Is there a 'God'?

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:30 pm

I see religions as basically franchise operations. They're like chicken franchises. But that doesn't mean there's no chicken.

-William Gibson

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 4:15 pm

Clever.

ethios4 · Post by **ethios4** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:12 pm

noisetonepause wrote:Christians can't even agree on the nature of Christ, they've been fighting each since He was nailed to the cross over whether he is God or the son of God and all other dumb details.

Making them like every other religion I've ever read or heard about.

This is what I'm talking about...you jump to the defense anytime anyone on this forum puts out blanket-statement/ misinformation about any culture/religion except christianity, but here you are right on the bandwagon. You say christianity is just like every other religion, yet you don't defend it like it is. What gives?

Not at all to pick on you, ntp, it's just that I run into this constantly every day and I don't understand how supposedly "open-minded" people can deluded themselves into such intellectual dishonesty. I am really looking for an honest answer here...

DKushner · Post by **DKushner** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:39 pm

ethios4 wrote:
DKushner wrote:For the record you shouldn't capatalize the word god unless you are specifically refering to the god of the Jews or the Christians. Or if the word god comes at the begining of the sentance.
Right, it makes it easier to figure out who to bash for their religious beliefs...as we all know, it's ok to bash christians and jews, but never commit the sin of bashing anyone else for their beliefs/lifestyle. And keep in mind that only christians and jews capitalize the word God!

Also the God/god/'god'/GOD/dog/____ is not religion/culture specific, so lets just say whatever you feel most comfortable with.

No it is not a matter of respect, political corectness or other crap like this. It is merely a matter of terminology. Every word has a meaning, whether you like it or not. God, with a capital G, means monotheistic God (one God with no other possible gods around him), creator of man and universe. You can call any pagan deity “God” no more than you can call the number pi “rational” just because “rational” sounds to you more respectful than “irrational”, or call Egyptian High Priest “the pope”, or call a shogun “king”. These words have different, specific meanings.
Thus, if you call an Aztec deity “God”, you will insult the adherents of his cult, because this way you’ll be trying to define him with a concept alien to their religion, intruding into their hierarchy, their ideas of creation etc.
Allah and Buddha are always capitalized. If, however, you call Buddha “God”, you’ll mangle Buddhism beyond recognition.
You can, of course, reshuffle notions at will and give every word whatever meaning you see fit, but I would like you to understand clearly that by doing so you are leaving the realm of human culture and entering the one of your own voluntarism.

ethios4 · Post by **ethios4** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:50 pm

I know plenty of self-made pantheists and panentheists that capitalize the word g-o-d . Yeah, often when someone writes "God" they mean the monotheistic idea, but enough people capitalize "God" in reference to other ideas that making such a blanket statement as "For the record you shouldn't capatalize the word god unless you are specifically refering to the god of the Jews or the Christians." is dangerous and inaccurate.

I'm all for understanding cultures within their own definitions and terminology, and with all due respect for their beliefs.

DKushner · Post by **DKushner** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:55 pm

I'm all for understanding cultures within their own definitions and terminology, and with all due respect for their beliefs.

Then you shouldn't be capatalizing the word god unless you are talking about the God of Jews or Christians.

charles-l · Post by **charles-l** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:30 pm

to make the issue more simple there is a definition of god that applies to all monotheistic religions, to capitalise nor not is not an issue here as that is cultural specific.

If there is not a definition of god that applies to of all monotheism then the specific religion is not monotheistic by nature.

nolus · Post by **nolus** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:31 pm

If there is a gOd of electronic music (in the sense of a creator) it must surely be stockhausen or Robert Moog.

If there is a God or (gods) in the sense of all powerfull supernatural beings, or creators of the universe then I for one certainly havn't seen any evidence of it.

Get used to it, we're on our own, there isn't any external arbitrater to whom we can turn for moral guidance. No great ombudsman in the sky, just us. The sooner we learn to live with it the better.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:54 pm

nolus wrote: If there is a God or (gods) in the sense of all powerfull supernatural beings, or creators of the universe then I for one certainly havn't seen any evidence of it.

Well, while I'm quoting SF authors, I like what Arthur C Clarke has to say:

"Either we are alone in the universe, or we aren't... The implications of either are staggering."

peace love and mung beans, whatever your cosmology

charles-l · Post by **charles-l** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:42 am

nolus wrote:If there is a gOd of electronic music (in the sense of a creator) it must surely be stockhausen or Robert Moog.

If there is a God or (gods) in the sense of all powerfull supernatural beings, or creators of the universe then I for one certainly havn't seen any evidence of it.

Get used to it, we're on our own, there isn't any external arbitrater to whom we can turn for moral guidance. No great ombudsman in the sky, just us. The sooner we learn to live with it the better.

Nice thinking

, why does there need to be a god (check out your psychology and anthropology text books to to find out why)?

here is a really interesting link to help you choose between theism or atheism - it really makes you think, how do lay-persons really justify their views?

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:45 am

ethios4 wrote:
noisetonepause wrote:Christians can't even agree on the nature of Christ, they've been fighting each since He was nailed to the cross over whether he is God or the son of God and all other dumb details.

Making them like every other religion I've ever read or heard about.
This is what I'm talking about...you jump to the defense anytime anyone on this forum puts out blanket-statement/ misinformation about any culture/religion except christianity, but here you are right on the bandwagon. You say christianity is just like every other religion, yet you don't defend it like it is. What gives?

I dunno?

You're right, though. I'll be the first to recognise that.

I'm (over)sensitive abotu misinformation about Islam cos I know quite a bit about it due to what I study so when I see someone saying something that's wrong, it sort of jumps out of the page and claws at my eyes cos this is knowledge I've actively pursued, not just stuff that's there cos I was raised in a certain culture. And cos this misinformation is a big problem in our world today, IMNHHO.

Hope that makes sense.

ethios4 · Post by **ethios4** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:52 am

Understood.

I feel much the same about christianity...it irks me when I see/hear misinformation out there about it. In the case of christianity, the problem of misinformation applies heavily to christians. IMHO, most christians operate under a misunderstanding/misinformation of what it means to be a christian, ie, person who lives by faith in Christ. This christian misunderstanding is a big problem today, and leads to all sorts of violent radical behavior (Bush?).

My 2 cents anyway...

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:49 am

I never capitalize god, and when I say god without referencing any specific religion, I mean the christian god. I consider capitalizing what to me, is as valid an idea as werewolves, patronizing.
I will not think less of somebody for believing in werewolves, in fact there is a high chance that anybody in modern times that does, was confronted with something that resembled werewolves, whether or not it was their imagination or not, is not the point. I simply draw the line at playing along when I feel I am treating somebody like less than an equal.

solar28 · Post by **solar28** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:20 am

god is a pan-galactic alien whos true name is JHVH-1. Forunately we have "Bob" to save us. The end times are near, and on that day (X-day) we will all feel the Stark Fist of Removal. Our souls are a form of alien cocaine, they get high off of our emotions, particularly rage and guilt. The best we can hope for is that "Bob" can get the highest price for us, and convince the Xists to "buy american" so to speak. There are ruminations that other beings in other galaxies not under JHVH-1 control can be soul-harvested at much lower costs, and are much easier to control. However the Xists still appreciate the Yeti strains that are leftover in our DNA, but have been steadily disappointed by the ever weaker traces in our souls as each generation moves on.

read more: www.subgenius.com

glu · Post by **glu** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:24 am

are there gods?