Is God real post your thoughts!

[Obtaurian]

Ah, yes, in that case I agree with you. But I don't find that a religious problem. Although I suppose I place some blame on very ridiculous dogma. Of course, plenty of people worry about living too much. You know the people I'm talking about. Work at a dead-end job for forty years, promising themselves they're happy ... I've been watching a little too much Yes Man, though :P

 

 

 

It definitely goes both ways. Very true.

 

 

 

EDIT: GREAT movie.

[EdgedThesis]

[hide=]

Hilarious.

 

 

 

Because this one-word, completely unsupported answer is as valid as any other on this thread.

 

 

 

But hey-- the futile discussion is entertaining and sometimes even educational. So let us all continue.

 

Ha, and you have better support than him?

 

 

 

Read the title.

 

 

 

I was supporting his answer, genius.

 

A thousand pardons to you and your crystal clear sarcasm, young master.

[/hide]

 

 

 

I was entirely sincere. It is funny. his answer is valid, and I do enjoy the topic.

 

Disappointing that this conversation took a hostile turn because of a misunderstanding.

[Rebdragon]

Hm, actually, my first and second time reading your post it seemed sarcastic, and my last post was about how unclear it was whether that was sarcasm or not. But upon reading it a third time, I see that it appears genuinely sincere. My b.

[Perakp]

Why do you despise religion, though?

 

 

 

One could argue that religions generally spread a negative view on humans, for example the concept of sin is unattacked mostly, as if it was a fact that people really are evil from heart and we only get along because of (and only because of) God.

 

This (maybe) on false grounds created myth affects everyone and one could argue that this has a negative impact on people and their societies.

 

 

 

Just a random idea why someone could despise religion, there are probably more but I thought to bring this one up.

 

 

 

Most of the reasons to despise religion are very hard to back with hard proof, so they remain only as very vague observations. I think.

[Zierro]

I'm not a fan of religion either. Mainly because it is conformity - you are seeking the answer from other humans. I think we should rely on ourselves instead of other people when it comes to this. Who's to say my interpretation of god isn't better than the Catholic church's?

[Lenticular_J]

Most of the reasons to despise religion are very hard to back with hard proof, so they remain only as very vague observations. I think.

 

Yeah, but that's really all that surrounds the whole thing. My word versus your word.

 

 

 

Who's to say my interpretation of god isn't better than the Catholic church's?

 

Eeeeexactly. That's why I don't like current organized religion, at least not Christian churches. They focus too much on what the preacher believes to be his best interpretation of the Bible. Nuh-uh.

[tryto]

Here's the conservation of mass and energy for the universe. It's quite simple.

 

 

 

There is lots of matter and energy in the universe. This is all positive energy. (remember that e=mc^2.)

 

 

 

But, there is also gravitational energy. This is a negative energy. Since gravitational energy has an infinite range and acts on every object in the universe and on everything else, it cancels out the positive energy and matter.

 

 

 

In fact, since the gravitational force increases and decreases parallel to the amount of matter and energy in the universe, it will always be like this, keeping the law of conservation even if the universe is not the aftermath of another universe. (Although that may still be true, in the case of Brane World or Quantum Loop Gravity, among other theories)

 

 

 

http://www.astrosociety.org/pubs/mercur ... thing.html

 

 

 

Of course, God doesn't conform to Thermodynamics Laws, Conservational laws, or any other kind of laws, so I'm always tempted to laugh when they're brought up against the universe or earth...

[Robert_de_Sable]

If God exists, why does evil exist? If God is able but not willing to stop evil, God is evil.

 

If God is willing, but not able, then he is not omnipotent.

 

If God is neither, why call him God?

 

 

 

It's a quote from some Greek scholar. I take no credit.

[i_love_burritos]

You people are all discussing the three monotheistic which preach heaven and hell, sin and atonement, the religions that judge you and punish you.

 

 

 

It is only fair to assume that these religions were not created on the basis of "religion" in itself but rather a means to control people.

 

 

 

Why not talk about Hinduism, Jainism, Budhism

[Zierro]

If God exists, why does evil exist? If God is able but not willing to stop evil, God is evil.

 

 

 

I don't get it. One could just say:

 

 

 

If God is able but not willing to stop good, God is good.

[Lenticular_J]

Why not talk about Hinduism, Jainism, Budhism

 

Because I doubt more than two or three of us understand any of those even the slightest bit, much less with reason to attack or defend them.

 

 

 

Plus, other people have already made the exact same arguments we've made. We're just copying and pasting, really.

[Lateralus]

If God exists, why does evil exist? If God is able but not willing to stop evil, God is evil.

 

 

 

I don't get it. One could just say:

 

 

 

If God is able but not willing to stop good, God is good.

 

 

 

The quote makes a bit more sense in its original form. Epicurus said:

 

 

 

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

 

Then he is not omnipotent.

 

Is he able, but not willing?

 

Then he is malevolent.

 

Is he both able and willing?

 

Then whence cometh evil?

 

Is he neither able nor willing?

 

Then why call him God?

[user1991]

If God exists, why does evil exist? If God is able but not willing to stop evil, God is evil.

 

 

 

I don't get it. One could just say:

 

 

 

If God is able but not willing to stop good, God is good.

