Do you believe in God and why

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, sirineou said:

I believe in god the   sociopath, psychopath who for about 200K years remained silent and then about 2k years ago decided to reveal himself, but only to a bunch of goat herders in a small insignificant place of the world, ignoring the rest.

Apon revealing himself he reveals nothing that would move things forward but only makes comments on things we already know.

You would think he could had said something about germs rather than let as think that it was demons, and let's his creation wallow in misery and plage .

He loves us unconditionally , except for some conditions.

I think that you know little about "God" to write that. You seem to be of the viewpoint that religion is about God, when it's not. It is men using God for their own reasons. God is what one feels within, not what one is told. If one hasn't experienced God, I feel sympathy, as it is a wondrous feeling.

 

The message must have been significant for it to spread around the world in a few centuries when there was no means of communication other than by word of mouth or letter carried by horses.

[ivor bigun]

Those who go on about God being the one ,well before the Jews came along and started the " God"religion nobody had ever heard of him or worshiped him ,they had "Gods" but there were hundreds of them .
The Jews started it ,the Christians took another path ,and then the muslims came
along and took bits of both the religions added a bit and well started islam.

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[Rimmer]

A rather nasty troll post and a post discussing moderation have been removed

[soalbundy]

On 5/12/2019 at 7:35 AM, mauGR1 said:

That's reasonable, being virtually crucified is not as bad as being crucified for real.

At least you are in the fresh air

[Skeptic7]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think that you know little about "God" to write that. You seem to be of the viewpoint that religion is about God, when it's not. It is men using God for their own reasons. God is what one feels within, not what one is told. If one hasn't experienced God, I feel sympathy, as it is a wondrous feeling.

 

The message must have been significant for it to spread around the world in a few centuries when there was no means of communication other than by word of mouth or letter carried by horses.

And you know all this how?

 

Personal experience is just that...personal. It does not and can not mean jackshit to anyone else. It's anecdotal at very best. For every "wondrous" personal experience you claim is "god"...there are a billion others whom think or claim different or otherwise. Feelings are what one feels within. You can label your own personal feelings whatever you like...but don't expect others to accept such nonsense. 

 

Music, art, VR, lab tests, brain stimuli, etc have all resulted with the same "wondrous" feelings.

No gods of any ilk needed. 

[sirineou]

28 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think that you know little about "God" to write that. You seem to be of the viewpoint that religion is about God, when it's not. It is men using God for their own reasons. God is what one feels within, not what one is told. If one hasn't experienced God, I feel sympathy, as it is a wondrous feeling.

 

The message must have been significant for it to spread around the world in a few centuries when there was no means of communication other than by word of mouth or letter carried by horses.

Before one can have a conversation about any subject all people involved need to settle on their definitions so that they are not talking about different things.

What does the word god mean to you? what does it mean to me?

Since  we are westerners and we all come  from a similar religious tradition, for expediency reasons, we assume that we are talking about Yahweh, and that's what I was talking about.

   In general all religions involve some sort of deity or deities otherwise it is not a religion but a philosophy.These deities reside in the space provided by the gaps in our knowledge hence the term "God of the gaps" So for instance , we did not know how animals evolved and we invented a creation myth to fill that gap in our knowledge.

We now know how evolution works, there is plenty of scientifically supported evidence so that gap has being filled with facts and "god" has retreated to other empty gaps.

This  need to fill the gaps is a human condition, and did not need to travel but exists independently among all humans.

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by sirineou
typo

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Before one can have a conversation about any subject all people involved need to settle on their definitions so that they are not talking about different things.

What does the word god mean to you? what does it mean to me?

Since  since we are westerners and we all come  from a similar religious tradition, for expediency reasons, we assume that we are talking about Yahweh, and that's what I was talking about.

   In general all religions involve some sort of deity or deities otherwise it is not a religion but a philosophy.These deities reside in the space provided by the gaps in our knowledge hence the term "God of the gaps" So for instance , we did not know how animals evolved and we invented a creation myth to fill that gap in our knowledge.

