"In the beginning God created ...."

[William]

"Anyone who thinks we exist within a creation is also saying that we exist within a Reality Simulation."

Often Christians argue that we do not exist within a Simulated Reality while maintaining that we exist within a Creation.

What is the difference between existing within a Reality Simulation and existing within a Creation?

[William]

All we have to understand is that such a reality exists which is alternative to our own. Christians think of this alternate reality as being "The Heavenly Realms."

[I leave it to those who think such, to define their own 'Heavenly Realms' - and whether there is any difference between the two realities. (physical Universe and Heaven]

Also to remind one and all, Just because there is a 'heaven' which can be experienced as 'real' does not in itself prove that it too, is not a simulation of yet another reality...3, 2, 1...

There are various views that include the existence of some form of an alternate reality. String Theory, M Theory, Multiverse, and belief in Heaven are some examples. The belief that a kind of alternate reality exists does not mean that either reality is a simulation of the other one.

According to the mythology, The god created Adam in his own image.
Do you believe that heaven would look so alien that one would see nothing familiar in its landscape?

[William]

In the Beginning God Created..

To all interested parties,

Perhaps it might be well to consider an expanded view of “creation”.

First, many have presented creation with a theory that everything was created from nothing or an ex-nihilo perspective.

Perhaps it might be well to explore the concept that “creation” can also be understood as “organizing matter”.

For example, are the “elements eternal”? If one were to view the elements as eternal, and one had the power and full knowledge
to organize or reorganize the atomic structure of various elements within the scope of that power, could not one therefore organize or create any and all things?

Consider the account of Christ turning the water into wine. If one was endowed with the power to re-organize or restructure the basic elements of water is there any limit to what could be “created’?

If you had the power to separate the oxygen from the hydrogen elements, what kind of explosive power could you obtain with 1000 gallons of water?

Let’s apply this to another viewpoint. If something had a beginning, could it not also have an end?

If we were to clearly understand that the elements are eternal in nature and that they were not created nor indeed can be, then there would be no beginning and therefor have no end.

One could modify, rearrange, the elemental structure of any given element to create something totally different, but the element would still exist.

This would allow for limitless growth and progress in creation.

Have you considered how little we may know regarding the “Origin and destiny of man?

Do you actually know of an ultimate beginning of man?

We all know that our mortal bodies were created by our earthly father and mother.

We are also taught that God is indeed the father of our spirit bodies.

Where did our intelligences begin to exist?

Are there graduated levels of intelligences?

Are our intelligences co-eternal with God?

If not where did they begin?

If they had no beginning could they also have no end or be eternal in nature?

Is there anything in the scriptures to show that God would forever deny us the opportunity of eternal progression?

The above should provoke deep and solemn and ponderous thoughts for one to learn all the above answers.

Kind regards,
RW

Yes - everything you list can be viewed as a product of simulation.

[William]

In the Beginning God Created..

...We all know that our mortal bodies were created by our earthly father and mother.

This is the second time in recent days were I have seen this misinformation.

Parents do not create their offspring. They simply mate, and the algorithms within the structure of the created simulation do the rest...

[PinSeeker]

According to the mythology, The god created Adam in his own image.
Do you believe that heaven would look so alien that one would see nothing familiar in its landscape?

The question concerning heaven does not follow from the statement that God created Adam in His own image... unless the idea of Adam's creation in God's image is conceptualized in an overly simplistic way. This is a bit of an exaggeration but the point should be well taken: the Bible is not a Dick and Jane book. It's not complicated to the point of being difficult to understand, but it is not simplistic or wooden in the sense that it is devoid of great breadth or depth or contain multi-faceted concepts (of which God's image is but one example -- as is heaven's "landscape").

Grace and peace to you.

[PinSeeker]

In the Beginning God Created..

...We all know that our mortal bodies were created by our earthly father and mother.

This is the second time in recent days were I have seen this misinformation.

Parents do not create their offspring. They simply mate, and the algorithms within the structure of the created simulation do the rest...

<chuckles> That's not what RW is saying, of course, although it kind of does look that way... At least I hope it's not what he's saying... God is the Creator. In Psalm 139, David is writing a song, of course, and sings to God, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb," the clear implication being that God creates us. But yes, He uses -- and is at work in -- natural means (conceptualization and human biological processes) to do His "knitting."

Grace and peace to all.

[The Tanager]

Oh I see.

Can you tell me why you think ST does not 'fit' with LT?

At this time, I'm thinking they are logically compatible. I do wonder a small bit about the possibility of love between a 'scientist' and their 'study participants,' but I'm not claiming that I know they aren't compatible. So, it seems to me that God could create the world in order to both expand the community of love and, for those already existing, provide them with something to study. So, my view is that LT is true, while I see no reason to believe ST is also true.

[otseng]

LOL! You're the one applying the filter, William. Probably unbeknownst to you. And a contrived narrative all your own.

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[bjs1]

All we have to understand is that such a reality exists which is alternative to our own. Christians think of this alternate reality as being "The Heavenly Realms."

[I leave it to those who think such, to define their own 'Heavenly Realms' - and whether there is any difference between the two realities. (physical Universe and Heaven]

Also to remind one and all, Just because there is a 'heaven' which can be experienced as 'real' does not in itself prove that it too, is not a simulation of yet another reality...3, 2, 1...

There are various views that include the existence of some form of an alternate reality. String Theory, M Theory, Multiverse, and belief in Heaven are some examples. The belief that a kind of alternate reality exists does not mean that either reality is a simulation of the other one.

According to the mythology, The god created Adam in his own image.
Do you believe that heaven would look so alien that one would see nothing familiar in its landscape?

The coastland of Columbia is surprisingly similar to the coastland of Taiwan. That does not make one a simulation of the other.

[William]

All we have to understand is that such a reality exists which is alternative to our own. Christians think of this alternate reality as being "The Heavenly Realms."

[I leave it to those who think such, to define their own 'Heavenly Realms' - and whether there is any difference between the two realities. (physical Universe and Heaven]

Also to remind one and all, Just because there is a 'heaven' which can be experienced as 'real' does not in itself prove that it too, is not a simulation of yet another reality...3, 2, 1...

There are various views that include the existence of some form of an alternate reality. String Theory, M Theory, Multiverse, and belief in Heaven are some examples. The belief that a kind of alternate reality exists does not mean that either reality is a simulation of the other one.

According to the mythology, The god created Adam in his own image.
Do you believe that heaven would look so alien that one would see nothing familiar in its landscape?

The coastland of Columbia is surprisingly similar to the coastland of Taiwan. That does not make one a simulation of the other.

Then show me Heaven on Earth, for this is the reasoning you are using to argue against the idea.

For both Columbia and Taiwan are part of the same simulated environment [Earth]

[bjs1]

Then show me Heaven on Earth, for this is the reasoning you are using to argue against the idea.

For both Columbia and Taiwan are part of the same simulated environment [Earth]

Actually, my reasoning is that a similarity of some form does not suggest a simulation.

More generally, my reasoning against the simulation theory is that there is no reason to think that it is true. We appear to not live in a simulated reality. Appearances can be deceiving, but most of the time they aren’t.