I think I believe in God but...

[FireDragon76]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people. The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes), and certain rituals (weddings and funerals), but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

 

[Viren]

The other option is to believe God is a blind force. Personally I believe God is all of the above and more beyond any category yet encompassing and filling every category.

 

[Radagast]

I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes.

Is that the conventional sense?

The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God

You're seeing a difference there that I don't see. How many evangelical Christians and/or Thomist Catholics have you spoken to about this?

The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief ... but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

I think there's solid survey data showing you're wrong on that one.

 

[Ana the Ist]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people. The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes), and certain rituals (weddings and funerals), but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

I'm pretty sure atheists have faced death without changing any beliefs.

 

[Davian]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people.

Even if everyone believed but me, I would still ask for some sort of evidence, something demonstrable for the existence of whatever deity they were positing.

The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes), and certain rituals (weddings and funerals), but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

I do take issue with your "no atheists in foxholes" comment. It implies that you know how others think.

 

[quatona]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people.

Why, how and what for would the (prior) existence or nonexistence of such a God be relevant?

The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes)

This is demonstrably false, therefore I won´t grant it.

 

[juvenissun]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people. The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes), and certain rituals (weddings and funerals), but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

What is the relationship between life and God? According to you, they seems have no relationship in origin. Is that right?

 

[PsychoSarah]

... I don't believe in personalistic theism. That is, I do not believe God is a person in the conventional sense, with human-like attributes. The philosophical, abstract God of Aquinas just doesn't really reconcile with the average evangelical Christian's God, without having to do a lot of stretching of the imagination. But I see no evidence that sort of God actually exists in the present world with its many horrors. Maybe he existed at one time, in somebody's mind, or in a real way, but I believe that God is dead now and just not believable for most people. The majority of Americans hold onto habits and affectations of belief (I'd even be willing to grant that there are probably no atheists in foxholes), and certain rituals (weddings and funerals), but they no longer trust orthodox religion for the important issues in their life.

No, just, no. I explicitly want to believe in deities and yet I still do not have such belief. Clearly, neither myself nor anyone else can just make themselves believe something because they want it to be true.

 

[Tree of Life]

No, just, no. I explicitly want to believe in deities and yet I still do not have such belief. Clearly, neither myself nor anyone else can just make themselves believe something because they want it to be true.

What kind of deities would you like to believe in?

 

[Viren]

No, just, no. I explicitly want to believe in deities and yet I still do not have such belief. Clearly, neither myself nor anyone else can just make themselves believe something because they want it to be true.

Do you have trust in the unknown? Creativity of any kind requires it.

 

[Emmy]

Dear FireDragon76. How do you like that? In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all your hearts, with all your souls, and with all your minds. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as you love yourselves." Then Jesus points out: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God is Love, and God wants our love freely given and No conditions tagged on. What do we do?
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: " ask and you shall receive," there we ask for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour/all around us. God will see our loving efforts, and God will bless us.
We keep asking and receiving, then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour.
The Bible tells us: " Repent and be Born Again," change our selfish and unloving character, gradually into loving and caring all around us. We will find that people will treat us the same as we treat people, and we find Love and Joy all around us. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving and caring. The Holy Spirit will help and guide us, and Jesus our Saviour will help us on the way: JESUS IS THE WAY.
We will be doing what Jesus asks of us, and we will change this imperfect world
into the world which God wants us to have. We keep asking for Love and Joy, then share it all around us. After all. God is Love, and Jesus died that we might live. I say this with love, FireDragon. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Colter]

The God that can be only realized in faith, can be revealed in the lives that we live. Jesus lived such a God revealing life, he was God and man combined.

Divine things must be loved in order to be known, God never interferes with our choice to do his will, never imposes compulsory worship on anyone.

 

[Davian]

The God that can be only realized in faith, can be revealed in the lives that we live. Jesus lived such a God revealing life, he was God and man combined.

Divine things must be loved in order to be known, God never interferes with our choice to do his will, never imposes compulsory worship on anyone.

In what measurable way does a god that can be only realized in faith differ from one that does not actually exist?

 

[PsychoSarah]

Do you have trust in the unknown? Creativity of any kind requires it.

Trust? Depends on what you mean. Do I think there are mysteries that shall never be explained? Yes.

 

[Belk]

The God that can be only realized in faith, can be revealed in the lives that we live. Jesus lived such a God revealing life, he was God and man combined.

Divine things must be loved in order to be known, God never interferes with our choice to do his will, never imposes compulsory worship on anyone.

A god that can only be realized in faith does not come to earth and do miracles since that would be evidence.

 

[Colter]

A god that can only be realized in faith does not come to earth and do miracles since that would be evidence.

His Son, our creator, came to earth and did amazing things, but the idiots STILL didn't have a clue, they said he must have gotten his power from Satan.

 

[Belk]

His Son, our creator, came to earth and did amazing things, but the idiots STILL didn't have a clue, they said he must have gotten his power from Satan.

So we are skipping over the whole discussion of faith versus evidence?

 

[Davian]

So we are skipping over the whole discussion of faith versus evidence?

It would appear so. It would be short discussion anyway.

 

[Colter]

So we are skipping over the whole discussion of faith versus evidence?

Demands for evidence in consciousness of spirituality is just a hiding place for the EGO.

 

[Belk]

Demands for evidence in consciousness of spirituality is just a hiding place for the EGO.

Are you having problems following the conversation? You made the claim that God is found by faith not evidence and then went on to talk about the time God provided evidence. This would seem an inconsistent stance.