Thoughts and questions from God Delusion

[greneknight]

Simple. Just show me a SINGLE belief of mine that is silly. I am a Christian but I haven't got a single silly belief that's comparable to a belief in fairies, elves and pixies.

Didn't you say in another thread that...

I don't believe in a personal God and my idea of a God is that he's a mere metaphor for goodness

I'm not sure that the above wasn't just rhetoric, please forgive me if my assumption that it's not is incorrect. Meanwhile, I'm going to run with it.

Now, I'm the kind of person that prefers to take someone at his word, and you say you're a Christian, and I'm cool with that. However, the above quote doesn't sound like any kind of Christian doctrine I've ever heard (I'm trying really, really hard to NOT invoke a "No True Scotsman" here, really).

Frankly, I'm not sure what I would call it. Perhaps some form of deism? I don't know.

So I guess, given the above statement, I'd say the silliest thing you've said is that you're a Christian.

I jest. You actually seem closer to an agnostic atheist than some self-described atheists I've run across. Either way, regardless of what you believe or self-describe as, you seem all right to me. We get a lot of "personal interpretations" of Christianity around here, and yours is one I can identify with. ...even if I don't understand it.

Kudos to you, sir - here, have a rep point, on me.

Thanks. I call myself a Christian because I'm an altar boy and have been one since I was 5. I sing Evensong in the choir EVERYDAY until last Easter when I was pulled out with other boys my age - something about choir rules and the fear that my voice might break. My vicar and bishop are of the view that I'm a fine Christian and a faithful child of Holy Church. I will be confirmed towards the end of this year when I'm back in England.

The above settles my standing as a Christian within the Established Church of my country.

Now, for what's in my head. For me God is NOT a being. He's not even stronger than newborn baby because at least a newborn baby exists. God is really a metaphor for goodness and truth. A metaphor doesn't exist as a being so it can't be stronger than a newborn baby. I hope it's clear.

Miracles are what illiterate peasants believe in. I don't.

Satan is a metaphor. There's no such thing as a satanic being. The same with demons. Heaven and hell are bunkum. They don't exist except, again, as metaphors. I'd like heaven to exist but it's like Narnia. I'd like for Narnia to exist too but so what?

The above sums up what I think in my head. Of course it's not carved in rock and I've only formulated my thoughts not long ago and I might change with fresh evidence coming my way but for the moment, this is my position.

Here I stand, I cannot recant.