Is there a God?

[The Chair]

Excuse me Chair but as I started this thread I feel I should have the right to pull you up on a complete misconception you are reinforcing with your post.

The Chair nods sagely, and refers the honourable gentleman to the opening sentence of his post...

[Narnia]

You mean the cowardly bit........admit it

[Narnia]

You mean the cowardly bit........admit it

[Mick Mac]

Declan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Religions tell you that God either rewards or

> punishes you depending on what you do. Suicide

> bombers take solace in the 'fact' they will have

> several virgins lined up to greet them upon death.

> Do they ever ask 'what if they were all mingers'?

>

That made me laugh Declan.

If they are all mingers, then you have been a bad boy and ended up in hell. There's no way back, so if you intend to die try to bring a brown paper bag along for the ride...or beer goggles.

[Mick Mac]

Declan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Religions tell you that God either rewards or

> punishes you depending on what you do. Suicide

> bombers take solace in the 'fact' they will have

> several virgins lined up to greet them upon death.

> Do they ever ask 'what if they were all mingers'?

>

That made me laugh Declan.

If they are all mingers, then you have been a bad boy and ended up in hell. There's no way back, so if you intend to die try to bring a brown paper bag along for the ride...or beer goggles.

[Huguenot]

I think it's a demonstration of the craziness of religion that believers equate a suggestion that it stems from inadequacy with the threat of homicidal gang rape. This is nuts, absolutely nuts. This is why the religious burn heretics on stakes, and some are trying to do that again here.

For those that interpret my moniker with an apology for religion, it's quite the opposite. All hail St. Bartholomew. There is no God, only politics.

[Huguenot]

I think it's a demonstration of the craziness of religion that believers equate a suggestion that it stems from inadequacy with the threat of homicidal gang rape. This is nuts, absolutely nuts. This is why the religious burn heretics on stakes, and some are trying to do that again here.

For those that interpret my moniker with an apology for religion, it's quite the opposite. All hail St. Bartholomew. There is no God, only politics.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Declan, I'm quite sure you don't want a discourse from me on the Hypostatic Union and the Communicatio Idiomatum. Others have covered it in far better style.

I was merely pulling you on your 'doing good gets you into heaven' stance. I'm going to make a huge assumption that your user name suggests a Roman Catholic upbringing (very presumptious of me I know). No RC church that I've ever been to would posit that as a serious dogma. Hence my arrogant interjection.

Right - where's that biro?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Declan, I'm quite sure you don't want a discourse from me on the Hypostatic Union and the Communicatio Idiomatum. Others have covered it in far better style.

I was merely pulling you on your 'doing good gets you into heaven' stance. I'm going to make a huge assumption that your user name suggests a Roman Catholic upbringing (very presumptious of me I know). No RC church that I've ever been to would posit that as a serious dogma. Hence my arrogant interjection.

Right - where's that biro?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Morning Hugenot. I think you have wilfully misinterpreted my admonishment. I know full well that Hugenots suffered religious persecution - that was my point.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Morning Hugenot. I think you have wilfully misinterpreted my admonishment. I know full well that Hugenots suffered religious persecution - that was my point.

[Huguenot]

Point taken. Stands admonished. :-$

[Huguenot]

Point taken. Stands admonished. :-$

[Narnia]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Declan, I'm quite sure you don't want a discourse

> from me on the Hypostatic Union and the

> Communicatio Idiomatum. Others have covered it in

> far better style.

>

> I was merely pulling you on your 'doing good gets

> you into heaven' stance. I'm going to make a huge

> assumption that your user name suggests a Roman

> Catholic upbringing (very presumptious of me I

> know). No RC church that I've ever been to would

> posit that as a serious dogma. Hence my arrogant

> interjection.

>

> Right - where's that biro?

I'm not sure what you are implying PGC from what I've written or you for that matter. Are you suggesting that doing good/bad are not part of religious dogma? Yes you are right about my RC upbringing. We had to go to confession to have our slate cleaned of all those sins we committed. Entry to heaven was barred to those with a mortal sin on their soul at time of death and if you had a venial one, shure a bit of time in purgatory would do the trick.

Do you really think Christ had a death wish as it was the only way to cleanse our souls? Do you really think that belief is enough? It's mostly because of different religious beliefs that this planet is in the mess it is.

Finally, if as the Christians suggest, Jesus was to return, how would he be recognised? Would he walk through the doors of the nearest church and say 'I'm back'? Do you think anyone would believe him? He'd probably be classified as a nutter.

[Narnia]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Declan, I'm quite sure you don't want a discourse

> from me on the Hypostatic Union and the

> Communicatio Idiomatum. Others have covered it in

> far better style.

>

> I was merely pulling you on your 'doing good gets

> you into heaven' stance. I'm going to make a huge

> assumption that your user name suggests a Roman

> Catholic upbringing (very presumptious of me I

> know). No RC church that I've ever been to would

> posit that as a serious dogma. Hence my arrogant

> interjection.

