Does God exist?

[CaterpillarGirl]

Originally posted by Aonz

Hell is another concept that I can't accept, how could a so called loving God send anyone to suffer forever? that isn't the act of a just God if you ask me. I don't think people truly comprehend how long forever is or what it would mean.

 

I subscribe to the C.S. Lewis interpretation of Hell - the absence of God. It's not God turning away from you, it's you choosing something over God. I believe that God is present in everything I love in life - sugar cookies, my mom's embrace, the quiet peace I get looking at the ocean. If She were not present in these things, I truly believe they'd be hollow to me. And that is my conception of Hell. Try reading Lewis' "Great Divorce," if you're curious.

[Dora]

Once I was searching God on Internet , and it turned out there were more than 1600 GODs. Whichever you believe in, most people in this world disagree with you.

 

Since it is such a populous world, God is really too busy to answer your prayers and life is too short to wait for his answers

 

So, it doesn't matter if God exists or not, I expect nothing from him. I just spell DOG backward when I feel lonely.

[jenny]

i don't really feel evangelical about it, but i do know the syndrome you're talking about. for agnostics, this seems like very strange behaviour. it's like dedicating one's life to proving that santa doesn't exist rather than concluding he's a nice unprovable theory one way or the other; to me he's a creature of rational thought and narrative, experienced emotionally. i haven't seen him, but who am i to argue with those who have?

[bark]

God is a ... noun.

[BlockHead]

HokeyReligions

Which God? Any God? What is the definition? The Christian God? Budhha? Horus? Zeus?

Some people just don’t understand.

God is the Christian god.

god is any god.

 

Notice, the ‘G’ is capitalized.

 

Dora

Since it is such a populous world, God is really too busy to answer your prayers and life is too short to wait for his answers

What kind of world would this be if there were no problems? It would be a giant zoo.

Pain and suffering can lead to spiritual growth, and Satan’s original role was to test people.

What if life is a big test?

 

bark

God is a ... noun.

’bark’ can be a noun, a verb, and a transitive verb.

'blockhead' is a noun.

 

Main Entry: jen·ny

Pronunciation: 'je-nE

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural jennies

Etymology: from the name Jenny

Date: 1600

1 a : a female bird <jenny wren> b : a female donkey

2 : SPINNING JENNY

[jenny]

er...since jenny is not my real name i'm not sure whether or not i should be offended, especially by the capitals?

 

what's the etymology of blockhead?

 

ah, well, cheers all!

[Errol]

Originally posted by moimeme

It seems that, to you, a Christian would be a follower of church-defined rules (and you haven't mentioned which church).

 

I guess I am looking for Bible passages and written interpretations by clergy for Christian-Based religions.

 

Lutheran

Catholic

Baptist

Protestent

Church of Christ

Methodist

 

I've had friends tell me that pre-marital sex is okay - it's the love and commitment in ones heart that god, or God if you prefer, is concerned with and that a commitment to one person is all that is needed. I've asked them where their Bible states this and what their pastor/clergy has said and no one can tell me. It sounds like an excuse so they don't feel guilty to me.

 

I'm not judging - I know that part of being a Christian is not being a carbon copy of Jesus and making mistakes/sins. I'm just curious about the Bible texts and how they are being interpreted nowadays.

[bark]

er...since jenny is not my real name

 

You're kidding me. jenny, say it ain't so! sob...sob...

[jenny]

man, i *so* thought bark was your real name and wondered at your parents.

 

jenny is actually my high school best friend's name, so i suppose i'm committing some kind of very unimaginative fraud.

[BlockHead]

jenny

er...since jenny is not my real name i'm not sure whether or not i should be offended, especially by the capitals?

capitals???

If you are referring to the boldface words, I was trying to stay consistent with the dictionary entry.

 

I looked up the word ‘bark,’ and then I thought, “Is jenny a word?”

I thought I should share my result.

[BlockHead]

jenny

what's the etymology of blockhead?

Blockhead "stupid person" (1549) was originally a head-shaped oaken block used by hat-makers.

[Errol]

Originally posted by BlockHead

2 : SPINNING JENNY

 

I thought it was Spinning Jinny. Yes, I'm old. They used to just hang suspended and had no floor but the ground beneath. And were made of wood. The operator stood in the center by the only part that stood on the ground and operated it with levers & gears. The gears were iron. No, I'm not THAT old.

[moimeme]

I'm not judging - I know that part of being a Christian is not being a carbon copy of Jesus and making mistakes/sins. I'm just curious about the Bible texts and how they are being interpreted nowadays.

 

The Bible isn't the only religious text. If you want to learn about other religions, you'll need their catechisms - those that have such things, anyway.

[Dora]

Originally posted by BlockHead

 

Some people dont understand, God is Christian God...

 

What kind of world would this be if there were no problems? It would be a giant zoo.

Pain and suffering can lead to spiritual growth, and Satan’s original role was to test people.

What if life is a big test?

 

 

Most people in this world are not Christian.

 

We produce and solve our own problems, I dont bother GOD.

 

I am spiritual but not religious.

 

No "what if..." for me. why would I treat life as a big test if I didnt expect to receive any awards from GOD?

 

Let these people who believe GOD have their GOD to hold on to. May God bless them.

