Is God real post your thoughts!

[J a m e s]

"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?"

 

 

 

-Epicurus

 

 

 

Man has created God in his own image. God is imaginary.

[Lateralus]

There's a joke about resurrection here somewhere, I just can't quite put my finger on it.

[Dizzle229]

Most (not gonna say all) Atheists think that having a religion means that you're a cultist raving lunatic.

 

 

 

I'm Catholic. I believe in the Bible, in God, and in Heaven.

 

 

 

I also support stem cell research, and the theory of evolution.

[J a m e s]

Most (not gonna say all) Atheists think that having a religion means that you're a cultist raving lunatic.

 

 

 

I'm Catholic. I believe in the Bible, in God, and in Heaven.

 

 

 

I also support stem cell research, and the theory of evolution.

 

 

 

Don't Catholics believe you can get into heaven by just doing good works? No belief in god necessary?

[Dizzle229]

Hmmm, I'll have to look it up. Seems like it makes sense and at the same time doesn't. As long as you're good to people thats what the church really cares about I guess, but I'll have to see.

[Roberthree]

Catholicism is pretty cool because you can basically do whatever you want as long as you confess. Be sure your local priest knows about your Darwinistic views and pro-lifery and you're A-OK for the ascent into eternal bliss.or eternal nothingness because your brain stopped functioning therefore your consciousness ceases to exist.

 

 

 

And to the above statement: first commandment; The reason I was discriminated against for most of my middle school years. People in kentucky have no problem grading you lower or ridiculing you, I mean if you're godless you deserve it right?

[Lenticular_J]

Don't Catholics believe you can get into heaven by just doing good works? No belief in god necessary?

 

Categories in something as complex as religion are stupid. I hate organized religion. I prefer personal faith. (Thus, it depends on the person)

 

 

 

'Course, Baptist Revivals are awesome! :

 

 

 

Catholicism is pretty cool because you can basically do whatever you want as long as you confess. Be sure your local priest knows about your Darwinistic views and pro-lifery and you're A-OK for the ascent into eternal bliss.or eternal nothingness because your brain stopped functioning therefore your consciousness ceases to exist.

 

 

 

You've mentioned a generalized and mostly incorrect view of one of the largest and most-wrongly-referred to groups in Christianity - and all of theism. Have you ever practiced Roman Catholicism (most widespread)? Southern Catholicism? Lutheran (which has quite a few shared traits with its parent sect)?

 

 

 

Quite.

 

 

 

On another note, what's an atheist wedding ceremony like?

[Roberthree]

I prefer personal faith. (Thus, it depends on the person)

 

 

 

Defining religion like that makes it impossible to discuss and overall does no harm since it has no ancient holy book condoning misdeeds.

 

 

On another note, what's an atheist wedding ceremony like?

 

 

 

 

Why is that relevant? Marraige, Art, Music, and all the other thing Christians claim for themselves work fine without religion involved.

[Dizzle229]

 

 

 

And to the above statement: first commandment; The reason I was discriminated against for most of my middle school years. People in kentucky have no problem grading you lower or ridiculing you, I mean if you're godless you deserve it right?

 

 

 

No. You haven't done anything really bad to them. While I may not personally agree with your atheist beliefs, that doesn't give them the right to do that to you.

 

 

 

 

 

And being Catholic, I probably shouldn't say this, but since you don't believe in being punished for sins in the hell, why not punch their teeth out? :thumbsup:

[J a m e s]

And being Catholic, I probably shouldn't say this, but since you don't believe in being punished for sins in the hell, why not punch their teeth out? :thumbsup:

 

 

 

Because atheists don't fear eternal punishment in the afterlife and are nice just for the sake of being nice. Religion didn't create basic human morals. If you were joking, sorry, I couldn't really tell.

[SnWRifleman]

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.

 

 

 

I for one am a Christian and believe Jesus is real. Now Joe, to answer your question, he did not create these things. This is a world controlled by Satan, which is why there are all these bad events and people out in the world. The word sin, is a word meaning to disobey God or breaking one of the 10 Commandments. Satan has been here ever since the creation of the Earth when he tempted Adam and Eve. They ate the Fruit of Knowledge, which allowed them to see like God. They saw they were nude, covered themselves, and God wondered why they were hiding. He found out that they disobeyed his word, prior to Him telling them that you must not eat from that tree. He banished them, and we are descendants of Adam and Eve. Basically there is all this craziness in the world because Satan controls this Earth.

