You ever wonder if there really is a God?

[Jin]

This question runs through my mind from time to time. It seems that there could be so many possibilities to questions like why we are here and what is the universe. I mean think, all of these religions and scientific theories- someone has to be wong. Not everyone's religion and/or theory can be right. I'm just asking this because think of the people who worship God or Allah (same thing), or Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Or think of the people of practice Bhuddism, Confucianisn, and Taoism (Daoism). One of us must be right, while the others . . . well the others are pretty much wasting there time. I ask many people how they know what they're practicing is real. They just say they have to have faith. But I think, sure faith, but having faith isn't going to ensure that every single religion is right, am I correct? And in my opinion, the people who wrote the bible are the same people who said that the earth was flat. I even came up with, while probably not logical, my own theory: God of Universe is actually - Karma (Fairies and Elves that give ‘good luck’ or ‘bad luck’ - Dark Fairies / Light Fairies (Black Magic / White Magic) Winds of Change – Winds that change fate and alter destiny. Winds that signal something is going to happen. Probably not the most fantastic or well thought out theory, but still. But I'd like to get you're guys' opinions on this, because someday we will die and I want to solve this big mystery or at least break the surface, before I go six feet under.

[gameover]

They just say they have to have faith. But I think, sure faith, but having faith isn't going to ensure that every single religion is right, am I correct?[/b] Is your only value in life is being right? I think the point of faith is that it doesnt matter if you're right or wrong. How are we limited beings supposed to understand all of GOd? We don't. All we can fully understand is ourselves. We cant understand a computer. We can only understand out relationship to the computer. We cant understand our friends. Only the relationship with our friends that we have. But if you have faith you will feel the connection with God/Allah/The One And Only Everything, and it will help you greatly in your life.

[Jin]

Yeah, people told me that too, but still . . .

[gameover]

Yeah, people told me that too, but still . . .[/b] but still what?

[Jin]

It still perplexes me (kinda like corn dogs ). How can we be so sure. And where did faith come from? What is the true meaning of faith? And, I don't mean just any dictionary definition, I mean the real meaning of faith.

[gameover]

Faith is putting trust in something beyod your scope. I don't have faith in "god" . I have faith in faith, because when I have faith, I just feel it. It works out. The moment you stop fighting the world, thinking you gotta fight to be happy and to get the things you need...the moment you accept that the world is connected way beyond your scope, and have faith.....then that will be the moment you wont have to fight for your existence anymore. YOu won't feel like life is a struggle against forces. You wont feel the need to figure everything out. You can finally "fall into the hands of God" (figuratively speaking) and the world will take care of you.

[Jin]

Okay . . . but what about corn dogs?

[gameover]

Okay . . . but what about corn dogs?[/b] Now you're getting way to deep for me! I can't even beggin to try and stretch my mind to fit that into my conciousness. I have a headache just thinking about it!

[Jin]

I know, it may be many years before we can figure this one out.

[gameover]

I know, it may be many years before we can figure this one out[/b] Years? I don't think we'll ever be able to crack that one. SO if we all just have faith inthe corn dog.....

[Jin]

Yes, but HOW DO THEY GET THE WEENIE INTO THE CORNY EXTERIOR?!

[CT]

Where did that "faith" come from? Indoctrination by society, and family. The odd 'convert'. But mostly, because the people have been raised with it, I think. Like I always say - I dont know shit. I dont (I try) represent my opinions as opinions, and not as facts. I hate when people do act like they're the ones that have the truth. You're absolutely right about, someone's gotta be wrong, how can you know. You cant. Believe what the priest tells you, or draw your own conclusions. I dont think there's a heaven and stuff. However, if there is, that'd be cool though. And I dont think, that a God would be such an asshole to condemn anyone to hell or anything just because I didnt believe the fairy tales my fellow men believed in, especially when, in my opinion, there's nothing else to rationalise Him other then the word of other people.

[Taosaur]

Originally posted by Jin & CT Someone's gotta be wrong Not necessarily. So long as religion is practiced with the understanding that our experience on earth is mysterious and impermanent and cannot be understood absolutely, I think they are all equally true. Now, for every religion there are also people who adopt the beliefs as their colors, their flag, and wave them in people's faces declaring everyone else to be wrong, and often these are the people we associate with that religion, because they yell the loudest. Even people who consider their world-view scientific are often clutching pet theories so that they can feel they're on the "right" side. Actual scientists accept that they know very little, and hope for their theories to be disproved, because it means an advancement of knowledge. To me, religion is a tool--it's only right or wrong depending on how you're using it.

[gameover]

Well put Taosaur. Bravo :bravo:

[IZ]

Yeah, we all ask that question. I myself think too much. But then I ask myself this: Can you really prove that God doesn't exist?

