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So let's hear from an atheist what a TRUE god, or the RIGHT God, should be like.
A true Creator God would not be a misogynist or a racist. It would not condone war, slavery or rape. It would not commit genocide. And if it wanted it's created beings to worship it, it would have enough common sense to make itself known.
A true Creator God would not be a misogynist or a racist. It would not condone war, slavery or rape. It would not commit genocide. And if it wanted it's created beings to worship it, it would have enough common sense to make itself known.
Odd that you define something by what it’s not. What remains?
A true Creator God would not be a misogynist or a racist. It would not condone war, slavery or rape. It would not commit genocide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008
Odd that you define something by what it’s not. What remains?
Love.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petunia 100
And if it wanted it's created beings to worship it, it would have enough common sense to make itself known.
And "it" will, in its own good time. I don't believe God's feelings are hurt when we don't worship Him. What He wants is for us to love as He loves, and if we can come to do that, He and we will all be happy.
It's been a long time since I have started a thread, but this thought just occurred to me.
It seems to me that everyone who believes in a god in the western world, in their adult life at least, has made some sort of choice about the kind of god they believe in.
For example, many people these days reject the judgemental, vengeful god as found in the old testament and opt for a more 'god is love' type of god. Why?
If god does actually exist, the type of god it is, wouldn't be a matter of choice.
So you could very possibly be believing in the wrong type of god.
Maybe the Native Americans had it right and there are many gods; of thunder, music, fire, wind and so on.
Many cultures in history have been similarly polytheistic.
So why nail your mast to believing in one type of god, that could be the wrong one?
I'm curious if any of you ever question the type of god you believe in?
Does it even matter? None of us know, so in that sense we are all agnostic.
And if it doesn't matter, why does everyone defend their belief so stridently?
Your thoughts.
Was just about to sign off when your thread caught my eye...
Seems you are asking opinion from people who believe in God, and that's not me, but you are also an atheist, so I'm thinking maybe I too can answer a question not really or seriously typically entertained by atheists.
First, I think it does matter, but I'll leave that be for now.
Secondly, back when I was just coming off my younger years of believing in God and then coming to the conclusion no such thing existed, I remember thinking that if there were a God, how could it blame me for thinking what I did? I've only got my "God given ability" to think what I do, so how can I be to blame for figuring things out the way I have? I figured if there was a God, surely it would be understanding and forgiving along those lines. Ultimately, however, it's far easier for me to simply recognize that sort of speculation is really just an exercise of my imagination.
Finally, what you explain is a fair bit of evidence that further convinces me there is no God. The fact that there are so many versions. So many people who believe differently. So many different books and testaments that are selectively adopted or rejected by everyone for all variety of reasons having little to do with facts, reason or truth. It's been a close look at how this dynamic works that makes me extremely suspect of ALL these versions that have lasted all this time, from one generation to the next, for many reasons that defy sound reason, logic and critical thinking.
Fun to think about how to answer your question about the one true God. A little frustrating to read so many different answers provided by people who think they have good reason to think what they do. Many quite different from the next, and we're all here in the west for the most part. No Muslims also throwing in far as I can tell. Not sure I've seen anything from someone who believes in Judaism. I wonder just how many different versions of God actually exist today. Based on how many different holy books?
What does this tell us really? About how people come to believe what they do.
. I wonder just how many different versions of God actually exist today.
I have come to accept that there are as many different versions as there are believers. Oh sure, there may be some common themes within the major religions, but then each individual builds on that starting point, with the end result that no two versions are exactly alike in every single detail. How could they be, when everyone gets to (and/or is forced to) fill in the gaps... and there are many of them... on their own?
This is one of many observations that gave me the freedom to admit that, if there were that many different versions, there was no reason to to think ANY of them should be true. Which sounds a lot like your own observation...
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
Finally, what you explain is a fair bit of evidence that further convinces me there is no God. The fact that there are so many versions. So many people who believe differently.
Do you believe in evil? I thought that was a religionist view.
Do you have to be religious to describe Osama bin Laden, for instance, as evil? What better word would you use if you were trying to come up with something that didn't have a moral connotation?
No. What matter is if you are a good person seeking to help others when you can.
Martin Luther taught the doctrine Justificatio sola fide. Man is justified by faith alone, rather than by their good deeds. Faith alone is the key to salvation in heaven.
But I agree with you. "What matter(s) is if you are a good person seeking to help others when you can." Being a good person is not going to actually save anyone from their imagined sins, or get anyone into an imaginary place of course. But being a good person counts nonetheless.
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What He wants is for us to love as He loves, and if we can come to do that, He and we will all be happy.
