Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
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JazzManJim
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Faith is what you use every time you flip on a light switch or sit down in a chair.
If you don't have faith, you're living a life of pure paranoia.
It must be hell living that kind of life.
If you don't have faith, you're living a life of pure paranoia.
It must be hell living that kind of life.
Texan
'nuf said
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p_p_man said:
Speak for yourself, p_p_man.
I look around this world and clearly see tangible evidence of God.
I am both a scientist and a skeptic, and from both biased perspectives, I see God.
In both the "order" and the "randomness' of this universe, I see God.
In the proportionality of solar systems and atoms, and the forces that bind them, I see God.
In His natural creations, and mankind"s natural creativity, I see God.
In both birth and death, I see God.
I don't look for God in a book, although I read those books for the stories they tell of how other men and women "saw" God.
Instead, I look for God in the universe around me, in the lives of people I admire, and in that part of my mind, I call my heart.
Again, p_p_man, speak for yourself, I can't open my eyes without seeing God.
Problem Child
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nasty said:Havn't I already told you. I am a God. Worship me.
God of the pimento, corn, and peanut loaf. Heh.
p_p_man
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Re: Re: Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
I see the same things. But all I'm seeing is evidence of a God. I don't see God himself.
The Church tells us to have faith. But they have their own doubts otherwise there wouldn't be such a wide disunity of views within the different religions.
The Church calls it faith.
I call it blind obedience to a teaching which has little basis in truth.
No, the faith I would like to see is Our Father walk upon the earth and show himself in a tangible form, and in such a way that it would dispel all doubts from people's minds of his existence.
At least for another few millenium.
I don't know why he doesn't do it...
Texan said:
I see the same things. But all I'm seeing is evidence of a God. I don't see God himself.
The Church tells us to have faith. But they have their own doubts otherwise there wouldn't be such a wide disunity of views within the different religions.
The Church calls it faith.
I call it blind obedience to a teaching which has little basis in truth.
No, the faith I would like to see is Our Father walk upon the earth and show himself in a tangible form, and in such a way that it would dispel all doubts from people's minds of his existence.
At least for another few millenium.
I don't know why he doesn't do it...
JazzManJim
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Re: Re: Re: Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
That's not faith.
Maybe He's not doing it because he'd rather we humans excersize our brains a little bit and stretch ourselves beyond the comfy, cock confines of our own selves.
Maybe he'd rather see us use that stupid little Free Will thing to believe in something greater than we are now, and more than we can tangibly sense.
Maybe because in stretching ourselves, we excel.
p_p_man said:
That's not faith.
Maybe He's not doing it because he'd rather we humans excersize our brains a little bit and stretch ourselves beyond the comfy, cock confines of our own selves.
Maybe he'd rather see us use that stupid little Free Will thing to believe in something greater than we are now, and more than we can tangibly sense.
Maybe because in stretching ourselves, we excel.
p_p_man
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
But maybe by stretching ourselves beyond our capabilities, we fail.
I just think it's time for a showing.
Who knows if he turned up once before or not. There are plenty of cave paintings, myths and pre-Bible legends that point to something...
If it was God let's have a another visit...
ppman
JazzManJim said:
But maybe by stretching ourselves beyond our capabilities, we fail.
I just think it's time for a showing.
Who knows if he turned up once before or not. There are plenty of cave paintings, myths and pre-Bible legends that point to something...
If it was God let's have a another visit...
ppman
JazzManJim
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
So one of two things are true.
Either you're afraid to fail in a quest to be something bigger and better than you are.
or
You think that God's setting us up for a huge failure in that quest.
Either one must make it a horrible life to live.
p_p_man said:
So one of two things are true.
Either you're afraid to fail in a quest to be something bigger and better than you are.
or
You think that God's setting us up for a huge failure in that quest.
Either one must make it a horrible life to live.
p_p_man
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Who is this bloke who calls himself God?
There is a third option.
That I think we, the human race, limit our perception of God by restricting his existence to how we see our own.
By showing himself he would at least shake out all the dead wood and wrong track scenarios we're bombarded with and, hopefully, allow us to expand our minds and spritual selves beyond the narrow confines they're locked into at the moment.
JazzManJim said:
There is a third option.
That I think we, the human race, limit our perception of God by restricting his existence to how we see our own.
By showing himself he would at least shake out all the dead wood and wrong track scenarios we're bombarded with and, hopefully, allow us to expand our minds and spritual selves beyond the narrow confines they're locked into at the moment.