[Jammy]

I think human created God in theyr favour. They gave him a human aperance they could recognize themself in, look up to, and find a meaning in it all. But if there were no humans would God still exist, would it even mather? If he did what shape would he have. So i think humans created God, and then religions became the word of his tongue(society, that has changed alot since those times). It may seems like there are to many religions to be all right(who can claim they have right anyway?). But what many theologian tries to do is not to find the differnce, but the similarities between religions. And when one think of it they could all lead back to the same source. Like differnt shortcuts in windows XP all leading back to the same program. So it comes down to faith i also think. Weither you like to think of reality as a computer program, a quantum world, a magic playground made by god, or just an ocean of light. Its your view of the world that matters. I myself dont believe in a humanly shaped God. I believe more in a consciouss universe, and think this is "God" all togheter. Everything is "God" and every piece contains the whole inside of it. Like a big Holographic universe.

[LokisBtch]

I've only had maybe two moments in my life that I did not believe there is a God...but I think(opinion) that it depends on how you perceive God...and any religion being right vs. wrong depends on how you define right and wrong...I think that for God, there is no right/wrong...God is sooooo beyond details because God just IS...Is-ness....human beings ARE limitted...by language, by culture, by worldview...but are any of these wrong...faith is interpretation via life experience...all religious experiences are filtered through a perspective, a culture, a language...could a human being experience God as he/she IS...no, because we cannot comprehend, experience complete Is-ness, be-ing, because human's experience limits...so none of its wrong and all of its "right" in this sense that it IS, and in that nature is a part of the Is-ness of God...can God be wrong? Now take for example the God of the early Bible...He's thunderous and vengeful, and smotes thoughs who operate against His will...today we would consider a God like this to be "wrong"...but religious experience for people of the time in the early Bible was filtered through their culture, a culture whose Gods were originally Gods of thunder with human characteristics, so in terms of human right and wrong, human's were wrong, not God...but for God, none of it was wrong because its apart of IS-ness, His creation kind of working itself out, creating, re-interpreting...I believe that's the point...we are supposed to be at the point in creation unfolding where old ideas are being re-interpreted...in fact, we're always supposed to be in this state, because its creation unfolding...and creation unfolding is right because it shares in the Be-ing of God... Just some thoughts...please don't ever take what I write is preaching because all minds are kind of the reflection of creation unfolding...limitless, and unfolding, so argue with me...its good for me, and its good for you...it reflects creation...

[bradybaker]

Equally true? Everyone is right? What is the world coming to? When the teacher asks the class what 1+1 is, there is only one right answer (for those of you who are confused, the answer is 2). You can't just have faith that the answer is 3 or 8 of 6,340,456. Whether you want to admit it to yourself or not, there is only one right answer, one truth. "Faith" arises when people get frustrated and say to themselves, "I have no idea, how about I just go with the first b.s. answer that pops into my mind." The reality that we observe reveals to us not a warm and friendly place where everyone can just get along, but a cold and bitter place where everyone is constantly fighting for survival. We just happen to be better at surviving than almost anything else, so we get this big ego and start to think that the universe revolves around whatever we want it to.

[Taosaur]

Originally posted by bradybaker Equally true? Everyone is right? What is the world coming to? When the teacher asks the class what 1+1 is, there is only one right answer What is 1.5 + .5? What is 3-1? What is (255-251)/2? There may be one answer, but there are infinite ways of getting there. You're looking at the question on the blackboard and asking, \"Is it true?\" Originally posted by bradybaker The reality that we observe reveals to us not a warm and friendly place where everyone can just get along, but a cold and bitter place. If you are projecting emotions like "warm and friendly" or "cold and bitter," then is what you're observing reality? You're anthropomorphizing. You can throw all the love or hate you want at the world, and it still simply is, with you in it.

[Awaken]

Originally posted by LokisBtch I've only had maybe two moments in my life that I did not believe there is a God...but I think(opinion) that it depends on how you perceive God...and any religion being right vs. wrong depends on how you define right and wrong...I think that for God, there is no right/wrong...God is sooooo beyond details because God just IS...Is-ness....human beings ARE limitted...by language, by culture, by worldview...but are any of these wrong...faith is interpretation via life experience...all religious experiences are filtered through a perspective, a culture, a language...could a human being experience God as he/she IS...no, because we cannot comprehend, experience complete Is-ness, be-ing, because human's experience limits...so none of its wrong and all of its \"right\" in this sense that it IS, and in that nature is a part of the Is-ness of God...can God be wrong? Now take for example the God of the early Bible...He's thunderous and vengeful, and smotes thoughs who operate against His will...today we would consider a God like this to be \"wrong\"...but religious experience for people of the time in the early Bible was filtered through their culture, a culture whose Gods were originally Gods of thunder with human characteristics, so in terms of human right and wrong, human's were wrong, not God...but for God, none of it was wrong because its apart of IS-ness, His creation kind of working itself out, creating, re-interpreting...I believe that's the point...we are supposed to be at the point in creation unfolding where old ideas are being re-interpreted...in fact, we're always supposed to be in this state, because its creation unfolding...and creation unfolding is right because it shares in the Be-ing of God... Just some thoughts...please don't ever take what I write is preaching because all minds are kind of the reflection of creation unfolding...limitless, and unfolding, so argue with me...its good for me, and its good for you...it reflects creation... I won't argue with you at all because that's exactly what I believe. Awesome stuff

[AcidBasick]

