The Concept of God

Smellyman

The concept of god(s) was created by man to explain the unexplained and gives comfort to those who need the explanation.

brianlux

Smellyman said:

The concept of god(s) was created by man to explain the unexplained and gives comfort to those who need the explanation.

Jeez!  Now see?  Why can't I say basically the same thing in 21 words instead of 220?

PJ_Soul

Smellyman said:

The concept of god(s) was created by man to explain the unexplained and gives comfort to those who need the explanation.

Yep.

amethgr8

most religions have a "god", diety that dictates everything or at least establishes a set of "rules" for humanity.  why is christianity any more believable than other religions?  seems they all saw what they saw back then, groups of people wrote their own "book".  it's hard for me to understand how someone can be so sure that their interpretation of "god" is more valid than the other.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

Smellyman said:

The concept of god(s) was created by man to explain the unexplained and gives comfort to those who need the explanation.

A lucrative industry as well.

Did a fantastic job of controlling the masses back in the day: toil in the soil and never question... you will be rewarded for doing so with a fantastic next life... now pour me more wine and bring me your daughter.

People are eager to beieve things when they are linked to good fortune. Look how many people give away their money to scam artists promising riches... as ludicrous as the petty scams are. Promising eternal life? Now 'that' is a license to make money.

RYME

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

Smellyman said:

The concept of god(s) was created by man to explain the unexplained and gives comfort to those who need the explanation.

A lucrative industry as well.

Did a fantastic job of controlling the masses back in the day: toil in the soil and never question... you will be rewarded for doing so with a fantastic next life... now pour me more wine and bring me your daughter.

People are eager to beieve things when they are linked to good fortune. Look how many people give away their money to scam artists promising riches... as ludicrous as the petty scams are. Promising eternal life? Now 'that' is a license to make money.

Who is getting rich from me believing what I believe?  I'm not paying anyone.  I've already mentioned what I think about churches that pass around the offering plate first thing begging for money.  Christianity is
 a way of life for me.  To each his/her own.  And I throw away all the shit that I get in the mail that telling me that I won a free car with a key even taped to the letter.  Or something telling me that I've been selected for a free cruise ship vacation.
And if you think that I live in the neighborhood of make believe, that there is no God and that it's all made up bs, grasping for what ever comforts, hey I've got some ocean front property in Arizona that I'd like to $ell you.  From the front porch you can $ee the $ea it's fantastic!
Just a little bit of my dry humor, don't take that to seriously.

amethgr8

Again, what makes the "god" of christianity any more real than the "god" of any other given religion?  because it is what one was taught.  If you were brought up with buddhism, that is what you believe.

brianlux

amethgr8 said:

Again, what makes the "god" of christianity any more real than the "god" of any other given religion?  because it is what one was taught.  If you were brought up with buddhism, that is what you believe.

My understanding is that Buddhists don't believe in God and that for them how you practice your faith is more important than what you believe.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

brianlux said:

amethgr8 said:

Again, what makes the "god" of christianity any more real than the "god" of any other given religion?  because it is what one was taught.  If you were brought up with buddhism, that is what you believe.

My understanding is that Buddhists don't believe in God and that for them how you practice your faith is more important than what you believe.

How everything is interrelated and knowing one's place in the universe co-existing with everything else in the universe.

That is what I have come to understand of Buddhists (condensed version... and at the risk of being wrong).

amethgr8

I was just using buddhism as an example.

most of this discussion, whether god exists, is the god that exists in christianity.  lot of belief systems have a diety, like a god.

brianlux

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

brianlux said:

amethgr8 said:

Again, what makes the "god" of christianity any more real than the "god" of any other given religion?  because it is what one was taught.  If you were brought up with buddhism, that is what you believe.

My understanding is that Buddhists don't believe in God and that for them how you practice your faith is more important than what you believe.

How everything is interrelated and knowing one's place in the universe co-existing with everything else in the universe.

That is what I have come to understand of Buddhists (condensed version... and at the risk of being wrong).

Plus, of course, the plum tree in the garden.

amethgr8 said:

I was just using buddhism as an example.

most of this discussion, whether god exists, is the god that exists in christianity.  lot of belief systems have a diety, like a god.

I mention/asked something along the same lines.  That never really got addressed either.  The discussion keeps going back to one religion and it's one god.

amethgr8

I would like to hear from those that believe in God, why they feel the bible is more believable or true vs other belief systems and or books of a god that recognize a god.

I was baptized catholic, methodist when I went to visit my dad down south (btw now he is a seventh day adventist)  and there are some different systems that recognize God, in different ways, my mind is open.  I don't necessarily believe everything in the western religions about the existence and capacity of God vs say, that of Kabbalahists.

amethgr8

Or the Jehovah Witnesses, their interpretation of god and the Bible is wrong? Compared to Christian belief? 

