Do you believe in God and why

[mauGR1]

4 minutes ago, Tagged said:

Sometime we are blinded by other egos, who yet have to discover they still have, as well show it in a brilliant way time to time. As you know, (should now by now) if you managed to let go of your ego, you would never have been the top poster here in this thread ????????????

Did I say that i "managed to let go of my ego" ?

Of course i have ego, physical, soul,  and spiritual. Same as humans.

I'm not here to win a discussion, or anything, can you please stop accusing me of something which doesn't exist, except in your imagination,  and stay on topic ?

 

[VincentRJ]

23 hours ago, Tagged said:

Read most animals have good moral among their own specie, and most animals do not kill each other of same specie. 

 

Are you sure? Read the following article.

 

"Animals unquestionably kill members of their species, all the time. Male lions slaughter all the cubs when they join a new pride; rival ant colonies of the same species fight bloody wars; chimpanzees have been shown to kill each other at similar per capita rates to humans.

 

We humans can be a violent species, with stories of war, murder and terrorism frequently hitting the headlines. Yet according to new findings, meerkats put our bloodthirsty tendencies to shame.
A team of researchers, led by José María Gómez, studied the murderous tendencies of 1,024 different mammal species. Meerkats came out on top, with 20 per cent of the cute critters being slaughtered by their own species."
https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/do-animals-murder-their-own-species/

 

Some years ago I was amazed when I read that certain types of female spiders would eat the male after copulation had taken place. Read the following scientific report investigating the situation. What's interesting is that even spiders have differences in personalities which can affect their behaviour.

 

"Then the female spiders — all virgins — then were thrown together with males. The gentler females were more likely to copulate first before attacking their mates, whereas the more aggressive females went after the males before even having sex, the researchers found.

 

We reached the conclusion that there are aggressive genetics which vary among females and make them act aggressively, both when they feed off prey, and when they approach a male in courting," study director Jordi Moya Laraño told SINC. "Others are docile in both contexts, highlighting the existence of different personalities."
https://www.livescience.com/45066-virgin-female-spiders-eat-males.html

 

I hope I have enlightened you. ????
 

[Tagged]

11 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

Are you sure? Read the following article.

 

"Animals unquestionably kill members of their species, all the time. Male lions slaughter all the cubs when they join a new pride; rival ant colonies of the same species fight bloody wars; chimpanzees have been shown to kill each other at similar per capita rates to humans.

 

We humans can be a violent species, with stories of war, murder and terrorism frequently hitting the headlines. Yet according to new findings, meerkats put our bloodthirsty tendencies to shame.
A team of researchers, led by José María Gómez, studied the murderous tendencies of 1,024 different mammal species. Meerkats came out on top, with 20 per cent of the cute critters being slaughtered by their own species."
https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/do-animals-murder-their-own-species/

 

Some years ago I was amazed when I read that certain types of female spiders would eat the male after copulation had taken place. Read the following scientific report investigating the situation. What's interesting is that even spiders have differences in personalities which can affect their behaviour.

 

"Then the female spiders — all virgins — then were thrown together with males. The gentler females were more likely to copulate first before attacking their mates, whereas the more aggressive females went after the males before even having sex, the researchers found.

 

We reached the conclusion that there are aggressive genetics which vary among females and make them act aggressively, both when they feed off prey, and when they approach a male in courting," study director Jordi Moya Laraño told SINC. "Others are docile in both contexts, highlighting the existence of different personalities."
https://www.livescience.com/45066-virgin-female-spiders-eat-males.html

 

I hope I have enlightened you. ????
 

Ehm, some small devils in the paradise is just natural ???? so called male dominanse and violence as also female, yes, 

 

nature is rough, 

[Elad]

Despite humans being morally good or bad around the globe, humans are the only species that actually cares for other species and the environment. Moreover, we are the only species that is potentially capable of preventing a natural disaster such as an asteroid impact.

 

In the year 2029 on April 13th (a Friday) a 350 m wide asteroid named "Apophis" will approach and pass Earth closer than our communication satellites that are currently in orbit, and will be visible by the naked eye from some parts of the planet on that night. Although the probability of Apophis hitting us is almost zero, the probability of an asteroid similar to this one or bigger than Apophis hitting the Earth sometime in the future is 1 (it will happen) and us humans are the only species that could prevent such a disaster. 

 

The question is, should we intervene or should we let nature take its course. Does it happen for a reason, to pave the way for new species to evolve, just like what happened 65 million years ago which gave rise to modern mammals we see today including us humans.