Texan
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p_p_man, I don't know if this will make sense to anyone else, and I'm not sure it matters if it make sense to others.
One definition of "religion" is "mankind's search for God". I think that explains why there are so many religions. I don't think mankind is capable of "finding" God.
I think instead of "finding" God, a person needs to make himself available for God to find him.
I honestly believe that God is the one who chooses how He will "reveal" Himself to each person. To some people, He may choose to reveal Himself through some church. To others, He may choose to reveal Himself through some book. For all I know, God may choose to reveal Himself to some people through nature or even scientific exploration.
I don't know this for a fact, but I think God probably reveals Himself to everyone in one way or another.
I believe the problem arrises when people try to "define" God based upon some preconceived or institutionally taught notion of what God is supposed to be like. Most people simply accept the definition of God as taught them by their parents. Or, in the process of testing the "values" they were taught by their parents, they may choose to reject THAT definition of God, and either deny the existence of God, or choose a definition they find more appealing.
I strongly believe that many people are so busy trying to define God, that they never open themselves up to whatever efforts God is making to reveal Himself.
I also think that explains why there are so many different denominations even within Christianity. So many Christians are trying to define God based upon their best and honest efforts to interpret the Bible. I think many Christians fail to let God define Himself directly to each believer.
I love that New Testament story that describes a time when a group of children were sitting at the feet of Jesus. The disciples of Jesus said they would ask the children to leave Jesus alone, but Jesus replied with something like; "Unless you humble yourselves and become like these little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven".
I personally found that I "felt" closer to God when I stopped trying to define God based upon the teachings of my parents, the church (that I love) or even my best efforts to interpret the Bible. When I just started talking to God with absolute and complete honesty, (like a little kid talking with a parent he loves and trusts) I quite quickly began to see God working in the world and in the people around me.
It is extremely hard for a person to throw away years of teaching about God, and let God define Himself, but it is an amazing experience. Or at least it was for me. Guilt pretty much completely disappeared when I asked God to redefine "right and wrong" for me. I quit defining morality based upon 2000 year-old writings, and started asking God to instruct me personally. You know what, I can now enjoy Literotica and sleep peacefully at night after a very pleasant conversation with God.
This is too long... I'll stop...
One definition of "religion" is "mankind's search for God". I think that explains why there are so many religions. I don't think mankind is capable of "finding" God.
I think instead of "finding" God, a person needs to make himself available for God to find him.
I honestly believe that God is the one who chooses how He will "reveal" Himself to each person. To some people, He may choose to reveal Himself through some church. To others, He may choose to reveal Himself through some book. For all I know, God may choose to reveal Himself to some people through nature or even scientific exploration.
I don't know this for a fact, but I think God probably reveals Himself to everyone in one way or another.
I believe the problem arrises when people try to "define" God based upon some preconceived or institutionally taught notion of what God is supposed to be like. Most people simply accept the definition of God as taught them by their parents. Or, in the process of testing the "values" they were taught by their parents, they may choose to reject THAT definition of God, and either deny the existence of God, or choose a definition they find more appealing.
I strongly believe that many people are so busy trying to define God, that they never open themselves up to whatever efforts God is making to reveal Himself.
I also think that explains why there are so many different denominations even within Christianity. So many Christians are trying to define God based upon their best and honest efforts to interpret the Bible. I think many Christians fail to let God define Himself directly to each believer.
I love that New Testament story that describes a time when a group of children were sitting at the feet of Jesus. The disciples of Jesus said they would ask the children to leave Jesus alone, but Jesus replied with something like; "Unless you humble yourselves and become like these little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven".
I personally found that I "felt" closer to God when I stopped trying to define God based upon the teachings of my parents, the church (that I love) or even my best efforts to interpret the Bible. When I just started talking to God with absolute and complete honesty, (like a little kid talking with a parent he loves and trusts) I quite quickly began to see God working in the world and in the people around me.
It is extremely hard for a person to throw away years of teaching about God, and let God define Himself, but it is an amazing experience. Or at least it was for me. Guilt pretty much completely disappeared when I asked God to redefine "right and wrong" for me. I quit defining morality based upon 2000 year-old writings, and started asking God to instruct me personally. You know what, I can now enjoy Literotica and sleep peacefully at night after a very pleasant conversation with God.
This is too long... I'll stop...
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