Do you believe in God?

[tpark103]

Yep

 

[SuperCobraJet]

Think you're onto something there mate


Interesting thought regarding the concept of God and it's origins .... If we lived in a female only society , or one whereby women back in ancient times were the dominant sex , do you not logically think that your God would be female ?

If a frog had wings..............

God has indicated being referred to in the male gender by his label of Father(Heavenly).

However he has all the attributes of male and female.
Thats where we get them from.

What else is involved?

One's will and emotions.

Haha yeah thats the key. 'blind faith'. People that are born into the religion as opposed to choosing.....

Born in or out, you still have to choose.

 

[Denur]

One's will and emotions.

.

Both are nothing more than additional input sources for the brain to base your decision on.
Just a small example:

Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio studied people who had received brain injuries that had had one specific effect: to damage that part of the brain where emotions are generated. In all other respects they seemed normal - they just lost the ability to feel emotions.

The interesting thing he found was that their ability to make decisions was seriously impaired. They could logically describe what they should be doing, in practice they found it very difficult to make decisions about where to live, what to eat, etc.

In particular, many decisions have pros and cons on both sides. Shall I have the fish or the beef? With no rational way to decide, they were unable to make the decision.

note: I haven't checked the validity of this research, but it in line with what I have learned 20 years back on this subject: http://changingminds.org/explanations/emotions/emotion_decision.htm

 

[homeforsummer]

However he has all the attributes of male and female.

Who'd have thought that RuPaul was the ideal human?

 

[RalliArt/////]

I think you missed the part in bold in my original text.
Why bother praying at all, other than to acknowledge God and Jesus…

Many of the scriptures listed in my first post about prayer answer this.

… if He appears to have everything planned ahead with a certain time table?

He doesn’t have everything planned ahead for us.
We decide which “gate” to walk through and then God will act accordingly. (Mt 7:13,14)“Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it."

It says nothing about a prayer for something (other than being saved) will be heard in due time.

Because overall nothing else is more important.

May I assume that He is all-knowing and all-powerful? Because if that is the case, than He has always known what is going to happen, what you are going to pray for and whether or not events will unfold favourably to the prayer. If God is not omniscient, or omnipotent than chances are that He will not even be able to answer your prayer, even if He wanted to.

The question isn’t can God foresee the future, but whether he chooses to do so.

When God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac to test his faith, He did not know until the last moment whether Abraham would choose to obey. Upon seeing his choice, He told Abraham: “Do not put out your hand against the boy and do not do anything at all to him, for now I do know that you are God-fearing in that you have not withheld your son, your only one, from me.” (Genesis 22:12)

(2Pe 3:9) "The Lord is not slow respecting his promise [of the coming day of reckoning], as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.”
If God knew which people would obey him or not, well then his “patience” and “desires all to attain to repentance” would be meaningless. God “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2)

Why would God send his son Jesus to earth and watch him suffer for the ransom sacrifice if God knew in advance which people would benefit from this?
(1 Timothy 2:3, 4) “…whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”
(1 Tim. 2:6) “who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all…”
For it’s true that “each of us will render an account” for the choice that we make. (Rom. 14:12) Compare (Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32)

Certain people caused God to “feel hurt” and get “incensed.” (Ps 78:40, 41. 1Ki 11:9, 10) Would he have these feelings if he already knew the actions of these people?
(1Jo 4:8; 1Co 13:4, 7) “God is love,” “love hopes all things.”
(Ro 2:4-6) “the kindly quality of God is trying to lead you to repentance.” Compare: Heb 6:10-12

If God knew in advance that Adam and Eve would sin, it would mean that God deliberately setup all the wickedness ever committed in history on mankind. Or if Adam’s sin was God’s will, why was he sent out of Eden as a sinner? (Gen. 3:17-19, 23, 24)

“You are not a God taking delight in wickedness.” (Ps. 5:4)
“Anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates.” (Ps. 11:5)

God warned Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17)

If you knew your son or daughter was going to fail a certain task would you still encourage them to go along with it? Would you warn them of the danger even though you knew they would fail?

What would that say about God if he offered something very desirable, but knew all along they would never enjoy the promise (Genesis 3:22, 23) made to them. It would be hypocritical and cruel of him to do so.

As “a lover of righteousness and justice,” (Psalm 33:5) would God offer a choice that wasn’t real?

 

[Bobalob]

God waits for something he doesnt know yet? Im confused.

 

[Denur]

Many of the scriptures listed in my first post about prayer answer this.

