??? the post was specific to sandy
two hard questions for theists.
- Thread starter scifes
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??? the post was specific to sandy
People comment on posts addressed to others all the time.
true but rarely on something directly person to person
Know? I don't.
I simply labour under the belief or assumption that the gods exist, which is my conclusion for various reasons of which I will not go into detail.
It should be noted, though, that I don't believe only a few gods are "true". Multiple pantheons are not mutually exclusive.
I already do live in a country with a majority of a different religion. But your question's answer is quite obvious- the chain of events that led to my religious identity would not have happened had I lived in a different country. Butterfly effect, as it were.
I'm tired of this battle in myself about God's existence. Here's the thing if god(s) exist, they are magical beings. I mean, what do you call event that is beyond explanation? Magic, miracle, whatever term you prefer it is all the same thing. If you don't think it's magic, just read Genesis from the Bible. God created everything by merely commanding atoms and molecules to combine. How do you think the Red Sea was parted? God accomplishes things maybe by manipulating atoms. Sheesh, if I were to do that, people would call me a wizard...or some might call me God.
And yet, the scriptures speak about how you should distance yourself from sorcerers and witchcraft. I don't get it.
Seriously, in the light that magic exists, then everything is possible. I just don't see any magic.....anywhere. So, how can a god exist?
And yet, the scriptures speak about how you should distance yourself from sorcerers and witchcraft. I don't get it.
Seriously, in the light that magic exists, then everything is possible. I just don't see any magic.....anywhere. So, how can a god exist?
Sorry, why? I have joy unspeakable. I have awesome peace and love. My life is a 10. Yes, I would be nothing without Him. You can have all the education, money, power, fame etc and still be miserable. My belief is that He creates us all with a God/Jesus-shaped hole in our souls that only He can fill. We can try food, drugs, smokes, booze, relationships, kids, family etc and nothing, absolutely nothing, fills that hole. Fortunately I learned this at a very early age. No, my life is not perfect but it is thisclose.
What is "lamans" terms?
I would NEVER consider suicide. Not ever. I am WAY too valuable to Him and have a purpose which is not yet fulfilled.
lamens terms is dumbed down so everyone can understand i could go on and explain how the optics work in long range thermal imiging works but most of you would have no idea what i was talking about unless i put it in terms u could understand.. you would be something without him the fact that your and other theists are adults and live your live preaching spreading the workd of a fairytail really makes me laugh until i cry sometimes yet people who see ufos.. take lie detector tests pass everything have airline pilots see things have conformation on multipul radars are still tagd as crazy and have all credibility stripped from them
Not all religions take that stance, though. There are plenty of religions, especially indigenous religions around the world, that do not disdain sympathetic magic. There are even religions, mine being one of them, that are centred around witchcraft and magic.
It's all in interpretation and feeling. Some see magic everywhere, some don't. No big deal. It's not people shouldn't or can't believe in different things based on their own experience.
Ah. You mean "layman's". Please use correct spelling and grammar.
What I meant was I don't see that kind of magic anywhere, so how can a god exist. Unless, we are talking about things in loose metaphorical terms where god is everything, not a omnipotent being that was responsible for commanding atoms with a mere thought. But, I'm talking about magic as not a feeling, but an inexplicable happening like a being materializing out of what seems thin air and conjuring the earth.
Okay, so then you don't believe that deity exists. No big deal. I don't get what your point is.
My point is if magic doesn't exist, then I cannot begin to fathom how a deity could possibly exist in this plane of existance. All this stuff about deities is nothing more than fantasy. It's like hoping there is an afterlife and postulating, "What would the afterlife be like if it were real?" There is no proof, but only hope. But, I wonder why anyone would put faith to that hope without evidence.
That is your perspective, because you have not had any personal experiences that led to the conclusion that deities exist. Others, on the other hand, have come to those conclusions based on what they have experiences. No two people are going to walk away from an event or phenomenon with the same interpretation of it.
What I'm saying is- that's perfectly fine and doesn't harm you in any way. So why is it such a big deal to you if people believe differently?
What I'm saying is- that's perfectly fine and doesn't harm you in any way. So why is it such a big deal to you if people believe differently?
Religious beliefs often influences others, for instance, GW Bush's ban on stem cell research. If the God Hypothesis were real, wouldn't it be evidenced in ways other than one's personal subjective experience?
Name one personal experience, that when examined, positively concludes deities exist. Please explain how conclusion reached.
I am fine with folks who have had experience to believe, that's great. Sometimes it's a hard pill to swallow when folks talk to me about how this or that is great and how god is doing this or that for them. I don't say a word because these people are good folks who need to figure things out for themselves. But, if they were to ask, and sometimes they do, I must be frank with my interpretation of the events they see as holy. And sometimes, it is a tragedy that they really miss out on the significance of some of man's achievements. Things are belittled when described as solely and just matter-of-factly the result of god's hand. Some things in life are too beautiful too just toss away to another one of god's miracles. I have a problem when their interpretation of the scripture doesn't match what is written down and not in the spirit of the passage. Likewise, the same is true when a mountain is made from a molehill because of their interpretation. And let's face it, most people who profess their faith to a god don't take the time for personal devotions or scripture readings. So, how can we trust their interpretation if they themselves are not experts?
the evidence i examined for him meshes without gaps, the evidence also states that there's one god only.
ah, no.
if i didn't resemble myself now at all, i think i would continue life like a normal commoner following his religion like a sheep, just one of the billions on earth.
if i retained some of my skepticism and didn't have all the evidence for my current religion close at hand initially. as in if i started with zero info about it. i'd say i 80% would've become an atheist.
the more time that passes with me being an atheist the less the possibility i will revert to something else.
unless, one way or another, i got "forced" or magically got very interested in my present religion enough to endure a search about it AND have enough open mindedness enough to give it fair consideration for a balanced measure.
then yes, i think would onec again embrace my current religion.
seeing as how small that possibility is, i guess i feel so lucky it's just scary..