God exists. Don't believe me? Look around. Look at your life. Only an Ultimate Power with a very sadistic sense of humour could have made a world as funny and miserable as ours. This in mind, I'm starting a cult. We can stockpile firearms, and I get to exploit y'all financially (if you join). My one tenet is this: Don't worship God. Laugh at Him. The entire universe is His practical joke. He'd be pissed if you didn't.
Sounds good! I remember somewhere this little statement: "God has to be a sadist; only He would allow something like phlegm or tooth decay." This reminds me of that wonderful thread by <b>tiassa</b> about his <a href="http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6082&highlight=vacuum">vacuum cleaner</a>! I tend to think that God would be severely disappointed in his creations if they didn't ignore him and try to prove that they could go it alone or without him. God doesn't want to be worshipped or, more to the point, his concerns do not range as far as most of us would expect or like. He'll allow anything and everything to happen to any of his children regardless of religious persuasion. He just likes to sit back and get a good chuckle out of what's going on. So, <b>Xev</b>, where do I send the check! prag
Well, I don't know... God = good things Satan = bad things To often we attribute bad things to the wrong entity. I've heard it said, the easiest way to find out whether the devil exists or not is to oppose him. Like I have said before, Xev... the bottom line is this: If God exist, then your view of his worthiness to be God is irrelevant. Because he will be the God he is whether you approve or not. So, what is the point of calling a non-existent God a sadist, or a practical joker, or an evil spirit, when he doesn't exist to begin with (as atheists claim)? Hmmmm?? -Mike
You're being a horrid, sadistic little spoilsport, Mike. Why can't you just shut up and send me all your worldly posessions? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Honestly, "athiest" is so restrictive. I'm not going to BE an athiest if I can't have fun with God. Prag: Yay! I have a follower! Yayayayayaya!
Read the Bible. Read the whole fucking Bible. Read the Torah. Learned a smattering of Hebrew to understand Torah. Know the damned thing very fucking well, thanks. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Yes, I read the Bible, some of the stories I read precisely and maybe over again, because it is such great literature. And that's it. You do not know God precisely, anything less then a theophany is worthless, meaning the Bible's view of God should not be taken seriously. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Xev, I might join your cult. It all depends on what you call it. I can't have myself associated with a cult that has a lame name. I have sold all my worldly belongings ( of which I have none), I have sent the check to Xev. What do I do next? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Personal note to god... HA-HA-HA!!!
Re: Well, I don't know... Originally posted by Ekimklaw God = good things Satan = bad things To often we attribute bad things to the wrong entity. But without God there would be no Satan... so God is still responsible for the existence of evil. Xev: Here's one for the Choir ~Raithere
I believe it was Woody Allen who said "The height of a man's sexual life is 17 years before the height of a woman's. I'm convinced this is just one of those things God thought would be really funny." Of course, Woody also said; "If there is a God I don't think I can say he's an ass; the worst that can be said is that he's an underachiever." And; "Not only is there no God, but try finding a plumber on Sunday." Anyway, past the first quote the point of my point is for Ekimklaw to loosen up. Come on dude, I see two dogs fighting in the street and I take it as a bad omen to me. Not that I believe in omens or superior powers, it's just a joke.
damn ppl! your whole lives are bitching and complaining!! god is this god is that....yah i read the bible..and i question it too..evey thing bad is done by women..it's like the game broken telephone..it was like a thousand years be fore it click in some guys head ans said.." oh, i'd better write this done!"..before that it was pass by tongue and it it changes a little every time..that and it was writen by men..no offence..but you can't read the bible and take it too seriouly..thats a hell with in it self......
