It is a personal belief of mine that (outside of 'sriptures') it is impossible to make any absolute statement about God because of the nature of what God is supposed to be. If God exists then it might well be impossible to prove that existence because he is supposed to be outside the realm of existence we can perceive. The same problem appears if God doesn't exist because you cannot show something doesn't exist if by it's nature you cannot perceive it. Perhaps I am simply mistaken on the nature of God but I would like to know how Christians and atheists come to their conclusions on the existance of God. Note that this question is about GOD and not RELIGION, there is a difference.
2007-04-26 05:39:32 · 19 answers · asked by thundercatt9 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree with your explanation, but include scriptures of all kinds in that. They are simply recorded experiences with God, mediated through us, and through language, so they are not absolute.
God is infinite, and language is finite, so language would never be able to make an absolute statement about God.
2007-04-26 05:43:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Why would anyone care about making absolute statements?
I'm an atheist because there is no evidence that gods exist. This stuff about proving things and "absolute statements" is irrelevant to your later question, where you say "I would like to know how Christians and atheists come to their conclusions on the existance [sic] of God".
The answer for the atheist is simple: I conclude that God does not exist for exactly the same reason that I conclude that there is not a polka-dotted chimpanzee dancing on my head at this moment.
There's no metaphysical mumbo-jumbo necessary to come to the correct conclusion here.
2007-04-26 05:45:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
NO, there is no absolute statement, nothing regarding religion beliefs or god is absolute because it is not very accurate, there is no proof of anything you just believe in what you feel is best for you that doesn't mean one religion or belief is right and another is wrong it just means its different. And no you can not proof god really existed you just believe it if you want to and you like who you are if you believe it, I believe in god because it makes me a better person and I like to believe in god. Don't let anyone tell you there is a way to prove the existence of god because there isn't you either believe it or you don't. No way is right or wrong just different.
2007-05-02 15:43:06 · answer #3 · answered by Mrs.Frank Sinatra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is the Abrahamic God not allegedly omnipresent? Is he not allegedly omnibenevolent? If so, then why does evil exist? Because if he was ever present and omnibenevolent, he would not allow the free will of a person like Cho to disrupt the free will of an innocent student.
So, can God prevent evil, but refuses to? Then He isnt God, he is malevolent.
Can God NOT prevent evil? then He is not omnipotent.
So, absolute statements can be made about God. The Abrahamic God absolutely cannot exist.
2007-04-26 05:47:27 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You ask an intelligent question and I hope I can answer likewise. My favorite philosoper-writer is Benedict Spinoza and I am fond of Rene Descartes also. Spinoza wrote about God as he interpreted God to be, God's properties and the nature of reality. Spinoza based much of his conclusions on mathematical proofs, or principles of mathematics. The only thing we can be certain of is mathematical truths. Two plus two equals four even in other dimensions and across the universe. Spinoza wrote that only one substance can exist and this substance must be infinite. He wrote that God must exist because only this infinite substance can really exist and that God is the only thing can really be ascribed existence. Okay, that sounds like gobbledegook, so I hope you will read up on Spinoza yourself. I suggest you read other classical sources such as from The Great Books collection. Found at most libraries. But by the way, Spinoza is among them.
2007-04-26 05:53:15 · answer #5 · answered by keitherambassadorfromhell 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only absolute statement I can make about God is that once you become His, you know it. Although the Bible does refer to the Holy Spirit being sent to be with the believers after Jesus ascended to heaven, it does not say what that will do within the person...as I said, you have to experience it to know. Once you know however, that knowledge is complete and without any doubt and you will never be willing to give it up even if it would cost you your life. It is more than a belief...or even more than what some call faith, it is a total awareness of the spirit within you. I fully realize that this is a subjective statement but it is the best one I can give you.
2007-04-26 05:49:55 · answer #6 · answered by Poohcat1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do believe to an extent what JP is trying to say, and that your choices are pretty much a reflection of your being and therefore it looks like theres no such thing as a free will.
But the book I follow does not literally say: there is a free will.
It says, youve been shown the difference between right and wrong, and do not do what is wrong.
Simple as that.
As for the existence of the creator, my faith comes from knowing that the wisdom spoken in the Quran and is passed over by generations of people, speaks for itself.
For man to be enlightened, man needs to get rid of his/her own ego, or neutralize it.
And since man cannot neutralize the ego with what is known as 'emptiness' man has to substitute the ego with something higher, or better.
This in turn is called the Higher Ego. or the feeling that, that which you have has been given to you by an outside force.
This inturn, neutralizes your ego, removes elements of ego like: pride, self gratitude, vanity and so forth. And hence, enlightenment is achieved.
Everybody knows, a humble human, is better than one that is non humble. How do you humble yourself? By looking at something larger, and more powerful ofcourse.
The only plus with Abrahamic religions, is that it adds the following to the characteristics of that which is more powerful than you: eternal presence
So if you were to humble yourself by looking at the universe, the stars, and all that is larger than yourself, you will not ask the question: but are these things more powerful because theyre larger? or are they more powerful because theyre here forever?
2007-04-26 05:59:05 · answer #7 · answered by Antares 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I studied neuroscience, psychology, and computer science, one conclusion became quite clear -- there can be no free will. The brain is entirely computational and the mind is purely an emergent behavior of the brain. Choice is made, but it is not free will.
Theism requires free will. Since free will doesn't exist, theism is false.
I do admit that this doesn't affect deism. Deism and atheism, however, have the same consequences, but deism has an extra implied a priori agent. Ockham's Razor therefore discards it, but only on principle -- Ockham's Razor is not an absolute.
2007-04-26 05:47:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you know there is wind not because you see it. you can't touch it, but it can touch you.You feel it, you see it's effects,leaves blowing. A Supreme God exists, I know this because I see His work looking all around me. I feel Him in the core of my being. I am a product of His thought. Adam wheither you belive was a man or a monkey did not create himself, it was not his thought or will, it was Gods. No creation can be greater than the creator, no creation can be equal to the creator. When you create something it is for a purpose you value it because it belongs to you.
2007-04-26 05:56:49 · answer #9 · answered by Connie D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can make an absolute statement about lots of things.
For Instance:
Either a God exists or it doesn't.
Any tautological statement is absolute.
Of course being able to make absolute statements about things doesn't mean they exist.
2007-04-26 05:49:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