I have no issues with the word "God". I was raised with such beliefs so "God" has the feel of a security blanket for me, and while I am open to the unproven, I see no reason to believe without proof.Nick_A wrote: ↑July 31st, 2021, 10:49 pmSy Borg wrote: ↑July 31st, 2021, 9:14 pm Nick, you believe that we belong to God. Many don't, and it's not enough to pass them off as hopeless denizen's of Plato's cave.
God is a matter of interpretation, and every other theist will have a unique conception.
Then again, I don't necessarily see atheists floundering in life, lost without a sense of connection. All the "tribes" seem to be doing roughly as well and as badly as each other.
I don't think any of these beliefs matter. They are just "cheats", ways of traversing the many challenges of life. Whatever works for you.
So God works for you, Nick.
It's the universe for Poetic Universe (unsurprisingly, given his or her moniker).
I don't think so grandly, myself. I find the scale and scope of the Earth and Sun completely mind-melting in themselves (itself??). I look into the sky and know I am like a fish looking at the top of the water, not on the Earth but in it, a part of it. Such a perspective grounds me morally, as I like the idea of being a relatively harmonious part of the Earth that respects and tries to get along with other parts of the world, be they human or otherwise. That's my "cheat", I suppose.The word God seems to have a negative and personal connotation. Try using the word "meaning" instead of God. Most experience meaning by societal conditioning. Fame, fortune, pleasure, and prestige satisfy the psychological need for meaning. They belong to the world.Nick, you believe that we belong to God. Many don't, and it's not enough to pass them off as hopeless denizen's of Plato's cave.
God is a matter of interpretation, and every other theist will have a unique conception.
However there is a minority in which these societal attractions are insufficient to supply the inner need for meaning. A person can have acquired fame, fortune, pleasure, prestige, and still have a need to feel meaning. They are attracted to the inner light that originates beyond the world. For want of a better word, they belong to God.
What satisfies the need for meaning will vary according to the individual. I do not buy your loose broad-brush approach to classifying people. Unlike you, I don't see two "tribes". I see a minority of powerful people playing games to divide the little people, to distract them from the fact that they are creating a new, elite economy that will be decoupled from the plebs (a big shout out to Rupert Murdoch and Fox). Meanwhile, the plebs will continue arguing amongst themselves about religion, gender, sexuality, flags, anthems, and other exaggerated divisions.
I see that divide manifesting in a new species, one being rapidly enhanced by technology and a larger group lagging behind. (Reminiscent of humans splitting from, other great apes). That larger group of humans will continue to bicker about internal rules of engagement and petty politics while becoming ever more unwittingly servile to the empowered minority - complicit in, and deserving of, their fate as underlings.