Is There A God?

[Parche]

I believe, but sometimes it is hard to understand, or figure out, with all of these school shootings, Iraq, The student who shot another 14year old in a California school,
the epidemics in Africa, and the list goes on and on and on.................
What is going on in this world of ours? :cry: :cry:

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Yes, but we are given free will to choose between the polarities

and are fully responsible for our actions.

I'm a buzzkill. Invite me to dinner.

[Fox Mulder]

2. I hope so.

But not the type of god that fundies believe in.

[JVS]

3. Yes.

[Jamastiene]

4. Yeah, and boy is She pissed.

:evilgrin:
j/k

I won't say with certainty because I can't. I made up my own gods that love little reject lesbian punk rockers like me despite our imperfections, unlike the right wing Christian God who hates me. One thing I do everyday, though, is pray to Jesus to please protect me from his right wing followers.

[Kutjara]

5. No.

Just a bunch of humans praying to an empty sky.

[Taverner]

6. Well, I don't think there is

I follow the "shit happens" principle. That is, shit may happen at any moment that is beyond our control. Then again, it may not. We really have little choice over this. We are like plankton, floating in a merciless sea of life...and at the same time life is the only thing worth living for.

There is no god, no heaven, no hell, no karma, no consequences in this life or any other. We are the most complex life we know of, and therefore we feel ourselves on some kind of divine mission. Bullshit. That's an illusion similar to the illusion that we are the center of the universe.

You can be a good person and horrible and terrible things can happen to you. You can be a complete asshole and wonderful and sublime things can happen to you. Other rational beings around you may not want anything to do with you, but that has very little bearing in the matter, doesn't it?

But this is no cause for alarm - in fact, I celebrate it. It means that only you are in charge of your destiny - not some god or spirit, but you. And if all the universe you can affect is that which is right in front of you, then so be it. Make your mark in that universe - because the big one is beyond your control.

Anyway, it's 4:20 (or at least was, when I started this) so that should indicate my state of mind.

[GCP]

75. If it didn't sound too ironic, I'd say "Amen, Brother!"

You've summed up my position exactly.
I get so sick of people saying a miracle happened when someone survived some sort of horrible event, even as many other people died in same said event. It's crap and I wish people would grow up.

[Taverner]

76. Exactly: "The Lord works in mysterious ways"

How about there is no Lord, and shit just fucking happens!

[trof]

7. There are several.

None of which I have any faith in.
:-)

[Guava Jelly]

8. Yes!

I am god!!

And I believe in me!

[Shine]

10. that pic is hilarious!

:rofl: :yourock:

:hi:

[pokerfan]

9. if there is a God, it has to be a man

"Something is wrong here. War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption, and the Ice Capades. Something is definitely wrong. This is not good work. If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed. Results like these do not belong on the résumé of a Supreme Being. This is the kind of shit you'd expect from an office temp with a bad attitude. And just between you and me, in any decently-run universe, this guy would've been out on his all-powerful ass a long time ago. And by the way, I say "this guy", because I firmly believe, looking at these results, that if there is a God, it has to be a man."

"No woman could or would ever fuck things up like this. So, if there is a God, I think most reasonable people might agree that he's at least incompetent, and maybe, just maybe, doesn't give a shit. Doesn't give a shit, which I admire in a person, and which would explain a lot of these bad results."

(George Carlin)

[Mike03]

11. If there is, does it matter?

Apparently not? My twenty year old friend was raped and murdered for doing nothing, and now my precious father is dying of a rare cancer, and he did nothing to deserve this.

So there may be a God, but if so, he doesn't give a shit about individuals, per ce.

[stuntcat]

12. I just heard someone saying the same thing today

On an interview on Fresh Air, I was walking so I've forgotten the guy's name, but he wrote a book about why he went from being very super-religious to being agnostic. For him it had the most to do with how many innocent children are starving and innocent people being killed by dictators and stuff like that. I would have appreciated him saying something about "God's image" raping the hell out of a beautiful planet and driving some animals to extinction but he made his point pretty well anyway.
God's a great idea but since I lost faith in people I lost faith in the institutionalized fantasies too :hi:

[Pale Blue Dot]

24. That was Bart Ehrman

who's Biblical Studies as a ultra-religious student showed him that the Bible is a bunch of crap dressed up as "the word of God". I highly recommend his book Misquoting Jesus.

