Weird? Not at all. Do you see the use for a God that is omnipresent, one who forever protects us and makes sure nothing bad ever happens to anyone? Would you consider that a life worth living? That doesn't seem like "life" to me at all. Question the existence of God if you must, for whatever reasons you must, but the argument that there can't be a God because He lets bad things happen isn't a particularly good one.
Why Deep Space Nine will always be my favorite Star Trek
- Thread starter dub
- Start date
Weird? Not at all. Do you see the use for a God that is omnipresent, one who forever protects us and makes sure nothing bad ever happens to anyone? Would you consider that a life worth living? That doesn't seem like "life" to me at all. Question the existence of God if you must, for whatever reasons you must, but the argument that there can't be a God because He lets bad things happen isn't a particularly good one.
I can only speak as a parent myself. But, I would do everything within my powers to keep bad things from happening to my children.
I'm not a child, and I do not need a parent trying to prevent bad things from happening to me. I have my own life to lead, and my destiny is my own. I'm not sure where you're going with this. A parent that can't let go of a child is worse than a child who cannot let go of a parent. I honestly hope you're joking if you're saying an Almighty God should run our lives and we should be completely protected.
One, I've been told by way too many religious figures that God already knows how this plays out. So, free will is an illusion. But, then they quickly try to back peddle away when I explain that I am who I am because God made me that way. Two, we are children comparatively speaking on the evolutionary scale compared to an "almighty creator". We are not equals, unlike what our offspring do become. If we were "created", then it seems like most of the flaws could've been left out of the design, since they are the ones the devil takes advantage of. There could've been updates to the firmware to eliminate our weaknesses. But, then that would be God admitting he made a mistake, and we can't have that.
Then there's the whole idea of punishing us for what God made us to be. Why should I be the one who goes to Hell when God was the one who made an error in the programming process?
I am not debating the existence of the prophets or the Bajorans' belief in what is clearly a real species. My issue is with the casual reinstatement of a discriminatory caste system because some guy claimed it was what the prophets wanted. That's entirely different and doesn't hinge on my being afraid of something I don't understand, unless that something is blind obedience leading to oppression. In which case, yes, I am terrified and do not understand.
Another prime example, is when Wynn closes the school because Keiko refuses to teach dogma, instead of science.
Sounds like you need a trip to visit some sort of clergy person to get your questions answered. Anyway, I think you have it backwards. If there is a God, He gave us free will. It's still free will even if he already knows what we will do with that free will. Conversely, the absence of a supreme being may be ultimate proof of a complete lack of free will:
"Many people believe that physical law excludes the possibility of free will because of strong causal closure. By this, what is meant is that there is no room in physics for any force that causes a physical effect that has not been accounted for"
https://multisenserealism.com/the-c...nsus/randomness-determinism-and-the-big-bang/
https://storify.com/gmusser/the-quantum-physics-of-free-will
No thanks. Already rode in that rodeo.
Maybe, but it seems like they didn't answer your questions. Theologians have been thinking about this for millennia. It doesn't make sense that they would have such confusing answers.
Maybe humans can't comprehend either the questions or those answers though. I've often wondered about the limits of human understanding. You can't teach a dog algebra no matter how hard you try (or was it a bird physics?). What exists that humans cannot comprehend? It might very well be the answers to these questions, and might take several more millennia of evolution before we truly understand -beyond- the physics of the universe. What I mean is, we can progress and discover the what, when and how, but I think we'll struggle with the why for a long, long time.
Don't get me wrong, I believe that there could be more to what we are than we see in the here and now. But, anyone that thinks some paradise where unicorns shit out pepperjack cheesburgers (points to anyone that gets the reference) or 42 virgins are waiting for them on the other side has bought into Grade-A bullshit.
I don't believe that if there was a God, that he would dismiss parts of his creation in such a cavalier manner. Nor do I believe that a God wouldn't come down hard on people mistreating parts of his creation. So, to me, the whole "God" thing doesn't make a lick of logical sense.
In the general sense, I don't have a problem with religion. I don't have a problem with people finding solace in a way I can't (and don't want to) understand. What I do have a problem with is those who abuse and murder those that don't in some vain attempt to please their "God".
I'm a believer in God and heaven but I sure as hell hope they don't actually have unicorns that shit cheeseburgers. Or if they do, they have some other way for us to get cheeseburgers. I wouldn't want to eat that......
And no, I didn't get the reference. I just wanted to comment on that one point.
I'm asserting the idea that "spirituality" itself might be a concept that human beings simply do not have the capacity to understand (like a dog can't understand physics, not matter how hard you try to explain physics to the dog).
I'm also putting forth the idea that because man -attempts- to understand spirituality and can't.... not because he simply doesn't yet know the answer, but because he entirely cannot comprehend the answer...
That he projects on to his sense of spirituality things he DOES understand. Religion, 42 virgins, unicorns, and endless debates about 'What God Wants'.
I didn't say anything about religion. You did. Is it possible 'religion' is how man defined that spirituality that he still can not comprehend?
Re-read your post. Isn't that how you define it?
Ugh. Really? Now I'm glad I don't drink coffee.
M
marlboro
Guest
OP = DS9 is my favorite trek show!
Page 3 = animals shitting food products.
Nice.
Page 3 = animals shitting food products.
Nice.
Such is how threads are hijacked.
