Am I the only one who finds "God" to be baffling?

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zkydz
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26 Apr 2016, 3:04 pm

AspE wrote:

Being evangelical only means you want to spread a message. Atheists generally but not necessarily subscribe to scientific standards of doubt and evidence.

No, that is the definition. But it ignores the practice. Now it is force the message and it is growing in numbers. I remember when Atheists were the most rational people and non-confrontational. Now, not so and getting worse. They even have their own slogan now that I see in almost every article comment post I see these days when the creationists and the atheists go at it. It's always some variation of "Winged fairy god in the sky." or some such thing.

The last part I don't understand.

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AspE
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26 Apr 2016, 3:09 pm

zkydz wrote:

AspE wrote:

Being evangelical only means you want to spread a message. Atheists generally but not necessarily subscribe to scientific standards of doubt and evidence.

I have never had a problem with evangelism. For me, the problem isn't spreading the message, or being confrontational, it's the message itself. If someone sincerely believed I would go to hell for my disbelief, I would consider it rude not to be concerned about it and not tell me and try to convince me to change my ways.

I assume the last part about winged fairy sky god was an attempt to ridicule religion, something I support.

zkydz
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26 Apr 2016, 3:24 pm

AspE wrote:

zkydz wrote:

AspE wrote:

Being evangelical only means you want to spread a message. Atheists generally but not necessarily subscribe to scientific standards of doubt and evidence.

You don't have a problem with:
Joel Osteen
Jerry Falwell
Rev. Dollar Cash
Jim Bakker
?

As you see it, fine. But it is a growing trend along with all the other divisions in America. People trying to enforce their will on others.

The Atheist faith is growing. As soon as you get a slogan that people rally around, you are a following.

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AspE
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26 Apr 2016, 5:03 pm

zkydz wrote:

AspE wrote:

zkydz wrote:

AspE wrote:

Being evangelical only means you want to spread a message. Atheists generally but not necessarily subscribe to scientific standards of doubt and evidence.

I certainly don't have a problem with those people evangelizing. In fact I used to watch such shows all the time, I found them fascinating. I do disagree with much of their message, including the central one. No one is enforcing their will. At best it's propaganda, but no one's making you watch it.

Also, atheism is not a faith. You can have many of the trappings of religion without faith. You can evangelize, go to church, sing songs, go on missions, help the poor, make atheist movies...

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04 May 2016, 6:51 pm

zkydz wrote:

AspE wrote:

Being evangelical only means you want to spread a message. Atheists generally but not necessarily subscribe to scientific standards of doubt and evidence.

Perhaps the term winged fairy god in the sky is being used because the believers care nothing about evidence or the lack of evidence and proclaim themselves correct simply because they 'believe'. There is no argument. They simply say I believe it and that makes it true. Fear has a lot to do with why many people believe in God. The more fearful (think amygdala) one is, the more they need a concept like a god. The reason atheists are defensive is because we get pounded by the religious people for having a rational view of reality...

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04 May 2016, 7:03 pm

No one is meant to understand God except those with self-proclaimed authority that preach about it.
It is the convenient means of governing other people, a bit like how your parents would tell you not to do things as a kid simply because they told you not to or a monster from your basement would eat you if you did it.

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04 May 2016, 9:07 pm

You don't have a problem with:
Joel Osteen
Jerry Falwell
Rev. Dollar Cash
Jim Bakker
Was written.

I only know about J. O.
He seems to have a gift of encouragement and business.

A man named Ebby told another man named Bill, who was agnostic/atheist to find God of his own understanding.

I find people spending a lot of time on either side baffling.

A man named Paul or Peter just shook of the dust off his sandals when folks weren't interested in listening and walked on. It is hard to me to stop checking on this and another similar debate on the Do you believe in God thread.
May a God of your understanding give you peace- or may your cognitive dissonance be minimal.