[rurallib]

31. Here's a link - very good show

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19096131

[stuntcat]

32. ^^thank yous two!

I've put him on my Alibris list to order his books sometime!
I want to listen again because I missed the last half of the interview, I can't pick up NPR after I go in my Giant store x(

[baldguy]

13. Yes, there is.

And it's pronounced "Zod"

[Auggie]

14. I believe in Dog

[Critters2]

15. Obviously, I think there is.

But we tend to give into human nature, especially by behaving violently, but in other ways as well, rather than live by values which would make things better for ourselves and others. Believers need to challenge the competitiveness and violence in this world, in order to change it. But that takes a sense of vision and a sense of something larger than oneself that gets lost in moments of fear--fear of the violence itself, fear of losing one's place in society, fear in general.

It's God who can empower us to be better than "human nature", but we need to be open to that. We need to be motivated by something larger than ourselves, and with that comes empowerment, and with that comes justice and peace.

I think there's a God. And now I'll put on my flameproof suit.

[Skittles]

16. no

but most people need to believe there is, just to live

[BlueJazz]

17. No God..No Ghosts..No Magic Bunny Rabbits...No Spirits.

The Universe is a Lovely Place...The Universe is an unforgiving Mother-Fucker

[Oeditpus Rex]

18. ...

[IzaSparrow]

19. No God(s).

Once you die, you get recycled into basic molecules and recycled back into the ecosystem.

[Pale Blue Dot]

20. No. And the universe is more beautiful because of it.

It is all here, and WE are here, without any divine intervention at all. It's a miraculous thing.

[johnnie]

21. Of course there is....

..If that is your personal belief.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. No. And this life already is hell.

[Pale Blue Dot]

25. ...

:hug:

[Maraya1969]

23. I like to listen to Buddhist teachings and The Course in Miracles

http://homeoint.org/morrell/buddhism/suffering.htm

The Course in Miracles says that a miracle is when you are able to look at devastation and realize that it is false. I kind of understand this to a point. More so I think other people get to the point where they believe it always and are peaceful; and that makes me feel secure.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

26. Seems unlikely.

:hi:

[SocratesInSpirit]

27. A lot of it seems to be free will in action

There was a line in "Bruce Almighty" where God tells Bruce he can do anything except interfere with others' free will -

Bruce: May I ask why?
God: Yes, you can - that's the beauty of it!

But people can, and do, make bad choices that hurt others. So it's a blessing and a curse.

[ghostsofgiants]

28. I have conclusive proof that there is not. Four simple, terrifying words...

Gene Simmons sex tape.

[PassingFair]

36. Who needs Dawkins?

You have dispelled the myth with just your
four words!

[ghostsofgiants]

38. Just thank the non-existen deity that I didn't post a link.

[PassingFair]

40. You are indeed merciful.

Praise be to you.

In the highest sense.

And sensibility.

[lost-in-nj]

29. I believe in God.....

sometimes he gets mad


hon
something is working FOR us......also

I understand your question though... believe me
losing both parents
2 brothers
and my husband of 30 years to someone else...
i have questions...
then I look at the moon tonight

it is breathtaking......

lost

[Catsbrains]

47. I believe in these lovely images as well....I just call them nature.

[Highway61]

54. Those are beautiful, Lost

I am sorry for your losses and pain. I've gone through pretty much exactly what you have had happen to you. The "grieving process" gets pretty old after a while...but I made it....and so will you. If you ever need to talk, pm me. :hug:

P.S. Ya know what line I HATED hearing the most?...."when one door closes another one...."
Well...fuck that. I say, when one door closes go back and climb through the window!

[raccoon]

56. Beautiful pictures. Thanks for those, lost.

And to the OP and some others: a book that really helped me was WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE by Harold Kushner. It cleared up a lot of things for me.

[Deep13]

59. That top photo is a fake.

The sun and the moon have the same angular size when seen from Earth.

This pix in context are essentially trying to demonstrate "the argument from design." Frankly, none of the things depicted prove that god is real in any way. All they demonstrate is that babies, puppies, butterflies, kittens, alpine flowers and aurora exist. Biological evolution by natural selection can only happen in the absence of divine intervention.

