It was of course inevitable that your advice would not be followed by the Boazs of this world, stevenlmeyer...

"Quoting from some allegedly sacred text is not evidence..."

...is like a red rag to a bull.

>>Romans 1:19 since what may be known about God is plain to them... John 14:7 The Words of Jesus of Nazareth... Jesus answered... JESUS of NAZARETH.... said<<

Your question is an excellent one, of course, designed to allow people to question stereotypes, and examine what the concept of God means at a personal, rather than a social or communal, level.

I was raised in the Christian tradition, attended Church schools and celebrated all the standard festivals etc. My own conviction that God cannot exist stemmed originally from Christianity's inherent contradictions.

The concepts that there is an omnipotent being somewhere who is aware of my existence (as well as all those sparrows) in the teeming galaxy, and that at the same time man is somehow "in his image" are to me incompatible.

Having shaken my head at the Bible, I found similarly incongruities in all scriptures, however they were communicated. The implausibility of a God allowing different versions to circulate, here through dictation to forty companions, there inscribed on golden plates in an unknown language, was simply a contradiction too far.

Having accepted that no-one can possibly claim to know the answer, I decided to be content with the fact that, in my brief stopover on this planet, I would never discover the "why" of human existence.

Others will go through the same process, but feel the need to invent God to fill the massive gap in their knowledge. This clearly brings contentment, since they have no further need to concern themselves with either the question, or the answer.

My answer is therefore that God is the outward manifestation of chemical activity in the brain. Predominantly, the chemical operates on the part of the brain that controls credulity, and allows the individual to be at peace with a comforting fantasy.

Interestingly, the nature of that fantasy does not seem to be important.

Kassie

You obviously don't know the wickedness of your own heart (as well as the rest of humanity).

Pericles says:

"My own conviction that God cannot exist stemmed originally from Christianity's inherent contradictions."

Then he fleshes out that 'contradiction' below:

The concepts that there is an omnipotent being somewhere who is aware of my existence (as well as all those sparrows) in the teeming galaxy, and that at the same time man is somehow "in his image" are to me incompatible.

In essense, Pericles has set himself up as 'god' and the 'godess' is Kassie.
Kassie's evidence for God not being is... "a Tsunami".......

In both of their expressions of godhood...they have shown exactly why it was neccessary for the real God..Creator of all, to reveal himself in the world.. and to make that expression most fully clear in the Lord Jesus.. I repeat..

"if you have seen me, you have seen the Father"

Pericles bemoans that lack of personal interview which he expects from the Creator.. to personally inform him of His presense and existence... but as God said to the Rich man who wanted someone to return from the dead to warn his still living brothers about the awfulness of Hell.... "They have Moses and the scriptures"

And indeed it is the same for Kassie, Pericles, CJ..and Steven.
Of course.. it is not enough (it seems) for them to have accounts of miracles done by the Lord Jesus, removed only be time but not distance or documentary layer (in terms of testimony). Nor is it enough for those like myself who have felt that divine touch of healing.. to testify to it's reality, nope.. it's that "YOU.. HERE.. NOW!" from them to the Creator of the Universe.

Pericles cannot fathom why there are 'versions' but he knows that 3 people viewing an accident from different corners of the intersection will report it differently.
Churches? Catholic.. Protestant.. Orthodox....which one is 'right'?
The honest observer will know "Each one, to the extent that they reflect the Lord they claim as theirs"

"Have I been with you so long Philip (Steven, Kassie Pericles CJ) and yet....you do not know me"? said Jesus.

Runner's epitomises the judgemental nature of the Abrahamic god.

For myself, I see everything as interconnected, that we are all parts of a greater whole. Consequently, I cannot envisage a single superior entity - the concept is both megalomanic and alienating; clearly a construct of humans given its limiting dogma.

Therefore, god is everything and nothing.

be warned;i have been accused as a_troll on my_own thread

they will work in pairs
one will post a distraction[the other will demand the off topic response be replied]

i use a quote
to demonstrate how gods justice works
thus you may chose to read the responses with a truely open heart

but your heart is closed bro[words are wasted on you

quote
Posted by trikkerdee, Monday, 24 November
..>>uog said:
[i really just didnt want it to become a slanging match]
just the facts to topic...]

The sources you are using to illustrate your points are far from credible...>>

PLEASE NOTE THIS WILL BE A SET RESPONSE
as will this

>>..Scripture based scientific research is not a rational position,all it does is create a theory that confirms your mythological beliefs -
but without actual evidence....<<

you see dear reader WHO WILL JUDGE YOUR EVIDENCE
is deaf and blind

then if it has merit you will be accused of trolling
OH expect name calling too

Posted by Foxy
Monday,24 November

>>>..Dear Ludwig,..
.>>Take a look at all of his posts,
and replies to people who genuinely
wanted to engage in a dialogue
with him..<<

distraction BUT NOT EXPLAIN EVOLUTION or abio-genssis
[ie the topic]

>..Take a look at all the lucid explanations
that he's been given and totally rejected...>>

rebuttal isnt rejection
im asking for explanation but not getting response..thus i agree with your next point

quote;..>How can there be any discussion or debate
with a closed mind?..<<

>>..WHO ignores the proof that he
is given
does
not want to hear answers that don't
meet with his beliefs- and so forth...>>

<..It's an exercise in futility to say
the least...he's having fun at your expense.
So what does that say about all of you, who are
playing his game according to his rules...<<....

reply by trikkerdee, Monday, 24 November 2008 10:35:08 AM



>>>,,,Well said Foxy, thanks for clarifying what I was already thinking, I'm going to take your advice and leave it alone now...<<

QUESTIONER does not HAVE to answer
any questions,because his topic asked for answers,BUT is he hearing?

To my mind, if God had all the properties attributed to it (omnipotence, ominscience, omniprescence), then it would have to be at least as big as the universe, and as we all know the universe is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is.

Therefore, maybe God IS the universe. In that way I could say that in a very real sense I am a child of it, I was 'created' by it and I can have a very real 'relationship' with it. I put relationship in quotes, because I have no reason whatsoever to expect it to care. It's already given to me and my species what I (we) need to survive and I should make the most of that. I can ask it for stuff, but anyone can see that it would be insanity to expect it to just give what I ask for to me because I worship it. It's up to us now.

The universe is what it is. Or in anthropmorphic terms, "I am what I am".