Do you believe in "GOD" ,and the "Great" beyond ?

Yes it would. "God", in the view of his followers and the one we're talking about here, (So don't even bring irrelevant shit in here like "A malevolent God is still the same thing as a benevolent God", because that doesn't work, because we're talking about a benevolent "God", which is also the right one to talk about because that's what the damn religious people believe) is defined as all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent. He can also be in all places at all times, or whatever. That doesn't really matter.

Learn.

(Woho~ Elder Post)


Right back at you buddy.



Well, that is up to the individual to decide right? What is "a good cause"? I'll only suppose you know Sodom and Gomorra? Where there a "good cause" to, according to the bible, sending fire from the sky destroying two cities?



God is just a label, we can call him Mr. Cookiepants and it wouldn't make any difference, the name we give him doesn't matter.





It was my bad, I meant to only quote the "whence cometh evil?" part. Anyhow, what I meant was that God obviously isn't willing, and he shouldn't be. As I said, why would he give mankind free will and later butt in and tell us that we're doing things wrong?

But I do think I'm awesome, but not because of this discussion. And it sounds to me that you're still an ignorant prick.



The religious followers do not necessarily believe in a benevolent God, and we're not discussing what other people believe, we're discussing what we believe.

Learn.

According to the Bible, "God" destroyed Sodom and Gomorra for the sins it's citizens committed. That's a "good cause", at least, in the eyes of "God".





That's certainly correct when we're still referring to the same thing (And I also know who you're talking about) but "If 'God' is malevolent", it isn't the same thing anymore, and thus needs a different label.







This is flawed because "God" supposedly gave his followers a set of moral codes to live by.





The topic title says, "GOD" and according to what I've read so far, we're talking about that "God" that the Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe in. Who is supposed to be benevolent. If you guys are talking about some malevolent, all-powerful, etc. being, don't use the word, "God".

I am Atheist
I wont talk more about this... For now at least
I am too tired... Been seeding for a hour and its 01:06 i have studies so nighty night

Wow! This really turned out to be a Christian vs Atheist thread! I have to wonder, why does atheist only fight with Christians, and not with other faiths? I have to wonder...

I was reading the past posts and I noticed people say their atheist but they will believe God if there is proof, or people say they believe in God but see him as a distant being. I will lay out the technical terms so you can easily summarize your point:

Theist: Believes in a God-being/s and believes that He/They rule(s) and watch(es) over us. Under this are the Monotheists (Abrahamic faiths like Judaism, Islam, Christianity) and the Polytheists (Hinduism, Shinto, Greeco-Romanic Gods, etc)

Atheist: Denies existence of any higher power. Basically thinks that humans are the highest beings for having the ability to think and rationalize. Believes only on what the can see.

Agnostics: Does not stand for anything because they believe that there is a lack of knowledge and proof of whether there is or there is no God. The word basically means "Without Knowledge"

Gnostics: Believes wholeheartedly in their faith and enlightened with knowledge on their faith. Kabbahlist, Mystics, and Monks that spend hours in contemplating can fall under this.

Deists: Believes in a God-being, but believes that He just created everything and left us to fend for ourselves. Buddhists, I think (can't remember exactly where I read this. Will research), believes that a God somewhere created everything then left. To reach His plane, we must be in the state of Enlightenment.

You can mix, like Agnostic Theists (believes in a God, but cannot explain His existence), or Gnostic Atheists (does not believe in anything spiritual and presents theories that disprove the esoterical).


Hope this helps.

Because religion (especially Christianity in any of it's forms)is popular. Nonreligious Theist, on the other hand, hardly get noticed in the God/Universe debate. As far as I've seen I mean.

Perhaps, but didn't we already settle that God in fact was a spiteful little bitch? If so, isn't it more probable that he killed them just the way he killed Baahl's followers? Just simply because they abandoned God?
Also I will bring up Job again, have you read it? About how God tells Satan to destroy everything Job has. Just because he wants to know if Job really is as pious as he seems. How is this an act of kindness, how does it sere the greater good?



It is still the same thing. God is only the label of the one who supposedly created the universe, and that higher power that floats around and exists in everything.




But still free-will to choose to follow them as we please. Again, in the bible, God does rarely inflict the world himself, he does it when he sends the Flood, and Sodom and Gomorra, these are pretty much the only times where God does anything physical in the Bible.



But the name of those Gods isn't God, it's either Jhave or Allah depending on what faith you follow. This is why I, numerous times throughout the discussion writes "Abrahams God" instead.

I also want to make it clear that I am not a Christian, or religious at all.

I don't believe in God in the way that s/he created everything in six days, but I believe in him/her in the way that there must have been some cause for existance, and that cause could be my 'God'.

Where's my heart cuz it aint with church
on the ground with my mind doin major work.

I dont believe on religions. But there was a beginning of everything, the beginning is that i think i can call god.

And if somenday we meet people from another planet, for sure they will have their own different religions.

You don't seem to realize yet that it doesn't matter what we think of "God's" acts, it's what his followers think of it. Forget about what you think of "God", and put yourself in the shoes of his followers. So yes, you could be right that "God" is an asshole by your interpretation.



No, by his followers' definition, "God" has to be benevolent.