[theredpen]

30. Shouldn't this be a poll?

How can anything this complicated be settled without a poll?

[SPKrazy]

33. it's something we all have to decide for ourselves

and we get to

and we get to decide what brand/form/version if we want

and we all may be somehow right

:shrug:

just my .02

[quip]

34. I believe there is, I hope there is, and IT is beyond all comprehension and description

[ashling]

35. Epicurus - 33 A.D.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able, and willing?
Then whence cometh evil.
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

Note: I could have attributed this to someone else, say, Mark Twain, but I was afraid someone (you know who you are) would post saying:
"Link? Lots of things are wrongly attributed to Mark Twain" So, if you are reading this and thinking: I AM GOING TO DEMAND THAT THIS GUY PUT A LINK! Lots of things are wrongly attributed to Epicurus ... and Mark Twain.",
do the following:

1. stand up, 2. take your keyboard and put it in the chair behind you, 3. sit down - HARD! . . . . . .Mark Twain would approve
:evilgrin:

[Zoigal]

37. Seriously doubt it. z

[LeftyFingerPop]

39. If you believe that there is a God...

then there is indeed a God. :hi: :hug:

[Deep13]

67. Look, I know you're trying to be reassuring and stuff, but how do you figure?

If god only exists because one person (in this example) or a number of people believe it, then in what way is god real? There either is a god or there isn't. The truth of one option precludes the other.

[LeftyFingerPop]

74. If I believe there is a God....

(which I may not), then arguing about whether or not God exists FOR ME is fruitless.

God is personal.

It is kind of like someone saying "I have a sore throat", and you saying back to them "No you don't, your sore throat does not exist".

[Generic Brad]

41. I think of God as an imaginary friend for adults

Because if he is a loving and compassionate creator I am not very impressed with his mysterious ways and plans which I am supposedly too primitive to fathom. It looks to me like he just enjoys dicking around mercilessly with innocent people and his spokesmen need a lot of money.

I would feel more comfort if I was certain that God was nothing more than a scam.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

42. There's sure as hell a devil, so there HAS TO be a God.

I just think He finally realized that just before He created us in His image, he was probably drunk when He looked into the Divine Mirror.

Now He's sobering up, and starting to realize just what He did.

Can you say "intergalactic hangover"?

[Arugula Latte]

43. 8 Ball sez: Looks Doubtful.

I think man made god, not the reverse.

[karmaqueen]

44. I believe in God & Karma.

I think that this life is such a minor part of the big picture we can't begin to understand. A complete knowledge of "everything" will be the final reward for ALL life. There is no hell or no devil only God and he has a plan. That is my story & I'm sticking to it...

[LostInAnomie]

45. Nope...

... At least there is not the classical manifestation of God as the overseer the judges us, created the universe, guides our path in life, determines our final destination, etc.

If there is a "God" it would be so far beyond our comprehension that we would not recognize it as "God". Trying to determine what pleases this "God" is a complete waste of time because more than likely this "God" doesn't know we are here and probably doesn't care.

[TrogL]

46. interesting bit of theology I read recently - God exhausted himself creating the universe

[GoddessOfGuinness]

48. That could explain a lot...

Damn kids gotta learn to grow up sometime! Hell if I'm gonna bail 'em out again!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

49. In My Opinion There Undoubtedly Is.

Unfortunately, I'm way too tired right now to answer your question, but I wish I could. If this thread is active tomorrow, I will try then. The short answer is: There is a God, but he simply just doesn't work that way. He is there for guidance and for strength, not to interject himself into the day to day of reality and circumstance. His role is to give you strength and wisdom through tragedy, not to prevent it.

It goes a lot deeper, but I just don't have in me mentally to post it right now.

[buzzard]

51. Well maybe it is an impersonal god , that would be my choice if given the choice. I really don't

know.

[LeftyMom]

50. Of course not.

People do these things to themselves. There's nobody else to blame.

[Mendocino]

52. I don't believe so.

Why would a "god" create such a wonderful place as the natural earth and then, put humans on it?

[JTG of the PRB]

53. Sure, why not?

There could be a God, or Gods (which is what I kind of believe), or there could just be a greater spiritual power weaving throughout the world. I don't believe in a singular Biblical God, but I do think that there is something out there beyond our sight and beyond our comprehension. Whether that's a God/Gods or something else, who knows.