>

> Right - where's that biro?

I'm not sure what you are implying PGC from what I've written or you for that matter. Are you suggesting that doing good/bad are not part of religious dogma? Yes you are right about my RC upbringing. We had to go to confession to have our slate cleaned of all those sins we committed. Entry to heaven was barred to those with a mortal sin on their soul at time of death and if you had a venial one, shure a bit of time in purgatory would do the trick.

Do you really think Christ had a death wish as it was the only way to cleanse our souls? Do you really think that belief is enough? It's mostly because of different religious beliefs that this planet is in the mess it is.

Finally, if as the Christians suggest, Jesus was to return, how would he be recognised? Would he walk through the doors of the nearest church and say 'I'm back'? Do you think anyone would believe him? He'd probably be classified as a nutter.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I think doing good/bad stem's from man's interpretation of what is a simple doctrine of grace and faith. I think all churches have ballsed up along the way which is why I think a bit of clarity does no harm.

I can't imagine Jesus coming back and announcing himself in church. Probably straight down to Tooting Common for him!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I think doing good/bad stem's from man's interpretation of what is a simple doctrine of grace and faith. I think all churches have ballsed up along the way which is why I think a bit of clarity does no harm.

I can't imagine Jesus coming back and announcing himself in church. Probably straight down to Tooting Common for him!

[PeckhamRose]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Apologies PR. I don?t mean to sound like such an

> arse. I just get frustrated as the question is so

> much bigger than the little/repetitive/predictable

> arguments that crop up all the time.

Sorry Brendan if you felt my arguments were little, repetitive and predictable.

I have gained my opinions through deep thought and experience of life and going to a Church of England school and also working at a funeral directors. I continue to learn about people through reading their (little, repetitive and predictable) opinions on religion as well as reading science and the books of the likes of Dawkins. Indeed nothing new can be said but I haven't read what everyone has to say, and I can still learn. I may be wrong. Maybe there is a God. But if he is who everyone says he is he will forgive me for not believing in him since I tried to be good anyway. Amen!

[PeckhamRose]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Apologies PR. I don?t mean to sound like such an

> arse. I just get frustrated as the question is so

> much bigger than the little/repetitive/predictable

> arguments that crop up all the time.

Sorry Brendan if you felt my arguments were little, repetitive and predictable.

I have gained my opinions through deep thought and experience of life and going to a Church of England school and also working at a funeral directors. I continue to learn about people through reading their (little, repetitive and predictable) opinions on religion as well as reading science and the books of the likes of Dawkins. Indeed nothing new can be said but I haven't read what everyone has to say, and I can still learn. I may be wrong. Maybe there is a God. But if he is who everyone says he is he will forgive me for not believing in him since I tried to be good anyway. Amen!

[Narnia]

I wish people would stop thinking that God is some sort of a judge. That is just putting a human perspective on something beyond our normal bounds of experience. You can't think 'God' or feel 'God' as in an emotion. You cannot even argue 'God'. He/Her/it has a lot less baggage than we do from my understanding.

[Narnia]

I wish people would stop thinking that God is some sort of a judge. That is just putting a human perspective on something beyond our normal bounds of experience. You can't think 'God' or feel 'God' as in an emotion. You cannot even argue 'God'. He/Her/it has a lot less baggage than we do from my understanding.

[HAL9000]

Our modern scientific understanding of the universe allows for the existence of an entity with attributes similar to those of the biblical deity: a creator (as initiator of the big-bang), omniscient (all-knowing - via quantum entanglement), omnipotent (all-powerful - via manipulation of human consciousness within an Everett-Wheeler-type multiverse) omnipresent (in past, present and future via relativistic block-space time) and so on.

That's about as far as a rational enquirer can go given our present state of knowledge, but the idea that a god-like being may exist is no longer completely irrational.

The universe is far more bizarre than any religion conceived by the human mind.

[HAL9000]

Our modern scientific understanding of the universe allows for the existence of an entity with attributes similar to those of the biblical deity: a creator (as initiator of the big-bang), omniscient (all-knowing - via quantum entanglement), omnipotent (all-powerful - via manipulation of human consciousness within an Everett-Wheeler-type multiverse) omnipresent (in past, present and future via relativistic block-space time) and so on.

That's about as far as a rational enquirer can go given our present state of knowledge, but the idea that a god-like being may exist is no longer completely irrational.

The universe is far more bizarre than any religion conceived by the human mind.

[Narnia]

Hal...you sound like a computer........write like one........are you? Pray tell what is an Everett-Wheeler-type multiverse?

PS No offence intended with my reference to your computer like brain.............it's just how you come across to me and is very interesting!

[Narnia]

Hal...you sound like a computer........write like one........are you? Pray tell what is an Everett-Wheeler-type multiverse?

PS No offence intended with my reference to your computer like brain.............it's just how you come across to me and is very interesting!