The Concept of God
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Yes, that's how I like to think too. I know this sounds very strange but it I have like a vision from heaven, like how it is there and it's very comforting. I don't expect anyone to understand. I think whatever happens the safety is there for us when we die.PJ_Soul said:
I figure it's easy to understand that I didn't exist before I was born, so it's not much of a stretch to believe I'll just go back to that when I die. If we came from oblivion when we were conceived, then it only makes sense that we go back to it at the time of death.Annafalk said:I don't understand how people can really believe that when we die we just die, and it's the end of it. It's hard for me to grasp.0 -
Considering our sun will run out of fuel in 7.5billion yrs give or take a billion yrs I am wondering if that is part of gods plan to officially cease life on earth?0
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I think it's more like 5 billion years. But in any case, a billion years is like a day to the gods. They will move the game on the the next table in less than a week and move and move and move until all the tables are played. But you see, entropy is the house. The house always wins.PJfanwillneverleave1 said:Considering our sun will run out of fuel in 7.5billion yrs give or take a billion yrs I am wondering if that is part of gods plan to officially cease life on earth?
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Thank you all for your elaboration in response to my question.
I tend to believe like PJSoul, whatever energy brought me here will take me out. There are a lot of other though provoking points of view.
I feel like most people that believe in God, do so because they were exposed to religion during the formative years of life like HFdillon said. That's why I believed in him/it. I've asked for people that were raised with no religious influence to post if they have "found" God, or what journey brought them from not believing to believing. I didn't get any responses. I'm sure they are out there.
If there is a God, I don't necessarily believe that the bible is His book. The longer I live the more I learn, one cannot believe everything they hear. I feel like the bible is hearsay. I'm sure there is some truth to it, but trying to figure out what is and what isn't, well I suppose there are people out there doing that.
I fully enjoy this discussion and appreciate all the tolerance and understanding everyone has displayed with regards to others views and mine.
Cheers!
amyAmy The Great #74594
New Orleans LA 7/4/95 reschedule 9/17/95
Chicago IL 1998, 10/9/00, 06/18/03, 05/16/06, 05/17/06
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Noblesville IN 05/07/10 Cleveland OH 05/09/10
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Baltimore MD, Charlottesville VA, Seattle WA 2013
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Tampa FL, Chicago IL, Lexington KY 2016
Missoula MT 20180 -
Nicely said, Amy. Good thread!amethgr8 said:Thank you all for your elaboration in response to my question.
I tend to believe like PJSoul, whatever energy brought me here will take me out. There are a lot of other though provoking points of view.
I feel like most people that believe in God, do so because they were exposed to religion during the formative years of life like HFdillon said. That's why I believed in him/it. I've asked for people that were raised with no religious influence to post if they have "found" God, or what journey brought them from not believing to believing. I didn't get any responses. I'm sure they are out there.
If there is a God, I don't necessarily believe that the bible is His book. The longer I live the more I learn, one cannot believe everything they hear. I feel like the bible is hearsay. I'm sure there is some truth to it, but trying to figure out what is and what isn't, well I suppose there are people out there doing that.
I fully enjoy this discussion and appreciate all the tolerance and understanding everyone has displayed with regards to others views and mine.
Cheers!
amy
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
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Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.brianlux said:
Well I've noticed a lot of
(closed discussions) lately. People just getting nasty.
So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
Happy Independence Day
Have a cold one on me.
Post edited by RYME on0 -
Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us. Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
That's minor child abuse.
When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"Monkey Driven, Call this Living?0 -
I was trying to figure out which rock star he looks like. Kind of a cross between Eddie Vedder and Jeff Bridges, lol.RYME said:
Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.brianlux said:
Well I've noticed a lot of
(closed discussions) lately. People just getting nasty.
So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
Happy Independence Day
Have a cold one on me.
Thanks for the cold one, RYME! Cheers!
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Well I was talking about the guy withRYME said:
Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.brianlux said:
Well I've noticed a lot of
(closed discussions) lately. People just getting nasty.
So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
Happy Independence Day
Have a cold one on me.rgambs said:Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us. Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
That's minor child abuse.
When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"
The End (good PJ tune by the way) sign being the corner pizza guy.
