I was watching a show last night about the existence of God?

Question

There were a few people having a roundtable discussion. Some were Christians. Some atheists. Others theists. One of the women stated that there is only one Truth, but there are many ways to look at that Truth. Science looks at Truth through their narrow scope, but there are many more ways to observe it. She did not elaborate on any of the other ways, but simply continued on by saying that a lot of our experiences occur in the part of the brain that we don't understand and that we shouldn't become slaves to the scientific way of thinking, as that will have devastating consequences. She gave no reason whatsoever for her opinions, but stated them very matter-of-factly.
Another woman (who did not believe in a particular version of God) said that you can only truly understand god through Buddhism or some other "outside the box" way of thinking. She claimed to have personal experiences with God often, but could not describe any aspect of these experiences.
Your thoughts?

Darwin, that was my impression. The two women were very well spoken (although they did appear to have that blank look in their eyes when speaking of their experiences), but they seemed to just be adding elegance to the argument "goddidit, so don't question it because you can't understand".

Ah, the Rev. Einstein....thanks for showing up to try and make us all a little dumber. Liberal media? One of the sponsors of the program was the Templeton Foundation.

Inanimate..no, they were not. Maybe I would have been more inclined to agree with them if they were!

Perplexed...good thought. I like your approach.

The Filth...you are quite correct. One of the atheists on the panel made the statemnt that he felt a sense of spiritualism and awe when reading some of the thoughts and theories of Carl Sagan, but he did not see a reason to declare that as a sense of God. That comment was brushed aside.

Answer 1

Buddhism won't help anyone understand god. Buddhism only helps us understand how our mind functions. It helps us see how our mind creates suffering through anger, ignorance, and desire. When we see this clearly, we can cut off the sources of anger, ignorance, and desire and then function in a way that is beneficial to ourselves and others. This is pretty great, but has nothing to do with any god(s).

Answer 2

I've never encountered anything that couldn't ultimately be explained through rational thought. We don't completely understand how the brain works, and I doubt we ever will since we won't be able to truly understand its limitations. If there is something the brain cannot detect, we won't know because we won't be able to detect it.

The first woman seems to be of the crowd that thinks that atheists and scientists -and atheist scientists- have no sense of wonder, and live their lives as a pointless logical puzzle. I've read a few articles about the brain's chemical processes related to love, but I'm still quite happily in love and don't feel like I've missed out on anything because I know the name of the chemical that's making me feel all goofy. She's also probably part of the crowd that says that a question still unanswered is proof that we should stop looking, or never start. Seems pretty stupid to me.

The second woman seems slightly less annoying. There are a lot of Buddhists in the world and the fact that it's a smaller movement than Christianity doesn't make it any more credible.

Answer 3

Never really thought about it, but in my view science has always used the biggest scope available in whatever era it functioned -- unless the woman was alluding to extra-sensory data? The kind of "sense" used to believe in God, maybe. (I'm serious; i'm not atheist.) I agree we should not be slaves to the scientific way of thinking, but that's a little like saying we should stop jumping off cows. The scientific way of thinking is a TOOL, not a master. Scientists are PEOPLE who think about a lot of things outside the workplace. But i am intrigued by what she said about the parts of our brains we don't understand. She should have elaborated.

The other woman, "outside the box," managed to contradict herself, IMO. I have personal experiences with God, every day, and i can understand why she wouldn't want to elaborate because it's very personal, but i'll say a sentence or two more by way of explanation. This closeness with God is something i have wanted and worked toward for a greater part of my lifetime, and the tragedies and bitter disappointments i have known all helped to bring me this far, so now i count these things among my many blessings. However, i sincerely doubt that my experience is anything like the "box" lady's.

Well, i'm sure i've said too much now. Thanks for sharing.

Answer 4

Native American Wisdom:

It does not require many words to speak the truth.

You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born a free man should be contented when penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases.

Chief Joseph
Native American Leader

from the book - 'The Great Thoughts'

Answer 5

It sounds like a bunch of people giving a bunch of opinions.

Everyone has their own opinion about the existence of God, and everyone is entitled to that opinion as long as they do not infringe on anyone else's right to have an opinion too.

There is no "one answer fits all" idea from people on the existence of God, I think it is a purely personal thing.

Answer 6

People who are stuck in the "god box" will always resort to ambiguous vagaries like "there are many ways to look at the truth", or "you can only truly understand god through _______."

It's all nonsense.

Life is eminently comprehensible. We don't know everything, but the fact that we continue to learn and progress as a species proves we can.

What IS difficult is accepting everything unpleasant that life throws at us. That's why gods were invented, and that's why they persist.

Answer 7

Quote from "Good Question, Good Answer" by
Bhikkhu Shravasti Dhammika

The Buddha, like modern sociologists and psychologists, believed that religious ideas and especially the god idea have their origin in fear. The Buddha says: "Gripped by fear men go to the sacred mountains, sacred groves, sacred trees and shrines". -- Dp 188

As the Buddha says:
"No one saves us but ourselves,
No one can and no one may.
We ourselves must walk the path,
But Buddhas clearly show the way". -- Dp 165

Answer 8

I don't agree with the either/or concept.I agree there are worlds to explore "outside the box".That however,doesn't negate science.A healthy dose of scientific knowledge AND an "outside the box" philosophy is my preference

Answer 9

I don't think we should get stuck viewing anything in just one way

As for the woman's experiences, who knows. A lot of people claim a lot of stuff that is impossible to validate

Answer 10

Christians are the only people who actually have a genetic connection with the One True God.

All humans have latent DNA that becomes active at taking faith in Christ alone for Salvation.

Other tests have indicated that non-Christians have had temporal lighting of spiritual DNA connected to God, but it becomes latent again after time.

Because Christ is the ONLY Way for Salvation, those who put their faith in Him alone, have eternally active DNA that gives them Christ's Eternal Life.

Further, it is the Thalamus section of the brain that contains its emotional and spiritual center.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "eternity is planted into our hearts."

This could be translated that "eternity is grafted into our hearts."

What happens to a branch that's grafted into another species of a vine or a tree? It takes on the recipients genetic characteristics.

It says in Ephesians 1 that we are "adopted into the family of God." That adoption is a grafting process. Because we're grafted into Christ, we take on His characteristics.

Jesus said in John 15:4-5, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

When we receive Christ alone for salvation, we are genetically grafted physically by our DNA and spiritually by our faith into the family of God.

This is all provided by the Power of the Holy Spirit, the Living Breath of God, Whose very Power planted Adonai, the Lord God, into Mary's womb and created Jesus Christ, our Great God and Savior.

This Same life Giving Spirit is the One Who Raised Christ from the Dead and has given Eternal Life to ALL who put their faith in Christ alone for Salvation.

We are free then to know God, The Father, through Jesus Christ, The Son, by the Power of The Holy Spirit as our Heavenly Father and that the Holy Spirit seals our Eternity with Him when we confess our faith in Jesus Christ alone for Salvation.

As for our genetic ties to God, you may read the book, "The God Gene" and the article in the August 2004 Issue of Time Magazine.

Recently, a study has been done that shows that all humanity came from two individuals in the very beginning.

The data entered came from genetic samples from every race and culture that we know of and was calculated back to a source having one father, and one mother.

I believe, because of the Word of God, that that father and mother were Adam and Even, our genetic predecessors.