We now know how evolution works, there is plenty of scientifically supported evidence so that gap has being filled with facts and "god" has retreated to other empty gaps.

This  need to fill the gaps is a human condition, and did not need to travel but exists among all humans.

 

 

 

The OP is "do you believe in God?" So the thread is about whatever we choose to regard God as. I have done my  best to define what I believe god to be, though perhaps the OP might visit us with a clarification, should he care enough to do so.

[soalbundy]

I concede that the manifestations that we see is all that we will ever see, all that we will ever know. The Tao, the Absolute, Universal consciousness, call it what you will lies hidden behind its manifestations. No amount of meditation in India or praying in a Christian church will let you see behind the veil. Sir James Jeans, an English physicist, Astronomer and mathematician once wrote, " The universe looks more and more like a great thought than a great maschine."

[sirineou]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The OP is "do you believe in God?" So the thread is about whatever we choose to regard God as. I have done my  best to define what I believe god to be, though perhaps the OP might visit us with a clarification, should he care enough to do so.

The OP  starts with "It has fasinated me for years that people can believe in god and that Jesus was born to his virgin mother . " so obviously he is talking about a biblical god.

But he does conclude with "Do you really believe in him or any of the other Gods ?" 

There are 130 pages of replies and I cant posible read all of them , so if somewhere you have explained that you believe on a different god/gods I cant be blamed for missing it.

The only thing I know about your definition of god is "God is what one feels within" if that's the case then god is a pepperoni pizza because I have indigestion 

Edited August 11, 2019 by sirineou
typo

[soalbundy]

38 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think that you know little about "God" to write that. You seem to be of the viewpoint that religion is about God, when it's not. It is men using God for their own reasons. God is what one feels within, not what one is told. If one hasn't experienced God, I feel sympathy, as it is a wondrous feeling.

 

The message must have been significant for it to spread around the world in a few centuries when there was no means of communication other than by word of mouth or letter carried by horses.

The most translated book in the world after the bible is the Tao te Ching (the book of the way) by Lao Tzu, 500 bc, unlike the bible it is probably read by all those who buy it. It leads readers towards the Tao or the 'way', harmony with the life force of the universe. It starts with ;-

"The Tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao

 The name that can be spoken is not the eternal name"

[rumak]

15 minutes ago, sirineou said:

The only thing I know about your definition of god is "God is what one feels within" if that's the case then god is a pepperoni pizza because I have indigestion 

Thank you.   Yes, 130 pages and not even two people that can agree on anything .   Like everything "discussed"  about religion, politics,  or the tm30 procedures...... it just turns into a debate .  Another I am right exercise.     Well, my answer is if there really was a god than there would be a lot more humor in the world and we ALL could somehow manage to get along.   Until I see that.... I ain't believing.

Edited August 11, 2019 by rumak

[CharlieH]

IF anyone has a problem with a post use the report button, state your case. It is not for members to go rooting through historic posts etc, that could be regarded as stalking. It is certainly NOT a good idea for members to start quoting rules at each other, that's a Moderators job and if done by a member could be regarded as inflammatory.

 

I will remind you ALL of this:

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

 

 

[notmyself]

47 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The OP is "do you believe in God?" So the thread is about whatever we choose to regard God as. I have done my  best to define what I believe god to be, though perhaps the OP might visit us with a clarification, should he care enough to do so.

 

That you have.

 

 

[CharlieH]

A number of off topic/ bating/troll/inflammatory  posts removed and responses to them.

 

[sweatalot]

1645/5000

 

 

 

As some posts previously said: before we talk about a thing we need a definition.
The title of the thread is you believe in God and why?

Someone in the past said "everyone creates the god they deserve" (I forgot the exact words)

Most of the posters here are based only on the Israeli / Christian image of God and generalize this inadmissibly,
they  refer to the god created in the Middle East by the peoples (or their rulers) more than 2,000 years ago.
In the meantime, people have made intellectual progress recognizing the contradictions and the  greenness in this image of God and consider it kind of a fairy tail.
(The first contradiction I discovered was that my daily prayer "no homework" was never granted)

Some have drawn the conclusion that they deny any other possibility of a god by rejecting the existence of the Israeli God. This is wrong, of course, because they deny the possibility of ONE image of God as false and from that view point   deny the existence of any other possibility.
They say, "There is no God," but they mean there is not the God the Christians (or the Jesws or the muslims) believe in.

