ReligionDiscuss General Theology, Religions and Denominations, God's Attributes, Predestination and Free Will, Dispensationalism, Eschatology, Philosophy, Origins, Archaeology, Science, World History and other such topics.
I don't think it's a stupid question at all, really. I've often wondered "what" god is, or "why" he exists. I lean towards agreeing with Nietzsche, that god is a hopeful concept created to dispel the confusion towards the concept of death and nothingness.
'why do you think God exists?' is not a stupid question
but
'why does God exist?' is because the definition of God is an explanation for why we exist
'why do you think God exists?' is not a stupid question
but
'why does God exist?' is because the definition of God is an explanation for why we exist
Can you qualify what you mean by this? all you are doing by opening the question 'why do YOU think..' is opening it to conjecture and a personal opinion which may not necessarily be correct.
What 'God' is................... -
November 25th, 2010, 02:41 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by curtisloew
Is God, as Karl Marx stated, 'an opiate for the masses?' Is he as Nietzsche suggested, a human construction to dispel the horrors of pain and suffering. Not necessarily who created God, but what is his purpose if not to aid human suffering? Or is his existence irrelevant and inevitable?
Contemplating the thread-title question... assumes 'God' existing in some form, whether 'real' or 'imagined' (noting the variety of viewpoints that may assume one or the other). Reality includes the totality of what exists here NOW...moment to moment, ever fresh, ever new. This very Existence, Self-cognizant is the reality that 'is'. We may equate this 'Is-ness' with 'God'...the Infinite One, the All, the Immensity (or Existence/Consciousness itself).
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Or is his existence irrelevant and inevitable?
Existence is relevant wherever meanings or values are related. 'God' as previously defined is not inevitable, because such includes the conception of time, eventuation, progress. 'God' is eternity, infinity. Creation might be 'inevitable' if this Infinite Intelligence is ever pregnant with 'creative thought' and 'intention' to express Itself.
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Because that is not the question i want or need to ask. I respectfully disagree I don't think it is a stupid quesiton, I think it's a very uncomfortable unexplainable question. In fact I think John Mortimer has offered an incredibly sound answer, what it seems is that the Christian interpretation of the life force of a 'God' has been altered into this 'opiate' or relief from suffering, and if this is the case we do need to address why there is a God if, as such, we don't need him...? if he's just an excuse or projection of the human mind...
One one level, religious belief and institutions could be said to be using 'God' as a 'support system', a 'medicine' for one's ills, a 'relief' for one's suffering, a fall-back plan or last resort of 'faith'. When there is nothing left to turn to,...miraculously....there is 'God'
But 'God' has always been present, as He is nowhere absent, neither could be by virture of his omnipresence. (here we use the personal pronoun 'He' per convention, as 'God' could be 'She' just as well, or 'IT' depending on referential context and preference).
It becomes a subtle inquiry or contemplation... if 'God' really exists at all; - the means and proofs of discovering or proving this have their own set of challenges, per how one determines 'qualification'...let alone definitions. In sanatana dharma (Hinduism) we recognize 'God' in his personal and impersonal forms, and that there is only One Supreme Being or Original Reality from which and within which everything has its existence (wherein all things appear and disappear). All there is, is 'this'...without form and with form. Therefore I'm comfortable with 'God' as formless as well as having many forms, male or female. Break everything down to its quintessential elements of energy and consciousness,....Its all 'God'.
We can equate 'God' and 'Existence' as being One and the Same, or differentiate...assuming 'God' somehow created existence or brought it into being (here is a time element), or that Existence always was...and 'God' somehow came into being from its foundation. Man can make gods in his own image of course, by his own imagination, needs, personal agenda, affections, etc. All this still takes place within the context of Existence...call it 'God' if you will, or personify 'God' as 'He', 'She', a 'Trinity', 'pantheon' or 'heirarchy' of gods/goddesses...its all still part of the manifold One.
There is no 'proof' for 'God' existing, unless 'God' is the essence of existence, origin of consciousness, substance of spirit.
Slogan/motto:
It's common knowledge that the least government is the best government.
It would stand to reason that the least government is no government at all :p.
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November 25th, 2010, 03:34 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by curtisloew
Is God, as Karl Marx stated, 'an opiate for the masses?' Is he as Nietzsche suggested, a human construction to dispel the horrors of pain and suffering. Not necessarily who created God, but what is his purpose if not to aid human suffering? Or is his existence irrelevant and inevitable?
Can you qualify what you mean by this? all you are doing by opening the question 'why do YOU think..' is opening it to conjecture and a personal opinion which may not necessarily be correct.
the definition of the word God answers your question
Slogan/motto:
II Timothy 2:15, Psalms 6:5, I John 3:1-2, Romans 5:1 I John 4:18, I Timothy 2:4-5, II Corinthians 9:8,11, III John 2
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November 25th, 2010, 05:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by curtisloew
Is God, as Karl Marx stated, 'an opiate for the masses?' Is he as Nietzsche suggested, a human construction to dispel the horrors of pain and suffering. Not necessarily who created God, but what is his purpose if not to aid human suffering? Or is his existence irrelevant and inevitable?
Curtisloew,
when God answers my prayers, God has relieved my lack.
When I pray for and believe for healing in my body and my pain goes away.
God is active in my life because I request it of Him.
God is not a buttinski.
God does certain basic things for all people. Ie, it rains on the just and the unjust alike. Gravity works for all people, for their good, or if they are foolish, to their detriment.
I go to God's word, the scriptures, I find the promise of God that meets my need. I go to God with it and my need is met.
God is active in my life.
Believe and you shall receive.
Ignore God, God will ignore you.
God is not a buttinski.
You must go to Him. It is your choice and your choice alone.
when God answers my prayers, God has relieved my lack.
When I pray for and believe for healing in my body and my pain goes away.
God is active in my life because I request it of Him.
God is not a buttinski.
God does certain basic things for all people. Ie, it rains on the just and the unjust alike. Gravity works for all people, for their good, or if they are foolish, to their detriment.
I go to God's word, the scriptures, I find the promise of God that meets my need. I go to God with it and my need is met.
God is active in my life.
Believe and you shall receive.
Ignore God, God will ignore you.
God is not a buttinski.
You must go to Him. It is your choice and your choice alone.
oatmeal
that reminds me of the picture of Jesus with a lantern standing outside a house
and
there is no handle on the door
so
it must be opened from the inside
To me, both are valid, but "Why do you think god exists?" more so, as I don't believe in god, therefore it wouldn't apply if one asked me "Why does god exist?".
To me, both are valid, but "Why do you think god exists?" more so, as I don't believe in god, therefore it wouldn't apply if one asked me "Why does god exist?".
it is reason and logic
and
not opinion that determines what makes sense
it is reason and logic
and
not opinion that determines what makes sense
That's biased by your personal beliefs, though
To you, it seems illogical to even ask "Why do you think god exists?" rather than "Why does god exist?" because to you, the existence of god is an immediate fact.
However some of us don't consider this to be a fact, and therefore we do not see either question as illogical. Or at least I don't.
To you, it seems illogical to even ask "Why do you think god exists?" rather than "Why does god exist?" because to you, the existence of god is an immediate fact.
However some of us don't consider this to be a fact, and therefore we do not see either question as illogical. Or at least I don't.
you will always have your opinions
so
why don't you work on something that you may not have
reason and logic
I have already explained more than once the problem with the question
and
that is the definition of the word God used in the question is the answer
What 'God' is................... -
November 25th, 2010, 02:41 AM
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