Do You Believe In GOD

[area51drone]

I just want all you non-believing atheists to understand one thing:

You cannot join the Illuminati if you are an atheist!  Belief in a higher power is a requirement.  So you have to swallow your pride, you godless communists, and confess a belief in a higher power if you truly want to run the world.

This has been a public service announcement from pate.

Thank god (MV is my god) I am agnostic.  Illuminati, I join you with open arms!

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

Given that God is omnipotent and that everything is within His power, could He make a radio program so bad that He, Himself, could not bear to listen?

[UnscreenedCaller]

Some Christians hinge their whole belief system on the resurrection myth because it means they follow the word of God, not a wandering heretic Jew. The word of mortal Jesus just doesn't seem to carry the same weight, or authority as the father, son, holy ghost. Even in our modern times it seems who brought the message is more important the the message itself. Most of humanity hasn't changed much over a few thousand years. Cult of personality and style over substance.

There's a Jewish cemetery a couple of towns away from me. Every June, I'll see dozens of Lubavitcher Hasidic Jews walking to the cemetery site to visit the grave of Rebbe Menacham Schneerson, one of the most influential, enigmatic and brilliant religious leaders of the twentieth century, the last of the Lubavitcher rebbes. He was and still is believed by many in his sect to be the Moshiach, the Jewish Messiah as Hasidim have a belief that every generation produces an individual who could be a potential messiah if people would believe, study the Talmud and do acts of lovingkindness. The Chabad Lubavitchers believe he is going to rise from the dead and reveal himself as Messiah, and their belief remains unshaken even though he died in 1994. I remember when it was apparent he was dying, and this was before cellphones, the Lubavitchers in the area all carried beepers so they could be notified immediately that the Messianic age had begun. This is a close community and belief is very strong, so you have to wonder how his story will play out when enough time has passed. Of course this belief didn't extend to orthodox, reform or even other Hasidim who call this a cult of personality, something even Schneerson addressed in his lifetime.

My belief is that if a person is a true Christian, a follower of Christ, belief in a resurrection isn't really necessary any more than belief that the Shroud of Turin is the actual burial cloth of Christ. It's a way of bolstering belief by underscoring the supernatural, but the core of Christian belief is loving god and loving one's neighbor. I sometimes wonder if the message has been lost because of too much emphasis on the messenger.

[analog kid]

My belief is that if a person is a true Christian, a follower of Christ, belief in a resurrection isn't really necessary any more than belief that the Shroud of Turin is the actual burial cloth of Christ. It's a way of bolstering belief by underscoring the supernatural, but the core of Christian belief is loving god and loving one's neighbor. I sometimes wonder if the message has been lost because of too much emphasis on the messenger.

Why does God require that love is my question. Imagine a scientist creates sentient, self-aware life in a petri dish, that feels pain physically and existentially. Then we find out he demands their love and worship, and has created an elaborate system of punishment and torture if they don't. We'd think he's narcissistic and out of his mind. Yet we're supposed to ascribe this behavior to the creator of all the universes who has infinite knowledge.

And, if you take out everything superfluous in the Christian doctrine, boil it all down to its essence, like you say, you get the golden rule, which Confucius taught 300 years before Christianity existed, and much more eloquently. It's a universal truth and Christianity isn't needed for that.

[UnscreenedCaller]

Why does God require that love is my question. Imagine a scientist creates sentient, self-aware life in a petri dish, that feels pain physically and existentially. Then we find out he demands their love and worship, and has created an elaborate system of punishment and torture if they don't. We'd think he's narcissistic and out of his mind. Yet we're supposed to ascribe this behavior to the creator of all the universes who has infinite knowledge.

And, if you take out everything superfluous in the Christian doctrine, boil it all down to its essence, like you say, you get the golden rule, which Confucius taught 300 years before Christianity existed, and much more eloquently. It's a universal truth and Christianity isn't needed for that.

