The Concept of God
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brianlux said:This thread has been around awhile (and believe me, I have nothing against anything that has been around awhile), so every now and then I like to go back to HFD's original question:
"so basically the point of this thread is not to argue about faith, or try to convince someone else that you are right or they are wrong. just, what do you think god is, if you believe a god exists?"
It's interesting that the discussion keeps going back to talking about the Christian God and Jesus and the Bible. Can we clarify again, HFD, is that what the topic is? Or is it literally what you stated as in, the general concept of "a god"?
True, most who discuss on this forum are westerners and therefor most are more familiar with the Christian concept of God, but (assuming anyone else cares), I wouldn't mind hearing about what people think of the more general concept of "a god".
For me, the concept of "god" is a bit of a conundrum because I tend to think that if there is a god, that god is undefinable in human terms and encompasses all that we cannot understand which means god (or God) is simply that which we have yet, if ever, to discover and be able to quantify, identify and understand. It's like looking at a sealed box and wondering if there is something in it and if so, what is it and can we ever understand what it is?
And I should add, I'm very OK with the idea that there may be things we don't can't and never will be understand. The universe without some mystery would seem a far more coldly academic without a bit of mystery to spice things up.
I should have framed the question as more in relation to a "creator" (scientific or spiritual), instead of "god", as it seems people seem to find it too difficult to think about god without religion.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0 -
HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"Post edited by Annafalk on0 -
Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me""My brain's a good brain!"0 -
Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"
And also, what about the geography question? do you think you would have found christianity had you been born in iran?Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0 -
HughFreakingDillon said:Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"
And also, what about the geography question? do you think you would have found christianity had you been born in iran?
I think people most probably adopts to the culture in which they are born.
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Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"
If I would say that my God is better than yours, that would be offensive would it not? An ignorant arrogant sob some would say.
I believe in one God.
I believe that if I was raised in any of the places you mentioned, (there are Christians in those countries, perhaps not many, even China has got quite a few Christians amongst its population but they are a silent few out of necessity.) If I had been taught something else at a young age I believe that one way or another I would have found my way to Christ anyway.
God works in fasinating ways. You should read the book Son of Hamas
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosab_Hassan_Yousef#/search
https://books.google.com/books/about/Son_of_Hamas.html?id=QFYw0R8S-KMC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button
If a guy with this kind of background can find Christ, I think anyone can.Post edited by RYME on0 -
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.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata0 -
RYME said:Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"
If I would say that my God is better than yours, that would be offensive would it not? An ignorant arrogant sob some would say.
I believe in one God.
I believe that if I was raised in any of the places you mentioned, (there are Christians in those countries, perhaps not many, even China has got quite a few Christians amongst its population but they are a silent few out of necessity.) If I had been taught something else at a young age I believe that one way or another I would have found my way to Christ anyway.
God works in fasinating ways. You should read the book Son of Hamas
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosab_Hassan_Yousef#/search
https://books.google.com/books/about/Son_of_Hamas.html?id=QFYw0R8S-KMC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button
If a guy from this background can find Christianity I think anyone can.
So I get it, I suppose.
there are so many pieces of other religions/belief systems that christianity has obviously lifted from, I can't see how anyone could believe that it is the defining religion.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0 -
and of course anyone with resources can find god. but why does no one from an undiscovered tribe somewhere in africa have no relationship with god? why wouldn't he show them the path?Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0
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HughFreakingDillon said:RYME said:Annafalk said:HughFreakingDillon said: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?
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?
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.
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.
And also;
"You should have no other gods before me"
If I would say that my God is better than yours, that would be offensive would it not? An ignorant arrogant sob some would say.
I believe in one God.
I believe that if I was raised in any of the places you mentioned, (there are Christians in those countries, perhaps not many, even China has got quite a few Christians amongst its population but they are a silent few out of necessity.) If I had been taught something else at a young age I believe that one way or another I would have found my way to Christ anyway.
God works in fasinating ways. You should read the book Son of Hamas
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosab_Hassan_Yousef#/search
https://books.google.com/books/about/Son_of_Hamas.html?id=QFYw0R8S-KMC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button
If a guy from this background can find Christianity I think anyone can.
So I get it, I suppose.
there are so many pieces of other religions/belief systems that christianity has obviously lifted from, I can't see how anyone could believe that it is the defining religion.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata0 -
Christians are taught there is one God. One God that created the Heavens and the Earth. That He created everything that there isn't another God.
I personally agree it is geographical. But I will say people will continue to look for more. I know lots of people that just keep converting their denominations to fit whatever they're currently into. So I do believe anyone in any location can find God or any other religion or God.
I personally don't care what others believe. To each their own and am delighted they have a connection with what they study, whether that be God, a God, or several Gods like the Egyptians, science or energy or higher power.Oh please let it rain today.
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.0 -
FoxyRedLa said:Christians are taught there is one God. One God that created the Heavens and the Earth. That He created everything that there isn't another God.
I personally agree it is geographical. But I will say people will continue to look for more. I know lots of people that just keep converting their denominations to fit whatever they're currently into. So I do believe anyone in any location can find God or any other religion or God.
I personally don't care what others believe. To each their own and am delighted they have a connection with what they study, whether that be God, a God, or several Gods like the Egyptians, science or energy or higher power.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0 -
For Christians it boils down to Faith.Oh please let it rain today.
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.0 -
well I would imagine that's the case for all religions.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0
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Hugh is there anything else you can think of that you have Faith in that no one else can explain? Anything not even religious. Just throwing it out there.Oh please let it rain today.
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.0 -
FoxyRedLa said:Hugh is there anything else you can think of that you have Faith in that no one else can explain? Anything not even religious. Just throwing it out there.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0
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HughFreakingDillon said:FoxyRedLa said:Hugh is there anything else you can think of that you have Faith in that no one else can explain? Anything not even religious. Just throwing it out there.
What is something you hope for?
Do you have Faith in humanity?
And thank you for not getting angry with me for asking.Oh please let it rain today.
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.0 -
health of my children.
no, I don't. I hope that humanity comes through, but I see no reason to believe that it will. the most powerful people in the world wish to deplete it for wealth, to the detriment of the rest of us and future generations. until we have people in power who give a shit, that won't change.Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall0 -
HughFreakingDillon said:FoxyRedLa said:Hugh is there anything else you can think of that you have Faith in that no one else can explain? Anything not even religious. Just throwing it out there.
He wants to take the burdens and anxieties out of your life. Day to day issues, and struggles continue, they certainly do for everyone, but they become easier to deal with. He knows that believing would be difficult for many. That's why there are people around, who try to spread the good news whenever possible knowing full well that it might not be real popular.
No I don't run around on the streets yelling God and Jesus with bumper stickers all over my car. I'm not one of those.0 -
Thanks hugh, makes perfect sense.
And I agree with your thoughts on humanity. Absolutely amazes me. Why anyone thinks/believes they're better than any living thing. All lives matter. Why anyone thinks they can steal something from someone's porch or lawn, or mug an old lady, or take someone else's child from a parking lot or store, or abuse animals and empty their ash tray in the street ....... YOU BETTER STOP ME......Oh please let it rain today.
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.0
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