Quote: (04-23-2019 11:19 AM)Nonpareil Wrote:
I don't believe in the notion of 'God' or at least our notion of God.
I'm not some nihilistic atheist fag, but I don't think the conceptions we've seen - big bearded guy, burning bush, Siddhartha Gautama sitting under a tree, Hindu elephant thing are God and what's out there.
But nevertheless given what we know about the universe, which is probably not much but we do know the size and relative scope, humanity has shaped belief systems based on the world around us, and this is why while I can respect many of the teachings of some religions, like how my niece goes to a Christian day care and they tell her to be kind and respect others, or how Buddhism teaches how nothing good or bad is ever permanent, is why I think that religion thru and thru is ultimately geocentric and therefore ultimately wrong, but that's not to say wrong equals false; I won't deny that it does good for some of the people that follow it.
If you're a Christian and it works for you, good for you. If you're a Hindu and it works for you, good for you. If you're a Buddhist and it works for you and you aren't some affluent west coast poseur, good for you. If you're a Muslim and it works for you and you don't want to blow me up and think Muslims who blow people up are evil, good for you.
There's definitely something bigger than us out there, probably multiple things bigger than us.
Bigger than us, both good and evil. That's something that agnostics seem to gloss over, that if there is "something, or somethings out there" those things are probably good or indifferent. What about if the bigger things out there are also evil and actively looking for us?
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"
God answers the knock of those who seek him, where the devil is a door to door salesman.
The longer a person believes that there is just "something out there" the more likely the Devil will show up in that person's life with the greeting "Hello, I'm 'something out there' and I heard you were looking for me"
Pride tells us that we'll be able to see the Devil in disguise, or resist 'something' evil and bigger than us when it finds us. We can't. Its like a 5 year old saying they will step into the ring with Mike Tyson.
We need something benevolent and bigger than us, to protect us from something evil and bigger than us.
Last, Jesus said he taught in parables so only those with 'ears to hear' would understand. Unless someone is seeking god, Christianity will just seem like a moral fairy tale about a big bearded guy and a burning bush.
When you are actively seeking an answer, or the face of 'something bigger' the bible means something.
Until then, if something big and evil finds you, you just have yourself.