[Jura-Glenlivet]

Very christian.

[Dr David Thork]

Very christian.

Christians expect God to intervene just before Abraham thrusts a knife into Isaac. I expect no such mercy for the children of the Glenlivet family. 

[Jura-Glenlivet]

Luckily they’re all dyed in the organic wool, atheists, even though a nutty relative tried to get my oldest christened on the QT (really), his birthday is in late October so his parties used to be Halloween themed, to which one of his friends wasn’t allowed as his father was pastor in some backward sect of Christianity, it’s amazing that the dark ages are alive and kicking in your neighbours heads.   

Edit; By putting “some backward sect of Christianity” I do not wish you to think that I think, that all Christian or other Abrahamic, far eastern or otherwise designated faiths are less than backward, it’s just some are more so than others. Sorry for any confusion.

Edit2; Dyed for died, doh!

[AATW]

Why do we put ourselves above all of God's other creatures?

We didn’t put ourselves in that position.

Genesis 1:

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

[timterroo]

Citation needed. Define ruining? Making more habitable is ruining? Sure, we move stuff around and make things, but everything we use is already here. How can you ruin the earth with the earth? That's ridiculous. Sure, we make a road. It helps us. Makes life better. You can argue that grasshoppers can no longer raise baby grasshoppers there because they prefer grass to asphalt, but its not ruining the earth. Its just making it better for us and worse for grasshoppers. Well lions make life better for lions and worse for wildebeest. Again, pecking order, food chain.

"How can you ruin the earth with earth?"

Do I have to point out the obvious stupidity of this question?

How do you survive in a world that is poisoned by radioactive particles caused by a nuclear holocaust, for instance?

"It's OK that we must wear radiation suits to survive and frogs grow 4 eyes because by destroying our enemies with nukes we've made the world..... better? ... No, the earth isn't ruined, per se, we just cannot live in it.

@toddler, I think you should go back to "baby" status.... you clearly have not grown up.

[Dr David Thork]

I have held baby status for 2 and a half years. I cannot call myself a baby anymore. Like an Orwellian pig, I now walk on my hind legs.

[BRrollin]

For a good while in my life I did not believe that the idea of a supernatural God was even possible. However, I have since come to the conclusion that God is possible.

This conclusion was sparked from the following: Is it possible for an alien civilization to be as technologically advanced as to seem to have the powers of a God?

My answer is yes. The television series Star Trek, for example, portrays a universe with civilizations in stages of various technological developments. There are civilizations who have not yet reached the stars, there are civilizations who explore the stars, and then there are civilizations so far advanced that they can appear to manipulate matter with a thought.

If you believe that the portrayal of the Star Trek universe is possible, and that we are on a range of technological prowess which will culminate with us having God-like abilities, then the conclusion must be that God is possible.

I agree.

The question that came to next (I’ve thought along these lines also) is that how would we distinguish between an advanced being and a God?

Maybe the distinction is not useful generally, but for me it is. Cause an advanced being need not necessarily be omniscient and omnipotent. But traditionally, God is considered to have these qualities.

So the question boils down to: could we somehow distinguish between an advanced being and a God? If not, then I must conclude that we could end up worshipping an evil advanced being.

These ideas trouble me...

[Dr Van Nostrand]

So the question boils down to: could we somehow distinguish between an advanced being and a God? If not, then I must conclude that we could end up worshipping an evil advanced being.

These ideas trouble me...

The really big question is, "What's this being's name?"  Whether it's Yaweh, Allah, Vishnu, Xenu or whatever will determine who's going to Hell.

[Pete Svarrior]

Whether it's Yaweh, Allah, Vishnu, Xenu or whatever will determine who's going to Hell.

You have a lot to learn about interfaith dialogue. While it is true that some denominations of religion propose a "believe or get fucked" approach, most of the "big" ones largely agree on the lines of "there is one god/pantheon and names don't matter - be a good person and don't be a cynical atheist and you're cool"

[AATW]

most of the "big" ones largely agree on the lines of "there is one god/pantheon and names don't matter - be a good person and don't be a cynical atheist and you're cool"

Mmm...not really.
Christianity basically says that no-one is good and just being what we'd think of as a "good person" isn't really going to cut it.
That's where Jebus comes to the rescue, but then yes it does come down to belief.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

You have a lot to learn about interfaith dialogue. While it is true that some denominations of religion propose a "believe or get fucked" approach, most of the "big" ones largely agree on the lines of "there is one god/pantheon and names don't matter - be a good person and don't be a cynical atheist and you're cool"

That's what I want to believe but the Christians I know don't buy it. They say that hippy-dippy pantheist propaganda is a lie Satan tells to capture our soul. The Christian posters on this forum warn us regularly that Satan is everywhere.

