Maybe God is...

[ABikerSailor]

You know..................I personally think that God is a lot larger than any single religion makes Him out to be.

I also believe that many major religions have most of it right, but get it wrong when they focus on dogma. God wants us to all take care of each other, and also wants us to help each other, because each of us is a small piece of Him.

Religion divides people by putting them (and God) into a small box.

Spirituality is different, because instead of looking for the differences, it looks for where things are similar.

 

[haissem123]

hey delta, You should learn from the alpha and omega too. What do you suppose tells tiny and tiny minded creatures ,in the grand scheme of the cosmos/universe, to work together for the entire groups survival? Do you supposes they are hard wired for God or evolution? haha. your riddles can only be answered by yourself. riddle away

 

[amrchaos]

I have some question--

Why can't God be petty and bias?
Why can't God like some spores and fungi and detest others?

Why can't God pluck hairs and split them whenever God wishes them too?

Is there some restriction that God must abide by? Some attributes we know for certain about God?

There is a statement that implies god would not be worthy of worship if God was petty or bias. What if God does not care if anyone worships him or not? Why would anyone praise be of value to God?

What if God wants you to focus on this creation and not God?

It does seem strange that we interact with the creation even when we sleep, but for the "creator" we are stuck with guess work and assumptions .

To me, I think God is probably no more than a bunch of abstractions and assumptions we make/agree to as individuals to gain a sense of "place" in reality.

I don't agree with the Buddhist take at all.

1)When did living things "assume" there were stars in the sky?

2)Also, aren't the states of an observation suppose to exist before we "observe" a particular state of the observation?

Therefore, God would have to exist before any living thing can observe God in some state of existence.

The states are not 'created' by the observer, but is a characteristic of the observed. A very different concept from what the Buddhist are suggesting

 

[PratchettFan]

I have some question--

Why can't God be petty and bias?
Why can't God like some spores and fungi and detest others?

Why can't God pluck hairs and split them whenever God wishes them too?

Is there some restriction that God must abide by? Some attributes we know for certain about God?

There is a statement that implies god would not be worthy of worship if God was petty or bias. What if God does not care if anyone worships him or not? Why would anyone praise be of value to God?

What if God wants you to focus on this creation and not God?

It does seem strange that we interact with the creation even when we sleep, but for the "creator" we are stuck with guess work and assumptions .

To me, I think God is probably no more than a bunch of abstractions and assumptions we make/agree to as individuals to gain a sense of "place" in reality.

I don't agree with the Buddhist take at all.

1)When did living things "assume" there were stars in the sky?

2)Also, aren't the states of an observation suppose to exist before we "observe" a particular state of the observation?

Therefore, God would have to exist before any living thing can observe God in some state of existence.

The states are not 'created' by the observer, but is a characteristic of the observed. A very different concept from what the Buddhist are suggesting

In answer to most of your questions, nothing says God has to be anything. If there is a God, then God is. If God is, then God is what God is. What we may or may not believe has absolutely no impact upon that. Unless Terry Pratchett is correct and gods take the form of belief, which is why the goddess of wisdom goes around with a penguin.

Whether God is worthy of worship is a determination to be made by the worshipper. I personally don't think any being which wants to be worshipped is worthy of it. But that is just me.

I'm not sure what you are referring to about Buddhism. Could you be more specific?

 

[Indeependent]

God was a middle school student who created the universe as a science fair project. It took third place and currently exists in a small box in her parents' attic.

In some ways this is correct.

Interesting. In what ways?

Take note that even amongst God's Chosen People, few have lived up Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, David, Solomon.
In many ways, Adam and Eve's failure (by dint of Free Will) signaled a significant degree of failure in God's intent.
The Mishnah and Talmud are the result of the input of very few individuals.

I have to work now.
Do not hesitate to comment or ask questions.

You presume an understanding of God's intent. Accepting the A&E story on its face, I would say it was quite successful. It got them out of their parent's basement and making their own way in the world. Nice little reverse psychology trick too, putting the tree of knowledge right in front of them and then telling them not to touch it. There's not a parent alive who couldn't predict the outcome of that.

I'm still not seeing the connection between my comment and this.

God's Arrow is true.
The POTENTIAL for God's Arrow HAS been fulfilled by very few individuals.
God's capacity for fogiveness seems to be quite extensive as we are still here.

On the other hand, Jews who study alot are quite sarcastic in terms of what God desires from us and in what we actually deliver.
We don't get Fire & Brimstone lectures on Shabbos.

 

[PratchettFan]

God was a middle school student who created the universe as a science fair project. It took third place and currently exists in a small box in her parents' attic.

In some ways this is correct.

Interesting. In what ways?

Take note that even amongst God's Chosen People, few have lived up Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, David, Solomon.
In many ways, Adam and Eve's failure (by dint of Free Will) signaled a significant degree of failure in God's intent.
The Mishnah and Talmud are the result of the input of very few individuals.

