If God Existed Would You Live Differently?

[grainfedpraiboy]

I am human

Has always seemed to me to be more of an excuse to do something that you yourself actually consider wrong then an actual reason

Let me ask you this, Grain. Did you always do everything your Parents told you to do? .

I selectively listened to my parents and I tended to disobey when I thought I wouldn't get caught or found out which is sort of the crux of this thread. I mean, if a person is truly a Christian as an example, and asks themselves over and over what Christ would do......would Christ waste money on cars, laptops, furniture and all the other trappings of civilization or would he devote himself to humanity?

Why blame gawd for human greed and ignorance? I think gawd is indifferent to human stupidity, arrogance and malice. It is more interested in what we learn from it.

For the creationist, God created our bad as much as our good.

 

[gerryh]

Well, I guess in your eyes I'm not a Christian, and that's fine. I'm not a "Christian" for you, the RCC, or anyone else. I am for me. Like I sad earlier, I have a personal relationship with God. I have ha approval and that is all I need. You have a great evening.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Well, I guess in your eyes I'm not a Christian, and that's fine. I'm not a "Christian" for you, the RCC, or anyone else. I am for me. Like I sad earlier, I have a personal relationship with God. I have ha approval and that is all I need. You have a great evening.

The question is would you live differently?

The answer from most people is 'no' as most people seem to believe they are already living to a standard that appeases the god of their choice or is acceptable to them god or no god. Since most people in the world believe the same thing as the people here it is little wonder why the world is in such bad shape no?

 

[gerryh]

You're kidding, right? You want to continue after what you have stated? Sorry, I'm not playing that game anymore. You've been gone quite awhile.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

You're kidding, right? You want to continue after what you have stated? Sorry, I'm not playing that game anymore. You've been gone quite awhile.

What'd I say?

 

[cj44]

Sal,
I fear my blathering was perhaps too strongly worded or I did not provide proper context. My opinion is only that mankind is an appalling dump heap. Overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable. Ok. I know. Now I have gone too far. The human race is flawed. There is something in our being that is seriously skewed. The evidence is the world in which we live. Murder, Mayhem, Bitterness, Jealsousy, Lying, Cheating etc. If we did not have this disease, there would be peace. I disagree with the sociologists and the self esteem brigade that point to flawed parenting & lack of behavioral modifications as the reason for "sin" (evil) in the world.

I am NOT saying that we should roam the earth despising ourselves until our death. Certainly examples of good deeds abound and we know ethical people. And yes, God does love us. For God so loved the world, that…

(footnote: Lyrics from "You're a mean one Mr. Grinch" were used in this post)

Cord,
Everything will be cured. Patience. We are on God's clock.

no eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
and no human mind has conceived—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Talloola,
Methinks the word "superior" is used in a context that indicates humans were given the capacity to care for the animals. Our "dominion" over them is a directive for us to provide their needs. Look to all scripture to find context.

A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

"Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." (A muzzle would prevent the ox from being able to eat as he worked the field. God specifically mentioned not to muzzle the ox.)

We can look forward to Jesus' second coming. Ending all evil.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

 

[taxslave]

If gawd actually existed would you still need a license to sell corner lots in heaven?

 

[Twila]

Why blame gawd for human greed and ignorance? I think gawd is indifferent to human stupidity, arrogance and malice. It is more interested in what we learn from it.

Do you truly think that a creature/being that would have such powers as to create life would be interested in us at all or independantly from the whole of the universe? Why would it take us out of the entirety and bother? (seriously asking for your take on this, not meaning to imply anything and I apologize if the question sounds sarcastic. I sincerely do not mean it to. )

 

[cj44]

If gawd actually existed would you still need a license to sell corner lots in heaven?

Huh???

 

[lone wolf]

One small change and everything is different...

That makes my head spin...one small change...

Lone, is that your beautiful puppydog in your avatar?

Ripple effect....

Yup, that's Dezel - his Hallowe-en portrait

 

[Sal]

Sal,
I fear my blathering was perhaps too strongly worded or I did not provide proper context. My opinion is only that mankind is an appalling dump heap. Overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable. Ok. I know. Now I have gone too far. The human race is flawed. There is something in our being that is seriously skewed. The evidence is the world in which we live. Murder, Mayhem, Bitterness, Jealsousy, Lying, Cheating etc. If we did not have this disease, there would be peace. I disagree with the sociologists and the self esteem brigade that point to flawed parenting & lack of behavioral modifications as the reason for "sin" (evil) in the world.

