Do You Believe In GOD?

[songdog]

Many a none believer was converted in a foxhole.

[SlimmerMe]

I ask this: why not? Faith is very powerful. Faith heals. Faith is hope. Faith in something which does not have to be visible nor proven.

[JDawg1536]

Many a none believer was converted in a foxhole.

Because people are afraid of dying.

I like turtles.

[DSM4Life]

Many a none believer was converted in a foxhole.

I've converted people in foxholes....

[DSM4Life]

I ask this: why not? Faith is very powerful. Faith heals. Faith is hope. Faith in something which does not have to be visible nor proven.

Religion can also hurt.

[SlimmerMe]

Religion can also hurt.

Didn't say religion. The question was about God.

[D7M]

the country i grew up in is a good example of why religions are wrong, people hating other people for no other reason than religion being used as a weapon to control.

All that proves is that people are arseholes.

Look at the greed and corruption in politics.

But I wouldn't advocate extreme anarchy because Politics run by corrupt arseholes.

[BJJ]

Is there a question for me here ?

No my lovely friend, just the way I, poor human being, see things...

[DSM4Life]

No my lovely friend, just the way I, poor human being, see things...

K i was just making sure. Want to come over and snuggle ?

[BJJ]

the country i grew up in is a good example of why religions are wrong, people hating other people for no other reason than religion being used as a weapon to control.

That does not mean that religion is a bad thing, juts that it is used badly.

[BJJ]

I ask this: why not? Faith is very powerful. Faith heals. Faith is hope. Faith in something which does not have to be visible nor proven.

Agreed!

Just, be educated enough (I speak about the society) to know that what is reported on books DO NOT always reveal the truth.

[BJJ]

K i was just making sure. Want to come over and snuggle ?

Gimme your address, I am like San Tommaso...

[BJJ]

A proper sum up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg3xK5fnHAE

[9za4ck4]

iv read a couple of posts in particular @Flagg

yes its proven we evolved from apes but do you think the people of around 2011 years ago had the the intelligence to understand or figure that bit out ? c'mon

you know i reckon Jesus was ; a trickster , think about it, he was well ahead of his time, parting the red sea ? there is a natural phenomon that occurs where the red sea parts, jesus was just happy to take the plaudits for it. the virgin birth, now theres a story, id like to research that properly, but again not scientifically not possible.

I am christian, i believe in a god of some kind, but jesus ? pah

she gave a guy a handjob then did dirty things to herself. and thats how you get the virgin mary.

im just playing guys its a joke lol

[Flagg]

What makes Catholicism more credible than say, Bhuddism? Or Islam? Or Judaism? Or we go even further back, Greek, Egyptian or Norse mythology?

Do you know how the story of the Cyclops came about in Ancient Greek religion? They would find the fossils of dead mastadons and if you look at their skulls, they are huge but also contain a huge hole in the center that obviously now we know is the nasal cavity, but back then they would have taken to be an eye socket. But back then, they didn't know any better. But the question still stands, how is anything today, more credible than anything else today or anything else in the past.

Omnipotent power cannot exist either. Has anyone ever heard of the God Paradox?
In a nutshell, let's say God has infinite power. He creates a boulder that nothing else in existence can lift. But...does this extend to Him? If he cant lift his own boulder, then he does not contain infinite power. If He can lift His own boulder, then he hasn't made something that nothing else in existence can lift.

I think religion came about as a way of explaining things in the world that modern science currently cannot explain.

Not only do people of a certain faith think that Athiests are wrong, they think people of other faiths are wrong as well. It's such a pious, self centered attitude to have.

We are supposedly born with sin. We are created sick and commanded to be well. Where is the freedom in that?

[RaZr]

I control my own destiny, and I worship nothing but the life I have and nobody will tell me how to live it. I was forced into being catholic and all it did was make me despise those who forced it upon me. No heaven or hell just me on this little planet in a large sea of many.

[BJJ]

What makes Catholicism more credible than say, Bhuddism? Or Islam? Or Judaism? Or we go even further back, Greek, Egyptian or Norse mythology?

Do you know how the story of the Cyclops came about in Ancient Greek religion? They would find the fossils of dead mastadons and if you look at their skulls, they are huge but also contain a huge hole in the center that obviously now we know is the nasal cavity, but back then they would have taken to be an eye socket. But back then, they didn't know any better. But the question still stands, how is anything today, more credible than anything else today or anything else in the past.