I have to work now.
Do not hesitate to comment or ask questions.

You presume an understanding of God's intent. Accepting the A&E story on its face, I would say it was quite successful. It got them out of their parent's basement and making their own way in the world. Nice little reverse psychology trick too, putting the tree of knowledge right in front of them and then telling them not to touch it. There's not a parent alive who couldn't predict the outcome of that.

I'm still not seeing the connection between my comment and this.

God's Arrow is true.
The POTENTIAL for God's Arrow HAS been fulfilled by very few individuals.
God's capacity for fogiveness seems to be quite extensive as we are still here.

On the other hand, Jews who study alot are quite sarcastic in terms of what God desires from us and in what we actually deliver.
We don't get Fire & Brimstone lectures on Shabbos.

I'm not Jewish and have not studied the Talmud, so I really can't speak to this. I'm still not seeing the connection, but that's ok.

 

[Indeependent]

That's cool.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Happily we don't have to speculate about our Father. His book is autobiographical.[/QUOTE]

 

[amrchaos]

I have some question--

Why can't God be petty and bias?
Why can't God like some spores and fungi and detest others?

Why can't God pluck hairs and split them whenever God wishes them too?

Is there some restriction that God must abide by? Some attributes we know for certain about God?

There is a statement that implies god would not be worthy of worship if God was petty or bias. What if God does not care if anyone worships him or not? Why would anyone praise be of value to God?

What if God wants you to focus on this creation and not God?

It does seem strange that we interact with the creation even when we sleep, but for the "creator" we are stuck with guess work and assumptions .

To me, I think God is probably no more than a bunch of abstractions and assumptions we make/agree to as individuals to gain a sense of "place" in reality.

I don't agree with the Buddhist take at all.

1)When did living things "assume" there were stars in the sky?

2)Also, aren't the states of an observation suppose to exist before we "observe" a particular state of the observation?

Therefore, God would have to exist before any living thing can observe God in some state of existence.

The states are not 'created' by the observer, but is a characteristic of the observed. A very different concept from what the Buddhist are suggesting

In answer to most of your questions, nothing says God has to be anything. If there is a God, then God is. If God is, then God is what God is. What we may or may not believe has absolutely no impact upon that. Unless Terry Pratchett is correct and gods take the form of belief, which is why the goddess of wisdom goes around with a penguin.

Whether God is worthy of worship is a determination to be made by the worshipper. I personally don't think any being which wants to be worshipped is worthy of it. But that is just me.

I'm not sure what you are referring to about Buddhism. Could you be more specific?

The Buddhist statement is suggesting that a physical state is affected by the observer perception as he makes the observation.

Physical states are a characteristic of something that exist which is affected by the observation. What the observer imagines or believes has nothing to do with the state he observes.


Also, if something exist or does not exist is independent of the observer--whether we can observe it or not. The statement tends to suggest we can. The truth is that there are only two things we can do: answer that question correctly or incorrectly. Its existence is not dependent on observation or the observer.

 

[Superjock43]

"God" is the omnipotent (all powerful) all omniscient (all knowing) and omnibenevolent (all loving) trinity of "the father the son and the holy spirit". You can find God revealed in His Holy word.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Amen Superjock. Your post is spot on......

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

It's a discussion site. Didn't have to regster to simply observe.

It's a message board.

What I have observed is that you annoy yourself. Blaming others won't change the truth either. Take responsibility for where you are at in life, Delta. There is no one to blame but yourself and "the force". ( in that order)

 

[sealybobo]

Wasn't seeking approval or consensus.

Well you have to expect some feedback, right? He's right. I liked the first part. If something made us, it's not sitting around talking to everyone or listening when they pray.

But how if he never visited did they figure out there was a god? Probably because of my dad's thinking. He says, "something had to have created us" It just "has to be". That's how human's have always thought, unless you were a deep thinker and dared to think otherwise. It takes balls to go against a god others say will send you to burn in hell if you deny him. You must really not believe to deny him. And that is why I deny him. I really don't believe. Not one bit.

And so if most people think something MUST HAVE made us then they would call this thing god. Just like a fish in a fish bowl might think we are gods. And notice we didn't create him. He may believe we do because how can it be any other way? Well fishy, we bought you from a fish store and you were born from another fish and we just purchased you. Then the fish says, "but I pray to you every night and I believe you will let me live forever in heaven after I die". And I would say to the fish, "where did you come up with that nonsense?"

 

[The Irish Ram]

Well you have to expect some feedback, right? He's right. I liked the first part. If something made us, it's not sitting around talking to everyone or listening when they pray.

But how if he never visited did they figure out there was a god? Probably because of my dad's thinking. He says, "something had to have created us" It just "has to be". That's how human's have always thought, unless you were a deep thinker and dared to think otherwise. It takes balls to go against a god others say will send you to burn in hell if you deny him. You must really not believe to deny him. And that is why I deny him. I really don't believe. Not one bit.

