Prove that God doesn't exist.

[PLC1]

Please note that the quote attributed to me in PLC1's post #1019 was actually made by Numius in his post #1018. I never said that.

Originally Posted by Mare Tranquillity
And I am saying that anthropomorphism refers to some human quality, not human form.

God is anthropomorphic for the simple reason that he is capable of REASON, as humans are.

This is Nums line of reasoning, not mine.

Correct. The little

"

"

seen at the beginning didn't take effect for some reason or other. Must have been electronic gremlins at work or something.

 

[Stalin]

You have to prove existence, not non-existence.

 

[top gun]

you have to prove existence, not non-existence.

exactly!

 

[Dr.Who]

You have to prove existence, not non-existence.

For much of this thread we have seen that if one subscribes to the major tenets of science then the existence of some sort of supernatural creative force is necessary.

The question now is "Does that force need to posses any human qualities?"

Mare says - NO.

Numinus says - yes, it has reason.

 

[numinus]

Note: The suffix -morph comes from the Greek for "form" or "shape."

To quote you:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism

An`thro*po*mor"phism\, n. [Gr. ? of human form; ? man + ? form.]

1. The representation of the Deity, or of a polytheistic deity, under a human form, or with human attributes and affections.

2. The ascription of human characteristics to things not human.

Duh?

 

[The Scotsman]

Thread opened again.

The last gems of wisdom have been deleted as it was descending into farce.

 

[Ejgertz]

I believe in God. He's that little voice inside of your head when you are about to make a major decision. I saw a part in a film that went something like this:

Preacher: Did you ask the Lord for guidance my son?

Joe: Yes, father, I did. He didn't answer me. He gave me nothing.

Preacher: maybe the answer he gave you was "no".

That some it up for me.

www.trulotics.com

 

[samsara15]

I beleive in God - I am a pantheist, and the universe definitely exists. Whether or not it is has any self-awareness is another question.

 

[top gun]

I beleive in God - I am a pantheist, and the universe definitely exists. Whether or not it is has any self-awareness is another question.

Could you explain a little about what a pantheist believes? I'm a person brought up as a Christian but later in life turned somewhat more agnostic.

I'm always interested in learning about & understanding different views.

 

[Lagboltz]

Could you explain a little about what a pantheist believes? I'm a person brought up as a Christian but later in life turned somewhat more agnostic.

I'm always interested in learning about & understanding different views.

The first paragraph of this site sums up pantheism fairly well.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pantheism/
Pantheism is a metaphysical and religious position. Broadly defined it is the view that (1) "God is everything and everything is God … the world is either identical with God or in some way a self-expression of his nature" (Owen 1971: 74). Similarly, it is the view that (2) everything that exists constitutes a "unity" and this all-inclusive unity is in some sense divine (MacIntyre 1967: 34).

Pantheism is a class of belief, not a specific religion. In the above definition, I think the use of the words God and religion are misleading because they carry along the baggage of other unrelated religions. I don't consider that I believe in God, but I still find a sort of sanctity in existence. The best "liturgy" of pantheism for me doesn't involve a church, but involves studying science. In that sense one "worships" the creation and not the creator.

 

[samsara15]

The pantheist believes that God and the universe are one and the same. There are many variations of pantheism. Lagboltz's definition works quite well, as does his personal re-definition. Some versions of bare bones Buddhism or Hinduism, stripped of all the mythology that has grafted itself on those religions, also are somewhat pantheistic. Atman, the world soul, for example, from Hinduism, in which a spark of divinity is in all things, or the concept of Brahman (not the caste), the universe incarnate, also from Hinduism. Buddhism, without Reincarnation or Karma, also. Take a look at some of those ideas in Wikipedia. There are also many philosophical variations of pantheism. My beliefs are an ongoing task, constantly being redefined.

 

[top gun]

The pantheist believes that God and the universe are one and the same. There are many variations of pantheism. Lagboltz's definition works quite well, as does his personal re-definition. Some versions of bare bones Buddhism or Hinduism, stripped of all the mythology that has grafted itself on those religions, also are somewhat pantheistic. Atman, the world soul, for example, from Hinduism, in which a spark of divinity is in all things, or the concept of Brahman (not the caste), the universe incarnate, also from Hinduism. Buddhism, without Reincarnation or Karma, also. Take a look at some of those ideas in Wikipedia. There are also many philosophical variations of pantheism. My beliefs are an ongoing task, constantly being redefined.

That's very interesting and much easier to rationally conceive than some guy up in the clouds dispersing out judgments.

Like I said I was brought up in a family that was about one third Catholic and 2 thirds Lutheran. I was brought up Lutheran and attended the Lutheran church right directly across the street for our house the whole time I was growing up.

But as I got out on my own and started really researching much of the fact and fiction regarding religions in general to be intellectually honest with myself I had to admit what I really believed was more agnostic in nature. At 52 in a few days... that's where I'm still at.

Thanks for offering your perspective.

 

[PLC1]

That's very interesting and much easier to rationally conceive than some guy up in the clouds dispersing out judgments.

Like I said I was brought up in a family that was about one third Catholic and 2 thirds Lutheran. I was brought up Lutheran and attended the Lutheran church right directly across the street for our house the whole time I was growing up.

But as I got out on my own and started really researching much of the fact and fiction regarding religions in general to be intellectually honest with myself I had to admit what I really believed was more agnostic in nature. At 52 in a few days... that's where I'm still at.

Thanks for offering your perspective.

52 years old, and you're still not sure whether there is a god. After over 100 pages of discussion, no one on this board has proven it one way or the other.

We're asked to believe the completely ridiculous notion that the complex web of life on this planet happened all by itself with no intelligent guidance, or the equally incredible concept of an unseen being who created it all.

I think there is a little agnostic in all of us.

 

[Lagboltz]

Age brings on different wisdoms. I think we should let science explain evolution of life and evolution of the universe until it really hits a brick wall. The need for a divine creator is like a carrot on a stick. As you approach it, it recedes. Over the decades both the universe and evolution has gained new understandings that continually replace a creator as the only explanation. It seems that whenever anyone defines where God is needed to explain something, decades later science has explained it, and the powers of God and our beliefs are redefined.

 

[Octavius]

I liked what someone said earlier about how even if there is some kind of supreme being that created the universe, that doesn't mean it has a human form... i mean what if its some enormous electrical cloud that spasms and poof a universe is made hahaha