Universe created by God

[Bowser]

I'm here because I'm here.
Ok, if I buy this god thing and to keep on its good side, I go around thanking it for everything and everything that happens to me, what does that get me? what does the reward give me? Would I be an individual whatnot someplace ''living forever'' whatever thats means here? What does this ''living forever'' mean?
Would this ''Living forever'' mean ''I'm'' exposed to this god's eternal causing of suffering to those not yet dead. Do I have to keep telling myself I'm enjoying this ''living forever'' because I'm not suffering? Is that all there is to this ''living forever'' thing?

There's no promise of a reward for being appreciative. We give thanks because we are thankful. There's no other reason to do it. When I hold up my bowl of oatmeal in the morning, it's because I am thankful to have food, not because I'm praying for a steak dinner later that day.

What I understand is that life, my life, has enormous value, as does yours. Even if it is a one-time trip, it's worth the journey.

 

[Michael 345]

What I understand is that life, my life, has enormous value, as does yours. Even if it is a one-time trip, it's worth the journey.

Would the same apply to

• A virus?
• Bacterium?
• Green slime mild?
• Earth work?
• Blade of grass?

What about

• Grain of sand?
• Pebble?
• Rock?
• Mountain?
• Planet?
• Galaxy?
• Universe?

 

[sweetpea]

There's no promise of a reward for being appreciative. We give thanks because we are thankful. There's no other reason to do it. When I hold up my bowl of oatmeal in the morning, it's because I am thankful to have food, not because I'm praying for a steak dinner later that day.
What I understand is that life, my life, has enormous value, as does yours. Even if it is a one-time trip, it's worth the journey.

I'm not getting this idea Bowser.
God made all and everything (bliss and suffering is his concept). Your ''appreciative'' because God could make things worst for you, let you starve? You fear this god?

 

[sweetpea]

Living forever is about experience in the material world .
Joy and suffering , is the growth of the soul .

Lets all gather at the river, the wonderful, wonderful river.

 

[Sarkus]

There's no promise of a reward for being appreciative. We give thanks because we are thankful. There's no other reason to do it. When I hold up my bowl of oatmeal in the morning, it's because I am thankful to have food, not because I'm praying for a steak dinner later that day.

I give thanks for the food I have. Not to God, though. But to the people who helped provide it. To my employer for giving me the opportunity to earn enough to buy it, etc.

What I understand is that life, my life, has enormous value, as does yours. Even if it is a one-time trip, it's worth the journey.

That's certainly what most atheists believe. It is pretty much the foundation of humanism. And not a God in sight.

 

[Sarkus]

Your existence proves that the universe isn't dead. Everything that can be attributed to you belongs to the universe, or, as I would say...God.

So to you the universe is God? The seemingly closed system that is the universe is what you consider to be God?
If so, why call it God when we already have a word for it?

 

[Bowser]

So to you the universe is God? The seemingly closed system that is the universe is what you consider to be God?
If so, why call it God when we already have a word for it?

I could call it Henry. Either way you look at it, I owe my existence to it...God.

 

[Bowser]

I give thanks for the food I have. Not to God, though. But to the people who helped provide it. To my employer for giving me the opportunity to earn enough to buy it, etc.

If there was a way to separate all those things from God, you might have an argument. I'm not saying you shouldn't be thankful to those people and things that contribute to your life, but they can't stand them alone.

That's certainly what most atheists believe. It is pretty much the foundation of humanism. And not a God in sight.

None of which would exist without the larger presence of existence. You can hang signs along the road, but that doesn't give you credit for building the road.

 

[Bowser]

I'm not getting this idea Bowser.
God made all and everything (bliss and suffering is his concept). Your ''appreciative'' because God could make things worst for you, let you starve? You fear this god?

I believe life is both joy and suffering. I accept that. I also understand that I will die some day. I accept that. Why would I fear God when we have a mutual understanding?

 

[Bowser]

Would the same apply...

If they had the same capacity to appreciate life as do you and I, yes.

 

[Sarkus]

If there was a way to separate all those things from God, you might have an argument. I'm not saying you shouldn't be thankful to those people and things that contribute to your life, but they can't stand them alone.

So at least you believe.