No, most of them are about the worshiping kind of prayer, I'm more interested in the petitioning kind (which is briefly mentioned in one of those verses).
Many religions have worshiping their god(s) at their core, as do many dictatorships by worshiping the Great Leader (Kim Jong Il was a good example for that), even some nations use a kind of worshiping to mentally bind its citizens (like the daily Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag in USA's high schools). Repetition works in gaining people for your cause subconsciously, be it a religion, a political idea or a product.

He doesn’t have everything planned ahead for us.

Than why do so many other Christians claim that they don't know God's Plan? Do they not know the Bible as well as you seem to do, and are merely using lame excuses to hide their ignorance? If there is no Plan, then it makes perfect sense not to know It.

Because overall nothing else is more important.

Yes, that seems to be the deal: worship well and often enough and get into Heaven, eventually.

The question isn’t can God foresee the future, but whether he chooses to do so.

Can he choose to do so? Because if He can, then what you've quoted and said next, still doesn't make His ignorance right. Closing your eyes for all misfortunes and evil is even worse in my book. Him not being omniscient/omnipotent would be much more acceptable for me. But at the same time He would cease to be a god and merely become 'quite a powerful being' (without a capital B).

When God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac to test his faith, He did not know until the last moment whether Abraham would choose to obey. Upon seeing his choice, He told Abraham: “Do not put out your hand against the boy and do not do anything at all to him, for now I do know that you are God-fearing in that you have not withheld your son, your only one, from me.” (Genesis 22:12)

(2Pe 3:9) "The Lord is not slow respecting his promise [of the coming day of reckoning], as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.”
If God knew which people would obey him or not, well then his “patience” and “desires all to attain to repentance” would be meaningless. God “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2)

Why would God send his son Jesus to earth and watch him suffer for the ransom sacrifice if God knew in advance which people would benefit from this?
(1 Timothy 2:3, 4) “…whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”
(1 Tim. 2:6) “who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all…”
For it’s true that “each of us will render an account” for the choice that we make. (Rom. 14:12) Compare (Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32)

Certain people caused God to “feel hurt” and get “incensed.” (Ps 78:40, 41. 1Ki 11:9, 10) Would he have these feelings if he already knew the actions of these people?
(1Jo 4:8; 1Co 13:4, 7) “God is love,” “love hopes all things.”
(Ro 2:4-6) “the kindly quality of God is trying to lead you to repentance.” Compare: Heb 6:10-12

If God knew in advance that Adam and Eve would sin, it would mean that God deliberately setup all the wickedness ever committed in history on mankind. Or if Adam’s sin was God’s will, why was he sent out of Eden as a sinner? (Gen. 3:17-19, 23, 24)

“You are not a God taking delight in wickedness.” (Ps. 5:4)
“Anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates.” (Ps. 11:5)

God warned Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17)

If you knew your son or daughter was going to fail a certain task would you still encourage them to go along with it? Would you warn them of the danger even though you knew they would fail?

What would that say about God if he offered something very desirable, but knew all along they would never enjoy the promise (Genesis 3:22, 23) made to them. It would be hypocritical and cruel of him to do so.

As “a lover of righteousness and justice,” (Psalm 33:5) would God offer a choice that wasn’t real?

 

[SuperCobraJet]

Both are nothing more than additional input sources for the brain to base your decision on.

Your example actually proves the opposite.
Emotional processing is not just additonal, but essential.
Otherwise there would be no problem making decisions on the remaining inputs.

Obviously, brain function is involved.
It's our processor, but it doesn't make the decisions.
An impairment can affect the process.
It goes without saying that a person who is clinically "brain dead", doesn't feel or do anything.

Normally speaking, decisions are made combining
reasoning, (the mind), plus the emotions, plus the will(individual characteristics).
They overlap, and are mutually dependant and essential.

Who'd have thought that RuPaul was the ideal human?

We are talking about God, not man.

 

[homeforsummer]

We are talking about God, not man.

God created man in his own image. If God has both male and female attributes, then RuPaul is theoretically closer to the ideal human.

I may also be taking the piss for my own amusement.

 

[theotherspongey]

I'm waiting for someone to post evidence as to why "God" exists. Bible verses and coincidences don't count people.

 

[Dennisch]

I'm waiting for someone to post evidence as to why "God" exists. Bible verses and coincidences don't count people.

Read back! Personal experience Yo!

 

[SuperCobraJet]

God created man in his own image. If God has both male and female attributes, then RuPaul is theoretically closer to the ideal human.

I may also be taking the piss for my own amusement.

No, afraid not.

According to the plan, we've been discussing,
We were made in his image, but seperated into man(male) and woman(female).
Thats the ideal humans.

I'm waiting for someone to post evidence as to why "God" exists. Bible verses and coincidences don't count people.

