God is a Fake

[SurveyMack10]

sharing a common belief system can be seen as similar to a religion.

Then everything is a religion when you put it that way.

People who believe in love...it's a religion!

All the kids who believe in Santa...it's a religion!

People who think dogs make better pets than cats...it's a religion!

I'd hardly call thinking dogs are better than cats an entire belief system, but I do not know why I expected a serious conversation on this thread anyway.

[sarabtrayior]

I'm sorry you feel that way because God is alive and well for millions of people and it gives me hope that I'll see the Almighty when I die... who do you look forward to seeing when you die?

[mary_k]

I believe in God, and I think there will come a time in everyones life where the will have to rely on him.

[Falconer02]

I'm sorry you feel that way because God is alive and well for millions of people and it gives me hope that I'll see the Almighty when I die... who do you look forward to seeing when you die?

No unsuperstitious person can answer this unless they're joking around.

I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born!
- Mark Twain

I believe in God, and I think there will come a time in everyones life where the will have to rely on him.

What of those who rely on thousands of gods or no gods at all and get by very well?

[falcon9]

What of those who rely on thousands of gods or no gods at all and get by very well?

Alternatively, what of those who rely heavily upon gods and aren't getting by very well at all?

[Falconer02]

Alternatively, what of those who rely heavily upon gods and aren't getting by very well at all?

What about those who aren't getting by very well with worshipping your god? I know a few. And I'm sure there are plenty with this statement I quoted from you. Let's look at it from an aerial viewpoint and the solution should look pretty simple-- defined deities are fake and are simple emotional support structures for the mind.

[falcon9]

Alternatively, what of those who rely heavily upon gods and aren't getting by very well at all?

What about those who aren't getting by very well with worshipping your god? I know a few. And I'm sure there are plenty with this statement I quoted from you. Let's look at it from an aerial viewpoint and the solution should look pretty simple-- defined deities are fake and are simple emotional support structures for the mind.

Presumably, your reply was directed at "mary_k", to whom my comment was directed.  However, we're both saying essentially the same thing in response to her.  Basically, I was asking mary_k to consider those who aren't benefiting from relying upon god(s).  Personally, I don't rely upon the dubious existance of deities at all - whether I'm doing well or poorly.  Happens that I'm fine and I find no need to attribute that to gods, godesses, space bunnies or the like.

[Falconer02]

Presumably, your reply was directed at "mary_k", to whom my comment was directed.  However, we're both saying essentially the same thing in response to her.  Basically, I was asking mary_k to consider those who aren't benefiting from relying upon god(s).  Personally, I don't rely upon the dubious existance of deities at all - whether I'm doing well or poorly.  Happens that I'm fine and I find no need to attribute that to gods, godesses, space bunnies or the like.

Ah sorry I misunderstood your post-- it didn't click in my head. But yes, I totally agree.

[SurveyMack10]

Alternatively, what of those who rely heavily upon gods and aren't getting by very well at all?

What about those who aren't getting by very well with worshipping your god? I know a few. And I'm sure there are plenty with this statement I quoted from you. Let's look at it from an aerial viewpoint and the solution should look pretty simple-- defined deities are fake and are simple emotional support structures for the mind.

Okay so you always say Christians are the ones making the claim and therefore have the burden of proof. You said "defined deities are fake and are simple emotional support structures for the mind." That is making a claim, so now prove it.

[falcon9]

Presumably, your reply was directed at "mary_k", to whom my comment was directed.  However, we're both saying essentially the same thing in response to her.  Basically, I was asking mary_k to consider those who aren't benefiting from relying upon god(s).  Personally, I don't rely upon the dubious existance of deities at all - whether I'm doing well or poorly.  Happens that I'm fine and I find no need to attribute that to gods, godesses, space bunnies or the like.

Ah sorry I misunderstood your post-- it didn't click in my head. But yes, I totally agree.

No problem.  Now you've got someone else trying to get you to "prove your claim" after they've failed to prove their initial claims concerning their 'defined deities', (which is a dodge effectively insisting that their initial claim be disproved so that they don't have to substantiate their initial claims).  Seems to me it would be easier for the initial claimants to just admit that they cannot substantiate their claims and rely upon faith alone.

[SurveyMack10]

Presumably, your reply was directed at "mary_k", to whom my comment was directed.  However, we're both saying essentially the same thing in response to her.  Basically, I was asking mary_k to consider those who aren't benefiting from relying upon god(s).  Personally, I don't rely upon the dubious existance of deities at all - whether I'm doing well or poorly.  Happens that I'm fine and I find no need to attribute that to gods, godesses, space bunnies or the like.

Ah sorry I misunderstood your post-- it didn't click in my head. But yes, I totally agree.

