"If God didn't exist... "

Originally posted by sonship
For a man like Voltaire if God DID exist he would have to invent one to believe that THAT one did not exist.

It strains credulity that anyone's version of God actually exists; our ability to comprehend Godhood being, by our nature, so limited. But people far and wide will vehemently proclaim theirs to exist and all others to be false.

"If God didn't exist, [but some went against the grain in believing He did] what possible difference would it make whether or not people put their faith in Him? -JV" Why not ignore them, rather than become irritated and/or threatened by them? Identical rationale applies to those who castigate law abiding Muslim (and members of any other manmade cult, sect or religion) Citizens who share the same privileges and responsibilities as Christians in the United States of America? Hatreds!

(People had faith in gods long before Christianity was invented.) I believe that faith helped us rise into civilization.

Originally posted by apathist
(People had faith in gods long before Christianity was invented.) I believe that faith helped us rise into civilization.

... which gods?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Why not ignore them, rather than become irritated and/or threatened by them?

For the various reasons that have been listed in the thread so far, and that you have apparently chosen to ignore.

Identical rationale applies to those who castigate law abiding Muslim (and members of any other manmade cult, sect or religion)
What about those that do not obey the law? Do you realise that strict adherence to religion, does often result in violating some laws in some countries?
Breaking laws for religious reasons is common place and would be more so if the laws weren't often made specifically to accommodate the majority religion of a country.

And what about all the undesirable behaviour (as mentioned in the thread) that is not necessarily against the law?
Do you castigate people to drink to excess, or smoke? What about people how use profane language excessively? Surely there is something you castigate people for even though it is not illegal?

Citizens who share the same privileges and responsibilities as Christians in the United States of America?
Actually many of us are not American, but the right to freedom of speech and to castigate others is surely one of those privileges you value so much?

Originally posted by twhitehead
For the various reasons that have been listed in the thread so far, and that you have apparently chosen to ignore.

[b]Identical rationale applies to those who castigate law abiding Muslim (and members of any other manmade cult, sect or religion)
What about those that do not obey the law? Do you realise that strict adherence to religion, d freedom of speech and to castigate others is surely one of those privileges you value so much?[/b]

"... law abiding", irrespective of country; within the law it's a matter of personal choice, even if detrimental.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
... which gods?

Not sure what your point is. Sounds like you're unaware that tons of gods existed and were faithfully believed in long before Jesus existed.

Gods are measured in tonnage, btw.

Originally posted by apathist
Not sure what your point is. Sounds like you're unaware that tons of gods existed and were faithfully believed in long before Jesus existed.

Gods are measured in tonnage, btw.

"(People had faith in gods long before Christianity was invented.) I believe that faith helped us rise into civilization." (apathist) (italics mine)

Yes, I'm aware of the uncertainty that existed (and still exists) regarding Sovereignty, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Justice, Veracity, Immutability in an Eternal God. So much so that after all the gods those in the ancient world could build idols to and name, they built one more to "The Unknown God" just to be sure. In their gross ignorance they did precisely identify spirituality reality. They were so distracted with earthen god images they failed to realize He's an invisible spirit being.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
"If God didn't exist, what possible difference would it make whether or not people put their faith in Him?" -JV

Comments?

None...If Evolution were true and God did not exist, man would be extinct...
Right after Anarchy thousands of years ago...

Originally posted by checkbaiter

None...If Evolution were true and God did not exist, man would be extinct...
Right after Anarchy thousands of years ago...

Also, if purple elephant milk with a colloidal suspension of silver flecks of glitter didn't exist,
what possible difference would it make whether or not people continued to believe it did?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Also, if purple elephant milk with a colloidal suspension of silver flecks of glitter didn't exist,
what possible difference would it make whether or not people continued to believe it did?

Can we behave in the way any God worthy of worship would want us to, while we happen to lack belief in the existence of that god?

Originally posted by JS357
Can we behave in the way any God worthy of worship would want us to, while we happen to lack belief in the existence of that god?

Yes, within the boundaries of governing laws and moral code as set forth in the Freedom Principles of "The Ten Commandments" (given to protect the human race and insure its perpetuation). Morality is Horizontal and applies to the entire human race. Spirituality is Vertical and a matter of individual choice. Many upstanding citizens will be separated from God forever by reason of their own negative volition, having rejected His Grace Gift of Salvation through belief in Christ.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Yes, within the boundaries of governing laws and moral code as set forth in the Freedom Principles of "The Ten Commandments" (given to protect the human race and insure its perpetuation). Morality is Horizontal and applies to the entire human race. Spirituality is Vertical and a matter of individual choice. Many upstanding citizens will be separated fro ...[text shortened]... r own negative volition, having rejected His Grace Gift of Salvation through belief in Christ.

You do seem to have odd and somewhat meaningless interpretation of the words horizontal and vertical. You have used them in the "ancient dilemma" thread as well and had to explain them.

The 10 commandments are specific to a subset of the Abrahamic religions and would be difficult to follow if you lack belief in that particular god. The first 4 would be particularly tricky.

--- Penguin.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
"... law abiding", irrespective of country; within the law it's a matter of personal choice, even if detrimental.

You asked:

Why not ignore them, rather than become irritated and/or threatened by them?

There are a surprising number of irritating/threatening things that you can get away with within the law. Many of these have been listed in this thread.
Sometimes the best way to deal with it is to discuss the issue with such people to try and convince them they are wrong. Sometimes, it is necessary to actually change the law.
In the case of creationists trying to get their beliefs taught in science class, it is a matter of enforcing the law.
But the law is a method of last resort, surely there are better ways to handle most cases?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
"If God didn't exist, what possible difference would it make whether or not people put their faith in Him?" -JV

Comments?

"If God didn't exist, what possible difference would it make whether or not people put their faith in Him?"

What a strange question. Bobby, you are none too adept at clarifying what exactly 'faith' entails in this sense, but I assume by "putting one's faith in..." you are talking about some active, volitional process. Well, persons carry out such actions at the prompting of practical reasons that accord with their evaluative commitments and values, etc. Obviously, these actions have meaning and make a "difference" to the agent and possibly others; otherwise, what would be the point of doing them?

The question of God's existence is in itself a theoretical matter, not a matter of practical reasoning, and has nothing to do with anything here. Of course, one's evaluative commitments and values, etc, can be informed by the assumption, tacitly or explicitly, that God does (or does not) exist; and this assumption may of course in fact be wrong. But so what? For one to imply that actions predicated on underlying personal commitments that happen to involve false assumptions are thereby meaningless or make no "difference" is just beyond absurd. If I kill your family while they sleep tonight based on motivations that are steeped in false, delusional ideas; what possible difference would that make? 🙄🙄