 

 

 

If you are wondering, why can't God just kill him. Well he could, except that He said He'd never kill an Angel. Satan is a fallen Angel who was banished from heaven, thus creating Hell, where sinful men and women go. The only way to avoid Hell is to repent your sins, or ask God for forgiveness, and gladly God will forgive you and accept you as His child again.

 

 

 

This is what I believe, and none of you can change it, unless I messed up on a technical part.

[Dizzle229]

Was a joke, not a real suggestion. But that was my fault for not adding a jk to that one.

[Lenticular_J]

I prefer personal faith. (Thus, it depends on the person)

 

 

 

Defining religion like that makes it impossible to discuss and overall does no harm since it has no ancient holy book condoning misdeeds.

 

That doesn't make organized religion bad. It's one of the most powerful forces on the planet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On another note, what's an atheist wedding ceremony like?

 

 

 

 

Why is that relevant? Marraige, Art, Music, and all the other thing Christians claim for themselves work fine without religion involved.

 

I ask a question, and you have to act like an [wagon] about it? Do you know the contributions to art and music that religion have created over the years?

 

 

 

EDIT: Fixed quote.

[anonymous1234]

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.

 

 

 

I for one am a Christian and believe Jesus is real. Now Joe, to answer your question, he did not create these things. This is a world controlled by Satan, which is why there are all these bad events and people out in the world. The word sin, is a word meaning to disobey God or breaking one of the 10 Commandments. Satan has been here ever since the creation of the Earth when he tempted Adam and Eve. They ate the Fruit of Knowledge, which allowed them to see like God. They saw they were nude, covered themselves, and God wondered why they were hiding. He found out that they disobeyed his word, prior to Him telling them that you must not eat from that tree. He banished them, and we are descendants of Adam and Eve. Basically there is all this craziness in the world because Satan controls this Earth.

 

 

 

If you are wondering, why can't God just kill him. Well he could, except that He said He'd never kill an Angel. Satan is a fallen Angel who was banished from heaven, thus creating Hell, where sinful men and women go. The only way to avoid Hell is to repent your sins, or ask God for forgiveness, and gladly God will forgive you and accept you as His child again.

 

 

 

This is what I believe, and none of you can change it, unless I messed up on a technical part.

 

If God is the God you are saying, then why couldn't he just change reality so satan and hell never existed, and all humans did not sin yet still had free will?

[Lateralus]

 

I ask a question, and you have to act like an [wagon] about it? Do you know the contributions to art and music that religion have created over the years?

 

 

 

It's an interesting subject. Certainly there's certain pieces of devotional painting, music and poetry that never would have existed if the artists hadn't had the love for God that they did. However I don't know how much claim religion has over many of the commissioned pieces - Often the only work artists could get was through the church because it was the only institution that had enough money for that kind of frivolity. I don't doubt how much art religion has allowed to exist and inspired, but do you think the roof of the Sistine Chapel would have been any less beautiful if it was a painting of the milky way or any other non-religious subject?

[Lenticular_J]

 

I ask a question, and you have to act like an [wagon] about it? Do you know the contributions to art and music that religion have created over the years?

 

 

 

It's an interesting subject. Certainly there's certain pieces of devotional painting, music and poetry that never would have existed if the artists hadn't had the love for God that they did. However I don't know how much claim religion has over many of the commissioned pieces - Often the only work artists could get was through the church because it was the only institution that had enough money for that kind of frivolity. I don't doubt how much art religion has allowed to exist and inspired, but do you think the roof of the Sistine Chapel would have been any less beautiful if it was a painting of the milky way or any other non-religious subject?

 

Of course it wouldn't have been worse, but there's no denying that the most popular six religions on the world have inspired some of the greatest pieces of art architecture, and literature on the planet. Not to mention Michelangelo was also a relatively devout Catholic when he painted the Sistine Chapel, so of course his paintings were more inspired than an atheist artist's would have been at the time.

 

 

 

You're right that that was the only work for master artists, though. However, a good number ended up quite faithful Christians, if not Catholics, but that still doesn't prove the point that some of the greatest pieces of work were commissioned, and thus less inspired.

 

 

 

I really was just curious what an atheist wedding ceremony is like, though. And Buddhist. And Taoist. Never seen or learnt anything over either.

 

 

 

Also, I apologize for screwing up your quote earlier, Robert.

[Dizzle229]

I'm going to try and answer the question of "Why does God let bad things happen?" The answer is, he doesn't do nothing, he just doesn't descend from heaven in a silver chariot to save a kitten in a tree.

