Either there is a God, or there isn't.

[blackheart]

Also, we have a very good idea of what powers and attribtes Santa Claus can have and where he should be if he exists.

Could the same be said about a god?

 

[warpus]

Because in the case of Santa Claus, one's parents will generally admit that they were lying when they spoke of his existance, and it is passed on that way. Also, we have a very good idea of what powers and attribtes Santa Claus can have and where he should be if he exists.

The similarity of course is that we have just as much evidence for the existence of each.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

The similarity of course is that we have just as much evidence for the existence of each.

Well, you do. I really do think that I have "evidence" (not in the traditional sense of the word., but compelling nonetheless) for the existance of God.

Could the same be said about a god?

Absolutely not. There are a lot of different forms and characteristics that He/She/It/They could have.

 

[Phlegmak]

I watched part of one of Hovind's videos. He's crazy. diablodelmar, I think you're just hurting yourself by believing his baloney.

By the way, why is it so hard for creationists to simply believe that god created evolution?

 

[warpus]

Well, you do. I really do think that I have "evidence" (not in the traditional sense of the word., but compelling nonetheless) for the existance of God.

Couldn't you just call this 'faith' though? If not, what sort of evidence is it?

 

[Bozo Erectus]

By the way, why is it so hard for creationists to simply believe that god created evolution?

Because evolution isnt in their Book, therefore it cant be real.

 

[Perfection]

I believe that in the lack of substantial evidence for a claim of something's existance the best thing to do is deny its existance.

I have also seen a lack substantial evidence for the claim of God's existance.

This is why I deny the existance of God.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Couldn't you just call this 'faith' though? If not, what sort of evidence is it?

It is based on personal spiritual experiences. Like I said, it would not hold up in a court of law or a laboratory, and thus I cannot therefore claim that it should be evident to anyone else, but that is not the point. The faith part is that I do interpret these spiritual experiences as coming from God, and that therefore giving Him certain attributes, and most importantly that it leads me to act accordingly.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

d'oh! never mind.

 

[El_Machinae]

By the way, why is it so hard for creationists to simply believe that god created evolution?

It directly contradicts the Bible, since Evolution tends to require death (actually, it doesn't require death, but it assumes it), and death didn't occur until after the Fall.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

It directly contradicts the Bible, since Evolution tends to require death (actually, it doesn't require death, but it assumes it), and death didn't occur until after the Fall.

Actually, according to what Genesis 1 actually says, they only deaths that cam about as a result of the Fall were that of humans. It doesn't say that animals couldn't die in the Garden of Eden, that is a later theological addition.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Genesis 3:22 implies rather unmistakably that Adam and Ever were not immortal prior to the fall.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Genesis 3:22 implies rather unmistakably that Adam and Ever were not immortal prior to the fall.

But then, that was after the Fall so maybe it meant they could become immortal again, rather than that they were not immortal to begin with.

 

[odintheking]

Well, there is a third option. That there is God, but not in the general sense of God or gods. Let me explain. In my opinion, if you feel that there is a such thing as fate, or that things are meant to happen, you believe in God, because that's what God is. If you believe in morality or love, you believe in God, bacause that's what I feel God is. Alot of people are turned off to religion because of all the rules and stuff, or that there is some guy who could kill us whenever, or that if we do anything bad we'll be eternally damned to hell or whatever. but in my opinion, all the technicalities and "fear" so to speak, of God ruin the aspect of religion for alot of people. See, by starting all these new religions because of an arguement about some small detail in the bible or a different prophet they follow the most, we've just made hate inbetween different religions (Jihad, the Crusades, etc.). If we all just realized that God is love and morality, and stopped all this petty nonsense over whether God favors this country or whether this person is evil because they don't worship God in the way you do, we would have alot less hate in the world. So in my opinion, yes, there is God, but "God" is just a metaphor for love and decency. As long as you live a decent life, and avoid doing bad things, there's no need to believe in one creator God or what that God is like; and in the end, it won't matter if you believe in a God or not, it will only matter if you led a life of spreading "God's Word" (i.e. to love).

 

[The Last Conformist]

@Eran: Yes, typo. Post corrected.

 

[adog]

I couldn't vote, I'm agnostic.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Imagine a person who is deaf and blind. How would such a person know that he or she does believe in color - and not sound, huh?

"See me, Feel me, Touch me, Heal me."
"That deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pin ball."

from Tommy, spiritual rock at its best.

 

[Sidhe]

Tommy was filmed on the South coast of England, and Southsea is where most of the beach scenes were filmed and many other scenes were filmed in the hotels of Portsmouth too, I happen to live not 7 miles from there, and your right it is a great musical, and that's coming from someone who's not a big fan of musicals. Is this off topic, nah can't be

adog, That's what makes this pole thing pretty pointless, not alot you can discuss really without a palette, black and white great, it's got no depth you see.

 

[shadow2k]

Pascal's wager:
If there is a god (even if it isn't the monotheistic God that some of us believe in) then practicing morality would get you a better standing in the eyes of the Overlord.

If there is a god (God) and you are immoral then you lose standing in the eyes of the Greater Being, and you will regret your descisions.

If there isn't a god (God) and you are moral then nothing would happen, you just lead a more acceptable life.

If there isn't a god (God) and you are immoral then you have nothing to fear, yet your actions will still be dishonorable.

Thus: If you accept the existance of a Geater being and act moral then you have a 100% chance of being on the good side of a god (God)

Whereas if you are immoral and do not accept a Greater Being, then you have a 50% chance of being trodden upon.


I believe in God. Thus I have a fairly high chance of having a good afterlife.

Pascal didn't take odds of actually winning each scenario into account. It assumes 50/50 odds.

I believe there is a 0% chance that God exists. Therefore, betting on the existence of God is not something I'd do, regardless of the possible outcomes.

 

[Perfection]

Trying to imagine God is like describing colour to a blind man. It is a whole new dimension which we can't understand.

Imaging god is completely different matter from describing color to a blind man. The biggest difference is in one you're trying to communicate a concept to someone with limited experience while in the other you're tying to come up with ideas that fit in a very broad catagory. There's almost no relation in your analogy.

Additionally describing color to a blind man is a fairly straightforward endeavor. I'd do it roughly in the same way my physics professor tought me about gamma radiation.

And really what good is saying, "I know there's a god, but I have no idea what it is"