And the Jesus picture looks like Ed @ the end of his solo shows and wears that white surgens gown singing Hard Sun.lol.
As for the guy who was solisited by Holly Rollers at a 4th July parade umm, that's not the church that represents real Christianity.0 -
Sure it does, it was full of Bible quotes and Jesus Saves rhetoric.RYME said:
Well I was talking about the guy withRYME said:
Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.brianlux said:
Well I've noticed a lot of
(closed discussions) lately. People just getting nasty.
So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
Happy Independence Day
Have a cold one on me.rgambs said:Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us. Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
That's minor child abuse.
When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"
The End (good PJ tune by the way) sign being the corner pizza guy.
And the Jesus picture looks like Ed @ the end of his solo shows and wears that white surgens gown singing Hard Sun.lol.
As for the guy who was solisited by Holly Rollers at a 4th July parade umm, that's not the church that represents real Christianity.Monkey Driven, Call this Living?0 -
We found a Netflix Series called The Keepers that is pretty interesting.
"It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/20140 -
Ok rgambs, It's not that cut and dried my friend.rgambs said:
Sure it does, it was full of Bible quotes and Jesus Saves rhetoric.RYME said:
Well I was talking about the guy withRYME said:
Looks like a guy on the corner holding a $5 pizza sign.brianlux said:
Well I've noticed a lot of
(closed discussions) lately. People just getting nasty.
So I thought that I'd try to keep this happy thread alive.
Happy Independence Day
Have a cold one on me.rgambs said:Stupid churches at the local 4th of July parade.
Passing out fliers detailing how we are all considered evil sinners by God and a fiery torment awaits us. Oh, but don't worry, God wants us to live so if we just bow and scrape then he pardon us from the torment he sentenced us to.
Utter fucking bullshit to hand that filth out to children printed on the back of fake money.
That's minor child abuse.
When they tried to give me more million dollar bills, I told them "yep, I got one, we are going to hell and all that, move along".
I got scowls from my wife's family and I was told it's not the time for that.
Fucking religion, it operates perpetually on "not the time for that"
The End (good PJ tune by the way) sign being the corner pizza guy.
And the Jesus picture looks like Ed @ the end of his solo shows and wears that white surgens gown singing Hard Sun.lol.
As for the guy who was solisited by Holly Rollers at a 4th July parade umm, that's not the church that represents real Christianity.
A pamphlet handed out at a 4th of July parade, (and I know this happens all the time) with a few select bible verses most likely incomplete, & or out of context. Probably with some scary pictures. Preaching hell fire and brimstone. The evils of satin are so sneekey. So sublime.
There are a lot churches and a lot of preachers that mascarade around claiming to be Christian churches, or Christian preachers, but actually are not. They are of the synagogue of Satin. Doing the dirty work. Trying to cause people to think that Christians are nuts. You see their goal is actually to alienate people like yourself, & as many as they can away from Christ not towards Him.. How can that be? Just look at what they do & it works doesn't it? It got you pissed off and rightfully so you are.
Disipline is a big part of Christianity. But trying to scare people, this isn't how to win people over if that was actually the goal. I don't believe it was, I believe this tactic is ment to drive people away.
And the big give away is that they were after children to. Printing shit on the back of fake money. Yep that's pretty low.
A good Christian pastor won't be handing shit out at 4th of July parades. A good church doesn't have to advertise, or threaten people or use gimmicks to entice kids to get noticed, or to get people to attend.
But you see these fake churches and fake preachers are doing a really great job, they are causing skeptics and casual christians alike to say "Why the hell would I want anything to do with that.". That is their goal. To get people to turn and run the hell away from Jesus.
It's a sad state of affairs.Post edited by RYME on0 -
Every religious person thinks they are a true man of god and know the 'truth'.
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Both sides have to answer a similar question.
The Religious person asks the atheist: how did something come from nothing?
The atheist asks the religious person: How could God have existed for all eternity?
it is like the chicken or the egg.
Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin. Why is there a universe? Why is there anything? Can there even be nothing without there being something?
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The thing I struggle with the most with religion is why God would create a world where people experience so much sadness and pain. I understand he theory of free will. It seems like nothing though would be better than creating a world where people starve, die in war and conflict, get abused, etc....0
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Sun Ra's answer:bootlegger10 said:Both sides have to answer a similar question.
