Christianity and Computer Simulations?

[JohnClay]

So I'm saying we might be in a simulation where one of its major purposes is to test whether the person is a Bible literalist (aka a YEC in modern times), a liberal theist (who believes much of the Bible isn't literally true) or an atheist. (or other options as well) It does this by providing people with good reasons to believe each of those things.

I think a major part of world history has revolved around these beliefs... including atheistic communism. I think the Holocaust could be related to Biblical literalism since it might be based on Luther's On the Jews and Their Lies - Wikipedia Genocide and slavery has been commanded in the Bible... apparently many of those against the abolition of slavery were Christians. Even today these issues come up a lot - such as those against the ordination of women (even a 24 year old intellectual I know is against it), gay marriage (my female Anglican priest friend supports it), etc.

Perhaps slavery and genocide were commanded in the Bible as a test to see if people will obey an apparent divine authority or whether they will look to their own "sinful wisdom" or still believe in Bible literalism and try to reconcile it with mainstream morality.

On the topic of tests:

Genesis 22 talks about God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. In the end an angel stops Abraham and an angel also says:

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
​

BTW I asked my pastor what he'd do in that situation and he said he'd refuse due to the commandment about murder.

There is another story about human sacrifice. It was the person's idea but God didn't seem to have a problem with it:

The sacrifice of Jephthah's virgin daughter in Judges 11:
The Brick Testament

The earlier part of the story:
The Brick Testament

 

[Daniel Marsh]

bump

 

[JohnClay]

I was under the impression that Heaven was made before humans. I was also under the impression that it had things like human-like angels, swords, and gold thrones, etc.

Why is it that humans ended up having gold thrones and swords? Because they copied Heaven? Or are stories about Heaven based on bronze-age imaginations? Or God guided humans to invent swords, etc?

If this is a simulation then Heaven could be based on reality or stories that are outside the simulation. Both angels and humans could be based on bodies of beings (possibly fictional) outside the simulation.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

I was under the impression that Heaven was made before humans. I was also under the impression that it had things like human-like angels, swords, and gold thrones, etc.

Why is it that humans ended up having gold thrones and swords? Because they copied Heaven? Or are stories about Heaven based on bronze-age imaginations? Or God guided humans to invent swords, etc?

If this is a simulation then Heaven could be based on reality or stories that are outside the simulation. Both angels and humans could be based on bodies of beings (possibly fictional) outside the simulation.

interesting

 

[JohnClay]

I'm working on a website about my ideas....

Here is what I've made so far for the topic of happiness....

Happiness - lifes.games

It also talks about happiness in Christianity and implications for happiness in a simulation.

The purpose of life?
Rather than seeking continual feelings of pleasure and happiness, life's purpose could be to be rich and meaningful.

About "being in the moment" and goals:

Christianity
Christianity can contribute to happiness since it teaches we can have a close relationship with the creator of the universe and go to Heaven while being saved from hell.

Happiness in a simulation
In a simulation it is possible for people's minds to one day be altered, to remove boredom, depression, and strong physical pain, etc. Negative memories can also be removed or hidden. So then why do we have strong negative emotions? Some argue that it was necessary in our dangerous hunter-gatherer past.

Strong negative emotions also add to the drama of life.

I'm not sure if there are grammar problems.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

I'm working on a website about my ideas....

Here is what I've made so far for the topic of happiness....

Happiness - lifes.games

It also talks about happiness in Christianity and implications for happiness in a simulation.


I'm not sure if there are grammar problems.

looks interesting

 

[JohnClay]

I think for a God within a simulation to be as compatible with Christianity as possible he would be an AI (see post #17). It would allow him to be "perfect". So then he would have a creator (before God created our simulation). The trinity could be programmed in. He could be omni everything.

I was wondering, Jesus had a human body but I'm wondering about his mind. Maybe he had a partly human mind but also this is combined with God's AI.

BTW in the Matrix movies, the Architect and the Oracle are AIs.