God does NOT exist! (Part 3)

[Reg Reader 10]

You find it interesting that I don't talk about politics, something I know nothing about?

.

 

No, you know nowt about religion but that doesn't stop you. What I find interesting is that you said you have no interest in politics. You have no interest in the system that governs the world around you yet you have massive interest in the imaginary world. I find that interesting.

[flamingjimmy 10]

Hola Grahame I'd be fascinated if you'd answer this question, the thread appears to've gone a bit off topic.

As a matter of interest, out of the "faith folk" on the SF, who believes in angels, demons, witches, eviiil spirits and wizards? It mentions em all in the bible

[[Matt] 10]

Hola Grahame I'd be fascinated if you'd answer this question, the thread appears to've gone a bit off topic.

 

Blood from a stone mate...

[Wildcat 10]

There is an interesting review of an interesting article here:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/04/case-for-god-karen-armstrong

 

It is about the idea that God is positively indefinable. It is a common theme in all theologies, especially those with a more mystical emphasis.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_theology

 

Taking this view of God in relation to the thread title, the title begs the question what is meant by the word God that the title negates?

 

Is it denying the experiences people describe as religious or is it negating a claim about the nature of God that is not held by everyone that is religious?

[K1-KHAN 10]

god does exist!!

[Wildcat 10]

god does exist!!

 

What do mean by god? or what does god mean to you?

[Mr Goose 10]

Hola Grahame I'd be fascinated if you'd answer this question, the thread appears to've gone a bit off topic.

 

 

Yup - the faithful tend to say "I believe in the bible!" but when you ask "do you believe in witches, demons and wizards they tend to mumble or say "they are metaphors.... but they seem to think that the "nice" magical things - heaven, angels et al are true

[Karis 11]

Yup - the faithful tend to say "I believe in the bible!" but when you ask "do you believe in witches, demons and wizards they tend to mumble or say "they are metaphors.... but they seem to think that the "nice" magical things - heaven, angels et al are true

 

Not from my experience. I used to play Dungeons & Dragons when I was a kid, and the religious people I knew spent more time worrying about Satan and curses and black magic than my characters did.

 

Which I found baffling. And, there's a few that still worry about it in their daily lives even today.

[K1-KHAN 10]

What do mean by god? or what does god mean to you?

 

Im a Muslim and i believe in The one and Only God.

 

I dont believe in jesus as God.

 

and I deff do not believe in the Theory of Evol

[flamingjimmy 10]

Im a Muslim and i believe in The one and Only God.

 

I dont believe in jesus as God.

 

and I deff do not believe in the Theory of Evol

 

Excellent, it sounds like you'll be nice and easy to argue against, welcome to the forum:thumbsup:

[Grahame 10]

Yup - the faithful tend to say "I believe in the bible!" but when you ask "do you believe in witches, demons and wizards they tend to mumble or say "they are metaphors.... but they seem to think that the "nice" magical things - heaven, angels et al are true

 

I think there is the intangible and I certainly think there are forces for evil.

 

If you limit yourself to the physical alone then you have a closed mind imo.

 

.

[Grahame 10]

There is an interesting review of an interesting article here:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/04/case-for-god-karen-armstrong

 

It is about the idea that God is positively indefinable. It is a common theme in all theologies, especially those with a more mystical emphasis.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_theology

 

Taking this view of God in relation to the thread title, the title begs the question what is meant by the word God that the title negates?

 

Is it denying the experiences people describe as religious or is it negating a claim about the nature of God that is not held by everyone that is religious?

 

Thank you for the Times article on Karen Armstrong’s book Wildcat. It struck a chord with me and her analogy to music and art is a good one in-so-far as “we come out of the art gallery or concert hall enriched and braced, elevated and tranquil” and that is how I feel when I am in the presence of God. This is something we need to feel for ourselves and is as hard to describe as is the way we have been moved by the beautiful music. This is what people who do not know God find so hard to understand. I felt her mention of meditation was appropriate also for as the apostle Paul said,

 

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

 

We give our whole attention to the beautiful music in the concert hall or the picture on the wall, but we pay no attention to the word of God, and what can be better than meditating on things that are “noble, just, pure, and lovely” for surely they fill our hearts with joy.

 

She also hit the nail on the head when she spoke about the scientific triumphs of the 17th century, when people ceased to "practice" religion and instead replaced religion with a theory. This theory has been taken up by the modern "militant" atheists like Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens and Harris who have not experienced the beautiful music and have replaced it with something of their own imagining of what religion is and it is this straw-man they present to the world. The modern atheist does not know the difference between real religion and their man-made strawman and are unable to discern truth from the error they preach about religion and in particular Christianity. However, thank the Lord, “real religion” as Karan Armstrong says “is serenely immune to their discovery that it is silly to talk of a divine architect.”

 

 

God bless.

.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Grahame