Ether, please explain your concept of God

[universaltruth]

That's crazy cuz I say I used to be a 'hateful atheist' and this path started shorty after wholeheartedly declaring I'd rather be rich in happiness than money any day. And since then I just gather the understanding that comes and it's made me infinitely richer than before!

Then you will be very happy in learning about the Tao, it along with Buddhism really gave me a sense of wholeness. It also allowed me to understand the Bible alot more then in my atheist days, and even more so then when I was a "God fearing Christian" lol.

 

[BiblicalAtheist]

Then you will be very happy in learning about the Tao, it along with Buddhism really gave me a sense of wholeness. It also allowed me to understand the Bible alot more then in my atheist days, and even more so then when I was a "God fearing Christian" lol.

Dang, I thought my story was special, but you got the same one as me lol

 

[janklow]

And God is supported by?

a giant turtle, i think

 

[ThaChozenWun]

a giant turtle, i think

Wrong, many turtles, and not just any turtles, the TMNT's!!!!!!

 

[Rock_Well]

And let me leave you with this if you believe the Universe and God are separate, if you believe the universe had to have been created by God, what created God? The answer is God created God,

The fact that the physical universe had a starting point doesn't argue that the eternal, spiritual source of all had to have had a starting point. An eternal, spiritual source creating itself - that's an oxymoron.

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalms 90:2)

Therefore, God wasn't created. Not even by himself.

so then why is it implausible to you to believe that God=Universe when its been shown that the Universe just came into existence, and energy has always been? It also states in the bible I believe that God is omnipresent, and we are aware of the fact that energy is everywhere, its what makes us up.

We are talking about an eternal, spiritual being. The physical universe is not that. You agree the physical universe had a starting point. The same point i made earlier. But then you equate the physical universe and everything in it with energy - something that has always been. As if to say the physical universe=always been (contradictory to your previous agreement). Then you seem to equate energy with God, and just stop right there. Haha, that's it? Now, you know i gotta call into to question the step-by-step mathematical process you used get this right? Cuz right now, it looks like you made a few logical errors along the way.

 

[Rock_Well]

Oh, I forgot to add, ALL word is GODS word, as we all come from God and are God

Nah man....'God's word' is a Christian idea. You can't just come along take a Christian idea and change the definition of it according to your own desires. And you can't turn the Bible teachings against itself either.
“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me… Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 45:5)
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"(Numbers 23:19)
Doesn't sound like mankind is equal to God, to me...

In Genesis, we read about a desire to know what it's like to be God is how Satan got Eve to sin (Genesis 3:5-6). Same lie, different disguise.

We are all bound by our convictions. Your conviction is the bible and are therefore bound by it. Others do not have that conviction, they will read it, consider it, contemplate it etc, but they are not bound by it.

So here you are saying personal conviction is objective standard for making judgments regarding all things dealing with religion or the nature of God. That just does not work.

 

[BiblicalAtheist]

So here you are saying personal conviction is objective standard for making judgments regarding all things dealing with religion or the nature of God. That just does not work.

There I was saying personal convictions are subjective.

 

[universaltruth]

The fact that the physical universe had a starting point doesn't argue that the eternal, spiritual source of all had to have had a starting point. An eternal, spiritual source creating itself - that's an oxymoron.

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalms 90:2)

Therefore, God wasn't created. Not even by himself.

We are talking about an eternal, spiritual being. The physical universe is not that. You agree the physical universe had a starting point. The same point i made earlier. But then you equate the physical universe and everything in it with energy - something that has always been. As if to say the physical universe=always been (contradictory to your previous agreement). Then you seem to equate energy with God, and just stop right there. Haha, that's it? Now, you know i gotta call into to question the step-by-step mathematical process you used get this right? Cuz right now, it looks like you made a few logical errors along the way.

When I say God created God what im saying is God has always been, just like energy, which is exactly what your Bible quote says. And I said the physical universe is made up of energy, energy has always been. Oh and a quote of my own

"The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and

unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and

unchanging name.

(Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven

and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all

things."

Sounds just like your quote doesnt it?

 

[universaltruth]

By the way, as I said before, the fact that your limiting yourself to just the Bible as the truth when it has many contradictions and things that are suspect is limiting yourself.

 

[alissowack]

By the way, as I said before, the fact that your limiting yourself to just the Bible as the truth when it has many contradictions and things that are suspect is limiting yourself.

It is not necessarily limiting if the Bible is seen as the truth that is lord over all truths. If it is treated like it's only a small piece of the truth (or it only true to a particular person) then it is limiting.

 

[Rock_Well]

why the fuck he get a thread dedicated to him?

thread is not about him, more about those who hold a similar concept

 

[Rock_Well]

It is not necessarily limiting if the Bible is seen as the truth that is lord over all truths. If it is treated like it's only a small piece of the truth (or it only true to a particular person) then it is limiting.

You have a point there.

When I say God created God what im saying is God has always been, just like energy, which is exactly what your Bible quote says. And I said the physical universe is made up of energy, energy has always been. Oh and a quote of my own

"The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and

unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and

unchanging name.

(Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven

and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all

things."

