Atheism is insane

Originally posted by Red Night
I think in many ways we are saying the same thing.

From what I've read of your posts recently in spirituality I get the idea that you are against institutionalised religion, but that you have some beliefs of your own? Perhaps a pantheist sort of approach, or have I misread you?

Originally posted by Starrman
From what I've read of your posts recently in spirituality I get the idea that you are against institutionalised religion, but that you have some beliefs of your own? Perhaps a pantheist sort of approach, or have I misread you?

That sounds good enough.

I think if I were trying to describe myself I would say that I was open to the possibility that many or none of our belief systems were accurate and felt strongly that the message of most of the great teachers and prophets was one of inclusion rather than exclusion.

So why exclude someone from the benefits of God (presuming that there are some; and to the extent that humans are able to offer those benefits to each other then they do exist) because they have a different belief system. The hard part here for me was including people with radically different belief systems like satanists and scientologists...once you include them then the atheists are easy!

Also, I strongly believe than man cannot divine the nature, substance, and purpose of God.

Originally posted by Red Night
That sounds good enough.

I think if I were trying to describe myself I would say that I was open to the possibility that many or none of our belief systems were accurate and felt strongly that the message of most of the great teachers and prophets was one of inclusion rather than exclusion.

So why exclude someone from the benefits of God (presuming t ...[text shortened]... y!

Also, I strongly believe than man cannot divine the nature, substance, and purpose of God.

I agree that many of our belief systems are inaccurate and think there are certainly precious things in the spirituality of great teachers, prophets etc. I am also against institutionalised religion, but where I see we differ is that god need exist at all. Spirituality is, from my view, of a natural origin and can afford all the same things for being so, that it could, were it of a supernatural one.

How did you come to the belief that god was part of the picture in whatever way he might be?

Originally posted by Starrman
I agree that many of our belief systems are inaccurate and think there are certainly precious things in the spirituality of great teachers, prophets etc. I am also against institutionalised religion, but where I see we differ is that god need exist at all. Spirituality is, from my view, of a natural origin and can afford all the same things for being so, ...[text shortened]...

How did you come to the belief that god was part of the picture in whatever way he might be?

I rejected the traditional judeo christian and islamic myths as just that Myths...nothing more than stories like Prometheus stealing fire.

There were however, in the teaching of the prophets, like Jesus, Zoroaster, Buddha, some good things.

I realized that if God existed, he/she/it would be an entity far beyond our comprehension.

I imagine, we probably agree so far.

So now the question is no God or an abstract God beyond our comprehension. In many ways this is the same thing.

I say that God exists in our collective consciousness. The basic rules for most religions are the same.

Alternatively, God exists in the immutable laws of the universe.

You say no God and I say yes God but in a way we can't begin to fathom. Both are essentially heretical statements.

I don't necessarily want to try to convince you or anyone. I can't. I do want you to see that there is very little difference in our thoughts.

Originally posted by josephw
The argument that says "there is no God" is void of meaning. Whereas the argument for a creator is full of life and gives us purpose.

God is a life giving spirit. The message from God to us is one of hope and love for all who accept his gift.

If one believes that there is no eternal life, then that one has nothing to live for beyond his or her immediate material existence.
What a drag!

get outta here mr smug. some people need fantasy in their otherwise meaningless lives, others can do perfectly well without it.

Nevemind. Should have read futher down the thread before replying.

Originally posted by Red Night
Atheists are merely trying to redefine God in an image they can accept, understand, and rationalize.

Man has always tried to recreate God in his image.

"Man has always tried to recreate God in his image."

Of course! But not those of us who recognise that only God can define himself.

God is unchanging. To recreate an image of God is pure folly, and stupid.

Originally posted by josephw
"Man has always tried to recreate God in his image."

Of course! But not those of us who recognise that only God can define himself.

God is unchanging. To recreate an image of God is pure folly, and stupid.

If your image of God is the one you get from the King James version of the Bible, then your God has certainly gone through a few facelifts!