Does God Exist?

and just what in the holy fuck does anything you posted above have to do with what you quoted???????

 

Your distinction between religious faith and secular faith is interesting but needs work. The example that you give, the sun rising tomorrow, is an example of something both religious and secular people take for granted, although Bertrand Russell said that the truly rational person wouldn't do so (See also, David Hume). But both you and Sam believe things that there is far less consensus about: you think that religion does more harm than good, and Sam thinks that Jesus is a purely fictional figure based on Egyptian mythology. I think that in both cases your faith is misplaced. And it is faith, which is another name for strongly held opinion. Neither you nor anyone else has attempted the cost-benefit analysis to substantiate your claim about the net negative benefits of religion, and Sam obtained his information about Horus and Jesus from dubious internet sources. Why do you believe those things? Because you need to. Those beliefs fit comfortably into a cognitive map that shapes your perceptions of reality. In other words, you're both human. Not such a bad thing to be, but nothing to get holier than thou about.

 

No. It is the entire statement of your belief, is it not? What remains then are what are the qualities of mind, not the qualities of a remote god. You have identified the seat of authority in all men. God is that which you invoke. Does god exist is an authority problem. Find the authority and you find the answer to the question does god exist.

 

God doesn't exist for Sam thedope. Or I, or anyone else who doesn't feel it needs to. We have no authority problem with the self. You say there are two voices in your head. That's fine, but don't push your conscience on those whose head and heart are not apart. Let the bell that tolls be a wedding one! :-D

 

dharma exists. gods or a god may or may not.

 

Has nothing to do with my conscience. Yes there is an authority problem with the self that is why there is legislation and litigation. And there is a conflict in between your head and heart.
God exists for you feeling the need to disclaim it. In fact it seems to be a favorite subject of yours. Our invocation to good is indelible. What you call it, (good,) matters because where you put your faith in value determines how you manage your investments. Good is the authority in everyone's life. That authority is manifested by the swearing in. That is what the word god means in it's inception. We are justified by our words and if you say mine are not just you feel free to call me liar. You have through your power of invocation the facility to both bless and curse the world and as you do so so the world appears to you. The creation story of god speaking things into existence is a metaphor for that psychogenetic character of ourselves. In the story god's power to create was in the invocation.

 

I don't believe it is behaviors that make life possible. Life makes behavior possible.

 

No, you haven't learnt to speak for yourself that you say there is an authority problem with the self. Do you think law tables cannot be smashed? God doesn't exist for me in any need to disclaim it. It exists for you, because of you, and those who think it does. What you've made of it is plain to see, no matter how most of you, gods 'adherents', hide what you mean by it! lol In reality, the power to create is in the doing. In the telling we are only free to call upon our imagination. In the doing, we bring it fully to bear.

You think them apart. lol You think you're not your body.

 

You could say the same of running and we are all designed to run and you are getting close to the point that god is a doing, what you do not admit in argument is that everyone does it including you.

You do nothing in contravention of your own verdicts.

Yep the life of a squirrel is not the life of a caterpillar.

 

I missed this one from All Creatures in my determinative zeal.:tongue:

 

Why is it wise to say A God, or gods, is a finitely willed Being? There is the Fei Shung.

 

John Bariss Fertipton, the Millionaire, was a God; did such a person really exist as he does on the old TV show?

 

thedope:

Tell of your doing god.

lol That's not life in any way apart from its behaviour! Can we blame god for your being muddle-headed? For usurping your self-authority? Your mothers not letting you go for the right price? There's no-one to blame if you'll listen to reason! It has to be your own though, which doesn't mean you can't seize it out of the breeze! :-D

 

I think, thedope, the facts of expertise which must be blamed better than they are. Here they are: Dejavu is an encounter for the time of the organized Subject there was from the start at each other.
I personally don't understand it.
Substance I want to receive from the true Master-- Justify the judgment of the authority that the Subject is instead this object that, yes, as I said earlier kicks Ass from the cord between US in the healed beliefs:

no longer needed. no longer needed.

On that order my encounter with you is pre-determined.

 

You mean this?

It answers and provides a response to your ranting on faith and everyone has it and it's relevant and provides the basis for reality.

Anymore questions?

 

I guess I'm having the same trouble as NG trying to figure out what you're trying to say. You ask if there are any more questions? Yes. Can you explain these passages for me?

How does the imaginary deity change every 40 or 50 years depending on who is in office? Do you mean that prevailing ideas about God change from one period to another? In that case, it's really not the deity that's changing but people's ideas. That may suggest to you that there's something wrong with God. It suggests to me that the people who believe in God are fallible.

What are you talking about? Do you think the deity changed? Or do you mean there's been a cultural and political change in this country since the 60s, as the Baby Boomers got grayer? You'll get no argument from me on that one!

Are you talking here about the Republican establishment, the corporate elite, the evangelical fundies, all of the above, or none of the above? Obviously you're not talking about Obama, cuz he's neither white nor old, and he is the Prez. Who are the old white men? What is the cult? Admittedly, it takes a powerful faith to believe in the right-wing view of reality, but what does this have to do with faith in general? Do you think all people of faith are in that right wing political/religious camp? Not me! You seem to be superimposing a political argument or world view on a philosophical discussion about faith. I don't know what Noxious G's politics are, but there are plenty of believers who don't believe God is a Republican!

Faith is just a bet on a deeply held opinion. You obviously have deeply held opinions. Your quotes above are a whole collection of them. So what's the problem with acknowledging this? Faith usually comes up in religious contexts, but it doesn't have to. But yes, everyone has it, and it's relevant, and it provides the basis for reality. That doesn't mean that it's true or a superior guide to reality.

 

you didn't answer shit, Sam.
guess it went sailing over your head as most of this discussion has.
(man when are they gonna get that "sailing over your head" smilie)

you are clearly out of your league here, as Okie's most recent post clearly illustrates, but that is probably beyond your comprehension level as well.

 

Once again, faith is not the topic here. It's a belief in a God. I don't have any faith that God doesn't exist. I know he doesn't. That's not faith, that's logic based on facts. And part of those facts is the huge swing in the beliefs of the Christian religion.

 

I pretty much addressed what was presented to me as questions on why my last post wasn't being followed. I think if anyone is over their head, it's you.

Might I suggest you formulate an idea and then follow through with it. Bashing someone is not likely to get you noticed too much in discussions.

 

No. You didn't highlight my entire statement. You imposed yours so you wouldn't have to discuss anything.

I don't need an authority to tell me God doesn't exist. God doesn't exist. He's nothing. He just resides in the minds of people who choose to believe he does exist...like children with Santa Claus.