Faith?

[Fafnir665]

Recently, I've noticed a lot of songs that either have a direct quote saying that God exists, or an obscure one implying the existence of such.

I'm not a slave, to a god, that doesnt exist

This line here implies that the author feels "Why should I got o church if god doesn't exist? He must exist if I have to spend so much of my life dedicated to following his doctrine. He can't NOT exist"

I'm not a slave to a lord that a doesnt give a shit

Same song. So their lord also isnt the "Set up the universe then sit back and watch as humans skrew it up" one either. They beleive that God interferes with human fallibility, and actually gives half a damn as to what happens to us.

Another Disident, take back you evidence, it has no power to deceive

Closed minded christian fundamentalist. Do they NEED to just automatically dismiss anything that challenges their viewpoint? IS their faith so unstable that they can't even LOOK at evidence contrary to their belief system? Or is it that their faith is so strong that when they look at it they automagically dismiss it as false.

I guess that brings me to my point. I've heard the opinion expressed that God exists on the faith of his believers. I dont think this can be true, so anyone else who has heard it, dismiss it for the sake of this argument.

Lets assume that God is real. Not just the christian god, but all religions monotheistic and poletheistic. (1)

How is it that each religion has such a rich tapestry of myths and stories? Did one creative person sit around and come up with them all, or does each have a basis in truth, either exagerated, or left alone? Look at the bible, theres evidence of Noahs great flood (2), and the tower of bable(3). But these are also fully integrated into the myths and beliefs of a religion and culture that came previous to the rise of christianity. By Thousands of years. This was also polytheistic. Which religion is right? Did christianity steal ideas from this previous culture, or are they both talking about the same event, exageratted over time by each independently? I dont think so, the religions must be one and the same, just altered to appeal more to humanity as it is now, after all the unity we have suffered over the AD's.

Anyways, what makes christians have faith that their belief is correct? Or do you believe, as does Dictionary dot com that faith needs to basis other then the seeing, and believing, of what you see to be truth? How can the truth have the same value, but different meaning across cultures? Does this invalidate the truth of religion, or reinforce the belief?

(1) There are convincing arguments that christianity itself is polytheistic
(2) much smaller scale
(3)Babel or babylon?

BTW, this isnt an attempt to change anyones mind about what they believe in, or argue the christian viewpoint, it's just an expression of some opinions, and a simple question.

 

[SoLiDUS]

I've heard the opinion expressed that God exists on the faith of his believers. I dont think this can be true, so anyone else who has heard it, dismiss it for the sake of this argument.

I believe in unicorns.

p00f!

*in the distance, a unicorn comes into existence confused and
irritable*

I errrr, ... ummm.

It's coming right for us!



You get the point
No need to dismiss something that doesn't even "stand on two legs."

 

[Fafnir665]

Noones going to answer me?

 

[water]

Noones going to answer me?

Let's see. The thread has been started almost two years ago. It got no useful response.
One of the reasons is that in your opener you have addressed so many points at once that it is too much to deal with in one reply. There, you have pretty much summed up about a half of threads that get posted here. Try reading them first.

 

[Fafnir665]

Well, I addressed points and asked questions It got no responses then, doesnt mean noone will try and answer any of them now. Hmm, though it may be too much at once, are you suggesting I break them all down and start 6 or 7 threads?

 

[Imperfectionist]

Faith is different from belief. Inferior minds have faith in their beliefs. Superior minds have faith in the truth whatever it may be revealed to be. The mythology of Christianity has no bearing on truth. However, the parables of Jesus we intended to lead to a questioning in the mind of the reader, and perhaps eventually, a gnosis, a realization of your own nature. When you realize your own nature, you realize God's nature. This is why simply adopting a belief system is not the teaching of Jesus.

 

[water]

Well, I addressed points and asked questions It got no responses then, doesnt mean noone will try and answer any of them now. Hmm, though it may be too much at once, are you suggesting I break them all down and start 6 or 7 threads?

Yes. For someone who knows the scope of the field a bit, addressing all those questions at once is too much of a task for one thread.

 

[marv]

He must exist if I have to spend so much of my life dedicated to following his doctrine.

Nobody says that you have to, except perhaps your parents. It's your choice to follow whatever doctrine you want to, or none at all, if you choose.

As to truth, it must conform to proof, fact or reality. What is there in any religion that can conform to demonstrable proof, fact or reality that one or more deities exist? Religion, by definition, requires the acknowledement of deities absent proof, fact and reality.

Faith and belief are the opposite of proof, fact and reality.