 

If God does exist and these asteroid impacts are an act of God, then I don't think its a God I'd really want to worship.        

[sirineou]

6 minutes ago, Elad said:

Despite humans being morally good or bad around the globe, humans are the only species that actually cares for other species and the environment. Moreover, we are the only species that is potentially capable of preventing a natural disaster such as an asteroid impact.

 

In the year 2029 on April 13th (a Friday) a 350 m wide asteroid named "Apophis" will approach and pass Earth closer than our communication satellites that are currently in orbit, and will be visible by the naked eye from some parts of the planet on that night. Although the probability of Apophis hitting us is almost zero, the probability of an asteroid similar to this one or bigger than Apophis hitting the Earth sometime in the future is 1 (it will happen) and us humans are the only species that could prevent such a disaster. 

 

The question is, should we intervene or should we let nature take its course. Does it happen for a reason, to pave the way for new species to evolve, just like what happened 65 million years ago which gave rise to modern mammals we see today including us humans.

 

If God does exist and these asteroid impacts are an act of God, then I don't think its a God I'd really want to worship.        

Wouldn't be funny if god put us here to prevent  the asteroid from hitting Earth and save his favorite creation , the majestic Kangaroos, and we did not do it because we thought that it was his plan for the asteroid to hit. Boy would he be  mad.

He be all, " that's the last time I make humans. one FN thing I wanted them to do , and they screw that up also" 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/2/2021 at 11:25 PM, Surelynot said:

Just messing........I 'hate' the cherry picking....not by you....but so called scholars. 

If the great flood killed everyone except those on the ark, who did the sons of Noah have children with to repopulate the world?

Come to that, if Adam and Eve were the first two people, does that make us all a result of incest?

[VincentRJ]

On 4/6/2021 at 6:22 PM, Tagged said:

Ehm, some small devils in the paradise is just natural ???? so called male dominanse and violence as also female, yes, 

 

nature is rough, 

Some small devils?? ????

 

A fundamental principle of all forms of life, big or small, is to survive and reproduce. Without that deep, embedded, instinct or motivation, or whatever you want to call it, life could not exist.

 

In order for any form of life to flourish, including all plants, it has to successfully compete with adversaries. Even bacteria engage in warfare. Here is some recent research that sheds some light on the issue, and provides evidence that even bacteria will kill their owns species.
https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/bacteria-fight-competitors-by-turning-them-against-each-other-305815

 

"Some bacteria can release toxins that provoke their neighbours into attacking each other, a tactic that could be exploited to fight infections.

 

Bacteria often engage in 'warfare' by releasing toxins or other molecules that damage or kill competing strains. This war for resources occurs in most bacterial communities, such as those living naturally in our gut or those that cause infection.

 

They found that when used against a single competitor, provocation backfires: the provoked strain mounts a strong toxic counterattack and harms the provoking strain.
However, when there are three or more strains present, provocation causes the other competing strains to increase their aggression and attack each other. This can lead to the competitors wiping each other out, especially when the provoking strain is shielded from, or resistant to, their toxins."

 

'Good' and 'Bad' are relative terms. That which is considered to be 'bad' for a particular individual human, might be 'good' for the society as a whole, and vice versa. Likewise, what is 'bad' for any particular species, is 'good' for a another competing species
 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:05 AM, Elad said:

humans are the only species that actually cares for other species and the environment.

Humans are also the only species that destroys the planet on an industrial scale. Environmentalists are only like the boy with his finger in the dyke- eventually the dyke will rupture and the world we inhabit will, IMO be destroyed. Perhaps that is nature's way- any species that overpopulates or destroys it's environment becomes extinct, and a new species arises to take its place.

[mauGR1]

38 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Humans are also the only species that destroys the planet on an industrial scale. Environmentalists are only like the boy with his finger in the dyke- eventually the dyke will rupture and the world we inhabit will, IMO be destroyed. Perhaps that is nature's way- any species that overpopulates or destroys it's environment becomes extinct, and a new species arises to take its place.

Love and war , intended as creation and destruction, in a bigger picture, appear to be 2 sides of the same coin.

[ivor bigun]

On 4/8/2021 at 7:49 AM, mauGR1 said:

Love and war , intended as creation and destruction, in a bigger picture, appear to be 2 sides of the same coin.

