Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
From the age of 5, my grandmother took me to the Methodist church somewhat regularly. At age 16, because the other side of my family...and my best friend...were catholic, I became a catholic. In 1986, at the age of 37, I was introduced to Buddhism, and began to meld christian principles with Buddhist principles (which is not as difficult as it sounds). But a year ago a tragic event happened in my life which led me to abandon christianity. If the promise of god always being with me was fulfilled when i needed him most...or any other time i needed him over the course of 60 years...then there is no sense in believing in the fairy tale. Heck, at least with Santa Claus I got gifts. At least with the Easter Bunny I got a basket of candy. At least with the Tooth Fairy I got quarters. But with christianity I got vague empty promises.
If we're not talking of the God of the Bible, then of what are we talking?
* - No offense intended, but if you've created your own idea of God and this idea can
only be understood by others if you explain it to them, then what else is it?
No offense taken by anyone here so far. How could there be?
I only asked a question...you all participated nicely giving your views or reactions.
If it seemed like a strange OP, oh well...I knew what I meant, LOL! Could I have said it better at 6 am after coffee...sure.
I hardly ever talk about the God of the Bible...well, ok, unless it's the one personified by Jesus
when he said he only did the Father's Will...healing everyone in sight!
Or that one that about His Kingdom of Heaven (where He is) that's within us.
It would be hard to explain 'what else' are we talking about...is anyone acutely attuned to and aware of gravity right now at this very moment? I mean really aware of it's invisible power?
We go about our business unaware of this amazing unseen force.
It is measurable, tho, no doubt about it, so it's not in question.
Are we aware of the millions of radio waves, x-rays, UHF waves, TV waves coming thru our roofs from all directions, through us and down into the ground right now?
(Only when we have a receiver tuned to them are we aware.)
Well, I can be aware of a Presence within me and all around me breathing and alive...what you
may see as a wall or a table I know only looks like a wall and a table...they are pulsing with life...
a glue holding
them together...invisible to our eyes...just as the sound of a dog whistle is unheard by our ears.
There is something all around you at this very second growing your fingernails...this is the
'God', "Force", 'Intelligence'...I'm talking about....that many are oblivious to.Though, if they tuned themselves in stillness they would themselves become a receiver to It.
It makes me wonder why people don't open to the possibility of a 'Force'...when I feel It so easily.
And, if I didn't feel it...and someone said they did...esp getting a contact high from them...I would want to experience 'It'.
Thus, 'respect the idea' that if I were so attuned like a radio dial...I might also be able to
feel this "Alive Consciousness" that people say is all pervasive.
I would find it very curious. As in, 'What the hell is everyone talking about throughout the ages!'
I have done that with many things I heard about and thought, "What on earth?"... and investigated like a reporter..many mysteries are no longer mysterious to me!
I do go along with a mind is like a parachute...it only works when it's open.
I respect not believing in something you have not seen.
But, not even the possibility? I know different brains work differently...I'm a right brainer...so, there is that difference.
Please explain how you respect something that you don't think exists. (For instance, a rainbow-striped unicorn.) You must have a different view of the word respect than I do.
Yes, good points, indeed, thank you, MQ as to why the Bible ...well,...why
a person that believes in all the Hitleresque descriptions from, albeit,
well-intentioned primitive ancestors of ours are not to be taken too seriously.
Hmmm. So you don't respect something that you know existed - Hitler - but think that the rest of us should respect leprechauns, even though the overwhelming majority of evidence is that they are purely mythological beings that never in fact existed.
Remember the title included, 'or the idea of God'.
I don't understand so many many things...I have not experienced nor seen so many many things...
but, I respect the idea that they are 'possible'...ghosts? Never saw one...but, lemme tell ya,
I know a straight laced executive that has given up their condo deposit in DC
to get the heck outta the place!...I respect beliefs ...tho, I have never ever had an exp like them.
If it had not been so late when I posted the op...I would have just said, 'Why do atheists not respect the idea of God?" sorry.
Lesson: I shouldn't post late.
I know, right? I know...who cares if someone doesn't believe as you do?
I am curious why people believe what they do.
We don't! We don't care at all what you believe...until you start trying to introduce those beliefs into schools and other places of learning and into governments or until you start trying to get laws passed that affect us based on what you think your god wants for us. We don't care what you believe as long as you don't castigate others because you think that your god doesn't like their lifestyle or their sexuality.
It's rather funny how Christians always ask.. 'Why do you care what we believe', whilst at the same time, castigating others that don't believe as they do. We don't care what you believe as long as you are not doing the above. In fact, the world would be a whole lot better if you Christians would do what your man-god told you to do...
'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.'
Matthew 6:5-8
Quote:
It doesn't compute in my mind why a person would be so closed to an idea of a Supernatural Infinite Being not limited to flesh and bones and this little 3rd dimension.
So are you are open to the possibility of the thousands of other gods that people believe exist?
We don't! We don't care at all what you believe...until you start trying to introduce those beliefs into schools and other places of learning and into governments or until you start trying to get laws passed that affect us based on what you think your god wants for us. We don't care what you believe as long as you don't castigate others because you think that your god doesn't like their lifestyle or their sexuality.
It's rather funny how Christians always ask.. 'Why do you care what we believe', whilst at the same time, castigating others that don't believe as they do. We don't care what you believe as long as you are not doing the above. In fact, the world would be a whole lot better if you Christians would do what your man-god told you to do...
'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.'
Matthew 6:5-8
So are you are open to the possibility of the thousands of other gods that people believe exist?
I'm pretty sure that Miss Hepburn is a sortagoddist, not linked to any particular (or at least organised) religion. It's much more the fuzzy-love -feeling type of god than a "God wants me to tell you what to do" type of god. Probably much more aligned with the irreligious than with the religious. Still an element of 'Why do you spend your time trying to abolish religion' type thinking, there. but far less hostile than other "Agnostics" or irreligious theists.
As you say, we don't mind at all what irreligious theists believe and while we reserve crediting the fuzzy feelings and the dot -joining 'evidence' that God is working in their lives, we are not going to mount a campaign to obliterate such believers.
Nor even those who believe organised religions, Holy Books and saints and prophets. But where these impinge on society, and the lives of others, and very seriously, if not dangerously, then something needs to be done. Urgently.
It would be nice if the fluffy bunnies could see this and join with us in our battle to turn global society into a pointy -eared paradise. But if they don't want to lard up their groins on our behalf, that's fine, too, so long as they don't get in our way.
But if they voted 'None' rather than "Christian", that'd be good.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 09-17-2018 at 12:16 AM..
Oh my god! And I had lunch with her! Do I need to be tested???
I'm afraid that the Central Atheist Authority may have to send a Darwinist Doctrinal correctness team to put you through interrogation to check for signs of heresy.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
How could there be? 