The fact is that before you can believe in the salvation of Jesus, you have to first believe in the damnation of humanity. It is a foundation of their faith that all people except Christians will burn in Hell unless you pledge fealty or send money. If I say that about Jews or Muslims, it's hate speech, their hate extends to all people.
I'm sure a Christian will come along to say they're all about love even while they condemn us to Hell for eternity.

Over the course of my life, I've studied up on many of the world's religions but none of them met my spiritual needs. So I made up my own religion and let me tell you, my religion kicks ass. We have love, parties, girls and I'm the Pope. It's pretty sweet.

[BRrollin]

Whether it's Yaweh, Allah, Vishnu, Xenu or whatever will determine who's going to Hell.

You have a lot to learn about interfaith dialogue. While it is true that some denominations of religion propose a "believe or get fucked" approach, most of the "big" ones largely agree on the lines of "there is one god/pantheon and names don't matter - be a good person and don't be a cynical atheist and you're cool"

I agree. Most of the dominant religions are based on love and acceptance, and acknowledge a vast agreement of core concepts across the different belief systems. Placing religions into a “going to hell” framework ignores the whole purpose they share: for folks to respect each other, care for each other, and work with each other to make things better.

[AATW]

I'm sure a Christian will come along to say they're all about love even while they condemn us to Hell for eternity.

It is about love, God's love. It's not us that condemns you to anything.
The teaching in Scripture is pretty clear on this, we are all doomed and we don't have the ability to save ourselves.
Luckily, John 3:16.
We aren't saved by our own actions. That's the USP of Christianity actually. Other religions demand you earn yourselves enough spiritual brownie points to get into paradise.
Christianity recognises that you cannot.
Which doesn't mean you can just do what you like and then do the "presto chango deathbed confession", the teachings about how to live are equally clear.

[timterroo]

I really enjoyed reading "The God Delusion" - Richard Dawkins

Basically, if memory serves correctly, his stance is very much evolutionarily based (yes he's an atheist), with the main points being that God was created by people (rather than the other way around) as a coping/control mechanism.

We as people have evolved to need a higher being to put 'faith' in. Historically this was beneficial for societies to survive - a common purpose, common goals, etc. Now-a-days, it is likened to insanity.

In America, and many advanced countries, we no longer need to put faith in a god to be harmonious, to be moral and ethical - to not destroy each other.

[maxtormaxtor1]

Good question.  Yet lets ask the question in a different way.

"Is there any known thing that exists that is observable and quantifiable which is patently inexplicable?"

As an extreme example, what if you dumped out a bucket of 5,000 marbles accidentally and when they came to rest they formed a perfect smiley face along with your name and birthday spelled out!

Such an example will expose a persons convenient disinterest in the difference between accidental, incidental, coincidental, anecdotal, improbable, implausible and impossible.

[timterroo]

Good question.  Yet lets ask the question in a different way.

"Is there any known thing that exists that is observable and quantifiable which is patently inexplicable?"

As an extreme example, what if you dumped out a bucket of 5,000 marbles accidentally and when they came to rest they formed a perfect smiley face along with your name and birthday spelled out!

Such an example will expose a persons convenient disinterest in the difference between accidental, incidental, coincidental, anecdotal, improbable, implausible and impossible.

If you have, let's say, one million sets of marbles, with 5,000 in each: then you dump them out in their sets,  I'd bet willing to bet you'd see at least one smiley face in there somewhere. It might take another billion or so to get your birthday and name right.... when possibilities are endless, anything is possible.

[TomInAustin]

Go even farther:
If our universe is a simulation, God is the Admin.  God could be a human 100 years in the future with access to computers capable of simulating at least part of a universe.

Oh god, I hope it's not run on a Windows machine, or maybe it is and that explains 2020?