Sounds just like your quote doesnt it?

haha i'm sorry that sounds nothing like what i quoted from scripture. Sounds like a person needs some kind of uncommon sense to understand that.

 

[universaltruth]

haha i'm sorry that sounds nothing like what i quoted from scripture. Sounds like a person needs some kind of uncommon sense to understand that.

Uncommen sense? Tru, in no way am I trying to persuade you to stop believing in the Bible, quite the contrary, what im saying is to read up on other religions, study different philosophies, strip away everything you "think" you know and go in with and open mind, you'll be surprised at what you could come to understand.

 

[Nenochtoo]

I've no concept of god in a conventional monotheistic sense.

 

[Rock_Well]

Uncommen sense? Tru, in no way am I trying to persuade you to stop believing in the Bible, quite the contrary, what im saying is to read up on other religions, study different philosophies, strip away everything you "think" you know and go in with and open mind, you'll be surprised at what you could come to understand.

been down that road. But i turned around (thank God). Please believe, my beliefs and convictions have been challenged and tested to the point of collapse....everything i thought i knew about the Bible and Jesus crumbled to bits and pieces..but that was back at a vulnerable time when i was struggling wit the faith and was weak..now it's different. i still don't mind considering other beliefs beside my own, but i've chose, from here till the grave, to remain firm by what the Bible teaches... (just saved my life)..and you playing a dangerous game especially if you don't have a sold foundation in scripture - in other words, what's what...

Distinctions have to be made. No way around this. Since i believe the Bible teaches what God's word teaches, when the moment comes, i think people should be presented with opportunity to observe/hear the truth for themselves. That's why i present the specific areas in which what's taught in the Bible runs counter to a given belief. And it's interesting to say the least to see so many good members in the R&R forum observe the truth, that they may know what's right, but time and time again, still not choose it. Jesus giving a heads up, it's not really a surprise - "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."(Matthew 10:34-36)


From what i gathered here and other threads in R&R, Ether, Biblical Atheist, Chozenwun, and your concept of God, is all of a God that either: 1)is not of ONE authority, 2) does NOT have his OWN voice OWN thoughts, and OWN words, or 3) he DOES speak, and tells lies to some people, 4) he IS of an enormous number of individual authorities on right and wrong, or 4) all of the above, plus some.

And everyone has a right to choose what they will accept, yet at the same time, they don't have a right to accept the wrong thing, and still believe that doing so is acceptable with God.

 

[DoUwant2go2Heaven]

been down that road. But i turned around (thank God). Please believe, my beliefs and convictions have been challenged and tested to the point of collapse....everything i thought i knew about the Bible and Jesus crumbled to bits and pieces..but that was back at a vulnerable time when i was struggling wit the faith and was weak..now it's different. i still don't mind considering other beliefs beside my own, but i've chose, from here till the grave, to remain firm by what the Bible teaches... (just saved my life)..and you playing a dangerous game especially if you don't have a sold foundation in scripture - in other words, what's what...

Distinctions have to be made. No way around this. Since i believe the Bible teaches what God's word teaches, when the moment comes, i think people should be presented with opportunity to observe/hear the truth for themselves. That's why i present the specific areas in which what's taught in the Bible runs counter to a given belief. And it's interesting to say the least to see so many good members in the R&R forum observe the truth, that they may know what's right, but time and time again, still not choose it. Jesus giving a heads up, it's not really a surprise - "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."(Matthew 10:34-36)


From what i gathered here and other threads in R&R, Ether, Biblical Atheist, Chozenwun, and your concept of God, is all of a God that either: 1)is not of ONE authority, 2) does NOT have his OWN voice OWN thoughts, and OWN words, or 3) he DOES speak, and tells lies to some people, 4) he IS of an enormous number of individual authorities on right and wrong, or 4) all of the above, plus some.

And everyone has a right to choose what they will accept, yet at the same time, they don't have a right to accept the wrong thing, and still believe that doing so is acceptable with God.

So in reality they are worshipping no god, but a god of their own imagination and liking. Romans 1 touches on this to the very core. For all though they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned. Professing themselves to be wise, the became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into and image made like corruptible man. Gods word cuts to the very soul of everybody on planet earth who is capable of making a decision for Him. Thats why nobody has an excuse, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. http://bible.cc/romans/1-20.htmFor the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-23) Glory to the king.

"

 

[Rock_Well]

So in reality they are worshipping no god, but a god of their own imagination and liking. Romans 1 touches on this to the very core. For all though they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned. Professing themselves to be wise, the became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into and image made like corruptible man. Gods word cuts to the very soul of everybody on planet earth who is capable of making a decision for Him. Thats why nobody has an excuse, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. http://bible.cc/romans/1-20.htmFor the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-23) Glory to the king.

"

Yeppp....they not ready.....

ima fall back for a bit.

 

[universaltruth]

Ill say this and leave it at that, Jesus understood The Way, its the people who followed him that confused things.

 

[BiblicalAtheist]

Ill say this and leave it at that, Jesus understood The Way, its the people who followed him that confused things.

Oh what do we know, we're just lost souls. We worship imaginary beings.

 

[universaltruth]

Oh what do we know, we're just lost souls. We worship imaginary beings.

Id rather not have people think that, thats always been my problem though, i want to much.