The Religious person asks the atheist: how did something come from nothing?
The atheist asks the religious person: How could God have existed for all eternity?
it is like the chicken or the egg.
Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin. Why is there a universe? Why is there anything? Can there even be nothing without there being something?
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
I'll take a stab at this, and then it's up to individuals to go forward with it or not for further understanding.bootlegger10 said:Both sides have to answer a similar question.
The Religious person asks the atheist: how did something come from nothing?
The atheist asks the religious person: How could God have existed for all eternity?
it is like the chicken or the egg.
Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin. Why is there a universe? Why is there anything? Can there even be nothing without there being something?
IS GOD REAL?
YES! God is Very Real! Look around you...He created everything. The flowers, the birds, the heavens...He even created YOU! He is not some bid floating ball of energy out in space somewhere! We were made in His and the angels' image. Even though we cannot see Him, we look a lot like He and the angels look.
We are His children, and like most parents, He loves us very much! He loves us so much in fact, that He gave us His letter of instructions, the bible, to teach us of His love. He expects us to love Him enough to study and follow His Word, the Truth, not the traditions of men. He wants you to help Him carry forth His plan which is explained in the bible. (The answers to the questions are all layed out in the bible.)
He wants you to read His Word with the innocence of a child and without men's theories and beliefs getting in your way. He is your protector. He is SUPER-Natural, which means He is
"MORE-Natural" than you can even imagine. He will watch over you like a mama bear watches over her baby cubs.
You have to make an effort though. He's not going to beg you to come to Him.
Revelation 22:13. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
GOD is Eternal.
It is impossible to doubt the reality of GOD when you see the beauty of HIS nature!
Did you know that God's Children have an angel in heaven that watches over them? They have God's attention at any time if that child needs God. As Jesus said:. Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven.
Our Father wants you to communicate with Him. He wants you to talk to Him. He wants to hear from you. He wants to know how He can help you. You can talk to God anywhere, anytime, without saying a single word out loud, because He knows your every thought. He created your soul, He is your Heavenly Father. Let Him know you love Him, and that you want to be on His side.
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RYME said:
I'll take a stab at this, and then it's up to individuals to go forward with it or not for further understanding.bootlegger10 said:Both sides have to answer a similar question.
The Religious person asks the atheist: how did something come from nothing?
The atheist asks the religious person: How could God have existed for all eternity?
it is like the chicken or the egg.
Thinking about how and why the universe exists makes my head spin. Why is there a universe? Why is there anything? Can there even be nothing without there being something?
IS GOD REAL?
YES! God is Very Real! Look around you...He created everything. The flowers, the birds, the heavens...He even created YOU! He is not some bid floating ball of energy out in space somewhere! We were made in His and the angels' image. Even though we cannot see Him, we look a lot like He and the angels look.
We are His children, and like most parents, He loves us very much! He loves us so much in fact, that He gave us His letter of instructions, the bible, to teach us of His love. He expects us to love Him enough to study and follow His Word, the Truth, not the traditions of men. He wants you to help Him carry forth His plan which is explained in the bible. (The answers to the questions are all layed out in the bible.)
He wants you to read His Word with the innocence of a child and without men's theories and beliefs getting in your way. He is your protector. He is SUPER-Natural, which means He is
"MORE-Natural" than you can even imagine. He will watch over you like a mama bear watches over her baby cubs.
You have to make an effort though. He's not going to beg you to come to Him.
Revelation 22:13. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
GOD is Eternal.
It is impossible to doubt the reality of GOD when you see the beauty of HIS nature!
Did you know that God's Children have an angel in heaven that watches over them? They have God's attention at any time if that child needs God. As Jesus said:. Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven.
Our Father wants you to communicate with Him. He wants you to talk to Him. He wants to hear from you. He wants to know how He can help you. You can talk to God anywhere, anytime, without saying a single word out loud, because He knows your every thought. He created your soul, He is your Heavenly Father. Let Him know you love Him, and that you want to be on His side.
I appreciate the intensity of your faith, but I can tell you it is certainly possible to see the beauty of nature and still doubt the reality of God.
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf0
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