The origins of atheism

[Job8]

Therefore, a curious person would ask: What did god do for 99.999999999+% of his existence before he created "The Heavens And The Earth"?

That's a question which only God can answer, and you are free to ask Him.

 

[Colter]

Would you care to answer the question? I've asked it of you many times before.

I've answered your questions as far as I remember. Did I miss one?

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'll cut to the punchline:

The kingdom of God is within you. You must look inward. You will not find validity out in the world or in others, unless you first validate it within yourself.

Why would i need to look for it if it's already in me?

 

[Colter]

Why would i need to look for it if it's already in me?

Because God does not impose on the free will choice he has granted you to eternalize or destroy yourself.

 

[ecco]

The people that run Jesus Camp would disagree, if the point is to maximize the number of believers.

Interesting. Nothing in there about determining if one's beliefs are actually true.

That video is positively scary. Nuff said.

 

[AV1611VET]

That video is positively scary. Nuff said.

Have you been talking to Subduction Zone?

 

[KCfromNC]

The kingdom of God is within you. You must look inward. You will not find validity out in the world or in others, unless you first validate it within yourself.

My "within" is telling me you're full of it. Great, with that out of the way I can move on to worrying about actual issues rather than made up stuff.

 

[KCfromNC]

Why would i need to look for it if it's already in me?

Because it is supposed to convince you that what someone else is selling is really what you needed all along. Whether that's a new car, an expensive vacation or a god, the process is the same. Sell the lifestyle and envy will cause people to spend.

 

[AV1611VET]

My "within" is telling me you're full of it. Great, with that out of the way I can move on to worrying about actual issues rather than made up stuff.

Scientists want to smell your armpits.

 

[ecco]

I've answered your questions as far as I remember. Did I miss one?

Actually you missed two of mine in posts 1128 and 1132.
You posted nothing for a time and then jumped back into the thread by, again, quoting from the Blue Book.

"Reason is the proof of science, faith the proof of religion, logic the proof of philosophy, but revelation is validated only by human experience. Science yields knowledge; religion yields happiness; philosophy yields unity; revelation confirms the experiential harmony of this triune approach to universal reality." UB 1955​

I'm sure quoting from the Blue Book is much easier than actually addressing questions about it.

 

[Crandaddy]

That simply begs the question: by what mechanism do the religious decide who has the proper understanding of a god? Debates? Popular vote? Warfare?

Warfare of course! Theology is a neverending exchange of canons and missals!

 

[Davian]

Warfare of course! Theology is a neverending exchange of canons and missals!

Ouch.

On an unrelated topic, in the wake of VW scandal, I have deleted all of the German names from my cellphone.

It is now Hans free.

 

[ScottA]

Like "The Secret"?

No, that's philosophy...or perhaps, The Secret is like (a counterfeit) of the truth of God.

 

[Chriliman]

For the sake of discussion, as an atheist, I'll go with the common christian belief: god is uncreated, god is eternal.

I will ask a question I posed earlier in this thread. I posed the question to a christian theist, but did not get an answer (with all due respect, this is a very busy thread, so I may have missed the answer). ((It may even have been in a different thread)). However, I'll ask it again.

• One premise is that god is eternal.
• A second premise (based on christian belief) is that the world is less than 20 billion years old.
• A third premise is that eternity is a lot longer than 20 billion years.

Therefore, a curious person would ask: What did god do for 99.999999999+% of his existence before he created "The Heavens And The Earth"?

From the perspective of light, it experiences 0 time.

God can be thought of as both experiencing eternity as well as 0 time, this is why he's God and we're not. We only experience time as past, present and future.

 

[ScottA]

???

Without transcending out of this material gestation, the organic life we experience in this world, is the same as it is with the animal kingdom. Thus: Welcome to the zoo!

 

[ScottA]

So you claim. But if there is no definition of it, or test for it, how is anyone to know if you are not just making this up?

I cannot test what you cannot present coherently.

It matters when religionists that have access to our government, our school systems, and my children and want to push their particular beliefs as facts.

I do not think you are "of Him", your claims to the contrary notwithstanding.

Is does appear that interpretations is all you have.

Still, it is what you believe.

Your obfuscation did not address my question.

More obfuscation. Your claims are dismissed.

1. I gave you the definition.
2. You cannot test what is beyond your capability. You are not equipped.
3. Good men gathered to form a more perfect union. Then you came along and don't like the fact that they believed in God. Sad story.
4. "Him" who? ...Just messing with you
5. If I went by interpretations, I would line up with some denomination. But I don't. If you are not able to put me in a box, how are you able to make such a claim?
6. How many times do I have to say, I DO NOT BELIEVE?
7. My answer went over your head. A pattern, I should say.

 

[ScottA]

So it is your Christian beliefs that are on the table.

You still have not explained what "spirit" is.

More obfuscation.

If there is actually an all-knowing-all-powerful-whatever in your life, and the best you can do is say I-am-right-and-you-are-wrong, consider me sceptical.

1. I DO NOT BELIEVE.
2. I gave the answer. Must I repeat everything? ... Spirit is the essence of God. In a person, it is evidence of being "of" God.
3. Over your head again.
4. If I know God and you do not, consider yourself. Which of course, is what you are doing.

 

[ScottA]

The argument from antiquity is a fallacy.

Is all news a fallacy with you, or just the news you don't understand?

 

[ScottA]

I cannot see what you only imagine.

CORRECTION: You cannot see what you cannot imagine.

 

[ScottA]

Why would i need to look for it if it's already in me?

Good question. The point is more that it is not something you can find outwardly. But, you need to look for it inwardly, because that is the only place one can find God. It is not that God is in you, but that His kingdom is within you. It is given to all people, that they may come to God, to enter into His presence...but you must approach Him.