Annafalk

amethgr8 said:

Or the Jehovah Witnesses, their interpretation of god and the Bible is wrong? Compared to Christian belief? 

I don't recall anyone has been talking down on other religions, you can believe what you want, but one has to speak from where one is standing. 
You speak from your own point of view as everyone else does.

amethgr8

I'm not saying talking down, just that if one believes in God, and so many other religions do as well, it's easy to see each has their own interpretion of the same God.

Annafalk

amethgr8 said:

I'm not saying talking down, just that if one believes in God, and so many other religions do as well, it's easy to see each has their own interpretion of the same God.

I don't know, maybe

Shyner

God is in us, we can fly. We are great spirits capable of going through tremendous pain. 
Without blame we can get ourselves together and conquer what we know should be stopped. 
      It doesn't matter if you believe in god but you can't be bad. 
       Throw your hatred down. 
This is not a war against what you believe in it's become physical. Let your spirit shine. 


This is my 100th post on the subject. I'm banned. 

HughFreakingDillon

@RYME I will ask you directly: what makes your beliefs more believable than another religion's?  you have to admit your beliefs are a product of your geography and/or your upbringing, no?

RYME

HughFreakingDillon said:

@RYME I will ask you directly: what makes your beliefs more believable than another religion's?  you have to admit your beliefs are a product of your geography and/or your upbringing, no?

Annafalk said:

amethgr8 said:

Or the Jehovah Witnesses, their interpretation of god and the Bible is wrong? Compared to Christian belief? 

I don't recall anyone has been talking down on other religions, you can believe what you want, but one has to speak from where one is standing. 
You speak from your own point of view as everyone else does.

HughFreakingDillon said:

@RYME I will ask you directly: what makes your beliefs more believable than another religion's?  you have to admit your beliefs are a product of your geography and/or your upbringing, no?

Hmmm good question.  My grandma got me started.  But after that, one pursues as much or as little as they want after that. No one forced me to continue in my faith from about 4th grade on. I didn't start studying the Bible seriously until I was in my twenties.  Geography, I don't know about that, there are quite a few Christians around the world different denominations of course.  Although you'd never know it, there's Christians in every country around the world but as you would expect in some places they cannot be outspoken about it.
Just like some of you went to a church when you were young changed your mind on it and have pretty much gone the other way.  Free will comes back into play here.
Throughout life I've continued a healthy relationship with my Lord Jesus.  I've been in a few dangerous situations that should have gone really really bad but didn't.  No other explanation for me other than He must have intervened, for me to have come away unscathed.  I have nothing against other religions.  I read & study God's Word pray every day or two, I ask for forgiveness for things that I've done wrong, I thank Him for the blessings in my life, and ask for guidance and strength for things I struggle with.
Judging or condemning other religions is none of my business.

HughFreakingDillon

RYME said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

@RYME I will ask you directly: what makes your beliefs more believable than another religion's?  you have to admit your beliefs are a product of your geography and/or your upbringing, no?

Annafalk said:

amethgr8 said:

Or the Jehovah Witnesses, their interpretation of god and the Bible is wrong? Compared to Christian belief? 

I don't recall anyone has been talking down on other religions, you can believe what you want, but one has to speak from where one is standing. 
You speak from your own point of view as everyone else does.

HughFreakingDillon said:

@RYME I will ask you directly: what makes your beliefs more believable than another religion's?  you have to admit your beliefs are a product of your geography and/or your upbringing, no?

Hmmm good question.  My grandma got me started.  But after that one pursues as much or as little as they want after that. No one forced me to continue in my faith from about 4th grade on.  Geography, I don't know about that, there are quite a few Christians around the world different denominations of course.  Although you'd never know it, there's Christians in every country around the world but as you would expect in some places they cannot be outspoken about it.
Just like some of you went to a church when you were young changed your mind on it and have pretty much gone the other way.  Free will comes back into play here.
Throughout life I've continued a healthy relationship with my Lord Jesus.  I've been in a few dangerous situations that should have gone really really bad but didn't.  No other explanation for me other than He must have intervened, for me to have come away unscathed.  I have nothing against other religions.  I read & study God's Word pray every day or two, I ask for forgiveness for things that I've done wrong, I thank Him for the blessings in my life, and ask for guidance and strength for things I struggle with.
Judging or condemning other religions is none of my business.

you are avoiding the question. I'll be more direct: had you been born in Japan, or North Africa, or Iran, do you really believe you would still be Christian?

no one is asking you to judge another religion. My question was: what do you believe makes Jesus/God your god, as opposed to Allah, or Buddah? do you believe those gods also exist, or yours is the one true god? if so, what makes your religion the "correct" one? I have asked this of many christians over the years, and no one has been able to explain it to me.