New theistic chew toys wanted!

[Ahriman]

Its a thing in your head doing things in your head, specifically, the thought which, when apprehended, makes you feel the way you do.

I'm not actually talking about allfairies, in case it wasn't clear, I don't believe in them - complaining that gods aren't a thing will be lost on me.

Okay but here's the thing, even if (bold) is true, thinking of God as being a living entity, as opposed to a mere thing, gives the belief in God power, so it can work its magic in your life.

[The Grand Nudger]

That's characteristic (definitional, even) of the sense of the numinous, yes. It's the same, in that sense, for atheists and theists. The only difference is that when theists apprehend either the numinous or the sense of the numinous, they misattribute it to a god.

[Ahriman]

That's characteristic (definitional, even) of the sense of the numinous, yes.  It's the same, in that sense, for atheists and theists.

You might call bullshit on this, but I would say happiness derived from a belief in divinity, is much more potent than happiness derived from a belief in secular ideals.

[The Grand Nudger]

It might be for you, but I wouldn't know why unless you could elaborate on some way that would be so - even just for you. I'm not sure that could be true on it's face - as the human ability to feel happiness or relative levels of happiness doesn't seem to be limited to any particular category of thing.

I know I could hand my kids a rattle and make them happier than any adult.... atheist or theist.... alive, for quite some time, for example.

[Ahriman]

It might be for you, but I wouldn't know why unless you could elaborate on some way that would be so - even just for you.

For me, God is something like a cosmic life coach, always cheering me on, always encouraging me to be strong and confident.

[The Grand Nudger]

God is your inner monologue,....I know. Shh, don't tell the other theists.

Did you know that some people don't even have one? Weird, right? Hard to fathom.

[Ahriman]

God is your inner monologue,....I know.  Shh, don't tell the other theists.

Did you know that some people don't even have one?  Weird, right?  Hard to fathom.

I would have to imagine people without an inner monologue, have an impaired sense of humor. Humor is a very valuable thing.

[The Grand Nudger]

-and yet they don't. Cool, huh?

[Ahriman]

-and yet they don't.  Cool, huh?

I would say I have a very good sense of humor, I laugh every day. It helps keeps me sane and happy.

[The Grand Nudger]

Yet another thing you have in common with people who think very differently from you, as the example of atheists and of people with no internal monologue handily demonstrate.

Consider this - those people with no internal monologue, the majority of them would be believers, sheer force of demographics. Wild, huh? People who believe in gods that aren't life coaches and don't cheer them on, because they don't actually possess the internal contents of such an ideation. They don't even hear themselves.