Quote:God has an alleged Power of the most unimaginable magnitude. Power that presumably was the source of the astounding creation of hundreds of billions of galaxies, which are composed of hundreds of trillions of stars, dotted with singularities and "black holes" possessing immense gravity and crushing annihilatory densities; all of which are dancing with exquisite accuracy in spectacular elliptical orbits over a time- and distance-span of 14 billion light years; Power that has designed astonishingly complex molecular systems, composed of amazingly intricate atomic foundations; all operating according to the mechanics of gravity and other little-understood forces that bind atomic nuclei together while swarms of electrons maintain their balance around their stupendously dense centers in microscopic imitation of the grander galaxies; Power that orchestrated the rules of light propagation and spectrums of colors all arranged in fantastically diverse, visible, as well as invisible, wavelengths and patterns.

Why can’t he fix a bullet hole?

Well Jesus certainly could have fixed a bullet hole if that's what you mean. Our spiritual healing ability is a little more limited but I do think we have some, even if the effect is small.

(August 24, 2013 at 12:39 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote:

Quote:God has an alleged Power of the most unimaginable magnitude. Power that presumably was the source of the astounding creation of hundreds of billions of galaxies, which are composed of hundreds of trillions of stars, dotted with singularities and "black holes" possessing immense gravity and crushing annihilatory densities; all of which are dancing with exquisite accuracy in spectacular elliptical orbits over a time- and distance-span of 14 billion light years; Power that has designed astonishingly complex molecular systems, composed of amazingly intricate atomic foundations; all operating according to the mechanics of gravity and other little-understood forces that bind atomic nuclei together while swarms of electrons maintain their balance around their stupendously dense centers in microscopic imitation of the grander galaxies; Power that orchestrated the rules of light propagation and spectrums of colors all arranged in fantastically diverse, visible, as well as invisible, wavelengths and patterns.

Why can’t he fix a bullet hole?

Well Jesus certainly could have fixed a bullet hole if that's what you mean. Our spiritual healing ability is a little more limited but I do think we have some, even if the effect is small.

I've only been around this site for a few days, so I could be way off base, but, . . . because you seem so knowledgeable and articulate, I think there is a much greater than zero probability that you do not believe a lot of what you write and are just gleefully pulling everyone's leg.

Quote:I've only been around this site for a few days, so I could be way off base, but, . . . because you seem so knowledgeable and articulate, I think there is a much greater than zero probability that you do not believe a lot of what you write and are just gleefully pulling everyone's leg.

I certainly believe in it though I may not believe in what you seem to have in mind. Which I think would be a god like Zeus or Thor. Perhaps some Christians who don't have a very advanced understanding of God/theology would think of God this way as well but that's not how it works.

(August 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote:

Quote:I've only been around this site for a few days, so I could be way off base, but, . . . because you seem so knowledgeable and articulate, I think there is a much greater than zero probability that you do not believe a lot of what you write and are just gleefully pulling everyone's leg.

I certainly believe in it though I may not believe in what you seem to have in mind. Which I think would be a god like Zeus or Thor. Perhaps some Christians who don't have a very advanced understanding of God/theology would think of God this way as well but that's not how it works.

Please tell us "how it works."

(August 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote: .. Perhaps some Christians who don't have a very advanced understanding of God/theology would think of God this way as well but that's not how it works.

How could christians not have completely coherent beliefs when they are talking to the same god in their prayers? Would god not be consistent to all?

(August 24, 2013 at 1:03 pm)Gil Gaudia Wrote:

(August 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote: I certainly believe in it though I may not believe in what you seem to have in mind. Which I think would be a god like Zeus or Thor. Perhaps some Christians who don't have a very advanced understanding of God/theology would think of God this way as well but that's not how it works.

Please tell us "how it works."

Also, since you seem to believe that you "have a very advanced understanding of God/theology," how "would (you) think of God"?

Now, remember...he's Church of England...

Quote:Also, since you seem to believe that you "have a very advanced understanding of God/theology," how "would (you) think of God"?

I have a more advanced understanding of God but I'm not claiming to be have an advanced understanding, not yet anyway. The basic idea would be to think of God not as a man with a beard up in the sky but more as a Force from Star Wars, an all pervasive presence. Bear in mind there is no "dark side" to it that comes purely from human sin. If we're talking about something like say miracles and/or healing it has to be done through someone who is capable of drawing upon Gods power, or the Force if you want to call it that. This is really more of a interactive kind of experience God alone doesn't really do anything as such, beyond maintain the universe in existence. This is the way to understand the subject of prayer if you're talking about using it for a practical purpose such as healing a bullet wound. The best you're probably going to expect to achieve if you really spiritualist yourself up is aid or enhance the recovery speed. But different people will have a different degree of talent for this much like anything else. If you just have a random group of well meaning people holding hands and chanting something or other in a room somewhere and not really knowing all the details of what it they're meant to be doing and how it's meant to work, then nothing at all will happen.

(August 24, 2013 at 1:29 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote: I have a more advanced understanding of God but I'm not claiming to be have an advanced understanding, not yet anyway. The basic idea would be to think of God not as a man with a beard up in the sky but more as a Force from Star Wars, an all pervasive presence. Bear in mind there is no "dark side" to it that comes purely from human sin. If we're talking about something like say miracles and/or healing it has to be done through someone who is capable of drawing upon Gods power, or the Force if you want to call it that. This is really more of a interactive kind of experience God alone doesn't really do anything as such, beyond maintain the universe in existence. This is the way to understand the subject of prayer if you're talking about using it for a practical purpose such as healing a bullet wound. The best you're probably going to expect to achieve if you really spiritualist yourself up is aid or enhance the recovery speed. But different people will have a different degree of talent for this much like anything else. If you just have a random group of well meaning people holding hands and chanting something or other in a room somewhere and not really knowing all the details of what it they're meant to be doing and how it's meant to work, then nothing at all will happen.

A world where god answers prayers seems to work exactly like a world where god doesn't exist.

(August 24, 2013 at 1:29 pm)Sword of Christ Wrote:

Quote:Also, since you seem to believe that you "have a very advanced understanding of God/theology," how "would (you) think of God"?

I have a more advanced understanding of God but I'm not claiming to be have an advanced understanding, not yet anyway. The basic idea would be to think of God not as a man with a beard up in the sky but more as a Force from Star Wars, an all pervasive presence. Bear in mind there is no "dark side" to it that comes purely from human sin. If we're talking about something like say miracles and/or healing it has to be done through someone who is capable of drawing upon Gods power, or the Force if you want to call it that. This is really more of a interactive kind of experience God alone doesn't really do anything as such, beyond maintain the universe in existence. This is the way to understand the subject of prayer if you're talking about using it for a practical purpose such as healing a bullet wound. The best you're probably going to expect to achieve if you really spiritualist yourself up is aid or enhance the recovery speed. But different people will have a different degree of talent for this much like anything else. If you just have a random group of well meaning people holding hands and chanting something or other in a room somewhere and not really knowing all the details of what it they're meant to be doing and how it's meant to work, then nothing at all will happen.

Notice the similarities of what You wrote here to a fictitious plot? Really. Dark side, force?

God is like a looney tune. Or, maybe it is?