No problem.  Now you've got someone else trying to get you to "prove your claim" after they've failed to prove their initial claims concerning their 'defined deities', (which is a dodge effectively insisting that their initial claim be disproved so that they don't have to substantiate their initial claims).  Seems to me it would be easier for the initial claimants to just admit that they cannot substantiate their claims and rely upon faith alone.

I am not claiming God is or is not real, I believe He is, but I did not get on this thread and start asserting that I am right and everyone else is wrong. I am simply asking the person who claimed it was a fact that God does not exist to prove it.

[falcon9]

Now you've got someone else trying to get you to "prove your claim" after they've failed to prove their initial claims concerning their 'defined deities', (which is a dodge effectively insisting that their initial claim be disproved so that they don't have to substantiate their initial claims).  Seems to me it would be easier for the initial claimants to just admit that they cannot substantiate their claims and rely upon faith alone.

I am not claiming God is or is not real, I believe He is, but I did not get on this thread and start asserting that I am right and everyone else is wrong. I am simply asking the person who claimed it was a fact that God does not exist to prove it.
[/quote]

Stating a belief that something is "real" is the same thing a claiming something is real.  There is no need to overtly assert that such a claim is "right" since making a claim one believes is tacitly wrong would be even more irrational than going around making unsubstantiated claims which rest upon baseless belief.  Regardless, you are again requesting that someone else prove a negative.  This isn't how reasoning works; it is however, how those who eschew reasoning work.  It's a sad state of affairs but, since the original claim/belief that "god(s)" exist remains unsubstantiated, it's a moot point.

[jcribb16]

Now you've got someone else trying to get you to "prove your claim" after they've failed to prove their initial claims concerning their 'defined deities', (which is a dodge effectively insisting that their initial claim be disproved so that they don't have to substantiate their initial claims).  Seems to me it would be easier for the initial claimants to just admit that they cannot substantiate their claims and rely upon faith alone.

I am not claiming God is or is not real, I believe He is, but I did not get on this thread and start asserting that I am right and everyone else is wrong. I am simply asking the person who claimed it was a fact that God does not exist to prove it.

Stating a belief that something is "real" is the same thing a claiming something is real.  There is no need to overtly assert that such a claim is "right" since making a claim one believes is tacitly wrong would be even more irrational than going around making unsubstantiated claims which rest upon baseless belief.  Regardless, you are again requesting that someone else prove a negative.  This isn't how reasoning works; it is however, how those who eschew reasoning work.  It's a sad state of affairs but, since the original claim/belief that "god(s)" exist remains unsubstantiated, it's a moot point.
[/quote]
So, to you, falcon9, an "opinion" of someone's regarding God being real or not is the same as a "fact?"  That's the way it is coming across.  Besides, a Christian who believes in God and believes His Word is true and literal, does not need to prove their faith to anyone.  You have to decide whether or not you choose to believe or not.  Christians are always told to "prove" God is real, but yet no one has been able to prove He is not.

[alwaysinstyle]

GOD exsist.i noticed that.i know that for sure!!!!without him i can do nothing!!!

[Abrupt]

I used to be agnostic and then at some point I was probably an atheist.  I didn't go looking for God although I was at times in difficult spots where I would pray and sadly I would on occasion pray to any god that would listen.  I have even laid down to die before, knowing honestly that I was at my end, and that is the type of difficulty I describe.

How I arrived at being a (somewhat) devout Christian is a story I don't even know how to begin to tell.  It was honestly somewhat like the trail of events in the movie 'Signs', but there were of course no aliens or crop circles or invasions or such nonsense.  It was an emergence of points of my life of both bad and good and varied over years where all of a sudden everything came together in a focused and clear point of understanding for me.  It was as if for many years I had been having a whispered and unanswered conversation with God and finally on one day he chose to answer me but not with any booming voice (or voice at all for that matter) or flaming bushes but with an appearance all at once to all of these unrelated questions and concerns all within the same point and time and laid out before me in a way that was all too obvious.  It wasn't a 'knowing' though where you have no choice in faith as the All Mighty is standing before you.  No, it was still a test of faith for someone like me who had so little faith as to be virtually hopeless in that regard.  There was no reward for me, except grace and salvation and God's love.  There was in fact punishment for me on that day and whether it was divine or not I cannot say but it did likely save my life and possibly the life's of others.  Again it is an odd story to fully tell and it would do me no justice in anyone eyes to hear of my deeds so please just take it at face value for what I have said.

Knowing God is real does you no good.  It is not in knowing that you will receive salvation but in faith.  Knowing would prevent faith and thus condemn by default.  Many people often question the lack of divine intervention and God's tolerance to mans sinful ways but I tell you that is a combination of the gift of salvation and of free will.