Omnipotent power cannot exist either. Has anyone ever heard of the God Paradox?
In a nutshell, let's say God has infinite power. He creates a boulder that nothing else in existence can lift. But...does this extend to Him? If he cant lift his own boulder, then he does not contain infinite power. If He can lift His own boulder, then he hasn't made something that nothing else in existence can lift.

I think religion came about as a way of explaining things in the world that modern science currently cannot explain.

Not only do people of a certain faith think that Athiests are wrong, they think people of other faiths are wrong as well. It's such a pious, self centered attitude to have.

We are supposedly born with sin. We are created sick and commanded to be well. Where is the freedom in that? no freedom, that is the point!

I control my own destiny, and I worship nothing but the life I have and nobody will tell me how to live it. I was forced into being catholic and all it did was make me despise those who forced it upon me. No heaven or hell just me on this little planet in a large sea of many. you wish but if you own a simple credit card, you are part of the game, therefore part of the human trick

bold

[dec11]

That does not mean that religion is a bad thing, juts that it is used badly.

arent religion and politics closely related in most societies? i think you will find they are

[D7M]

Omnipotent power cannot exist either. Has anyone ever heard of the God Paradox?
In a nutshell, let's say God has infinite power. He creates a boulder that nothing else in existence can lift. But...does this extend to Him? If he cant lift his own boulder, then he does not contain infinite power. If He can lift His own boulder, then he hasn't made something that nothing else in existence can lift.



I think religion came about as a way of explaining things in the world that modern science currently cannot explain.

Not only do people of a certain faith think that Athiests are wrong, they think people of other faiths are wrong as well. It's such a pious, self centered attitude to have.

We are supposedly born with sin. We are created sick and commanded to be well. Where is the freedom in that?

Eh. That's really a semantic, not a theological or even logical issue. Semantic because the answer really hinges on your definition of "omnipotence".

It's the same as asking if God can make a squared circle, or if God can make 4=5, or more simply if God can it so that simultaneously there is both P and ~P.

Well, honestly, it's just a silly question.

God can't do the logically impossible, because it's well, impossible, and that in no way limits his omnipotence.

On the other hand if you have a definition of omnipotence such that God can do whatever he wills (Augustine's definition), then clearly God is omnipotent. How many of us can say we do whatever we will?

Here's Aquinas' take in case you are interested:

"Whatever implies being and nonbeing simultaneously is incompatible with the absolute possibility which falls under divine omnipotence. Such a contradiction is not subject to it, not from any impotence in God, but because it simply does not have the nature of being feasible or possible. Whatever, then, does not involve a contradiction is in the realm of the possible with respect to which God is omnipotent. Whatever involves a contradiction is not within the scope of omnipotence because it cannot qualify for possibility. Better, however, to say that it cannot be done, rather than God cannot do it."

-Summa Theologia I, q. 15, a. 3

[BJJ]

arent religion and politics closely related in most societies? i think you will find they are

Again, that does not mean that politics is a bad institution in a first place.
The problem is the use and consumption that people have been made of it, like with religions.

[Flagg]

Eh. That's really a semantic, not a theological or even logical issue. Semantic because the answer really hinges on your definition of "omnipotence".

It's the same as asking if God can make a squared circle, or if God can make 4=5, or more simply if God can it so that simultaneously there is both P and ~P.

Well, honestly, it's just a silly question.

God can't do the logically impossible, because it's well, impossible, and that in no way limits his omnipotence.

On the other hand if you have a definition of omnipotence such that God can do whatever he wills (Augustine's definition), then clearly God is omnipotent. How many of us can say we do whatever we will?

Here's Aquinas' take in case you are interested:

"Whatever implies being and nonbeing simultaneously is incompatible with the absolute possibility which falls under divine omnipotence. Such a contradiction is not subject to it, not from any impotence in God, but because it simply does not have the nature of being feasible or possible. Whatever, then, does not involve a contradiction is in the realm of the possible with respect to which God is omnipotent. Whatever involves a contradiction is not within the scope of omnipotence because it cannot qualify for possibility. Better, however, to say that it cannot be done, rather than God cannot do it."

-Summa Theologia I, q. 15, a. 3

If God is bound by the Laws of Physics, then surely he couldn't have made the planet within 7 days. Nor could he have made the first human being out of the mud in the ground. How does a burning bush talk, and so on? You can't say that it's all metaphore and not to be taken literally or that what He calls 7 days is what we'd refer to as 5 billion years because it's just a convenient way to explain Biblical interpretations of events that are clearly impossible.

