Zone1 How big is your interest in the Religions of this world?

[alang1216]

But according to you, God is a moral force, right?

God enforces morality, its morality, not the one we might wish for.

 

[knuckles]

Why is that?

Judaism and Christianity both seek to capture the adherents using guilt and threats. Buddhism appeals more to the intellect.

 

[ding]

God enforces morality, its morality, not the one we might wish for.

Sounds like you are saying your perception of God is morality. Do you not believe morality is good?

 

[ding]

Judaism and Christianity both seek to capture the adherents using guilt and threats. Buddhism appeals more to the intellect.

That was never my take on Christianity. My take on Christianity is that its focus is on living in the here and now. That virtue is its own reward.

How does Buddhism appeal to your intellect? What aspect of Buddhism do you find intellectually stimulating?

 

[alang1216]

Sure sounds like you are arguing that your perception of God is moral and good.

God's morality is akin to natural selection, it demands survival as the only good. Cultures that wish to live in peace with their neighbors are generally destroyed by their neighbors that value war and conquest. That is God's moral code but is that 'good'?

 

[ding]

God's morality is akin to natural selection, it demands survival as the only good. Cultures that wish to live in peace with their neighbors are generally destroyed by their neighbors that value war and conquest. That is God's moral code but is that 'good'?

I’m pretty sure that moral is synonymous with good and immoral is synonymous with bad. If your perception of God is that God is moral, then I don’t see how you can deny intelligence and goodness.

 

[ding]

God's morality is akin to natural selection, it demands survival as the only good. Cultures that wish to live in peace with their neighbors are generally destroyed by their neighbors that value war and conquest. That is God's moral code but is that 'good'?

So basically you are equating God with evolution.

You probably shouldn’t be saying things like “God is the morality and understanding we needed to survived in our societies as they developed.”

 

[alang1216]

Sounds like you are saying your perception of God is morality. Do you not believe morality is good?

I don't personally think genocide is good but it is very effective if you want to occupy another people's homeland so, by God's moral code, it is good.

 

[alang1216]

I’m pretty sure that moral is synonymous with good and immoral is synonymous with bad. If your perception of God is that God is moral, then I don’t see how you can deny intelligence and goodness.

Please consider that all my past uses of 'moral' should be changed to 'amoral'.

Morality describes what is deemed proper or acceptable, which might not always align with what is truly good. For example, an action might be moral according to a certain code but still morally questionable if it lacks a desirable "good" quality, such as an act that is morally obligatory but performed for the wrong reasons.

 

[ding]

I don't personally think genocide is good but it is very effective if you want to occupy another people's homeland so, by God's moral code, it is good.

It’s because of your poor perception of God that you can’t distinguish embellishment from the points of the accounts. But putting that aside, you have clearly demonstrated your desire to believe in something greater than man.

 

[ding]

Please consider that all my past uses of 'moral' should be changed to 'amoral'.

Morality describes what is deemed proper or acceptable, which might not always align with what is truly good. For example, an action might be moral according to a certain code but still morally questionable if it lacks a desirable "good" quality, such as an act that is morally obligatory but performed for the wrong reasons.

It’s hard having conversations with people who are fraudulent.

So are you now arguing that Wright was arguing that his perception of God is amorality?

 

[ding]

alang1216

Robert Wright's exploration of God's morality
In his book and related interviews, journalist Robert Wright analyzes how the character and moral tenor of God, particularly in the Abrahamic religions, appear to evolve.

• Changing moods of God: Wright argues that religious beliefs are adaptable and reflect the changing social, political, and economic circumstances of human cultures.
• Moral progress: He discusses the idea that as human morality progresses and expands—with a growing sense of compassion beyond one's own group—the conception of God also matures to be more broadly compassionate.
• Not a personal argument: While his work may prompt discussion on God's morality, this is presented as a historical and psychological analysis of the concept of God rather than his personal theological argument that God is amoral.

 

[knuckles]

That was never my take on Christianity. My take on Christianity is that its focus is on living in the here and now. That virtue is its own reward.

How does Buddhism appeal to your intellect? What aspect of Buddhism do you find intellectually stimulating?

This sums it up:

Buddhism Intellectual Appeal​

People find Buddhism intellectually stimulating because it offers a comprehensive and rational framework for understanding the mind, reality, and human suffering. The core teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths—life is full of suffering (dukkha), suffering has a cause, suffering can cease, and there is a path to end suffering—are presented as practical, analytically sound principles rather than dogma. This approach aligns with scientific inquiry, emphasizing logic, reason, and empirical testing, which appeals to those with a rational or analytical mindset. The Buddha discouraged metaphysical speculation that lacked practical benefit, focusing instead on questions directly related to ending suffering, making the philosophy highly pragmatic.

