphor.

As such, I can find "sense" and "meaning" in all religious texts.

Do I believe that God created the universe, people, etc.? This is complex, in that I believe that God was created by a collective (biological, spiritual) subconscious perception of wonder, and yet the wonder itself already existed prior to this perception of "wonder".

Everything is linked, and from "everything" grows something bigger than the sum of its parts. A metaphor for this would be ecological interactions in a rainforest - you can break it down into predator, prey, etc. but together, everything forms a renewing, cyclic whole that seems to "think" for itself, is self-sustaining and has its own personality as a variant of the sum of its participating personalities. As such everyone is present in God, and vice versa.

Ugh, I'm sure that I'm not getting this across very well, but by its very nature, the spiritual can only be approached obliquely.

In a nutshell, my spiritual views can be described as being panentheistic.

It is not logically verifiable, or particularly "useful" with regards to answering questions like "what is the meaning of life" or "how do we live a good life" or "what happens after we die", but it is a faith that fits my view of the world.