 

 

 

The quote makes a bit more sense in its original form. Epicurus said:

 

 

 

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

 

Then he is not omnipotent.

 

Is he able, but not willing?

 

Then he is malevolent.

 

Is he both able and willing?

 

Then whence cometh evil?

 

Is he neither able nor willing?

 

Then why call him God?

 

 

 

Also, as Socrates said; "Is what is moral commanded by God because it is moral, or is it moral because it is commanded by God?"

[evil_mumm_ra]

 

topical, although lateralus already got it.

[Sly_Wizard]

 

topical, although lateralus already got it.

 

 

 

...Except Epicurus wasn't an atheist.

 

 

 

...And what happened in 33 AD?

 

 

 

...And didn't we totally go over this pages upon pages ago?

[user1991]

[hide=]

 

topical, although lateralus already got it.

 

 

 

...Except Epicurus wasn't an atheist.

 

 

 

...And what happened in 33 AD?

 

 

 

...And didn't we totally go over this pages upon pages ago?

[/hide]

 

 

 

Its only a motivational man. It doesn't matter what is discussed in this thread and what arguments are posted, it is inevitable that the same subject will be brought up a few pages later.

[Lenticular_J]

I kinda wanna find the guy who thinks that all religion clearly "lost" when Jesus was crucified.

[Zierro]

Am I the only one that thinks "the problem with evil" should win the Biggest False Dilemma Award?

[Zierro]

Interesting how we can ask the same question of a God. Where did he come from? Who made him, and so on? :) While I despise religion, I'm certainly not an atheist. I like these sorts of questions, though they are entirely speculative.

 

 

 

It is not necessary for god to have been created. If he is the creator of everything then that means he is also the creator of time (meaning he existed without it). So his existence doesn't apply to what we perceive as time since he obviously can exist outside of time if he was the one who made it in the first place.

[aspeeder]

I can prove he/she's not real considering no one has any evidence at all other then word of mouth that Jesus walked on water.

 

Why would god create rapists, terrorists, murderers, thieves, the list goes on and on, is it because he/she gets some sick humor out of it? If so, I don't think that's the man I want to be praying and worshiping.

 

 

 

Word of mouth can be a valuable thing, but others can twist and turn the words to make them horribly wrong.

 

 

 

Yes, different people did write the bible, I'll give you that.

 

 

 

There is rape, murder, and slavery in the bible.

 

 

 

If god is real, why would he make the people that he made be tortured. For his own amusement?

 

 

 

Please post you're thoughts, and I'll do my best to reply to the meaningful ones.

 

 

 

~Joe

 

 

 

Wow, that's it. You've cracked it. Man, why didn't anyone think of this sooner?

 

I tell you what Joe, perhaps you're the God we've all been looking for.

 

Here is the reason: The Bible (Specifically the Old Testament) preach monotheism, meaning one god. Because you can't ignore the rape, torture, murder, disease, and famine surrounding us, they believed that their god was not only loving and benevolent but vengeful and merciless (See: Great Flood, Sodom and Gamorrah). As time progressed it became hard for people to worship the same god that brought about all evil in the world, bringing about the origins of Satan. There is no religion that assumes there is no evil in the world, and if there was no one would follow it since it is obviously set in some fanciful world. As for whether God is real, if you have felt His precence in your life and have considered Him in your decisions, He is. I haven't, hence the reason why I'm a monist (Not Christian either, I'm Unitarian Universalist). I just realized I assumed that humans created religion and molded it after what they saw, sorry if that offends anyone :? .

[champion]

If there was a God, why would he make atheists? That's like selling nuclear weapons to terrorists.

 

How so?

[Dizzle229]

[Dizzle229]

If there was a God, why would he make atheists? That's like selling nuclear weapons to terrorists.

 

How so?

 

Well why would he create people with conflicting viws about him? I mean, the Church thinks they're right, and Muslims think they're right, and so on.

 

 

 

Well according to the Bible, though He created life, He does not create our thoughts. He gave living things free will, and He has no control over our thoughts. This is the one place in which God is bested by China.

[Kiriyama]

If there was a God, why would he make atheists? That's like selling nuclear weapons to terrorists.

 

How so?

 

Well why would he create people with conflicting viws about him? I mean, the Church thinks they're right, and Muslims think they're right, and so on.

 

 

 

Well according to the Bible, though He created life, He does not create our thoughts. He gave living things free will, and He has no control over our thoughts. This is the one place in which God is bested by China.

 

 

 

I thought that in the Story of Adam and Eve, the apple gave us knowledge and free will.

[Dizzle229]

If there was a God, why would he make atheists? That's like selling nuclear weapons to terrorists.

 

How so?

 

Well why would he create people with conflicting viws about him? I mean, the Church thinks they're right, and Muslims think they're right, and so on.

 

 

 

Well according to the Bible, though He created life, He does not create our thoughts. He gave living things free will, and He has no control over our thoughts. This is the one place in which God is bested by China.

 

 

 

I thought that in the Story of Adam and Eve, the apple gave us knowledge and free will.

 

 

 

That makes sense, though they'd have to have some level of free will to take the apple after God told them not to. Even still, even the church knows there was no Adam and Eve and there was no Garden of Eden, it's a story made to teach a lesson, in this case obedience to God. Same with David and Goliath, which is meant to show that we (we being the human race) can overcome impossible odds.