My "Satan" theory as it relates to evil ============================================== Raithere wrote: without God there would be no Satan... so God is still responsible for the existence of evil. ============================================== I believe "Satan" performs a valuable service. It acts as a filter mechanism for those who won't accept God. God did not invent evil, but he did allow it to occur. Then He gave us a free will to accept or reject Him. In some ways, I reject the original notion of "Satan" being an actual being who roams around like an invisible trickster. I am becoming more and more convinced that "SATAN" is not a person, but is instead a historical personification of the act of rejecting God's love and will. It is much like Santa Claus. The story of Santa Claus is based on a real person in the past (St. Nicholas) known for his generosity. But today we see that "Santa Claus" represents the spirit of gift giving and good-will. He's not an actual person roaming the globe distributing toys. But the "spirit of Christmas" he represents is very real, despite the non-existence of the physical Santa. Similarly, perhaps "Satan" is actually the amalgamation of several complex human emotions: doubt, dissent, and closed-mindedness. Or more succinctly -- Satan represents the spirit of unbelief in God. The story of the "fallen angel" later referred to as Satan or The Devil, could just be a reference to a heavenly prototype from long ago. An angelic being, imbued with free-will, who conciously rejected the will of God, based on individual choice. In this sense then, "Satan" is not, today, a physical entity created by God, but is simply the terminalogical identification of a phenomena indemic to some creatures created with a free will. That is -- rejecting God. After all, without "Satan" there would be no choice. There would be no alternative. There would be no free will. God allowed "Satan" to become what it is in order to provide a moral "fork in the road". One path or the other... it's your choice which one to take. That is my theory. For what its worth. -Mike
Mike: DUDE! Lighten up! You've got a good point here, but this " the terminalogical identification of a phenomena indemic to some creatures created with a free will" is just so uncool. Umm, ah, to use the philosophical term: No. "Spirit of Christmas" ? That you needed to put quotation marks in there highlights the weakness of your argument: The "spirit of Christmas" is purely subjective. As is "God". "God" is different things to different people. My God eats people. Yours just condemns them to eternal torment. Some Gods aren't even really Gods. As for the opposition to God - well, do you believe in Allah because you are not a Muslim? Raithere: You like Depeche Mode? Nifty. Ratbat: Brothers and Sisters of Chaos. I haven't thought up a good name yet, but I like that one for the priest/ess hood. See, we'd have missionaries, and they'd go around doing things like sending Playboy subscriptions to NOW members and pasting "Goddess Bless" bumper stickers on cherried out Cameros. We'd hack into the website of the Christian Coalition and put up ads for "cum-guzzling grannies". We'd hack into "www.cum-guzzlinggrannies.com" and put up big, flashing, animated gifs saying "JOHN 3:16!!!!!". And once a month they'd meet, trade stories, and have ritualistic orgies.
Re: My "Satan" theory as it relates to evil Originally posted by Ekimklaw Edited for reference by Raithere In this sense then, "Satan" is not, today, a physical entity [edit] but is simply the terminalogical identification of a phenomena indemic to some creatures created with a free will. You might consider the possibility that this is also what God is. After all, without "Satan" there would be no choice. There would be no alternative. There would be no free will. God allowed "Satan" to become what it is in order to provide a moral "fork in the road". One path or the other... it's your choice which one to take. I find God's judgment lacking in this case. After all, one does not give an infant a pacifier and a razorblade and allow it to choose for itself which to put in it's mouth. One keeps razorblades far away from infants for their own good. Regardless, God winds up being responsible for evil. The logic is rather simple; if God is responsible for all of existence then, noting the existence of evil, the onus of the existence of evil lies with God. The only other possibilities are: 1) God is not purely good. 2) The source of evil is something that God has no power over. 3) Evil is a purely a human invention and does not actually exist in God's opinion. Originally posted by Xev Raithere: You like Depeche Mode? Nifty. I was a fan when the venues they played only held a few hundred people. ~Raithere
Replies... Xev: As for my "uncool" verbage... I couldn't think of any other way to say it! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Raithere: You wrote: "I find God's judgment lacking in this case." and "God winds up being responsible for evil.", etc. So, you're not an atheist then? -Mike
Raithere and Ekimklaw: God does claim responsibility for creating evil. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, KJV). You might consider both God and Satan to be real beings. There isn't any point in considering them to be representations of something since the next step is to ask what they are supposed to be representations of. In any case, both are spirits, not physical entities. God is a Spirit... (John 4:24, KJV). Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: (Psalms 104:4, KJV).
Practical Perdurabo for the Family Hmmm .... Perhaps you should hang this at the front door of any official establishment, Xev: • Adapted from the 14th Lie of Perdurabo. thanx, Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
A more appropriate sign might be... Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. (Psalms 2:1-5, KJV).
You're right, Tony1 Tony1 You're absolutely right. The quotation you provided is much more hilarious a depiction of God. See? Every once in awhile, you're a useful human being. Don't worry about that, though. It's God's will. We won't hold it against you. --Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
God is above all. God. God is there, keeps running the pulsatory "big bang" mechanism, maybe at another level above all universes, and maybe he never interferes, because he thinks it's more appropriate and interesting to let intelligent civilizations in the universes do their job alone, with all good and all bad effects this can have ...
