Religion

Irish_Dem

(60,851 posts)

46. God promised me a nice big piece of cake if I wrote good things about Him.

Sat Nov 11, 2017, 02:16 PM

Nov 2017

I am spiritual to my core, with a dose of skepticism and irreverence.
May God forgive me.

Edited to add: I see that you also read the article about religion being hard wired in humans.
Why might this be? Something Darwinian? Loads on human evolution, survival of the species?

Seems like religion has been more of a curse than a blessing to mankind.

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Let's talk about free will. [View all] Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 OP

I think that there can be an omnimax creator and free will. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #1

But can it fill that need without contradicting its own nature: power, knowledge, etc.? (nt) Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #3

Yes of course, an all powerful God gives us the gift of free will. So that souls may evolve, learn. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #10

Can God do evil? Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #11

No of course not. But S/He will let others do evil as part of their soul journey. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #21

But what of the people who suffer evil. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #53

This is a difficult topic. Eastern religions suggest karma, and pre-birth agreements. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #55

How did you come to your knowledge Lordquinton Nov 2017 #65

Extensive reading and studying. And some of it I don't know where it comes from. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #68

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." yallerdawg Nov 2017 #16

God makes choices, allows us to make choices. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #24

First I think you have to prove god............... Angry Dragon Nov 2017 #2

I do, personally? Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #4

Someone has to prove god to have an arguement Angry Dragon Nov 2017 #6

One thing I have never understood, why is there a need to prove God exists? Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #26

thanks for clearly expressing the standard abrahamic god concept. Voltaire2 Nov 2017 #5

Maybe the nature of "God" PoindexterOglethorpe Nov 2017 #7

We need Him to come off the beach and save our bacon on this planet. :) Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #25

According to the Bible, God does not always allow Mariana Nov 2017 #8

You have essentially defined, or created if you will, a deity for yourself. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #9

If we cannot reason about the creator, Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #12

Humans can freely speculate, but I feel that we can never "know". guillaumeb Nov 2017 #13

But isn't the inference that the existence of the universe Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #14

It is an unprovable belief. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #15

What is the value of that belief? Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #17

I believe that there is a Creator. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #18

Can we speculate, though? Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #19

I do not think either approach is wrong. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #23

We can speculate, but we are limited by our human consciousness. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #31

I think the limits of human consciousness and knowledge do prevent us from understanding Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #34

Nice points, and we agree that our limitations prevent us from guillaumeb Nov 2017 #41

Yes I agree. We are not able to grasp the whole picture. Just bits and pieces. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #45

Science and rationality go hand in hand with a belief is a supreme being. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #22

Have any other faiths/paths/perspectives done a better job Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #27

Yes indeed. The eastern religious do a much better job of explaining Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #28

That's where I thought you might be going with this. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #29

Not just Hinduism, but Buddhism, Shinto, Confucianism. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #30

I've been very focused on Catholicism. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #32

Yes I can see why. Aquinas wrote about reason and theology. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #33

I think God has chosen to be enigmatic for a reason. We will never prove God's existence. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #35

The line of thought we are discussing leads to Geneva Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #37

Can you say more about this? nt Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #38

In general, I've been thinking a lot about Calvinism this morning. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #39

Several thoughts. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #40

So bottom line, there is some power that God does not have. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #54

No, if I said that I didn't mean to. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #56

All powerful. All the power. For God. None for us. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #57

God is all powerful. We are not. But we do have power. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #58

When you say "all powerful" Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #59

I agree, we need to operationalize the term. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #60

I mean it in this discussion in an existential sense. Htom Sirveaux Nov 2017 #61

You are correct in that I believe that God is all powerful but does not exercise his potential Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #62

Htom, I think there is a scenario that fits your view. One that makes sense to me. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #69

To elaborate further and to borrow from guilaumeb. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #49

Perhaps the Creator, for whatever purpose having created, guillaumeb Nov 2017 #42

Yes I think this is true to some extent. But a bit more.... Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #44

As do all people who believe in such entities. MineralMan Nov 2017 #20

It is the standard all powerful abrahamic god. Voltaire2 Nov 2017 #36

Recommended for the very interesting dialogue that has occured thus far. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #43

God promised me a nice big piece of cake if I wrote good things about Him. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #46

My feeling is that all aspects of tribalism are necessary to survival. guillaumeb Nov 2017 #47

Humans hard wired for religion for survival purposes. Does this connect to free will then? Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #48

What would "total free will" encompass? guillaumeb Nov 2017 #50

I would agree "total" free will does not exist. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #51

I recommed reading or... Snackshack Nov 2017 #52

What about Acts of God? MarvinGardens Nov 2017 #63

Or as I call them, Things That Happen. Iggo Nov 2017 #64

All the modern descriptions also describe nogod existing Lordquinton Nov 2017 #66

"If God knows which decision I will make before I exist ..." Jim__ Nov 2017 #67

There is no 'free will'... If you believe in an all-powerful God, there is only'allowed will'. keithbvadu2 Nov 2017 #70