[BJJ]

When I was young I was confused because I had a brain to think but those around me tried to convince me about illogical statements.
Till my father was stabbed I had those weird feelings about my capability of being intelligent enough to figure out what was developing around me but more in general in this dimension we all live in.

After that happening, the knifing, I decided I needed to rely on facts and science first than anything else; but as already mentioned in many other threads, not all we learn from common books is true.
(For example, we are bombarded by the media, whose actions are manipulated, that our planet is getting too warm and this will lead to several catastrophes; but nobody tells that the entire solar system is warming up and our planet is just a portion of a bigger situation which we are totally unable to control and dominate).

Sometimes truth is just a point of view, while in some other cases we can figure it out with our own perception basing our observances on our own experiences, therefore we all have a "personal truth".

Many people believe in God, many do not believe in God, but just a few of those mentioned have had the humbleness to study deeply back in time to figure out what the history can tell us.

Many of you speak about Gesù but how many of you know Mitra? or Zarathuštra?
How many of you, who cite The Bible have had the time to read it throughout? and what about the Avestā?

...and you want to debate about religions?

[BgMc31]

I thought the question was "Do you believe in God"? Seems as though, this has become a debate on justifying a belief in God. Why does one who is faithful have to justify his/her belief to a non-believer?

I'm a PK, for those of y'all unfamiliar with that term, it means Preacher's Kid. I grew up hating church because I was forced to go, I hated the hypocrisy of the people in church and no one was ever able to answer any of my questions about the Bible.

I considered myself an atheist for years, not necessarily because I didn't believe there was a god but mainly because there was more scientific evidence that there isn't a god. But later in life, I realized that believing in something greater than myself kept me from becoming complacent with who I was. Many of the morals and lessons taught in the Bible can be used in everyday life to make ME a better person. So I don't feel the need to have to justify my faith to anyone. Why do I believe in God? BECAUSE I DO! Plain and simple and nothing fancy. It may sound irrational to some and illogical to others, but its a personal decision that will remain personal. It works for me and therefore I can careless about what other's think/believe.

[dec11]

I thought the question was "Do you believe in God"? Seems as though, this has become a debate on justifying a belief in God. Why does one who is faithful have to justify his/her belief to a non-believer?

I'm a PK, for those of y'all unfamiliar with that term, it means Preacher's Kid. I grew up hating church because I was forced to go, I hated the hypocrisy of the people in church and no one was ever able to answer any of my questions about the Bible.

I considered myself an atheist for years, not necessarily because I didn't believe there was a god but mainly because there was more scientific evidence that there isn't a god. But later in life, I realized that believing in something greater than myself kept me from becoming complacent with who I was. Many of the morals and lessons taught in the Bible can be used in everyday life to make ME a better person. So I don't feel the need to have to justify my faith to anyone. Why do I believe in God? BECAUSE I DO! Plain and simple and nothing fancy. It may sound irrational to some and illogical to others, but its a personal decision that will remain personal. It works for me and therefore I can careless about what other's think/believe.

prob the best answer so far.

[drdeath613]

iv read a couple of posts in particular @Flagg

yes its proven we evolved from apes but do you think the people of around 2011 years ago had the the intelligence to understand or figure that bit out ? c'mon

you know i reckon Jesus was ; a trickster , think about it, he was well ahead of his time, parting the red sea ? there is a natural phenomon that occurs where the red sea parts, jesus was just happy to take the plaudits for it. the virgin birth, now theres a story, id like to research that properly, but again not scientifically not possible.

I am christian, i believe in a god of some kind, but jesus ? pah

moses parted the red sea not jesus

[drdeath613]

[QUOTE=Flagg;5524487]I have a question for those with faith.

Do you think your God is proud of the human race today? Do you think he is proud of what is going on in Afghanistan and Iraq?


you cant really use it in those terms they have a different god now if you asked if there god like what they have become yes he does

[drdeath613]

christianity is what i like to call the bully religion it spread like a virus attacking smaller weaker towns till they have enough support to march onto bigger citys then they got huge balls at one point and told people join this religion or youll be wiped off the face of the map

jesus when did you become aries ????

[Twist]

[ghettoboyd]

I seriously cannot understand how anyone can read the bible, finish it, understand it, then believe it. The bible is not meant to be literal. We are just too dumb to see that. Some great lessons in there but seriously... SO many flaws its ridiculous that people believe in it.

the bible and religion for that matter remind me of greek mythology....that was a religion of sort that had stories that all told some kind of life lesson, just like the bible....and it kept the people in check so to speak...

[ghettoboyd]

^^^that being said i agree with you....

