Whitedragon wrote:
BTW, I'm a guy, not a girl.
Your on-line persona is as ambiguous as your theology. I went by the picture. Honest mistake.
Of course, you may be pure in spirit, which is very nice. I'm not - which means I don't have the same access to holiness.
I'm content with my lot - it's only people who say they are better for having a god,
who keep telling me what I
should need and feel I'm missing.
You said you prefer the USA
Never! I have
never said that, even before they committed this unprecedented act of mass dementia that will precipitate
the civil war that tears their nation to shreds. And it's in large part due to their ignorant, aggressive religiosity.
You were talking about
ideas, if I recall, which I didn't restrict to spirituality. As ideas go, you could do worse
than
un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-r ... index.html
which is more inclusive and fair than any of the religious bodies allow for. WHO, UNICEF and the World Court are good ideas, too.
I also asked Fanman a question about freewill and god revealing himself to us, would you comment on that too, please?
This one?
Its difficult to say how we would progress as a species if we knew God existed,
We never progressed as a species. The question as to whether any of us progressed is still open to debate, but if we did,
you know exactly how it was done: one tribe's gain at another tribe's, or several other other tribes' loss, at ever every step.
Those steps were taken by men who were
absolutely certain of their god(s) - who not only knew that their god(s)
exist, but what he/they were like and what he/they demanded of the faithful.
If they hadn't been sure, you wouldn't have a book to consult for the nature of hell and sacrifice.
but on the other side of the coin, things may change for the better if we knew that our fates were of an eternal nature, based upon our conduct.
Do you feel that there is a balance between the ephemeral acts of mortals and the eternal consequences meted out by immortals?
What I mean is, in many situations, not of their own devising nor in their power to control, people have to make decisions
on incomplete or incorrect information, under pressure, with limited options and time.
An act performed hastily, thoughtlessly, instinctively, mistakenly or in obedience to a master, may take a few minutes.
Do you believe it's
justice to punish that act for millions or billions of years?
Even the worst human legal system isn't that harsh; at least they have capital punishment to end the offender's suffering.
Anyway, a lot of people who profess to believe in such a divine justice as you refer to, still commit atrocities -
so your answer is: No; it changes nothing in human behaviour. Theists and atheists behave badly, or well, regardless of eternity.
Proof of God may also invalidate the sacrifice of Christ, as according to scripture, belief in Christ is the only way to know God.
One scripture. Do you not find it odd, how often Christians turn to the OT for validation?
The Jews knew their god far better, more intimately, than the modern christian seem to.
Besides, you keep dancing around that sacrifice, without ever explaining what it's supposed to accomplish, and how.
I think that proof of God would have both negative and positive effects, such that I couldn't say for sure whether I think it is better with or without proof. There are lots of implications to cover.
It all depends, as I said before, on what the god wants. Why he decides to show himself or keep playing peek-a-boo.
None of which answer my question:
If a god does not manifest in my world, how is its existence relevant to my life?