Does God Exist?

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (JawaMan,)
That's okay, as long as you are willing to admit there was a Creator. I'm not asking for the Christian one right now. We can touch on that one later. <hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

Why should people admit there was a creator? People have different views then you, and it isn't your view or the highway on this one.

lol Well, explaining that, Giancarlo, would be re-entering our little skirmish.

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (JawaMan,)
lol Well, explaining that, Giancarlo, would be re-entering our little skirmish.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

I think you should just admit your beliefs are not as conclusive as you try to make them out to be.

As my ancestors would say... Oy vey!

I've already explained my position.

I know people have different views than me, but that doesn't mean I can't debate for my view. After all, you are trying to get me to reject mine, yes?

I understand your position, doesn't mean I'm going to let up in calling them fallacious. I'm not asking you to reject anything.

I'll take note of you as my personal debate stalker.

[shunyadragon]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (ferrolad,)
I think that there is no way to be 100% certain that of the existance of any gods. That being said, my gut feeling is that there isn't a god. I find too many flaws in the logic of all religions. I suspect that one day we'll discover why there are common beliefs regarding gods among many of the major religions, but I don't believe we'll discover that some all-powerful creator deity was the root.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

The classic view of an Atheist and the logic is valid. The common basis for the religions is based on the similarities and belief that if there is a God who has a relationsip with human destiny, then he will not reveal the message to just one people at one time, but to all people in all of time.

[Universe2004]

to me it is very simple, I just use common sense...
the reason "no one" will ever find out when was the beginning, who created the matter, life, why there is no end - even though it makes no sense...

All of that is because God limited our thinking to that extend (we have a limit in our way of thinking), (He has blocked our abilities to comprehend those things on purpose), And why? That we also "don't know" and can only speculate. I also think that God has the power to do many things, but who knows...maybe he is unable to do certain things? Or He tries but something else prevents Him? That is only my opinion. Again, it may or may not be true. But I do believe in God and hope I meet him one day. If we all use the common sense and treat others the way you want to be treated, we all will live forever in the kingdom of God. This is the key here, you "know" you exist, and you "know" others exist that are similar to you. Therefore, if you commit a sin in any form (physical, emotional, etc.) to other human beings, you know it's bad, but most importantly God knows it and may take some action upon it now, tomorrow, or later on, or after your death.

God Bless.

p.s. I also noticed that when I try to communicate with God, the best environment is when it's completely quiet and completely dark, which is weird but it works. Also, timing is another issue, if you have life problem situations/issues during the day, it's hard to "concentrate" and communicate with God at that time. At other times it is easy. Also we are all different...let's say you listen to a music while watching tv, and God showes up in front of you ( a little bright creature), you would most likely not freak out, however, during a sleep, when it's dark, and all of a sudden you see that bright creature, you could be very scared. Also dreams, I use to have dreams that seemed "real" as if I really was there, there was that huge storm/hurricane coming all of a sudden on the ocean coast at dark night, very scary...what I am trying to say is that God's creation of human's feelings (in whatever form it is at a particular time) can change situations/environment at any time without you knowing it. Some people claim that they are not scared of death, but I think that's only until they will encounter that "scary" dream or situation, and will have concequences later on (that can potentially come anytime or at some time later in life)
Can anyone relate to this?

[justastranger]

Exist: to have real being whether material or spiritual
Spiritual: of or relating to sacred matters
Real: : not artificial, fraudulent, illusory, or apparent
Apparent: clear or manifest to the understanding

Existance depends on reality and reality depends on understanding. Each person has dramatically different understanding and perception and therefore the existance of God can (semantically) only exist for the individual.

Used Merriam-Webster definitions.

[justastranger]

so what do we mean when we question the existance of god? What does this question mean?

[justastranger]

This is why I love Buddhism so much, semantics have no value when everything is inherently empty and empty of emptiness.

[shunyadragon]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (justastranger,)
This is why I love Buddhism so much, semantics have no value when everything is inherently empty and empty of emptiness.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

I feel that the problem of semantics does applies to Buddhism as well, because we are languages, time and cultures appart from the original teachings.

For example, the meaning of shunya and shunyata you translate as empty and emptyness. The translation and interpretatin of these words and their meaning is not so clear. The understanding of Nirvana in the west as extinction to emptyness or nothing may not be the real meaning.

I use the words nothing and nothingness to possibly mean the unity and no boundary nature of the reality of existence where suffering ends. The nature of Nirvana remains undefined from the human point of view.

In Buddhism the nature of the source or the Divine that Christians call God is also undefined and unknowable from the human perspective. I am more comfortable with this view of God, because the contemporay western traditional view tries to over define God. It is also more compatable with my own faith Baha'i.