That was always my stumbling block, too: why would an omnipotent god care if we loved him or not (shades of Star Trek's 'Who Mourns for Apollo'), or what loving god sentences humans to infinite torment for very human transgressions? I guess there are different nuances to the word love in Semitic languages as there are in Greek where the closest thing would be agape, which isn't the customary affectionate or erotic love but an ideal sort of emptying oneself, unselfish kind of love for others which would be the essence of what a loving god is and what humans would strive for in loving god: to be like that.

[analog kid]

Modern Christianity being that nuanced would be nice.

[FightTheFuture]

My belief is that if a person is a true Christian, a follower of Christ, belief in a resurrection isn't really necessary....

Call me old fashioned, but I reckon that`s kind of important lol.

[area51drone]

Call me old fashioned, but I reckon that`s kind of important lol.

Yeah, if they didn't believe in the miracles, I really wouldn't have the grounds to call christians crazy.

[Tarbaby]

This line of discussion is akin to heresy in some circles, even today. Talk of free unconditional love, and God within us makes most Evangelical and Born Again Christians skin crawl. Such a radical idea sounds like it comes from some long haired, unshaven, sandal wearing, dirty hippie, that roves the land... oh wait. Jesus the Jewish heretic would most likely approve.

Some Christians hinge their whole belief system on the resurrection myth because it means they follow the word of God, not a wandering heretic Jew. The word of mortal Jesus just doesn't seem to carry the same weight, or authority as the father, son, holy ghost. Even in our modern times it seems who brought the message is more important the the message itself. Most of humanity hasn't changed much over a few thousand years. Cult of personality and style over substance.

Childish image negating the substance of my post, for the sake of others sensibilities.

thoughtful, good post.

[UnscreenedCaller]

Call me old fashioned, but I reckon that`s kind of important lol.

Why? I know it's a tenet of Christianity; I was Catholic most of my life and it's part of the dogma that one must believe to be Catholic, but if archeologists found the authentic tomb of Jesus tomorrow and there was a body in it, would it affect your Christianity or would you still live by his teachings? There are Christian theologians who have put this idea out there and where once I might have recoiled in horror at the suggestion, I get what they're saying regarding miracles and faith. One is not necessary for the other. Strip away the miracles and you have a first century rabbi who had keen insight into the human soul plus extraordinary compassion. If Christians really followed his teaching, this would be a different world.

[zeebo]

Why does God require that love is my question. Imagine a scientist creates sentient, self-aware life in a petri dish, that feels pain physically and existentially. Then we find out he demands their love and worship ...

Furthermore, the only "evidence" he gives of his existence is a cryptic, incomplete, self-contradicting book, written second-hand by other petri dish dwellers, who he "spoke" to in mystical ways, thousands of years ago ...

.. ya know, instead of just cracking the petri dish lid and looking down in his gleaming white-lab coat and saying "Oh Hi there my little petri kids, it's me, God!  Just checking in on you, and letting you know I'm right here, so you can stop all those little squabbles about whether I exist or not, and so you know you're not all alone in that little petri dish world of yours!"

[FightTheFuture]

Why? I know it's a tenet of Christianity; I was Catholic most of my life and it's part of the dogma that one must believe to be Catholic, but if archeologists found the authentic tomb of Jesus tomorrow and there was a body in it, would it affect your Christianity or would you still live by his teachings? There are Christian theologians who have put this idea out there and where once I might have recoiled in horror at the suggestion, I get what they're saying regarding miracles and faith. One is not necessary for the other. Strip away the miracles and you have a first century rabbi who had keen insight into the human soul plus extraordinary compassion. If Christians really followed his teaching, this would be a different world.

It's not just a tenet of Christianity, it is the bedrock foundation of the faith. Without it, you have people acting in a nice manner and being good folks, but they aren't Christians. Nothing wrong with that. But its not Christianity

[area51drone]

It's not just a tenet of Christianity, it is the bedrock foundation of the faith. Without it, you have people acting in a nice manner and being good folks, but they aren't Christians. Nothing wrong with that. But its not Christianity

Yep, that would be called sanity.