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Cup
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05 May 2016, 12:09 am

Not at all. To me he is a great mystery. The greatest. I think we build a relationship with him, living free from sin, helping others, becoming more knowledgeable.

naturalplastic
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05 May 2016, 5:26 am

The_Blonde_Alien wrote:

*DISCLAIMER: The following thread is made purely to express the opinion of its author. If you are or will be offended at any direct criticism towards Christianity and the aforementioned 'God' then please turn away; you are not the target audience for this thread. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!*

Am I the only who finds the idea of a single, supposedly 'all powerful' god to be baffling, ridiculous and ludicrous? I mean I would have better luck believing that a mutilate of Gods were the ones who built this very earth that we live in rather than one "all powerful" god whose very concept sound more like impossibility than a possibility.

As far as the development of many human civilizations has shown us, it is not the leader of which makes the 'world' rather it's the people who were willing to work together under the influence of their leader who truly built the 'world' over time.

Claiming that god created the world is like claiming that the queen/king created the kingdom. it's just plain stupid on both the physical and intellectual level! :lol:

Honestly I was thinking about being a Pagan. Again, I'd rather believe that a multitude of gods created the world instead of a single, nonsensical god. :roll:

Am I the only one who thinks like this?

I get that you're are baffled by monotheism.

But is it monotheism: as opposed to atheism ?

Or is it monotheism: as opposed to polytheism ?

Two opposite things.

One god as opposed to no god?

Or is it one god as opposed to a whole bunch of gods (like the pagan gods of Olympus, or of Valhalla)?

Sounds like the latter.

If so the atheists in the room are mistaken in thinking that you're one of them, and should stop rallying to you!

LOL!

Last edited by naturalplastic on 05 May 2016, 5:41 am, edited 2 times in total.

techstepgenr8tion
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05 May 2016, 5:28 am

Cup wrote:

Not at all. To me he is a great mystery. The greatest. I think we build a relationship with him, living free from sin, helping others, becoming more knowledgeable.

The way I tend to see this, and what I'd completely agree with, is that our walk with deity is a walk toward ever greater measures of integrity. The whole concept of purity is freedom from admixture or ever-increasing freedom really from internal frictions of one psychological gear against the next.

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05 May 2016, 11:10 am

The_Blonde_Alien wrote:

Honestly I was thinking about being a Pagan. Again, I'd rather believe that a multitude of gods created the world instead of a single, nonsensical god. :roll:

Am I the only one who thinks like this?

Of course a bunch of mostly illiterate people over the course of thousands of years trying to explain the workings of a deity would render us baffled! Just as long as you remember it's their descriptions that are baffling when stood next to the reality of the Infinite, which never explains Itself.

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friedmacguffins
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05 May 2016, 11:26 am

All of the major, scientific doctrines, and even higher maths, find their origins in pagan mystery schools and express themselves in studies, which cannot be reproduced. In your own words, figures can be irrational. Your findings may be subject to the observer. While we seek to find a common language, you are not objective so much as a competing faith.

Materialists, of all people, should be able to contemplate God as an abstraction.

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05 May 2016, 4:22 pm

I am of the belief that it isn't impossible for a species to reach God-like levels of existence. I think many for the most part would have better things to do than babysit giant rocks with inferior species, though, and I don't know why so many people on this planet continue to make theology in where Gods and the universe revolve around the Earth when it was long pointed out we aren't the centre of the universe..

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CryingTears15
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05 May 2016, 6:01 pm

One study I remember found that most Americans have some kind of delusional belief in their life. Why not have a belief that makes one happy?

Religion isn't a "prison". It has occurred in all cultures, not just ones ruling with absolute control. People have been evidenced to be neurologically wired to believe in God. Some people, it isn't for them. But why not believe that a good chunk of theists in Church six hours every Sunday want to be there? It gives them a lot: a sense of community, meaning, and life beyond death. They're genuinely happy, and the Church is giving them a structure, providing a genuine service, assuming there isn't any further manipulation.

I respect theists who admit that they have faith, even though they know it doesn't make sense: as in, the very definition of "faith". Like...

kraftiekortie
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05 May 2016, 6:24 pm

Yep...."Faith"....that's the crux of it all.

Almost all beliefs are based on "faith."

Even atheistic ones.

0_equals_true
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05 May 2016, 6:40 pm

Yeah you are the only one...tsk just joking :lol:

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