And so if most people think something MUST HAVE made us then they would call this thing god. Just like a fish in a fish bowl might think we are gods. And notice we didn't create him. He may believe we do because how can it be any other way? Well fishy, we bought you from a fish store and you were born from another fish and we just purchased you. Then the fish says, "but I pray to you every night and I believe you will let me live forever in heaven after I die". And I would say to the fish, "where did you come up with that nonsense?"

Well, you are going to live somewhere after your clay exterior gives out, so.........

God disagrees with you. He said He does listen to our prayers. You stating that He doesn't has no effect on Him. He listens to His children regardless of what you believe.

If He never visited?????
You mean like walking in the Garden with His children in the cool of the evening?
Or, leading His children out of Egypt?
Or, sitting at the mercy seat in the temple?
Or, a public dying on a cross only to return 3 days later?
His next appearance will prevent us from bombing humanity out of existence.
Stay tuned....

 

[amrchaos]

"God" is the omnipotent (all powerful) all omniscient (all knowing) and omnibenevolent (all loving) trinity of "the father the son and the holy spirit". You can find God revealed in His Holy word.

Is that really "God"? Or is God something entirely else?

That is not a really good question when you ask someone already a part of a religious faith. They are forced to say "Yes, this is God!!" or relinquish what they hold to be true.

 

[The Irish Ram]

It's a fine question and a fine answer, Yes, that is God. We are not forced to say it. We say it because it's the truth.

 

[amrchaos]

Well you have to expect some feedback, right? He's right. I liked the first part. If something made us, it's not sitting around talking to everyone or listening when they pray.

But how if he never visited did they figure out there was a god? Probably because of my dad's thinking. He says, "something had to have created us" It just "has to be". That's how human's have always thought, unless you were a deep thinker and dared to think otherwise. It takes balls to go against a god others say will send you to burn in hell if you deny him. You must really not believe to deny him. And that is why I deny him. I really don't believe. Not one bit.

And so if most people think something MUST HAVE made us then they would call this thing god. Just like a fish in a fish bowl might think we are gods. And notice we didn't create him. He may believe we do because how can it be any other way? Well fishy, we bought you from a fish store and you were born from another fish and we just purchased you. Then the fish says, "but I pray to you every night and I believe you will let me live forever in heaven after I die". And I would say to the fish, "where did you come up with that nonsense?"

Well, you are going to live somewhere after your clay exterior gives out, so.........

God disagrees with you. He said He does listen to our prayers. You stating that He doesn't has no effect on Him. He listens to His children regardless of what you believe.

If He never visited?????
You mean like walking in the Garden with His children in the cool of the evening?
Or, leading His children out of Egypt?
Or, sitting at the mercy seat in the temple?
Or, a public dying on a cross only to return 3 days later?
His next appearance will prevent us from bombing humanity out of existence.
Stay tuned....

'Well, you are going to live somewhere after your clay exterior gives out, so.........'

I think what you are saying is that after we die, we will need a place to live.

When one thinks about that statement as it stands alone, that statement really does not make sense. Why would anyone teach people to speak in such self-contradictory terms is beyond me.

Maybe you should say:

"Well, you are going to afterlive somewhere after your clay exterior gives out, so............"

because the distinction between this life and what Christians perceive as the afterlife are not the same and the terms should be kept separate. That is, if you really don't want to scare people away from your religion.

 

[The Irish Ram]

I don't understand what doesn't make sense. We are made in the image of our Father. He is spirit, so are we. We are spirit wrapped in clay. The clay deteriorates. The spirit does not.
You never cease to exist. It is not after life, it is a continuation of your life. Nothing scary about that. And not believing that doesn't alter it.
This "life" is a vapor, and less than one second of your eternity. It is our basic training camp. It determines your status as you move forward.

 

[amrchaos]

It's a fine question and a fine answer, Yes, that is God. We are not forced to say it. We say it because it's the truth.

You say that because you believe it is the truth.

But, is it the actual truth, independent of belief? How do you prove that it is?

And please, don't go waving the Bible around and claiming thats your proof because, really, the Bible is a bunch of claims about the Christian and Jewish God.

Claims are not proof, no matter how you present the claim or who presents it.

When I think about it, I maybe asking for too much. Think about it. What if something did come to Earth and proclaimed itself God and today is Judgement Day. A hard-nosed skeptic could point to it and declare it was an alien trying to take advantage of us. Despite how many people this thing "Judged", the fact remains that we would not know if it was God or some over-ambitious and murderous alien until after the fact of being "Judged".

By then, it may be too late.

 

[MaxGrit]

(shakes head sadly) Have talked with 11 and 13 year-olds here at the apartments who would absolutely humiliate you with their thoughts on this stuff. Maybe instead of chiming in on a thread confirming you're less intelligent than tweens, you should go find a site where you can impress people instead of embarass yoruself and your parents.

Hahahahah. Those kids are only smart from your perspective since you have the reasoning ability of a 10 year old.