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God: No magic required
RE: God: No magic required
(November 7, 2014 at 3:31 pm)lweisenthal Wrote: By invoking God's "attributes," you are needlessly introducing dogma and doctrine. God's "attributes" are much less definable than God's simple existence. For the present purposes, God is simply a higher order of sentience, capable of communicating with lower orders of sentience, the latter of which benefit in terms of comfort, solace, inspiration, courage, escape from addictive behaviors, perseverance, happiness, and even longevity -- all of which have been documented in the peer review medical literature to be benefits of religion, including "spirituality."

Which means that the only way you can prove god- in the most hypothetical, navel-gazing way possible, I might add- is to strip away most all the defining characteristics of one, until you're left with "a higher mind." But you could do that with anything; if you no longer have to work within the parameters of what a thing is in order to prove it, then proving anything becomes both trivial and meaningless.

Hey look, I just proved the existence of the philosopher's stone! But only if I define the philosopher's stone to mean this ordinary rock here!

Besides, you're going to run into trouble right off the bat by the simple contention that not all higher orders of sentience are gods. You're just slapping an impressive sounding label onto something that doesn't warrant it; why god and not, say, satan? Both are higher orders of sentience, and if that's your only qualifier for what a god is then you have no good reason to avoid the same kind of definitional stripping back with other concepts.

Or hey, why not give it a new name, since it doesn't do the sorts of things we commonly understand gods to do, like create universes or life, or perform miracles? Why not just call it Jimbob the space weasel?

Words have meanings. It might be ideologically favorable for you to ignore whatever fragments of those meanings you like to define whatever thing you please into existence, but that doesn't obligate anyone else to play by the definitions you're using in this one single scenario alone.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee

Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
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Messages In This Thread
God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 16, 2014 at 9:47 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - January 16, 2014 at 9:50 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by truthBtold - January 16, 2014 at 10:04 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Darkstar - January 16, 2014 at 10:06 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by h4ym4n - February 25, 2015 at 11:03 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 16, 2014 at 10:07 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by KichigaiNeko - January 16, 2014 at 10:12 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by truthBtold - January 16, 2014 at 10:12 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Faith No More - January 16, 2014 at 10:32 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Cinjin - January 16, 2014 at 10:42 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by MindForgedManacle - January 16, 2014 at 11:15 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 16, 2014 at 11:46 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - January 17, 2014 at 12:08 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 17, 2014 at 4:06 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 17, 2014 at 8:19 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 1, 2014 at 3:54 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 17, 2014 at 11:13 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 18, 2014 at 3:20 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Darkstar - January 18, 2014 at 4:13 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 18, 2014 at 5:03 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Darkstar - January 18, 2014 at 5:30 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 18, 2014 at 6:44 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 25, 2014 at 5:19 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mr Greene - January 28, 2014 at 4:26 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - February 2, 2014 at 10:41 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - January 17, 2014 at 3:10 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Napoléon - January 17, 2014 at 9:13 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by KichigaiNeko - January 17, 2014 at 9:15 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - January 17, 2014 at 9:23 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 17, 2014 at 9:53 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Ryantology - January 17, 2014 at 10:55 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 18, 2014 at 1:58 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by LastPoet - January 18, 2014 at 2:26 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 18, 2014 at 2:43 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - January 18, 2014 at 2:46 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 18, 2014 at 6:18 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - January 28, 2014 at 3:22 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 3:30 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Silver - January 28, 2014 at 3:59 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 4:28 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Silver - January 28, 2014 at 4:33 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by LastPoet - January 28, 2014 at 4:43 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 5:23 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Silver - January 28, 2014 at 5:29 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - January 28, 2014 at 5:58 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - January 28, 2014 at 5:06 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by LastPoet - January 18, 2014 at 2:50 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 18, 2014 at 5:09 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 18, 2014 at 5:45 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by pineapplebunnybounce - January 18, 2014 at 5:49 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 18, 2014 at 6:18 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Kayenneh - January 18, 2014 at 8:34 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Neo-Scholastic - January 25, 2014 at 8:14 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 25, 2014 at 10:48 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - January 26, 2014 at 2:06 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Mister Agenda - February 3, 2014 at 4:07 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 26, 2014 at 1:40 am
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - January 26, 2014 at 3:36 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 27, 2014 at 4:22 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - January 28, 2014 at 3:02 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 2:51 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 1, 2014 at 4:14 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 27, 2014 at 5:28 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 27, 2014 at 6:19 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Neo-Scholastic - January 28, 2014 at 12:16 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 2:40 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Thackerie - April 5, 2014 at 10:56 am
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 5, 2014 at 11:06 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Silver - January 28, 2014 at 3:00 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 3:21 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Silver - January 28, 2014 at 3:23 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 28, 2014 at 7:12 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - January 28, 2014 at 9:23 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Neo-Scholastic - January 28, 2014 at 7:53 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Ryantology - January 28, 2014 at 9:39 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - January 29, 2014 at 1:07 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Esquilax - January 29, 2014 at 1:24 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Neo-Scholastic - January 28, 2014 at 10:55 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - January 29, 2014 at 2:57 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Ryantology - January 28, 2014 at 11:05 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - January 29, 2014 at 3:10 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 31, 2014 at 6:49 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - January 31, 2014 at 7:31 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - January 31, 2014 at 9:51 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mister Agenda - February 3, 2014 at 4:20 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - February 1, 2014 at 1:42 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 1, 2014 at 4:40 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Popsicle - February 2, 2014 at 11:23 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - January 30, 2014 at 2:46 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - January 31, 2014 at 10:57 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 1, 2014 at 2:11 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - February 1, 2014 at 1:16 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - February 1, 2014 at 2:20 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Assimilate - February 1, 2014 at 2:25 am
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - February 1, 2014 at 12:02 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - February 1, 2014 at 10:00 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 2, 2014 at 12:57 am
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - February 2, 2014 at 1:40 am
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - February 2, 2014 at 4:18 am
RE: God: No magic required - by houseofcantor - February 2, 2014 at 4:59 am
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - February 2, 2014 at 5:28 am
RE: God: No magic required - by houseofcantor - February 2, 2014 at 5:50 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - February 2, 2014 at 9:36 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - February 2, 2014 at 11:50 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - February 3, 2014 at 2:04 am
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - February 3, 2014 at 12:18 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Popsicle - February 3, 2014 at 2:35 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 3, 2014 at 4:06 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Popsicle - February 3, 2014 at 4:17 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - February 3, 2014 at 4:43 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - April 1, 2014 at 3:13 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - April 1, 2014 at 4:21 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Jackalope - April 1, 2014 at 4:33 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Chas - April 1, 2014 at 6:20 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Simon Moon - April 1, 2014 at 8:00 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - April 1, 2014 at 8:49 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by houseofcantor - April 2, 2014 at 7:27 am
God: No magic required - by Rampant.A.I. - April 1, 2014 at 3:22 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - April 1, 2014 at 3:41 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - April 1, 2014 at 4:05 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - April 1, 2014 at 5:02 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Jackalope - April 1, 2014 at 5:09 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 1, 2014 at 8:28 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - April 1, 2014 at 8:48 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - April 1, 2014 at 8:21 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Thackerie - April 5, 2014 at 11:09 am
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 5, 2014 at 12:29 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Thackerie - April 6, 2014 at 10:20 am
RE: God: No magic required - by max-greece - April 2, 2014 at 1:20 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Minimalist - April 2, 2014 at 1:21 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - April 2, 2014 at 12:02 pm
God: No magic required - by Rampant.A.I. - April 2, 2014 at 1:55 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Fidel_Castronaut - April 2, 2014 at 8:47 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - April 2, 2014 at 11:15 am
RE: God: No magic required - by ThomM - April 4, 2014 at 3:17 pm
God: No magic required - by Rampant.A.I. - April 5, 2014 at 11:37 am
RE: God: No magic required - by fr0d0 - April 6, 2014 at 2:27 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Thackerie - April 6, 2014 at 3:07 pm
God: No magic required - by Rampant.A.I. - April 6, 2014 at 3:21 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - November 7, 2014 at 2:53 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Esquilax - November 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - November 7, 2014 at 3:31 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Esquilax - November 7, 2014 at 4:07 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by robvalue - November 7, 2014 at 4:34 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Angrboda - November 7, 2014 at 6:19 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - November 7, 2014 at 6:47 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - November 11, 2014 at 8:51 am
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - November 8, 2014 at 5:44 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Esquilax - November 8, 2014 at 7:03 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - November 11, 2014 at 9:23 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Tonus - November 11, 2014 at 8:59 am
RE: God: No magic required - by robvalue - November 11, 2014 at 4:54 am
RE: God: No magic required - by strawdawg - November 11, 2014 at 4:12 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by rexbeccarox - November 11, 2014 at 4:50 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - February 24, 2015 at 4:21 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 24, 2015 at 4:26 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by lweisenthal - February 24, 2015 at 4:17 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - February 24, 2015 at 5:45 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - February 24, 2015 at 9:48 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Faith No More - February 24, 2015 at 6:35 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by IATIA - February 24, 2015 at 7:13 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Mudhammam - February 24, 2015 at 9:57 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by Ravenshire - February 24, 2015 at 10:47 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by The Reality Salesman - February 24, 2015 at 11:59 pm
RE: God: No magic required - by dyresand - February 25, 2015 at 12:03 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Norman Humann - February 25, 2015 at 10:34 am
RE: God: No magic required - by Whateverist - February 26, 2015 at 1:42 pm

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