God

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

Moderator: Moderators

blondiefreak890
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 10:46 pm
Location: Fernandina Beach, Florida

God

Post #1

Post by blondiefreak890 »

Ive heard many valued opinions of my friends and ppl ive met.They all have very different opinions.Some say god is really others say he's something ppl made up just to turn to for guidence when thier confused.Now i want to kno the truth is there really god?If so what is the proof?
~blondiefreak890~

steen
Scholar
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:23 pm
Location: Upper Midwest

Post #11

Post by steen »

Pascal argued that it was "logical" to believe, because if you were wrong, nothing would happen, while if you didn't believe and were wrong, you would go to Hell. That was the "you'll find out in the end" kind of stuff.

And of course, Pascal was wrong in his cost-benefit analysis at many levels. Since it is not necessarily a dichotemy, what if you pick the wrong God? Per than, there is no "no-cost" alternative.

Deborah
Student
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Australia

Post #12

Post by Deborah »

steen wrote:Pascal argued that it was "logical" to believe, because if you were wrong, nothing would happen, while if you didn't believe and were wrong, you would go to Hell. That was the "you'll find out in the end" kind of stuff.

And of course, Pascal was wrong in his cost-benefit analysis at many levels. Since it is not necessarily a dichotemy, what if you pick the wrong God? Per than, there is no "no-cost" alternative.
what do you mean by the wrong god ?

User avatar
Zarathustra
Apprentice
Posts: 174
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: New England

Post #13

Post by Zarathustra »

Believing in the wrong God is like betting on the wrong horse. They all have an equal chance of winning while in the gates (theoretically), but only one will corss the finish line. Perhaps it will be the God that doesn't want anyone to get their beliefs only a little bit wrong. Perhaps the correct God detests the myth of Jesus Christ and anyone who affirms Jesus Christ is their personal lord and savior is damned to hell. Or perhaps the Christian God is the right God and all Jews go to Hell.

Pascal argued that it was safer to believe, but there are so many different things to believe taht if you got it wrong, believing in the wrong God, you still could be punished as though you didn't believe at all. I'm sorry it just doesn't seem like I am explaining this any better, Deborah...

Pascal says that it is safer to believe in God. If there is a God, you go to heaven; if there isn't one, nothing is lost (other than compromising your principles for a theory that didn't work out). However, if you believe in, say, Christian God, but it turns out the Bible is just the trickery of Satan and the real God is different; you've dedicated your life to the wrong God, and the right God has the potential to punish you for believing in the wrong God...
"Live that you might find the answers you can't know before you live.
Love and Life will give you chances, from your flaws learn to forgive." - Daniel Gildenlow

Deborah
Student
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Australia

Post #14

Post by Deborah »

Zarathustra wrote:[Or perhaps the Christian God is the right God and all Jews go to Hell/quote]
I don't believe people will go to hell just for not believing in the Christian god, because this god is surely the same for the Jews and the Muslims.
Surely one of the most important lessons Jesus had to teach was that anyone could reach the kingdom of god, not just the Jews.

User avatar
Zarathustra
Apprentice
Posts: 174
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: New England

Post #15

Post by Zarathustra »

The point isn't that it isn't what you believe. Your belief does not dictate reality. The simple fact is that you KNOW nothing about the nature of God, the after-life, etc, etc. And, theoretically, such a scenario could present itself.
"Live that you might find the answers you can't know before you live.
Love and Life will give you chances, from your flaws learn to forgive." - Daniel Gildenlow

Deborah
Student
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Australia

Post #16

Post by Deborah »

Zarathustra wrote:The point isn't that it isn't what you believe. Your belief does not dictate reality. The simple fact is that you KNOW nothing about the nature of God, the after-life, etc, etc. And, theoretically, such a scenario could present itself.
thatt wasn't exactly what I was trying to say. i don;t know how to explain it so it would be understood.
But yes if there is no god at the end, I have lost nothing.

User avatar
bernee51
Site Supporter
Posts: 7813
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Australia

Post #17

Post by bernee51 »

Deborah wrote:
thatt wasn't exactly what I was trying to say. i don;t know how to explain it so it would be understood.
But yes if there is no god at the end, I have lost nothing.
But perhaps you may have...does your beleif affecty our life in any way?

If you did not have that belief would your life be lived differently?

If this is the only life you have and thre is no afterlife would that affect the way you think of your self and your fellow human beings?

Deborah
Student
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Australia

Post #18

Post by Deborah »

bernee51 wrote:
Deborah wrote:
thatt wasn't exactly what I was trying to say. i don;t know how to explain it so it would be understood.
But yes if there is no god at the end, I have lost nothing.
But perhaps you may have...does your beleif affecty our life in any way?

If you did not have that belief would your life be lived differently?

If this is the only life you have and thre is no afterlife would that affect the way you think of your self and your fellow human beings?
no bernie only the after life as some call it.
before I had this belief I did live my life very different.

Something happined to me so i can't possably believe their is not afterlife so I can't answer your last question sorry.

qstns
Student
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2005 2:03 am

Re: God

Post #19

Post by qstns »

blondiefreak890 wrote:Ive heard many valued opinions of my friends and ppl ive met.They all have very different opinions.Some say god is really others say he's something ppl made up just to turn to for guidence when thier confused.Now i want to kno the truth is there really god?If so what is the proof?
I believe God exist. I believe he shows Himself through and in us. I believe its more specifically seen in our moral behavior. It is in that "code" he revieled Himself and His nature.

This is often seen when we have reached to a moral delima. Why do we want to do the right thing..or sometimes the wrong, and how do we know there is a difference? I believe God gave us a standard. Otherwise why do we have that standard and where did it come from? If there is choice of right and wrong? How do we know what is right and what is wrong if there was nothing to measure that by.

User avatar
bernee51
Site Supporter
Posts: 7813
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Australia

Post #20

Post by bernee51 »

Deborah wrote:
Something happined to me so i can't possably believe their is not afterlife so I can't answer your last question sorry.
Thank you for your honest reply

Post Reply