[FightTheFuture]

Yep, that would be called sanity.

I don't care what you call it. You can call it bunny rabbits and puppy dogs, but it's not Christianity. And that was the purpose of my reply to unscreened caller.

[UnscreenedCaller]

It's not just a tenet of Christianity, it is the bedrock foundation of the faith. Without it, you have people acting in a nice manner and being good folks, but they aren't Christians. Nothing wrong with that. But its not Christianity

My mistake, then. I thought to be a Christian one had to follow Jesus and live his teachings, sort of what his disciples and followers did before he was crucified. They weren't just acting in a nice manner, they were transforming themselves and their communities through his example to usher in the kingdom of God.

[Kelt]

What if the Christian God turned out to be a robot.

Would Christians still worship that Robot, or do they believe Robots can't be God.

And what do Christians have against Robots?

[FightTheFuture]

My mistake, then. I thought to be a Christian one had to follow Jesus and live his teachings, sort of what his disciples and followers did before he was crucified. They weren't just acting in a nice manner, they were transforming themselves and their communities through his example to usher in the kingdom of God.

UC, I`m not trying to be argumentative, and I apologize If that`s the impression I`ve left you with.  The truth is,  if more people followed your example, the world would be a MUCH nicer place indeed. I commend you.

[zeebo]

... And what do Christians have against Robots?

Finally, we're getting to the heart of the matter.

[UnscreenedCaller]

UC, I`m not trying to be argumentative, and I apologize If that`s the impression I`ve left you with.  The truth is,  if more people followed your example, the world would be a MUCH nicer place indeed. I commend you.

Oh, I know, FtF, thanks. These are some of the questions I used to ask in religious ed, and one can imagine how well that went. 

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

Oh, I know, FtF, thanks. These are some of the questions I used to ask in religious ed, and one can imagine how well that went. 

I don't have to imagine it.  FTF already posted a link that expresses his belief that it's sinful to question any of the bullshit in the christian religion.

Jesus came to me in a vision last night (why would I lie about this?).  You'll be pleased to hear that you're going to make the cut.  Unfortunately, he's pretty sure I'm fucked.

[area51drone]

I don't have to imagine it.  FTF already posted a link that expresses his belief that it's sinful to question any of the bullshit in the christian religion.

And it's not sinful to tell people to fuck off, as long as you do so with your bare ass.   If I were to believe, that would be my hypocritical interpretation of the bible as well!

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

And it's not sinful to tell people to fuck off, as long as you do so with your bare ass.   If I were to believe, that would be my hypocritical interpretation of the bible as well!

I always liked the part where Samson smote the bejesus of out all those Philistines with the jawbone of a bare ass.

[UnscreenedCaller]

I just like the word 'smote'. It should be used more often. In a Samuel L. Jackson voice.

[aldousburbank]

Jesus came to me in a vision last night (why would I lie about this?).  You'll be pleased to hear that you're going to make the cut.  Unfortunately, he's pretty sure I'm fucked.

Remember dude, my 2nd Theorem (and maybe the 1st but I can't remember it) applies to Christianity as it does to life:

If you know you're fucked, you're not.

[b_dubb]

"I smote my enemy and stood upon his ruin" - Gandalf the White

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

I just like the word 'smote'. It should be used more often. In a Samuel L. Jackson voice.

Something like this, perhaps?

[attachimg=1]

"You want to be a motherfuckin' smart ass? When I get through with you, you're gonna be a motherfuckin' smote ass."

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

I just like the word 'smote'. It should be used more often. In a Samuel L. Jackson voice.

Does Samuel L. Jackson have to smite a bitch?

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

Remember dude, my 2nd Theorem (and maybe the 1st but I can't remember it) applies to Christianity as it does to life:

If you know you're fucked, you're not.

I can't question the judgment of Jesus aka God.  It's sinful, don't-you-know.  Just roll over, lube up, and his will be done.

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

[pate]

Does Samuel L. Jackson have to smite a bitch?

Only if he has some sort of contract to play in the NFL...