Maybe we are barking at the wrong tree. Maybe we should not seek a "god", but look for higher consciousness?

If there is not the Christian God or something else that we call God, that does not mean there is no higher level than human.

 

That is what the Tao te king and spiritual masters in other "religions" speak about.  Here we are talking about consciousness, and consciousness is experienced individually and has become reality for those experiencing it.

827/5000

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by sweatalot

[ivor bigun]

The OP  starts with "It has fasinated me for years that people can believe in god and that Jesus was born to his virgin mother . " so obviously he is talking about a biblical god.
But he does conclude with "Do you really believe in him or any of the other Gods ?" 
There are 130 pages of replies and I cant posible read all of them , so if somewhere you have explained that you believe on a different god/gods I cant be blamed for missing it.
The only thing I know about your definition of god is "God is what one feels within" if that's the case then god is a pepperoni pizza because I have indigestion 

Yes i was talking about " a biblical God" but i truly think many people need this so that they can comfort themselves with believing that they dont just turn to dust when its all over.
It must be great to really believe that you will see mum and dad and your wife and kids( or in my case a few wives) when you die ,but i reckon as far back as men started to think they have worshiped something ,even if it was only the moon.
Its just we all need something in our lives ,God and Jesus are just handy.

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[CMNightRider]

20 hours ago, wgdanson said:

So you feel sorry for all muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Rastafarians, etc etc

"I honestly feel sorry for everybody who chooses to mock God because there will be severe penalties for that person and God will make that person eat those words." 

[BritManToo]

On 7/25/2019 at 8:37 AM, CMNightRider said:

I honestly feel sorry for everybody who chooses to mock God because there will be severe penalties for that person and God will make that person eat those words. 

Personally, I prefer Allah, as I'm hoping for a few more virgins after I'm dead.

Heaven sounds a bit too much like Issan for me (dull pastoral scenes with endless loud music playing in the distance).

Edited August 12, 2019 by BritManToo

[ivor bigun]

"I honestly feel sorry for everybody who chooses to mock God because there will be severe penalties for that person and God will make that person eat those words." 

And here was me thinking God was"all forgiving" not the sort that would punish you just because you did not believe.
By the way how do you know he will make"that person eat those words" did he tell you ?

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[sirineou]

6 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

Yes i was talking about " a biblical God" but i truly think many people need this so that they can comfort themselves with believing that they dont just turn to dust when its all over.
It must be great to really believe that you will see mum and dad and your wife and kids( or in my case a few wives) when you die ,but i reckon as far back as men started to think they have worshiped something ,even if it was only the moon.
Its just we all need something in our lives ,God and Jesus are just handy.

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Which is why the title of Richard Dawkins's book is "The God Delusion" .

Delusions can serve to rationalise actions and conditions and provide false hope but solutions that don't really exist can have negative effects for obvious reasons.

[notmyself]

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Personally, I prefer Allah, as I'm hoping for a few more virgins after I'm dead.

Heaven sounds a bit too much like Issan for me (dull pastoral scenes with endless loud music playing in the distance).

 

Women get their husbands back.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, sirineou said:

Which is why the title of Richard Dawkins's book is "The God Delusion" .

Delusions can serve to rationalise actions and conditions and provide false hope but solutions that don't really exist can have negative effects for obvious reasons.

Everyone has delusions. Thailand is full of old western retirees that are deluded enough to think young women love them, fans are deluded enough to think someone is special because they can act or hit a ball, women are deluded to think they are special because they were born with good cheek bones, etc etc etc.

In the scope of human delusions, believing in god is not so out of place.

[VincentRJ]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Everyone has delusions.

Except enlightened Buddhists. ????

[TGIR]

In my opinion there are two subjects that no-one really wants to address.  Since I was 15 I've wondered about these two things and answers have not been forthcoming.  