Buddhism’s extensive discourse on the nature of the mind, self, and consciousness provides a rich field for intellectual exploration. This focus on mental processes and their transformation resonates with modern psychology and neuroscience, leading to significant cross-fertilization between Buddhist practices and scientific research. The tradition encourages critical thinking and personal verification of teachings through meditation and experience, rather than blind faith, which further enhances its intellectual appeal. Figures like the Dalai Lama have promoted this rational aspect, advocating for a Buddhism that is compatible with scientific findings and open to revision when necessary. This emphasis on reason, self-examination, and the mind’s potential for transformation makes Buddhism a deeply engaging intellectual pursuit for many.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.

buddhism.stackexchange.com
practice - I explain why I prefer discuss Buddhism intellectually but others don't seem to accept my point. Why is that? - Buddhism Stack Exchange

studybuddhism.com
Why People Are Attracted to Buddhism — Study Buddhism

reddit.com
r/Buddhism on Reddit: What attracts people to Buddhism?

neh.gov
Buddha and Mind | National Endowment for the Humanities

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Buddha philosophy and western

 

[ding]

This sums it up:

Buddhism Intellectual Appeal​

People find Buddhism intellectually stimulating because it offers a comprehensive and rational framework for understanding the mind, reality, and human suffering. The core teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths—life is full of suffering (dukkha), suffering has a cause, suffering can cease, and there is a path to end suffering—are presented as practical, analytically sound principles rather than dogma. This approach aligns with scientific inquiry, emphasizing logic, reason, and empirical testing, which appeals to those with a rational or analytical mindset. The Buddha discouraged metaphysical speculation that lacked practical benefit, focusing instead on questions directly related to ending suffering, making the philosophy highly pragmatic.

Buddhism’s extensive discourse on the nature of the mind, self, and consciousness provides a rich field for intellectual exploration. This focus on mental processes and their transformation resonates with modern psychology and neuroscience, leading to significant cross-fertilization between Buddhist practices and scientific research. The tradition encourages critical thinking and personal verification of teachings through meditation and experience, rather than blind faith, which further enhances its intellectual appeal. Figures like the Dalai Lama have promoted this rational aspect, advocating for a Buddhism that is compatible with scientific findings and open to revision when necessary. This emphasis on reason, self-examination, and the mind’s potential for transformation makes Buddhism a deeply engaging intellectual pursuit for many.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.

buddhism.stackexchange.com
practice - I explain why I prefer discuss Buddhism intellectually but others don't seem to accept my point. Why is that? - Buddhism Stack Exchange

studybuddhism.com
Why People Are Attracted to Buddhism — Study Buddhism

reddit.com
r/Buddhism on Reddit: What attracts people to Buddhism?

neh.gov
Buddha and Mind | National Endowment for the Humanities

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Buddha philosophy and western

How has this manifested itself in your life in practical ways?

 

[alang1216]

So basically you are equating God with evolution.

You probably shouldn’t be saying things like “God is the morality and understanding we needed to survived in our societies as they developed.”

Why not? Sounds right to me.

 

[alang1216]

It’s because of your poor perception of God that you can’t distinguish embellishment from the points of the accounts. But putting that aside, you have clearly demonstrated your desire to believe in something greater than man.

Wrong. Genocide has always occurred, not just in the Bible, so it seems to me they are viable survival options.

 

[alang1216]

It’s hard having conversations with people who are fraudulent.

Then don't.

So are you now arguing that Wright was arguing that his perception of God is amorality?

I believe he would say that God as a natural force is amoral, it is man's perception of God that puts him in a moral framework and it is that framework that evolves as societies evolve.

 

[knuckles]

How has this manifested itself in your life in practical ways?

Step off chump..... Are you my ******* shrink?

BTW........... up till now I've been humoring you.

 

[ding]

Why not? Sounds right to me.

That’s not what God is and it’s not what Wright was arguing. Like I said before, your perception of God is God is a figment of man’s imagination.

So don’t be surprised if you don’t discover God that way. But the good news is that you will prove yourself right that way and that seems important to you.

 

[ding]

Wrong. Genocide has always occurred, not just in the Bible, so it seems to me they are viable survival options.

Really? You think that’s a logical way to live? Might makes right?