 

 

 

Take this example.

 

 

 

 

 

A preacher tries to prove that God is real, by submerging himself in a lake. He says that God will save him from drowning. Before long, the police came to try and help him. The preacher refuses their help, insisting that God will save him. Next, the fire department comes. When they try to rescue the preacher, they get the same answer. Then the paramedics come to save him. Once again, the preacher insists that God will save him. The preacher drowned. When he gets to heaven, he meets God, and asks "Why didn't you save me? I had faith in you!" God replies, "Preacher, I sent the police, the fire department, and the paramedics, and you didn't accept help from any of them."

[warri0r45]

I'm going to try and answer the question of "Why does God let bad things happen?" The answer is, he doesn't do nothing, he just doesn't descend from heaven in a silver chariot to save a kitten in a tree.

 

 

 

Take this example.

 

 

 

 

 

A preacher tries to prove that God is real, by submerging himself in a lake. He says that God will save him from drowning. Before long, the police came to try and help him. The preacher refuses their help, insisting that God will save him. Next, the fire department comes. When they try to rescue the preacher, they get the same answer. Then the paramedics come to save him. Once again, the preacher insists that God will save him. The preacher drowned. When he gets to heaven, he meets God, and asks "Why didn't you save me? I had faith in you!" God replies, "Preacher, I sent the police, the fire department, and the paramedics, and you didn't accept help from any of them."

 

 

 

Nice story. I've heard a similar one before. Notice how it's always the preacher's fellow man that lends a helping hand and not god? Yeah, yeah, I understand your rationalisation, just offering a different one.

 

 

 

My answer as a nonbeliever to why god lets bad things happen would be that he simply doesn't care. Think about it - we're a speck in an enormous universe, it took billions of years and millions of dead ends for us to eventuate on this speck, and we're stewing in a soup of pathogens that are all too willing to use our bodies as an agar plate. At least some of those bugs have learnt that we're better to them alive then dead, huh? :lol:

 

 

 

If I were the believing type, I don't know I'd conceive of an all loving god. That doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps a god that's not anthropomorphic yet simply... well I don't know. It kind of crushes the allure of god as a figure humans can comprehend on a human level. I suppose god could simply be equivalent to nature. Some kind of pantheism.

[Lenticular_J]

Haha, whenever people talk about God like that to me, I see him as a fat kid playing with planets like monster trucks or something. He hears our prayers like a mom's voice and just goes "Shut uuuuuuuuuup, I'm busy!"

 

 

 

Meh, I think He likes being pictured like that on occasion.

[Cup Lion]

There is always the argument that God has a purpose for everthing. He may not do anything about something "bad" because in the end, good will come of it.

 

 

 

I find the above analogy quite dumb.

[Lenticular_J]

There is always the argument that God has a purpose for everthing. He may not do anything about something "bad" because in the end, good will come of it.

 

 

 

I find the above analogy quite dumb.

 

'Course it's dumb. Dumb thought to a dumb reason not to believe in something greater than yourself.

[treball]

I believe god is real and sticks with all of us through our life. He will not thought help us when you want it but he will us at our time of need.

[assassin_696]

A preacher tries to prove that God is real, by submerging himself in a lake. He says that God will save him from drowning. Before long, the police came to try and help him. The preacher refuses their help, insisting that God will save him. Next, the fire department comes. When they try to rescue the preacher, they get the same answer. Then the paramedics come to save him. Once again, the preacher insists that God will save him. The preacher drowned. When he gets to heaven, he meets God, and asks "Why didn't you save me? I had faith in you!" God replies, "Preacher, I sent the police, the fire department, and the paramedics, and you didn't accept help from any of them."

 

 

 

That would be quaint, even funny maybe, were it not for the fact that it tries to justify the (in)actions of a God who sits by and watches his world burn. In the vast majority of cases of human suffering, there are no state departments sent by God rushing to the aid of people. Instead we have adults and children alike, suffering and often dying alone with absolutely no way out.

[NoMoreDead]

I believe god is real and sticks with all of us through our life. He will not thought help us when you want it but he will us at our time of need.

 

 

 

Tell that to everyone who died in the September 11th attacks.

[Cup Lion]

Just a thought:

 

 

 

We all know about September 11th.

 

 

 

How do we know that God didn't prevent something worse from happening; say, a nuclear attack on the United States. Wonder which would have been worse...