None of which would exist without the larger presence of existence. You can hang signs along the road, but that doesn't give you credit for building the road.

So God to you is simply existence? Then why use the word God when we have an adequate word for it? Are you intending to bring the baggage that comes with the term, the assumptions that others have when you use the word when simply using the existing one would likely be clearer?

And which is it? First you seem to suggest that the entire universe is what you would call God, and now it is existence... Can you clarify, please?

 

[Bowser]

And which is it? First you seem to suggest that the entire universe is what you would call God, and now it is existence... Can you clarify, please?

God simply IS. Just like you are an IS. There's no separation between you and God. Sorry for the lack of descriptive terms, but that would require mental gymnastics which would be inadequate since the mind is limited.

 

[Michael 345]

God simply IS. Just like you are an IS. There's no separation between you and God. Sorry for the lack of descriptive terms, but that would require mental gymnastics which would be inadequate since the mind is limited.

The IS virus strikes again

 

[spidergoat]

God simply IS. Just like you are an IS. There's no separation between you and God. Sorry for the lack of descriptive terms, but that would require mental gymnastics which would be inadequate since the mind is limited.

That's absurd.

 

[DaveC426913]

God simply IS.

Oh snap.

You really are Jan.

 

[Sarkus]

God simply IS. Just like you are an IS. There's no separation between you and God. Sorry for the lack of descriptive terms, but that would require mental gymnastics which would be inadequate since the mind is limited.

I am an IS? In what regard?

As for lack of descriptive terms, either you are merely looking to evade further inquiry into your position, or you are claiming yourself above the mental capability of non-believers... or both. Whichever it is seems disrespectful. It is not for you to predetermine what is or is not beyond someone. Perform your mental gymnastics, please, and let us be the judge.

 

[Xelor]

I have a telescope. I've seen the heavens. Is Dark Matter real? Is Dark Energy real? Is quantum duality real? The galaxies have observable forms and shapes. The stars obey laws, and are constructed of specific things, and behave as(with) beginning and ending. Even irrespective of life - this universe must have been created by God. There is at least one thing in the universe greater than me in my mind. One is a creator, and one is a destroyer, or are they just the same thing?

Is dark matter real? Lord, but I don't know.

What I know is that scientists talk about it comprising ~70% or so of the "stuff" in the universe. Even as they say that, they don't ever (that I know of) talk about it having an impact on the "stuff" that's close to us, but they do talk about how it "bends/moves things" that are very distant from us. Well, you know, that just doesn't make any sense to me, but I'm an accountant-economist, not a physicist-astronomer.

What goes through my mind is that "stuff" that's said to comprise 70% of the universe should comprise 70% of the universe where we are as well as 70% of the universe where we aren't. Accordingly, I'd think that dark matter's impact would be as evident nearby as it is far away, yet I haven't heard anyone remarking on how dark mater "shifts" things around close to us.

I'm just saying....70% a lot....70% of anything shouldn't be so hard to find...yet dark matter is. The strange circumstance of dark matter being so abundant/massive yet effectively and thus far impossible to find makes me think something's not right somewhere. Sorta in the same way folks were hooked on geocentrism and twisted themselves into all sorts of knots to make their notion of geocentrism "work." That is what I think is going on with dark matter.

 

[Sarkus]

What goes through my mind is that "stuff" that's said to comprise 70% of the universe should comprise 70% of the universe where we are as well as 70% of the universe where we aren't. Accordingly, I'd think that dark matter's impact would be as evident nearby as it is far away, yet I haven't heard anyone remarking on how dark mater "shifts" things around close to us.

If 20% of the world's population is Chinese, does that mean one of me, my brother, sister or one of my parents are Chinese? . And that 80% of those living in China are not actually Chinese?

 

[sweetpea]

I also understand that I will die some day. I accept that.

So, what's with your talk of an option to live forever? Why bring that up?

Does a star have the option to last forever, never going explosive? Do you have the option to live forever?

since the mind is limited.

I do wish you would had said that at the beginning. So, all this god talk is just... Bowser's gut feeling that there's a god? And that this god is everything.

 

[Xelor]

If 20% of the world's population is Chinese, does that mean one of me, my brother, sister or one of my parents are Chinese? . And that 80% of those living in China are not actually Chinese?

No. No.