I am so glad i was born when there were only3 billion on the planet ,by the time my son is in his 50/60s there will be 12 billion ,If there is a God why does he not do something ,but then he may soon ,like another war ,to kill off billions of us . as the world starves i think maybe it will be inevitable.

[Tagged]

2 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

I am so glad i was born when there were only3 billion on the planet ,by the time my son is in his 50/60s there will be 12 billion ,If there is a God why does he not do something ,but then he may soon ,like another war ,to kill off billions of us . as the world starves i think maybe it will be inevitable.

Rise and fall, and rise is the natures way to guide 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Tagged

[ivor bigun]

7 minutes ago, Tagged said:

Rise and fall, and rise is the natures way to guide 

Natures way ,there is no God to do anything ,he was invented by The Jewish people ,then accepted by the Christians and the muslims.

mind you the Romans had quite a few Gods????

[Tagged]

44 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Natures way ,there is no God to do anything ,he was invented by The Jewish people ,then accepted by the Christians and the muslims.

mind you the Romans had quite a few Gods????

God was nothing new when the family of Abraham thinkers start seeing visions and what they believe is god. Have to remember many people see music, see stories in pictures or in words, and others see different colours than you and me. Often the more you think of something, you get answers in different ways, either it comes in dreams, happenings what people do or say, as well some here it loud in their minds, or it comes by overwelming feelings. I do think we all had it in one or other ways. Especially when falling in love for first time, second or third, you know this one is the right one, and you dont even know why ???? 

 

visonary people comes in any context and forms, and many of those whit the greatest thoughts was or are bipolar, have adhd or something simular in a mix or a different form. Normal people do not allow themselves to think outside the box, but more likely to follow others when everything is set and accepted by the majority. Onther way is when they are forced to it and therefor have to accept it. And thats what I believe most believers got their fait from, after many generations forced to accept it and finely they believe it. 

 

Reminds me of the monkeys and the lather. 

 

"

The Monkey Ladder

A group of scientists placed five monkeys in a cage, and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on top. Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with cold water. 

After a certain amount of this, each time a monkey would to start up the ladder, the others would pull it down and beat it up; this too went on for a while, but eventually no monkey would dare try climbing the ladder, no matter how great the temptation.

 

The scientists then decided to replace one of the monkeys. The first thing this new monkey did, of course, was start to climb the ladder. Immediately, the others pulled him down and beat him up.

After several beatings, the new monkey learned never to go up the ladder, even though there was no evident reason not to, aside from the beatings.

The second monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The first monkey participated in the beating of the second monkey. A third monkey was changed and the same was repeated. The fourth monkey was changed, resulting in the same, before the fifth was finally replaced as well.

What was left was a group of five monkeys that — without ever having received a cold shower — continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.

If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they beat up on all those who attempted to climb the ladder, their most likely answer would be “I don’t know. It’s just how things are done around here.”

 

 

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

...

The Monkey Ladder

 

A group of scientists placed five monkeys in a cage, and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on top. Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with cold water. 

After a certain amount of this, each time a monkey would to start up the ladder, the others would pull it down and beat it up; this too went on for a while, but eventually no monkey would dare try climbing the ladder, no matter how great the temptation.

 

The scientists then decided to replace one of the monkeys. The first thing this new monkey did, of course, was start to climb the ladder. Immediately, the others pulled him down and beat him up.

After several beatings, the new monkey learned never to go up the ladder, even though there was no evident reason not to, aside from the beatings.

The second monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The first monkey participated in the beating of the second monkey. A third monkey was changed and the same was repeated. The fourth monkey was changed, resulting in the same, before the fifth was finally replaced as well.

What was left was a group of five monkeys that — without ever having received a cold shower — continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.

If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they beat up on all those who attempted to climb the ladder, their most likely answer would be “I don’t know. It’s just how things are done around here.”

Great story, reminds me of the Covid ladder that we are not supposed to question...

[Tagged]

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Great story, reminds me of the Covid ladder that we are not supposed to question...

Except some of us understand the massage, and also have friends who work in the front line, and know more about the virus than most of us. Thats the difference. However, the Spanish flue took 5 years, and stayed more than a decade with us causing serious problems for people, and normaly it takes 10 years to develop a safe vaccine. 

 

And the we in our time still struggle with poeple who do not believe covid 19 is a problem, that is a problem. So no, nothing simular to the monkey and the lather at all. 

 

We will have to live with the covid 19 many years to come with or without vaccine, no matter what you believe or think. 

