1. Subscriberjosephw
    Owner
    Scoffer Mocker
    Joined
    27 Sep '06
    Moves
    9958
    24 Oct '09 12:29
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
  2. Donationrwingett
    Ming the Merciless
    Royal Oak, MI
    Joined
    09 Sep '01
    Moves
    27626
    24 Oct '09 12:40
    Originally posted by josephw
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    I think that if there is a god (an unlikely proposition) that he/it is inherently unknowable and that any attempts to quantify his/it's attributes is an exercise in folly. Unless, of course, god is conceived of as being purely metaphorical, in which case one is free to assign him any attributes one desires.
  3. Subscriberjosephw
    Owner
    Scoffer Mocker
    Joined
    27 Sep '06
    Moves
    9958
    24 Oct '09 12:53
    Originally posted by rwingett
    I think that if there is a god (an unlikely proposition) that he/it is inherently unknowable and that any attempts to quantify his/it's attributes is an exercise in folly. Unless, of course, god is conceived of as being purely metaphorical, in which case one is free to assign him any attributes one desires.
    Why would He be unknowable?
  4. Standard memberkaroly aczel
    The Axe man
    Brisbane,QLD
    Joined
    11 Apr '09
    Moves
    102622
    24 Oct '09 16:13
    Originally posted by josephw
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    Personal experience. Thats the only thing I can base anything on in this crazy world..
  5. The Smoke
    Joined
    24 Feb '08
    Moves
    17386
    24 Oct '09 16:311 edit
    Originally posted by rwingett
    that he/it is inherently unknowable..
    or.. she
  6. Joined
    30 May '09
    Moves
    30120
    24 Oct '09 17:07
    Originally posted by josephw
    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    There is a sense in which 'god' is a label used for members of a set of human concepts. Since I have heard about these via a culture influenced by religious writings, I can only answer 'I don't know'. Whether or not the term 'god' has a referent is a matter of some debate.

    How would you know there was a God?
    I think by two main methods:
    1) Revelation
    2) Evidence (from the world).

    How would you know about God?
    As above.

    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    As above.
  7. Standard membergalveston75
    Texasman
    San Antonio Texas
    Joined
    19 Jul '08
    Moves
    78675
    24 Oct '09 17:52
    Originally posted by josephw
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    You would know there is a God by all creation that is around you, and by the inherent need that most have to worship him.
  8. Milton Keynes, UK
    Joined
    28 Jul '04
    Moves
    80155
    25 Oct '09 23:19
    Originally posted by josephw
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    I prompt this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think Flobadobadob would be like if there were a Flobadobadob?
    How would you know there was a Flobadobadob?
    How would you know about Flobadobadob?
    How would you know anything about what Flobadobadob was like?[/b]
  9. Account suspended
    Joined
    26 Aug '07
    Moves
    38239
    25 Oct '09 23:46
    Originally posted by galveston75
    You would know there is a God by all creation that is around you, and by the inherent need that most have to worship him.
    an excellent assertion!
  10. Standard memberamannion
    Andrew Mannion
    Melbourne, Australia
    Joined
    17 Feb '04
    Moves
    53702
    26 Oct '09 01:48
    Originally posted by galveston75
    You would know there is a God by all creation that is around you, and by the inherent need that most have to worship him.
    Why is the 'need' for most people to believe indicative of a god's existence?
    Most kids believe there are fairies and hirsute fat men giving out endless amounts of presents from somewhere near the North Pole. Does this indicate that these myths and stories are any more likely to be true?
  11. Cape Town
    Joined
    14 Apr '05
    Moves
    52945
    26 Oct '09 05:03
    Originally posted by josephw
    Lord Shark prompted this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think God would be like if there were a God?
    How would you know there was a God?
    How would you know about God?
    How would you know anything about what God was like?
    First define 'God'. I notice that you capitalized it, so you are being a bit more specific than 'if there was a god'.
    Once you have defined 'God' we then know that whatever attributes you put in your definition must be assumed true (as per your proposal), then we would think about who those attributes imply must be true possibly in combination with other known facts about the universe.
    Some such assumed facts would pose a problem as many claims about God I find to be self contradictory, and I don't know what to do when you assume two contradictory facts.
    Other such assumed facts may contradict the observed facts about the universe - so I guess we would have to rethink our knowledge of the universe.
    I think at present our knowledge of the universe tells a lot about what such a God is not.
    It seems clear to me that if there was a God then he/she does not have many of the attributes claimed by Christians as they either contradict each other or contradict observations about the universe.
  12. Joined
    30 May '09
    Moves
    30120
    26 Oct '09 10:48
    Originally posted by lausey
    I prompt this idea.

    Without using any religious writings as an authority, what do you think Flobadobadob would be like if there were a Flobadobadob?
    How would you know there was a Flobadobadob?
    How would you know about Flobadobadob?
    How would you know anything about what Flobadobadob was like?
    [/b]
    Weeeeeed!
Back to Top

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.I Agree