God doesn't exist

Discuss arguments for existence of God and faith in general. Any aspect of any orientation toward religion/spirituality, as long as it is based upon a positive open to other people attitude.

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Metacrock
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by Metacrock » Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:11 pm

fleetmouse wrote:I would say that the ground of being smells faintly of quality European chocolate and sounds like the distant tinkle of wind chines.

i have a perfect answer to that here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SKjRiPzIU8
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runamokmonk
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by runamokmonk » Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:27 pm

lol!

I think the realization that I could not fit into my reality (as i perceive it) a god who DOES intervene and act, that it became easier for me to cross the line to atheism.
I had...lots of hope...but it is not something I see. In fact the absence of it was rather causing my heart to bleed, for the very hope for it's existence....
that was where all the pain, and emotional disturbance in my journey really was. Coming to the understanding that it was possible for us to exist without this "requirement"...and the realization that whether God existed or not, i do not see life (in the reality that i realize it) changing....was a huge step for me.
When I realized I could except deism, it was not a far step from atheism. I still could fathom a Deist sort of God ...just no longer see the necessity to do so.

You said, "I had...lots of hope...but it is not something I see. In fact the absence of it was rather causing my heart to bleed, for the very hope for it's existence....that was where all the pain, and emotional disturbance in my journey really was. Coming to the understanding that it was possible for us to exist without this "requirement"...and the realization that whether God existed or not, i do not see life (in the reality that i realize it) changing....was a huge step for me."


What do you mean you do not see life changing? You started your post off saying you could not fit a god who does intervene and act in the reality in which you perceive.

If you mean, changing toward freedom, autonomy, fairness, or maybe "social justice" as the lefty's like to say, my life and mind has been on such tension. I'm someone who is not very able at "compartmentalizing" discomfort (I don't know how to explain that. Just how I understand what I have been told), so my theology reflects that tension. I would have this tension whether I knew God was there or not.

From what I understand the Christian, and I think, Jewish tradition, sees God as a God of promise. He comes to us as a promise.

I'm not sure if this is what you were writing but I read your post and I read that you gave up hope and the tension eased for you.
Last edited by runamokmonk on Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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met
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by met » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:01 pm

The “One” is the space of the “world” of the tick, but also the “pinch” of the lobster, or that rendezvous in person to confirm online pictures (with a new lover or an old God). This is the machinery operative...as “onto-theology."
Dr Ward Blanton

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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by Metacrock » Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:21 pm

met wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNesm6F27U

this one for SOMS!! . . . :P
:mrgreen: :D :)
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soms
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by soms » Wed Nov 24, 2010 10:51 pm

met wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNesm6F27U

this one for SOMS!! . . . :P
hee! met i LOVE this one....
video reply...:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
It is better to light a candle, then curse the darkness

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soms
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by soms » Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:16 pm

runamokmonk wrote:
You said, "I had...lots of hope...but it is not something I see. In fact the absence of it was rather causing my heart to bleed, for the very hope for it's existence....that was where all the pain, and emotional disturbance in my journey really was. Coming to the understanding that it was possible for us to exist without this "requirement"...and the realization that whether God existed or not, i do not see life (in the reality that i realize it) changing....was a huge step for me."


What do you mean you do not see life changing? You started your post off saying you could not fit a god who does intervene and act in the reality in which you perceive.

If you mean, changing toward freedom, autonomy, fairness, or maybe "social justice" as the lefty's like to say, my life and mind has been on such tension. I'm someone who is not very able at "compartmentalizing" discomfort (I don't know how to explain that. Just how I understand what I have been told), so my theology reflects that tension. I would have this tension whether I knew God was there or not.

From what I understand the Christian, and I think, Jewish tradition, sees God as a God of promise. He comes to us as a promise.

I'm not sure if this is what you were writing but I read your post and I read that you gave up hope and the tension eased for you.
my apologies, runamokmonk,

What I was referring to, was the "expectation" of a supreme all powerful omnibenevelant, all everything being, intervening, and changing things.
responding to US....in the midst of reality of pain, suffering and evil.

I am certainly not saying that suffering is easier...only the letting go of the "wishful" thinking that this being would do something, and crying out for it to be so.

(still not expressing myself well....sigh)


I still have hope, but it has been redefined. I now hope in things that can be reality based, not "wishful thinking" if this makes sense.
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."

with love,
soms
It is better to light a candle, then curse the darkness

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Gwarlroge
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by Gwarlroge » Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:38 am

I'm not sure you can go into specifics here, soms, but ... why did you stop believing in God? God often has his own purposes in our suffering.

On the other hand: I can see something of what you mean. You talk about God intervening or working among us. Yet--hmm. Was the problem that God didn't seem to be there? I guess I don't know why you think that God (or God's action) isn't reality-based.

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met
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by met » Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:54 pm

soms wrote:
met wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNesm6F27U

this one for SOMS!! . . . :P
hee! met i LOVE this one....
video reply...:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg
Sure, soms, i'll be humming that one all day long, really. . . ;). . . (but at least it was better than someone else's video response elsewhere: a link to "Imagine" by John Lennon - a near-perfect example of his post-beatles output of insipid, self-indulgent, syrupy pap - bleh. )
The “One” is the space of the “world” of the tick, but also the “pinch” of the lobster, or that rendezvous in person to confirm online pictures (with a new lover or an old God). This is the machinery operative...as “onto-theology."
Dr Ward Blanton

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soms
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by soms » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:42 am

Gwarlroge wrote:I'm not sure you can go into specifics here, soms, but ... why did you stop believing in God? God often has his own purposes in our suffering.

On the other hand: I can see something of what you mean. You talk about God intervening or working among us. Yet--hmm. Was the problem that God didn't seem to be there? I guess I don't know why you think that God (or God's action) isn't reality-based.
a couple of things Gwarlroge.
One being no evidence of the supernatural. I realize that meta disagrees with this. :)
the other being no difference between the life of the "believer" and the non believer....
the one who prays and the one who does not.
According to the bible, there should be....according to the stories...there was....
This is not what we see in reality.
(imho)

with love,
soms
It is better to light a candle, then curse the darkness

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Metacrock
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Re: God doesn't exist

Post by Metacrock » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:45 am

soms wrote:
Gwarlroge wrote:I'm not sure you can go into specifics here, soms, but ... why did you stop believing in God? God often has his own purposes in our suffering.

On the other hand: I can see something of what you mean. You talk about God intervening or working among us. Yet--hmm. Was the problem that God didn't seem to be there? I guess I don't know why you think that God (or God's action) isn't reality-based.
a couple of things Gwarlroge.
One being no evidence of the supernatural. I realize that meta disagrees with this. :)
the other being no difference between the life of the "believer" and the non believer....
the one who prays and the one who does not.
According to the bible, there should be....according to the stories...there was....
This is not what we see in reality.
(imho)

with love,
soms

The studies show there is. prayer is the most used gateway to religious experience. People have those a lot more often in prayer than when they are not praying. They are regular and consistent in prayer, so we can equate the two.

If you think of prayer that way then there's a huge difference. those with such experiences are much less likely to be depressed, have mental illness, get cancer or have heart attack, are happier, more at peace with themselves, more successful, better educated, more self actualized, have less fear of death. There are huge differences.
Have Theology, Will argue: wire Metacrock
Buy My book: The Trace of God: Warrant for belief

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