The only idea man can affix to God is first cause, the cause of all things. And, incomprehensibly difficult as it is for man to consider what first cause is, he arrives at the belief of it from the ten fold difficulty of disbelieving it. It is difficult beyond description to conceive that space will have no end, but it is more difficult to conceive an end. It is difficult beyond the power of man to conceive an eternal duration of time, but it is more impossible to conceive a time when there will be no time
In like manner of reasoning, every thing we behold carries internal evidence that it did not make itself. Every man is evidence to himself that he did not make himself. It is this evidence that carries us on to the belief of a first cause eternally existing, and by the power of which, all things exist., and this first cause, man calls God.
Author Thomas Paine
AGE OF REASONING
Reject all formal religions if you must (I have), but reconsider the ultimate power of God.
2007-01-11 09:45:19 · 11 answers · asked by robert m 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Did you ever consider that maybe there was no "first cause"? That the universe has always existed in one form of another?
You say that God has always existed, so why not cut out the middleman and say that the universe has always existed? I'm just saying that it's a point of view you seem to have left out. It's equally valid.
2007-01-11 09:49:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The problem with this is the mere fact that our notion of God is what we have learned in religious texts, so our idea of a first cause is tainted. What I mean is if there were no religions and no religious texts, would we say, "Yes, of course there has to be a God for a beginning"? I don't think so. We'd come up with another idea of how we got here. Therefore, I disagree with Mr. Thomas Paine that God is intuitive and a priori. Thus, I'm an atheist.
2007-01-11 17:53:44 · answer #2 · answered by Existence 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do people always rely on old books and theories to support the existence of god. Perhaps with the introduction of science instead of superstition, modern books do not support this view.
While I like Paine, let's look at the real first cause, not the universe but god. If god exists, something must have caused it. What would that be, god can't just appear out of nothing, something must have created it. I believe that it was man
2007-01-11 17:55:08 · answer #3 · answered by Nemesis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What power? I believe that some form of energy has always existed. You call yours God and give him all sorts of human emotions. Mine is just energy. Thomas Paine was a very intelligent man who didn't have the benefit of modern science. Hence he was making an opinion on the basis of what he knew. I don't suppose Tom would make that statement if he were alive today Have a great evening!
2007-01-11 17:57:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that the universe has always existed, and that God is just a catch-all concept that people use to explain what is not yet fully understood.
2007-01-11 17:54:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah.
God, the thing at the end that prevents infinite regression....
I guess after a while we just have to stop adding 1 right.
2007-01-11 17:50:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like many others, you have excluded the possibility that our universe and it's physical laws are either self-generating or the result of the physical laws of some greater 'super-universe' which itself is self-generating.
2007-01-11 17:51:50 · answer #7 · answered by mullah robertson 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
why should we assume that the first cause is GOD or a god.... it could be anything out of our understanding
2007-01-11 18:14:03 · answer #8 · answered by pdrfer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1st place award for worst misspelling of "atheists" that I've seen.
2007-01-11 17:52:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have NO idea what you're talking about, i can see the words.................. but it still looks like a different language.... although i didn't read most of it!
2007-01-11 17:52:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