[MissMillie]

55. my heart tells me yes

and while I don't think w/ my heart, I most definitely feel with it.

[Deep13]

57. The world makes a lot more sense if we do not impose divine will on it.

The world is the way it is for a variety of reasons, none of which have anything to do with god.

[Shell Beau]

58. Yes I certainly believe so. I think there are things we will never

understand while we are here. And terrible tragedy and suffering are some of those things!

[asteroid2003QQ47]

60. Is There A God?

Not very likely, but if there is, Fuck'em!

[Kajsa]

61. Yep, there sure is.

He/She is not a big daddy/mommy in the sky with a scorecard
or I would have been screwn a long time ago.

I am still here, very much alive and kicking, not pushing daisies.

I've said enough.

I lurve your airplane pics, Parche!

Some of my favorites are the orca planes Alaska Airlines had a while back.

[driver8]

62. No freakin' way.

If there is a God, why does he allow all of this suffering to go on? Droughts, floods, famine, wars, etc...

No -- there is no God.

[montanto]

63. nope!

[LiberalEsto]

64. God is the good part of us

God is the power that moves people to unbelievable acts of kindness and self sacrifice, that gives us the power to love, comfort and heal. I don't blame the bad stuff on God.

[unpossibles]

65. only in the sense that there are also other imaginary fictions as well

god is real, but it is a creation of mankind, not the other way around.

[Lyric]

66. This is what I believe

For practical purposes, I call myself an Agnostic or even an Atheist, but the truth is that I'm really not. I believe that there is something more powerful than we are in this universe--something that perhaps had something to do with the Big Bang. I don't believe that anyone or anything hand-crafted our universe, and especially not our Earth, but I do believe that there is a great Mystery out there, a thing so fantastically large and foreign that we could never conceive of it, much less capture the essence of it inside our relatively puny and rather self-centered religions.

I don't want to offend or upset the religious folks among us, because some of them I consider to be friends. But I personally feel that it would be as silly to think that this great Mystery is concerned about and aware of us on a personal level, as it would be to think that any one of us would be aware of and concerned about a particular individual cell in our bodies. I think it's no coincidence that our inner workings (cells, molecules, atoms, etc.) seem to resemble the things we find outside...like planets, solar systems and galaxies. An electron orbits an atom in much the same way that a planet orbits a star, after all. Therefore I think that if we could get far away, so far away that we could see from outside somehow, we would find that we are a part of something enormous that's much, much more complex than we could ever hope to fully understand.

So no, I don't believe in a personal, caring "God" that concerns himself or herself with the things we do every day and keeps a tally of our wrongdoings. I think that view is selling God short, to be honest, and when people speak of feeling a "connection" with something, I believe that connection has something to do with the vastness of human emotional energy here on Earth--perhaps some of us can sense it, and we mistake that for "God".

But I do believe that we are a part of something bigger and far more important--just in a much smaller and less important way than most religions would have us believe.

[LanternWaste]

68. I believe there is.

I believe there is. However, I certainly won't state with the certainty that He does or does not exist as others have done-- as I do try to avoid intractable dogmatisms that both extremes are many times guilty of.

edited: 'many' without an 'n' is a different word.... :blush:

[redqueen]

69. Maybe.

*sigh*

[SecularMotion]

70. The concept of God was created by man.

[edbermac]

71. I believe in a Higher Power.

But don't believe in the God the way so-called 'Christians' describe him.

[av8rdave]

72. Yes there is a God

He is all seeing and all - knowing, yet he had to walk in on Adam and Eve to find out that things had changed in Eden.

He loves his entire creation, but will sentence you to eternal torture if you don't love and hate the right people and things (because he loves you!)

He created man in his image, but encourages and aids in the destruction of whole groups of men at the hands of his chosen ones.

He calls envy and coveting sins, yet the Bible describes him as jealous.


Yes, I believe there is a God. Unfortunately, man has tried to turn him into a tool used to discriminate and bludgeon.

[GoneOffShore]

73. Nope, no mystic sky being

Just chaos.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

77. There is something greater than all of us teeny-weenie spots in the universe.

:shrug:

Obviously, that universe owes us nothing.