This is flawed because of the belief in a place called, "Hell". In religion, it's either live by "God's" rules or be damned for all eternity. So I see what you mean, but it's debatable if there actually is "free" will.



They're actually all the same "God", just different prophets. With the Jews, it was Abraham and Moses; with the Christians, Jesus; and with the Muslims, Muhammad. "Allah" is just Arabic for "God", so it's not really a different label, and thus, not a different thing. And the topic only says "GOD", which is singular. I just thought we were referring to all monotheistic religions.



I'm drinking Coke, so I'll try not to take offense. Epicurus proposed a statement/riddle which singlehandedly trumped monotheism. So it'd be best if you can first answer or find something wrong with his statement/riddle. It's somewhere in this thread, and if not, just google it.



I didn't even really need to use the Bible to know that "God's" followers thought of him as benevolent; I just wanted to put in some more power. I haven't "rooted out the source of religion" because one, no one asked; and two, because it's somewhat irrelevant, as whether or not "God" exists is not directly related to how religion was started.



I don't believe religion was started to control others; I believe it just happened as a way to explain the "mysterious" forces of nature in a much more simpler time.



Like I said to Chlor, it doesn't matter what we think of "God". So yes, you're right in your own sense.



I've always been talking about monotheistic religions, it was Chlor who brought Christianity into it (which wasn't wrong), and so I thus renounced his claims. The thread says "GOD", which implies only the monotheistic religions (which includes Christianity, Judaism, and Islam), and as far as I know about them, they believe in a singular benevolent (by their definition) "God".

There's this Christian I know that I call Supra Lemming (there's a story behind that) and he uses this point a lot. I actually agree with this specific statement. I believe that there is a higher power and I don't like the thought that I just cease to exist when I die. So yes, I do believe.


I feel like I mention my outside friends here a lot... but that's where I get my experiences, so hang me for giving them credit.

That tornado idea is a fallacy.

The difference between a damn car and us is that the car is not made up of living organisms which evolve depending on the environmental pressure.

Evolution is an undeniable fact and it easily explains the complexity of life with only the use of nature.

Cosmology will explain the complexity of the university with only the use of nature.

The fact is that there is no evidence what so ever for god which means any logical and rational person should remain unconvinced of a god existing (basically atheism).

Every time there's trouble they go to GOD, every time there's plague they turn to GOD but in reality there is no GOD. If there is a being called GOD then perhaps the world would be a better place.

This i ask to everyone that believe GOD have GOD done everything for you? have GOD granted your wish? have GOD even try to help you?

Words is useless, only an action can be considered as a help. Personally i never intend to have any involvement in any kind of religion. Even though myself is a chr*** follower that is by the name only and only the name. Believe it or not i have kill my own GOD. If people are gonna ask me of my religion, i will tell them this "i do not belong to any religion i am belong to myself and only to myself for i am myself".

THE VIGIL OF ST. HUBERT

In the forest God met the Stag-beetle. "Hold! Worship me!" quoth God. "For I am All-Great, All-
Good, All Wise....The stars are but sparks from
the forges of My smiths...."
"Yea, verily and Amen," said the Stag-beetle, "all
this do I believe, and that devoutly."
"Then why do you not worship Me?"
"Because I am real and your are only imaginary."
But the leaves of the forest rustled with the laughter
of the wind.
Said Wind and Wood: "They neither of them know
anything!"

THE BLIND WEBSTER

It is not necessary to understand; it is enough to
adore.
The god may be of clay: adore him; he becomes
GOD.
We ignore what created us; we adore what we create.
Let us create nothing but GOD!
That which causes us to create is our true father and
mother; we create in our own image, which is theirs.
Let us create therefore without fear; for we can
create nothing that is not GOD.

-Aliester Crowley

I don't have a religion because I believe in solid evidence. And since God is neither proven or disproven, I don't believe in "God" (as a person).

My look on "The Great beyond" / after death is depressing but most logical to me: you get buried / cremated / dumped in a ditch and your mind don't exist and you will most likeky be eaten by insects. I know... I think it's sad too.

No, we're discussing what I think of God, what his followers think doesn't matter, as the fanatical followers will, as you say, claim some BS about how "God works in mysterious ways". But you do realize that most religious people are not nearly as fanatical as you make it out to seem and that most people don't take the Bible by the word.


Absolutely not, God has to be just, not kind. He will bring vengeance on the heretics and sinners, and kindness on his loyal followers. You see?



I understand what you mean, that they are all Abrahams God, but they do also differ enough that you can't say that they are the same. The faiths have the same background, their definitions of God is different from each other.


But this has gotten way of track now. I don't believe that "God" is neither good nor evil, if there by chance were a God somewhere he would simply be, and do things as he saw fit. But I wouldn't use Epicurus statement as scientific proof of Gods(As in Higher Being, not necessarily Abrahams God) nonexistence. Firstly because who is Epicurus to define what is evil an what is not? Who is Epicurus to come and claim that God is malevolent just because God don't want to interact with what Epicurus believes is evil?

Also, Epicurus Statement will never be more than just a statement, it will never be proof of anything.
So basically, all I was saying from the start is that you're fucking ignorant if you claim that there is proof that God doesn't exist.