 

1)  Prior to the "Big Bang" and/or Jesus, what as there?  Was there a beginning to the beginning?  If not, how was there a beginning?  How can you get something from nothing?

 

2)  This is really good and I haven't had anyone even attempt the answer:  Where did God come from?

 

Once I have these answers I will believe in whatever or wherever they lead me.   Until then I will put my faith in the Church of the NFL.

 

 

 

[CharlieH]

8 minutes ago, TGIR said:

In my opinion there are two subjects that no-one really wants to address.  Since I was 15 I've wondered about these two things and answers have not been forthcoming.  

 

1)  Prior to the "Big Bang" and/or Jesus, what as there?  Was there a beginning to the beginning?  If not, how was there a beginning?  How can you get something from nothing?

 

2)  This is really good and I haven't had anyone even attempt the answer:  Where did God come from?

 

Once I have these answers I will believe in whatever or wherever they lead me.   Until then I will put my faith in the Church of the NFL.

 

 

 

 

Humans have been on this planet 200k years, Jesus around only 2019 (ish) so, there was an event, probably in someones mind, to have/create a story, "The greatest story ever told" if you like. ????

 

That answer both questions ????  in short, the invention of a method for a small group or one to control a larger group or many.

[ivor bigun]

If humans have been around for 200 thousand yrs, wonder why God did not send someone sooner to lead them? And of course according to the muslims he sent Mohamed years later why not in the begining?

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[yodsak]

22 hours ago, TGIR said:

2)  This is really good and I haven't had anyone even attempt the answer:  Where did God come from?

Answered earlier.

[Skeptic7]

22 hours ago, CharlieH said:

 

Humans have been on this planet 200k years, Jesus around only 2019 (ish) so, there was an event, probably in someones mind, to have/create a story, "The greatest story ever told" if you like. ????

 

That answer both questions ????  in short, the invention of a method for a small group or one to control a larger group or many.

Or aka..."The Greatest Story ever SOLD"! 

[mauGR1]

On 8/13/2019 at 11:57 AM, CharlieH said:

 

Humans have been on this planet 200k years, Jesus around only 2019 (ish) so, there was an event, probably in someones mind, to have/create a story, "The greatest story ever told" if you like. ????

 

That answer both questions ????  in short, the invention of a method for a small group or one to control a larger group or many.

It's true that huge crimes have been and are perpetrated in the name of God, yet, since the beginning of time there have been countless incarnations of the supreme being, Lord Jesus being just a relatively recent one. Some of you are just making, more or less unknowingly, quite some confusion between organised religion and true messages of enlightened spirituality.

[notmyself]

16 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

If humans have been around for 200 thousand yrs, wonder why God did not send someone sooner to lead them? And of course according to the muslims he sent Mohamed years later why not in the beginning?

 

It paints a picture by all accounts. To believe it to be true is the wish to be a slave. That is aside and off topic because the result would be the same regardless of the existence of a god. My foodie friend over in Tehran calls it foolishness. Her English is pretty good but I was yet surprised when she used that word. Nice lady... always brings me top quality Persian saffron. Best in the world.

 

As I recall a couple of members have put forward the idea that religion was invented to subjugate others while I would posit that it is was and still is a human characteristic that as we may claim majesty, we are still very stupid ultimately due to our gullibility. What started out as going to the/an elder for information/knowledge gave to inventing stories because they never had an answer. It should also be noted that this would have long predated writing and that life expectancy would have been maybe 30 years so few would have known their grandparents. Over time those 'among us' whom are of a nefarious nature saw that a sea of credulity could be very useful to their agenda. Some members may argue that that is religion but their belief is not. Religions, cults, spirituality, Woowoo, voodoo, muti and so on are all facets of the same untruth.

 

[I was just about to hit submit and figured I should clarify. By untrue I mean claim 'x' has never been shown to be true. At this rate I'll need a bigger shed.]

 

Another fellow member mentioned from whence this supposed god came from. Infinite regress or not everything has to created... generally the latter is adhered to.

 

A piece on woo as mentioned above....