Sorry to dissapoint you but anything said in that regaurd, I believe would be purely speculative.

However, If you don't mind me asking,
Which is more relevant, that he exsists(for me), or why he exsists?

 

[homeforsummer]

According to the plan, we've been discussing,
We were made in his image, but seperated into man(male) and woman(female).
Thats the ideal humans.

...

I may also be taking the piss for my own amusement.

Incidentally, seeing as I don't believe in God anyway, dissecting the details of it is largely irrelevant to me. I happen to go along with the well-researched idea that we're the result of millions of years of evolution, and that our current appearance isn't the definitive work of someone who designed us like this from the start.

 

[Denur]

Your example actually proves the opposite.

Obviously, brain function is involved.
It's our processor, but it doesn't make the decisions. .

No and no.

I suggest you do a bit of catching up on how the brain works. Look for example at The limbic system.
On this wiki page on emotion you can find a number of theories on this subject.

 

[SuperCobraJet]

...
Incidentally, seeing as I don't believe in God anyway, dissecting the details of it is largely irrelevant to me. I happen to go along with the well-researched idea that we're the result of millions of years of evolution, and that our current appearance isn't the definitive work of someone who designed us like this from the start.

Hmmm.............
Well that is certainly your prerogative.
Although, you might expand and consider other possibilities in your research.
All that mass of extremely complex and coordinated functionality, with no design or intelligence involved?

Hmmm.............

 

[homeforsummer]

All that mass of extremely complex and coordinated functionality, with no design or intelligence involved?

Yes, as a matter of fact. There's plenty on that in the other thread and at no point have I seen any "evidence" for design that even slightly makes more sense than the current best evolutionary theory. Not even slightly.

As for expanding and considering other possibilities: I did. I went to two catholic schools, and neither the concept of God nor creationism made any sense to me then either. I recall dismissing the idea of God at around six or seven years old.

 

[Bobalob]

Hmmm.............
Well that is certainly your prerogative.
Although, you might expand and consider other possibilities in your research.
All that mass of extremely complex and coordinated functionality, with no design or intelligence involved?

Hmmm.............

Nature is a battlefield, dog eat dog, younglings being murdered and eaten, bodies invaded and desease ravages. Very intelligent.
Very physcotic.

 

[AlexGTV]

The need to believe in god comes from the void of the feeling of being in love. Now, let me eat a chunk of chocolate.

 

[kennylmao]

Oh no, from the poll I can tell almost half the population here does not believe in God. This is bad as it will soon give rise to Hades from the Underworld. I know this because it happened in the movie The Clash of The Titans. That is why we must not lose faith in God or we shall suffer the wrath. Forgive me, totally ridiculous post is ridiculous.

 

[PR1VATEJ0KER]

I'm waiting for someone to post evidence as to why "God" exists. Bible verses and coincidences don't count people.

God exists because people told me he exists and I trust those people and their sources.

 

[theotherspongey]

God exists because people told me he exists and I trust those people and their sources.

You're joking...right?

Imagine me telling my friends that I own a Ferrari. Then, YOUR friends hear about it and tell you. You believe them because you trust them and their source.

That's basically what you just said.

And I don't own a Ferrari.

 

[Quackjack]

Is it strange I don't believe in God, but I do the afterlife?

 

[AlexGTV]

God exists because people told me he exists and I trust those people and their sources.

Can't tell if trolling or stupidity.

 

[PR1VATEJ0KER]

Can't tell if trolling or stupidity.

Can't tell if serious.

You're joking...right?

I instantly paid a price by making that post, in the form of laughter.

You are right, if I used this method to validate claims I could never establish a truth.

 

[Quackjack]

Can't tell if serious.



I instantly paid a price by making that post, in the form of laughter.

You are right, if I used this method to validate claims I could never establish a truth.

Saved me a heart attack buddy

 

[SuperCobraJet]

you can find a number of theories on this subject.

I'm sure I can.

These are known, but not fully understood associations,

none of which exclude what I said.

God exists because people told me he exists and I trust those people and their sources.

God does not exsist and evolution does because people told me so and I trust those people and their sources.


Whats the difference?

 

[Dennisch]

I'm sure I can.

These are known, but not fully understood associations,

none of which exclude what I said.





God does not exsist and evolution does because people told me so and I trust those people and their sources.


Whats the difference?

Evidence.

 

[Atomics]

Is it strange I don't believe in God, but I do the afterlife?

What happens to you when you die?

 

[Atomics]

Evidence.

There is evidence for God and for evolution.

 

[Dennisch]

There is evidence for God and for evolution.

Don't double post.

And please provide the evidence for God. You'll be the first.