RE: God: No magic required
February 2, 2014 at 4:18 am
(This post was last modified: February 2, 2014 at 4:36 am by max-greece.)
Bloody hell Larry there's a lot there, far too much to properly reply to on a Sunday morning at 9 am after getting to bed at 2.
My overall take is that you've had some kind of personal experience and its led you very much to develop your own version of religion. There's a long tradition of that although more in the protestant side than either the Jewish or Catholic faiths you brought up.
I have to say I didn't quite get your answer to the question "Why would God to that? Or, do that in that way?" It appears you've leaned towards a sort of "God works in mysterious ways," answer that I never found in the least bit fulfilling. Each to their own.
Its interesting that the movies you cite to provide insight into your particular belief are both science, rather than religion based. I don't know if you've seen Prometheus - its a movie that appears to be hugely disliked but I rather enjoyed it and that has the sort of religious origin that fits better into your story. Those God's are apparently evil - rather than your good version but I think you might still get something out of it.
Cute analogy - but radio telescopes don't tend to contradict each other and are not burdened with the need to prove other views wrong to support and bolster their own.
I don't think I understand what a "mental" miracle is - insight? If so, not sure why they would be needed to provide that, whilst, at the same time, why insights appear to non-believers who presumably have their antenna's switched off.
Really didn't get the churches as antennas idea either. Is it such a weak signal it needs boosting? You imply you get better reception in a Church but I'm not sure if you only get reception there.
Now I can't pretend I don't have a slew of problems with your world-view in that it just doesn't hold together for me. These range from simple physical issues - like the frequencies used for the transmission, the speed of transmission (instant enough for you to get timely answers from your presumably distant Gods), the complete lack of any evidence of said transmissions, the Church's as antennas.....etc. etc. all the way to the lack of a why, the lack of any evidence that this is a force for good and ultimately the lack of ANY evidence in any sphere that all of this isn't just some kind of wish fulfilment fantasy.
Its all rather nice - as it comes across - in a warm blanket kind of a way but I do worry that this is at the superficial level. The Catholic Church can appear nice at the surface but we both know that at this moment in time there's probably a choir boy being buggered by a priest in a pew and then, when finally discovered the church, on past performance, will hide the fact.
I just remembered a post I made months ago you might like Larry. Its really a joke on the making up a religion concept that I hope you will appreciate.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21069.html
My overall take is that you've had some kind of personal experience and its led you very much to develop your own version of religion. There's a long tradition of that although more in the protestant side than either the Jewish or Catholic faiths you brought up.
I have to say I didn't quite get your answer to the question "Why would God to that? Or, do that in that way?" It appears you've leaned towards a sort of "God works in mysterious ways," answer that I never found in the least bit fulfilling. Each to their own.
Its interesting that the movies you cite to provide insight into your particular belief are both science, rather than religion based. I don't know if you've seen Prometheus - its a movie that appears to be hugely disliked but I rather enjoyed it and that has the sort of religious origin that fits better into your story. Those God's are apparently evil - rather than your good version but I think you might still get something out of it.
Quote:I think that most religions are just as "true" as all the others. They are simply akin to radio telescopes, which can be used to tune in to the particular cosmic frequencies used by God.
Cute analogy - but radio telescopes don't tend to contradict each other and are not burdened with the need to prove other views wrong to support and bolster their own.
I don't think I understand what a "mental" miracle is - insight? If so, not sure why they would be needed to provide that, whilst, at the same time, why insights appear to non-believers who presumably have their antenna's switched off.
Really didn't get the churches as antennas idea either. Is it such a weak signal it needs boosting? You imply you get better reception in a Church but I'm not sure if you only get reception there.
Now I can't pretend I don't have a slew of problems with your world-view in that it just doesn't hold together for me. These range from simple physical issues - like the frequencies used for the transmission, the speed of transmission (instant enough for you to get timely answers from your presumably distant Gods), the complete lack of any evidence of said transmissions, the Church's as antennas.....etc. etc. all the way to the lack of a why, the lack of any evidence that this is a force for good and ultimately the lack of ANY evidence in any sphere that all of this isn't just some kind of wish fulfilment fantasy.
Its all rather nice - as it comes across - in a warm blanket kind of a way but I do worry that this is at the superficial level. The Catholic Church can appear nice at the surface but we both know that at this moment in time there's probably a choir boy being buggered by a priest in a pew and then, when finally discovered the church, on past performance, will hide the fact.
I just remembered a post I made months ago you might like Larry. Its really a joke on the making up a religion concept that I hope you will appreciate.
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21069.html
Kuusi palaa, ja on viimeinen kerta kun annan vaimoni laittaa jouluvalot!