Originally posted by Taosaur+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Taosaur)</div> <!--QuoteBegin-bradybaker Equally true? Everyone is right? What is the world coming to? When the teacher asks the class what 1+1 is, there is only one right answer What is 1.5 + .5? What is 3-1? What is (255-251)/2? There may be one answer, but there are infinite ways of getting there. You're looking at the question on the blackboard and asking, \"Is it true?\" Originally posted by bradybaker The reality that we observe reveals to us not a warm and friendly place where everyone can just get along, but a cold and bitter place. If you are projecting emotions like \"warm and friendly\" or \"cold and bitter,\" then is what you're observing reality? You're anthropomorphizing. You can throw all the love or hate you want at the world, and it still simply is, with you in it.[/b] Although your statement is true that we are projecting our emotions onto the world, I don't understand why you say the world is, with him in it. Why can't the world be composed of emotions if we all are, essentially, a collection of feelings and human observations colliding with one another with our interactions? Those collisions don't always consist of love and understanding; instead they often are composed of hatred and anger. In turn, we project those emotions back onto others in one form or another. We can't live separately to survive. We are required to have human experiences together. To live in a human world with all that it entails. I don't believe it is true to say that you cannot give the world emotion. The world as you or I perceive it is the result of what we, as humans, create. Our creation is our interactions. Our interactions are emotions. I don't think the question is whether God exists or not, but rather if you believe God exists. It's not up to society to decide this for you. You must either believe in Him or them, or not. I remember reading that all humans have a portion of their brain devoted to belief in God. Could this be proof that God exists? Is it a natural occurance as a result of intelligence and the inherent questioning of reality that comes with it? Could it be that we all desire the existence of God but could still be simple constructs of molecules and atoms clinging and changing in a single shape? Could the universe have been created from nothing without a God? Has it always existed and time is just a fabrication of our society? Does the universe operate on different rules then our own? Does God require humans in order to exist? I suppose my outlook is our lives are fleeting; in the vast scope of what is and will be, we have only a breath's worth of existence. Take advantage of it. Savour it. You may only get one shot - so whatever you do, don't waste it.

[bradybaker]

Taosaur wrote: bradybaker wrote: The reality that we observe reveals to us not a warm and friendly place where everyone can just get along, but a cold and bitter place.[/b] You pulled a Micheal Moore and altered my quote Taosaur, I did not put a period after "bitter place". The quote should read: "The reality that we observe reveals to us not a warm and friendly place where everyone can just get along, but a cold and bitter place where everyone is constantly fighting for survival." I was not projecting emotions, I was using emotions that people are familiar with as an analogy for how the world around us actually functions.

[Taosaur]

Originally posted by bradybaker I was not projecting emotions, I was using emotions that people are familiar with as an analogy for how the world around us actually functions. Hrm...and you're seeing a difference here...

[Sassinator]

But what if God/Alla/Yahvé...is merely the being/entity we humans feel the need to have as the almighty creator. We need an answer to why and how we came to be here on earth right, so why not create something that embodies the creator! Every religion has its theories on who God is and why he is here and what he means for us to do throughout our lives, but aren't these really just life directions being chosen by human beings. Aren't religions/cults just in place to propagate the almighty? I'm just theorizing here, because I actually do believe there is a higher being and likely it is God. But really I don't think I could not believe as then I wouldn't have an answer as to how we humans and that which is around us came to be. The big bang theory, monkey and apes...all these theories seem a little hokey to me. I think nobody has found the answers as to why we are here. You'll have to forgive my lack of recall on philosophers' names, but one philosopher I studied back in University spoke of the theory of the cave. What he said was basically that our reality is our cave, all that we know and think is based on what we know of our reality and the way we see it...but will we ever or will we never know what is outside of the cave? What I am trying to say is how are we ever to be concretely 100% sure that got exists? or even if he exists, is he the reason that we are here and that reality is as it stands at present? and if that is true then what?

[Amethyst Star]

I am proud to be a Christian and I believe that there is one omnipresent, omnipotent God. Now, I'm not going to shove my faith down ppl's throats, so don't flame me. I believe there there are definate rights and definate wrong. Now, as fallable human beings we may not always understand them and things look gray, and I'm subject to that as well. I don't claim to know everything, but I do know that in 19 years, with everything I've learned I find it hard how ppl can think there isn't a God. I have forgotten a lot of what I've learned but there is so much out there! If you're really wondering, there's a couple of awesome books called The Case for Christ and The Case for the Creator that you can read. I just know that I count myself blessed to have been born into a strong Christian home and have been raised with good strong values. My life hasn't been peachy, but my parents are still in love after what will be 26 years this month, I haven't had to go through any really drastic family problems. I haven't had any problems with drugs or alcohol. I'm going into my second year in college, and even though I wouldn't normally be able to pay for it I know that God will provide if I remain faithful to him. I have good friends who don't try to get me to do things I know are wrong and because of my faith I have the courage to stay away from things I know are wrong. I've never had to worry about where my next meal is coming from or where I'm going to sleep at night. That's just my testimony. One more quick thing, God and Allah are not the same. There is the God of Christianity and there is Allah of Islam. The religions are different and you can study them. I have the Bible, they have the Koran. I just thought I'd mention that. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 -Amé