[Peter Denis]

4 minutes ago, Tagged said:

Except some of us understand the massage, and also have friends who work in the front line, and know more about the virus than most of us. Thats the difference. However, the Spanish flue took 5 years, and stayed more than a decade with us causing serious problems for people, and normaly it takes 10 years to develop a safe vaccine. 

 

And the we in our time still struggle with people who do not believe covid 19 is a problem, that is a problem. So no, nothing simular to the monkey and the lather at all. 

 

We will have to live with the covid 19 many years to come with or without vaccine, no matter what you believe or think. 

I am not denying covid.  I am just questioning the 'common narrative' which does not allow differing views on how to address the issues and promotes mass-vaccination as the ONLY solution.  

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

I am so glad i was born when there were only3 billion on the planet ,by the time my son is in his 50/60s there will be 12 billion ,If there is a God why does he not do something ,but then he may soon ,like another war ,to kill off billions of us . as the world starves i think maybe it will be inevitable.

I believe that God created everything, including earth, and God also included a mechanism by which planet earth can control or eliminate species that overpopulate themselves, or destroy their environment- that mechanism is referred to by me and some others as Gaia. So, to answer your question, God did do something about it, right at the beginning of the planet.

In the past, humans controlled their population growth by war, with a bit of famine and pestilence added now and again. I don't have to remind you of the virus rampaging at the moment. 3 billion is a pretty good number, so perhaps we'll get back to that before we completely pollute ourselves into extinction.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, Tagged said:

Normal people do not allow themselves to think outside the box, but more likely to follow others when everything is set and accepted by the majority. Onther way is when they are forced to it and therefor have to accept it. And thats what I believe most believers got their fait from, after many generations forced to accept it and finely they believe it. 

Nah!

I stopped believing in religion before I left school, and had no faith at all till later in life. No one forced me to have faith.

I just can't believe that life, the universe and everything are just some sort of enormous accident that happened out of nothing.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

I am so glad i was born when there were only3 billion on the planet ,by the time my son is in his 50/60s there will be 12 billion ,If there is a God why does he not do something ,but then he may soon ,like another war ,to kill off billions of us . as the world starves i think maybe it will be inevitable.

The next wars may be over water. There just isn't enough of the drinking/ irrigating sort for everyone in certain countries. It could be over the Nile, if one understands what is going at the moment.

[CharlieH]

Language Police post and a response to it removed.

[Nojohndoe]

On 4/14/2019 at 10:50 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

We are the highest form of intelligent life on the planet, yet we did not create everything we see around us, so who did? There has to be a creator. Take a look at the human genome, it’s too complex to have just happened by accident.

 

Having said that, I look at life and consider that perhaps God has a sick sense of humour…. as do many who post here!

 

Guru Rajneesh said... "Life is a lemon, squeeze the whole juice."… Not bad advice that.

 

(Looking at some people’s behavior, - I use the words “intelligent life” with considerable reservation!)

"The  human Genome" ? Really? How more complex  than  a lizard in real terms? As a species humans  have evolved  to a capacity to eliminate  viable  existence of itself and anything much more than  cockroaches. !

Is that intelligence at it's  best or an abheration that the system of natural selection will inevitably prevail to regenerate whatever  can manifest itself in a new  cycle of survival?

"God" is an entity of existence  which neither science nor theology  can define but which as a factor of even neanderthalic considerations has involved the development of  cults  within cults of  manipulated convictions irrelevent to anything  but  control of social /communal accord more  often than not in stark contradiction of the "theology" preached..!

Universal Existence has no definable explanation by other than theory or theology and neither can claim  validity .

But science  at least does not attempt to  inflict compliance . It is the Theologians who  use science to  obliterate non compliant populations in order to achieve the  political objectives.

It is that incentive implicit in theological based regimes that has inhibited and  crippled human development .

Even communism which to some invokes the very raw principles of theological egalitarianism has been incapable of dispensing with what becomes an equivalent  theological core control.

Democracy(ies) have  never escaped the base control of  elitist /financed/priviledged /patsy/etc candidates  for  "representative" selection.

Our "intelligence"  is/has been?  will continue  to  be...... contradicted  by our own incapacity to abandon the more core inherited aspect of reptilian reliance on  individual actions of  survival that will  eventually  guarantee  our collective  demise.

God" is  existence...now...for anything currently alive...it has a tenure that should be appreciated   for the term of  tenure...without  harm to others who have  the right  to same.

