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In a way, I can relate to that. Matt Dillahunty says that he personally believes there is no god. So do I. One could say that is 'a call from the heart'. A matter of faith - just like the god -believers.
It might even be that the believers are equally agnostic about their Faith. They know they could be wrong. But the reason and evidence comes first. As cardinals says, the brain does the research. Using (I hope) the best evidence and logically sound reasoning. Get your heaf pointing in the right direction and then let the Faith go.
That's why we debate here - to see which way the evidence points, and what's the logic? When the faith goes against that - you are going the wrong way.
Since we're all different, in many ways God also appears different to us individually. Our brains are different, we have different values, priorities, tastes, etc. Just like looking at a picture, or hearing music, we naturally see and hear with different responses.
The point is, God isn't just one static/fixed being that will always be the same to all. Going a step further, we can't try to "nail down" what he is like, and define him an a way to be used to check whether one person's 'God' is somehow correct or not, real or not. Person A saying what God is, might not match Person B, but that doesn't mean either is incorrect.
How can a man know that the god he believes in and worships is the true God? Each person knows or defines God (or rejects the idea of God) in his/her own way. We're all individuals, all unique, with our own path in life and choice of destiny. There's no set of rules to apply to everyone. That's kind of like asking for one set of fingerprints to apply to everyone.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 11-16-2017 at 07:52 PM..
Man believes and worships a supreme being who he calls god. The supreme being may be more than one, like the Hindus. But of all these gods there must be only one true God (John 17:3) and all the others are false gods. If there is a true God, there must be false gods. How then can he determine whether the god he believes in or worships is the true God or a false god? What are the attributes of god that man considers as those a true God should possess?
If you were to worship a god, be sure that He is the true God.
Are we just contented to believe in a god that was introduced to us by our parents? Or do we just believe that all these gods are one and the same?
Is the god a God of everything that is, or just the god of lightning?
Does the god demand sacrifices? If so, this is not the true God.
Does the god only exist as part of one religion or region or racial group? If so, this is not the true God.
Does the god demand we do actions that are perverse or self-destructive? If so, this is not the true God.
Can the god be accepted without resorting to violent force? Only such is a universal God, and only such has legitimacy to govern all that exists.
Part of the whole is not the true God, because this demands rival gods.
The true God does not demand sacrifices, for God has no needs.
In fact, if a God is true, then worship of such is unnecessary, because God doesn't need our belief to exist.
A true God is universal. Not part of one racial grouping, nor one religion, nor one region. Leaving this region does not cause a true God to lose power.
In fact, any religion that declares all others wrong, is not worshiping the true God.
God would not require we do something that hurts us or others.
A true God would be legitimate without coercion or need for trickery.
Based on this, I believe most of you reading have a pretty good idea whether your religion is legit or not.
Are you saying that listening to one's heart is the best method to determine what is true?
These things are not isolated. It's not have faith (as per Christianity) in a world where everything happens through random chance, man is defined as nothing but a physical being, understanding is a result of chemical reactions in the brain, etc (as per materialism).
Quote:
Originally Posted by TRANSPONDER
That's why we debate here - to see which way the evidence points,
To see [through a particular set of conditions, instrumentation, and other sources which one has faith (as defined here) in]
Last edited by overcastg4; 11-17-2017 at 05:00 AM..
Obviously, the True God is the god WE worship, the false gods are the gods THEY worship.
It’s impossible that WE worship a false god. Obviously WE are right and THEY are wrong.
Furthermore, this is not just blind faith. It actually SAYS SO, in our book. Their books are made up.
If all you attribute to your god is true, then there is a possibility that the god you end up with is true. If you make up all kinds of things about your god or gods, then you end up with a made-up god.
Best to wait for the evidence before making up your mind. Both religious and anti-religious should know what I mean by this, and both will be correct.
These things are not isolated. It's not have faith (as per Christianity) in a world where everything happens through random chance, man is defined as nothing but a physical being, understanding is a result of chemical reactions in the brain, etc (as per materialism).
To see [through a particular set of conditions, instrumentation, and other sources which one has faith (as defined here) in]
Could you clarify that statement a bit? I don't quite understand what its saying.
Because he worships an authoritarian god that demands absolute devotion and obedience --- like a dog.
His god is also a tribal god of war and in a military hierarchy, you follow orders. It's not a democracy and you don't get either a voice or an opinion.
His god is also well known for spurious punishments that are usually out of proportion to the infraction -- because the real reason why his god is transcendent is because his ego fills the universe, leaving no room for god himself.
This is a god who never bothered to ask humanity, "What kind of world would you like to live in and, if within reason, I'll do my best to create it" and instead put us in the world HE wanted us to live in and didn't even ask us if the color of a parakeet was to our liking. Love it or leave it, I guess, but humans receive nothing from this god of infinite love.
His is a god of love without respect, a god of compassion without empathy, a god of forgiveness without mercy, a god of morality without ethics, a god of wisdom without logic.
If I believed in such a god, I would be afraid to question him, too.
Because he worships an authoritarian god that demands absolute devotion and obedience --- like a dog.
His god is also a tribal god of war and in a military hierarchy, you follow orders. It's not a democracy and you don't get either a voice or an opinion.
His god is also well known for spurious punishments that are usually out of proportion to the infraction -- because the real reason why his god is transcendent is because his ego fills the universe, leaving no room for god himself.
This is a god who never bothered to ask humanity, "What kind of world would you like to live in and, if within reason, I'll do my best to create it" and instead put us in the world HE wanted us to live in and didn't even ask us if the color of a parakeet was to our liking. Love it or leave it, I guess, but humans receive nothing from this god of infinite love.
His is a god of love without respect, a god of compassion without empathy, a god of forgiveness without mercy, a god of morality without ethics, a god of wisdom without logic.
If I believed in such a god, I would be afraid to question him, too.
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