IS GOD REAL? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

by still thinking 778 Replies latest jw friends

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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Hey SBC, I agree with what you're saying about god. What does it for me is parasites and predation.

  Yeah, those are buggers for me too.

  However, if god existed and there was definitive proof, then I would just have to admit it, even if I didn't particularly like the answer.

  I agree. And I'd be up for some super-intelligent being who could come in and save us from ourselves. I just can't entertain the self-refuting mainstream descriptions of god. If a sentience that could be called "god" exists or has ever existed, I think man's done a terrible job of trying to size him up. EDIT: And as science continues to uncover naturalistic explanations for universal phenomena, I'm less inclined to give deistic views any more thought.

  Also, since we are throwing speculative theories out the, which can't be proven, god is just as good a theory, IMO.

  In what sense do you mean god? Like some space- & time-transcending power or constant that kicked things off? Or a personal, intervening deity? I figure you mean the former. I just have a hard time calling it "god" because of the stigma that goes with the term. When a person says God (or even when I say God in conversation with someone else), they automatically envision their brand of god. But if by god you mean something more like the naturalistic concept that Spinoza and Einstein entertained, I don't know any logical arguments that refute it. Of course, that could just be my ignorance.
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  Knowsnothing

  The former. Basically as close as you can get to make sense, a logical god if you will. I'd say along the lines of Einstein's god.
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  still thinking

  Thanks for all the responses....I was hoping there would be more from some we hadn't heard much from before...and a few more personal reasons of how people believe they know. I guess it is a difficult question to answer...even for believers...it was for me.

  For the non believers...and the don't knows....thank you for being so respectful to others and allowing the conversation to flow. I appreciate the way you have approached the subject.

  I am going to read through what has been posted since I last looked........I've stil got my ears on, *as opposed to my mouth open* and welcome any further comments from believers, people who feel the way I do...and anyone who has something of value to add. Which includes all at JWN.

  zid...I have one question for you....did you EVER believe? or is it a concept that you just never related to? Was it purely the bible that made you stop believing or do you feel you were never spiritual?

  EP...thanks for the comic relief.....ahemmmm....I mean...words of wisdom.
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Gotcha, KN.

  One main fly in the ointment that keeps me from completely writing off a higher intelligence (whether that's a deistic/pantheistic power or "aliens"): I still have some tough questions about our consciousness. How and why did we attain the self-awareness that we have today? Of course, I have yet to do my homework on that. (Not trying to derail this fine thread!)

  So much to learn, so little time left after wasting decades in WT service, eh?
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  still thinking

  N.drew....one of the reasons I didn't want bible quotes was for exactly this reason...I didn't want this to become and thread debating what the bible says or means....and our personal interpretation of that. This is where discussion ends and arguments begin IMO. *of course that is just my opinion, not a fact*

  If you would like to return and refocus on how you know...based on personal experience...that would be fantastic. If you have had enough of the conversation...all good....thanks for your contribution.
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  N.drew

  I don't know what you mean. It sounds like your post says I quoted the Bible. I don't think I did. Please share what you mean. Thanks!
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  N.drew

  I see. Knowing God means knowing why the Bible says it is Yahweh who causes tribulation. I don't want to explain it, even if I could. I don't know if I can. Sorry.
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  N.drew
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  Berengaria

  I still have some tough questions about our consciousness. How and why did we attain the self-awareness that we have today?

  Empathy. There have been fairly recent discoveries of cave men that showed they protected and helped the disabled among them. Also that rather than being every man for themselves, their hunting style was cooperation. We know babies cry when other babies cry. I think as we grow and evolve this empathy becomes more pronounced. Being rather ...............what, well fed and secure gives us much more opportunity for self examination. For bigger issues. Curiosity..........the world around us, under us, within us.........................

  I think of our existence like the life of a person. We were infants, we didn't know much, then we became self aware, etc. etc..............it's just evolution. And death is the end of a very long day, a warm feather bed waiting to be snuggled in to.

  Hmmmm another glass of wine is in order.

  Yay Friday night!
• 

  still thinking

  sab...I think I have to have another coffee....I have read your post about three times now trying to establish how you know....Is this correct?

  I believe in a Creator because of the preponderance of evidence in history pointing to some sort of mystical connection with our ancestors.

  Do you consider it factual because humans have always attributed what they don't understand to a god? Or Is it because all cultures and societies seem to have some spiritual belief emeshed in their values and day to day lives. I mean, we even have it in our justice system don't we? When we are asked to swear on the bible. It has always been there in some shape or form....I guess that was part of my acceptance when I had a strong belief....I didn't question what always seemed to be there....so I can understand that.

  However 5% of the reports are unexplained phenomenon experienced by one, or more, of the 5 senses by more than one person. This is an interesting statistic because a similar utterance may have came from many thousands of years ago between Egyptian scientists

  This is one thing that still makes me wonder, But is it that we just don't understand it yet...I honestly don't know. But it does seem to leave the door open to the possiblilty of a god or the very least a spiritual realm.