 

 

[StreetCowboy]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Nah!

I stopped believing in religion before I left school, and had no faith at all till later in life. No one forced me to have faith.

I just can't believe that life, the universe and everything are just some sort of enormous accident that happened out of nothing.

Keep trying.

If your faith cannot convince you of something that you are unwilling to accept, your faith is inadequate and failing you.

 

Back in the day, people's faith was strong enough to lead them to war and to slaughter infants and innocents.

 

Regardless of what you believe, if your faith cannot drive you to something you believe to be immutably wrong, then your faith is weaker than your opinion and your judgement.

 

SC

[ivor bigun]

10 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

Keep trying.

If your faith cannot convince you of something that you are unwilling to accept, your faith is inadequate and failing you.

 

Back in the day, people's faith was strong enough to lead them to war and to slaughter infants and innocents.

 

Regardless of what you believe, if your faith cannot drive you to something you believe to be immutably wrong, then your faith is weaker than your opinion and your judgement.

 

SC

I fear that faith ,especially one still is strong enough to slaughter infants and innocents ,as we see daily  in the newspapers.

[Tagged]

26 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

I fear that faith ,especially one still is strong enough to slaughter infants and innocents ,as we see daily  in the newspapers.

And it doesnt stop with religion, politics, soccer hooligans/fans, bikers, you name it. People are willing to even kill for pride, a wrong put out of respect, misunderstandings, it is just some humans nature. Teached, genetics, life experience that lead up to dissaster, veterans who do not fit in the society anymore,. Many reasons why people is willing to kill, or send people out to kill.

 

The Fight for resourches and land is natural herritage from  before we even became homo sapiens. Religion just another tool. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Tagged

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/15/2021 at 2:15 PM, ivor bigun said:

I fear that faith ,especially one still is strong enough to slaughter infants and innocents ,as we see daily  in the newspapers.

That's not faith. That's religion, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/15/2021 at 4:09 AM, StreetCowboy said:

Keep trying.

If your faith cannot convince you of something that you are unwilling to accept, your faith is inadequate and failing you.

 

Back in the day, people's faith was strong enough to lead them to war and to slaughter infants and innocents.

 

Regardless of what you believe, if your faith cannot drive you to something you believe to be immutably wrong, then your faith is weaker than your opinion and your judgement.

 

SC

LOL. I've read some strange things on this thread, but that qualifies for a prize of some sort.

Do you even understand what "faith" is to me? It could mean different things to others. English is a deficient language when discussing such things as faith and love. It has no graduations of meaning.

 

BTW, faith is not the same as religion for me- I have faith but I'm not religious.

[Kanada]

I actually wish I could believe but I’m one of those people who needs at least a smidgen of scientific evidence...doesn’t have to be perfect just something!

 

people have been praying to things for thousands of years...the sun, the moon, animals, volcanoes etc. and I think all with the same results!

Some say “who does it hurt”....well that’s another issue!

Fact is....millions have been killed in the name of God...that Much we all know!

Who knows?

On 4/14/2019 at 10:27 PM, mauGR1 said:

We can't understand the concept of infinite, we can't understand lots of other things.

I think it's logical to think there are superior beings, and an intelligent design.

You don't throw around randomly screws and bolts and metal planks to build an airplane, right ?

People who mock God, mock something they don't understand.

I’m sorry but what is there to understand? There’s not a scintilla of truth or fact anywhere o the subject!

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, Brad Grier said:

people have been praying to things for thousands of years...the sun, the moon, animals, volcanoes etc. and I think all with the same results!

Some say “who does it hurt”....well that’s another issue!

Fact is....millions have been killed in the name of God...that Much we all know!

Who knows?

That's religion, not faith. One can be religious and have faith; one can be religious and have no faith, but one can also be like me and have faith but no religion.

[Kanada]

On 4/14/2021 at 11:09 PM, StreetCowboy said:

Keep trying.

If your faith cannot convince you of something that you are unwilling to accept, your faith is inadequate and failing you.

 

Back in the day, people's faith was strong enough to lead them to war and to slaughter infants and innocents.

 

Regardless of what you believe, if your faith cannot drive you to something you believe to be immutably wrong, then your faith is weaker than your opinion and your judgement.

 

SC

Huh???

[Sunmaster]

1 hour ago, Brad Grier said:

 

I’m sorry but what is there to understand? There’s not a scintilla of truth or fact anywhere o the subject!

And you know that how?

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Sunmaster