[BJJ]

I thought the question was "Do you believe in God"? Seems as though, this has become a debate on justifying a belief in God. Why does one who is faithful have to justify his/her belief to a non-believer?

I'm a PK, for those of y'all unfamiliar with that term, it means Preacher's Kid. I grew up hating church because I was forced to go, I hated the hypocrisy of the people in church and no one was ever able to answer any of my questions about the Bible.

I considered myself an atheist for years, not necessarily because I didn't believe there was a god but mainly because there was more scientific evidence that there isn't a god. But later in life, I realized that believing in something greater than myself kept me from becoming complacent with who I was. Many of the morals and lessons taught in the Bible can be used in everyday life to make ME a better person. So I don't feel the need to have to justify my faith to anyone. Why do I believe in God? BECAUSE I DO! Plain and simple and nothing fancy. It may sound irrational to some and illogical to others, but its a personal decision that will remain personal. It works for me and therefore I can careless about what other's think/believe.

Really, then I am glad I do not know you personally...

Are you sure you read the Bible?

[stack_it]

What makes Catholicism more credible than say, Bhuddism? Or Islam? Or Judaism? Or we go even further back, Greek, Egyptian or Norse mythology?

Do you know how the story of the Cyclops came about in Ancient Greek religion? They would find the fossils of dead mastadons and if you look at their skulls, they are huge but also contain a huge hole in the center that obviously now we know is the nasal cavity, but back then they would have taken to be an eye socket. But back then, they didn't know any better. But the question still stands, how is anything today, more credible than anything else today or anything else in the past.

Omnipotent power cannot exist either. Has anyone ever heard of the God Paradox?
In a nutshell, let's say God has infinite power. He creates a boulder that nothing else in existence can lift. But...does this extend to Him? If he cant lift his own boulder, then he does not contain infinite power. If He can lift His own boulder, then he hasn't made something that nothing else in existence can lift.

I think religion came about as a way of explaining things in the world that modern science currently cannot explain.

Not only do people of a certain faith think that Athiests are wrong, they think people of other faiths are wrong as well. It's such a pious, self centered attitude to have.

We are supposedly born with sin. We are created sick and commanded to be well. Where is the freedom in that?

Great post. I guess I should have answered not sure. I always ask people what makes there religion better or more right than someone elses. Normally there argument is the "just because it is" argument. I want to believe there has to be something after death whether it be "limbo" or whatever else there may be. I'm not going to spend my whole life trying to figure it out or spend it believing one thing just to find out it's another.

[Twist]

I would think, that if there were a "god", it would be molecules of some sort creating carriers to carry out whatever the molecules deem important...

D7M or OP can you define God so we have something to talk about? Are we referring to some guy in the sky with a white beard or what?

[DSM4Life]

Religion is so beautiful :

[Shol'va]

Most women believe in god, if you don't believe me then watch a porno and see them all yell oh god I'm commmmming.

[Ernst]

I would think, that if there were a "god", it would be molecules of some sort creating carriers to carry out whatever the molecules deem important...

D7M or OP can you define God so we have something to talk about? Are we referring to some guy in the sky with a white beard or what?

It was never a debate. It was up to whomever replied to define what GOD is to you, and it was hoped that others would let it lie. This was what people believe in, not about them justifying their beliefs.

[Shol'va]

To answer the simple question do I believe in god? Yes I do. And With the exception of the hell and damnation, abomination, and my sin being worthy of death stuff, the bible has given me a good, overall, moral guidance into how I treat others and live my life. It's some of the preachers that spew their own interpretation of the bible that I don't believe in.

[D7M]

I would think, that if there were a "god", it would be molecules of some sort creating carriers to carry out whatever the molecules deem important...

D7M or OP can you define God so we have something to talk about? Are we referring to some guy in the sky with a white beard or what?

How about this: God is that than which no greater can be conceived.

And if anyone has such an anthropomorphic understanding that they think God is some old guy in the sky, then I feel bad for them

Religion is so beautiful :

^Really? That's your best argument?

I mean, I get it, you don't like religion because some religious people don't like gays.

There's also plenty of politicans who aren't pro-gay. Do you dislike them equally?

Hell, for that matter, there's plenty of gays who have done pretty nasty things to other people in the name of their "civil rights".

[RaZr]

WestBoro Baptist should be shot, I wanted to at least when they were at my buddys funeral

[D7M]

WestBoro Baptist should be shot, I wanted to at least when they were at my buddys funeral

Yah, they are twisted!