 

But I am doing very well without GOD. his existence dont bother me at all.

[bark]

But I am doing very well without GOD. his existence dont bother me at all.

 

 

I'm doing very well without God, too. God's absence doesn't bother me at all, either.

 

Although had I been an inmate at Auchwitz, or trapped at the top of the WTC funeral pyre, I imagine I would have keenly felt God's absence or worse, his indifference.

[Dora]

Correction:

 

"I am doing very well without god, his existence and absence don't bother me at all."

 

I am happy that I am not the only one who feels this way, Bark!

 

[bark]

I am happy that I am not the only one who feels this way, Bark!

 

Dora, I suspect there are more of us out there than would care to admit it.

 

We're just more candid.

[Arabess]

If I didn't believe in God....what I would do is get alone....and just ASK HIM! I'd say "If you are alive and exist....let me know." Then, I'd go on about my life.....and wait for the big surprise. Tried and True!

[cdn]

I am spiritual but not religious.

 

 

What does this mean, exactly? I hear it often in one of two variants:

 

1. I am spiritual but not religious;

2. I don't believe in God but I am spiritual

 

But spiritual means "of, or relating to, sacred matters... concerned with religious values..."

 

So I don't get it.

[Dora]

Well, you need to have a better dictionary, that's all

 

"Spiritual"

1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material.

2. Of, concern Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit;

3. supernatural. ed with, or affecting the soul.

......

 

Everyone can have his own spiritual world based on his own life experience and intelligence...

 

By the way, when I say spirit, It means "The vital principle or animating force within living beings"; "Incorporeal consciousness"

 

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entries/82/s0648200.html

[cdn]

"Spiritual"

1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material.

2. Of, concern Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit;

3. supernatural. ed with, or affecting the soul.

 

 

Here's the quote from the link you sent me:

 

1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. See synonyms at immaterial.

2. Of, concerned with, or affecting the soul.

3. Of, from, or relating to God; deific.

4. Of or belonging to a church or religion; sacred.

5. Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit; supernatural.

 

Anyway, thanks for explaining.

[Errol]

Originally posted by moimeme

I'm not judging - I know that part of being a Christian is not being a carbon copy of Jesus and making mistakes/sins. I'm just curious about the Bible texts and how they are being interpreted nowadays.

 

The Bible isn't the only religious text. If you want to learn about other religions, you'll need their catechisms - those that have such things, anyway.

 

But this thread is dealing with a christian god. Every church that i indicated, as far as i know, uses the bible. that is the only text i'm talking about. i never said i wanted to learn about other religions.

 

the topic of this thread is Does God Exist? I say no.

 

but then the thread reached out to a lot of different variances and one that i brought up was off-topic. this thread made me think of it and so i asked the question here. still - no one has been able to answer my question and i don't expect anyone will. oh well, nevermind. my question was off-topic anyway and can be ignored in this thread.

[SportyChick7]

I believe God does exist! Other than things to me that are incredible like the ocean or life...i would have to ask people...are WE as humans, an accident, created by science. I think the thing that did it for me, was how we are all have different DNA, now this sounds kinda dumb, but how by accident, if you think we are, or by fluke, can we ALL BE different!?

 

Since a lot of you dont read the Bible, understandably, cuz u arent "religious" I wont use that although it talks a lot about certain issues. There is proof of a man named Jesus, who performed miracles, there are recordings of his prescence on earth, appearing to normal people like you and me, because He was a normal guy like you and me.

 

To explain God to someone is difficult, yet He isnt unattanable in appearance. Somone in this thread said if they had been at the WTC in NY they wouldnt have felt God, yet many people who were there and lost loved ones, firemen, and indiviudals felt GOD WAS THERE. I believe he was, and cried for all those lives lost due to the evils of this world. THere is something called freewill and we either choose to do things are not to do things. We can either choose to beileve and trust in Him, which to me sounds like a pretty good deal, cuz in the end, we have rewards waiting for us in heaven, simply for believing He saved us from our own bad crap that we do every day. We can also choose not to and go on living good or bad lives, yet I see it like this:

 

You see a park employee @ the Happiest Place on Earth (D-land) and wave and say hey, hey I know you. And the employee says no im sorry ive never seen you before. You feel sad...this does not mean you arent a good person, or havent lived a good life, it just means you never met that person, or tried to solidify a relationship with them. This means you dont get into the Happiest Place on Earth...and i would say you could pay but thats "hell" on your bank account

[Dora]

Originally posted by cdn

Here's the quote from the link you sent me:

 

1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. See synonyms at immaterial.

2. Of, concerned with, or affecting the soul.

3. Of, from, or relating to God; deific.

4. Of or belonging to a church or religion; sacred.

5. Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit; supernatural.

 

Anyway, thanks for explaining.

 

 

So, we both got what we needed, rite? to you, spiritual=rilegious (3 &4)

To me, 1, 2, 5,

 

 

BTW, how do you explain the word "Miss"? unmarried female only? or it has different meanings?

[jenny]

There is proof of a man named Jesus,

 

yes.

 

who performed miracles

 

no. that's a matter of faith, not empirical evidence.

 

 

Happiest Place on Earth (D-land)

 

if i believed in hell, this might be it.