I am NOT saying that we should roam the earth despising ourselves until our death. Certainly examples of good deeds abound and we know ethical people. And yes, God does love us. For God so loved the world, that…

(footnote: Lyrics from "You're a mean one Mr. Grinch" were used in this post)

lol well cj the lyrics from Mr. Grinch are certainly appropriate for the way some people have created their God. Mankind is an appalling dump heap I won't argue with you and yet so many have risen above that and continue to do so on a daily basis. We are flawed, even the people that I would say have risen to self actualization, and wisdom are flawed. Still when we acknowledge the human capacity for goodness, love, kindness, correct self sacrifice there is such depth and potential for goodness in most individuals.

The world in which we live is a sewer in many instances. In the greatest country on earth, babies go hungry, children suffer neglect, animals are abused, women are hit, young men die on the street. our old are abandoned. Yet still there is so much goodness. Currently I am working in a school that has a LINC program. Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada. They know what horror is, and yet.............here they are. We went and got them...Canada. We brought them here. And they struggle. In the winter women come to school with their toddlers all bundled up and with sandals on their feet. Such are individuals, caring for those who need to be cared for, giving when there is little left to give from.

Of course there is flawed parenting, and cruelty, and lack of love, and abuse. I do not believe in sin so to me we are not stained individuals, good and bad are relative. god's anger and wickedness, support of slavery, misogyny are man attributing their own flaws to god.

 

[Blackleaf]

Would you live your life differently if God existed and when I ask that hypothetical question I mean that God existed beyond irrefutable proof to you personally whatever that proof might constitute?

I find it difficult to accept that people, religious or secular, with all their faults and violence and selfishness etc would continue to live the way they do if they knew for sure their actions now were being judged for an eternal after life. For example, would you still buy the latest iPhone or if God actually existed would you send the money overseas to cure blindness in a dozen children?

God DOES exist.

 

[WLDB]

God DOES exist.

So does the tooth fairy.

 

[Corduroy]

As a farm kid we cared for all of animals, chicken, dogs, horses. Forests are made for cameras. Same critters, my level of responsibility falls off.

Did you live in peace and harmony with those animals or did you use them for food and work? God is a shepherd. Why do shepherds keep sheep again?

Precisely. So if God existed how would you live differently? Would you want answers to those questions? Would you hate Her for creating Ebola or defend it?

People have different responses for living under coercive dictatorships. Some people support and participate, others fight it and likely die fighting, while most just try to survive. If I grew up in a dictatorship, I would like to believe I'd be a fighter, but I shouldn't presume I'd have that kind of character when thrown into that situation. It's easy to talk the talk from the comfort of a liberal democracy, like so many do. There's a good chance I'd be like everyone else and just try to live day to day.

But a celestial dictatorship is another thing. When coping with a dictatorship you can live for retreating into the private joys the oppressive state can't pry into. But when the dictator is God, you cannot escape. Every aspect of life is totally under his watch. North Korea is the most totalitarian state in the world, but at least in North Korea the state can't read your thoughts. At least they don't have cameras everywhere. North Korea is doing its best to be totalitarian. God is completely totalitarian. There would be no coping or living day to day. You would have be a completely obedient robot or you'd necessarily be a rebel against authority.

If God existed I wouldn't live differently because I couldn't. God would know even my private thoughts. If I publicly defended the tyranny just to survive, God would know I thought he was a piece of **** and deserved to be destroyed. I'd be pro-Lucifer.

 

[Cliffy]

Do you truly think that a creature/being that would have such powers as to create life would be interested in us at all or independently from the whole of the universe? Why would it take us out of the entirety and bother? (seriously asking for your take on this, not meaning to imply anything and I apologize if the question sounds sarcastic. I sincerely do not mean it to. )

To me, the Universe is the creative force. It created itself. Why the Universe would care about the human drama queens is beyond me. But everything in the Universe is connected and we do have the capacity to tap into that frequency, to understand (as far as we are capable) our connection to all. I find the separation dichotomy of modern religion, to be the source of all our angst and violence. We are not separate, god is not separate, everything is interconnected, interdependent. What harm we do to others (human, animal, plant), we do to ourselves. We have turned paradise into a garbage heap trying to fill the emptiness inside caused by this separation schism.

 

[Sal]

To me, the Universe is the creative force. It created itself. Why the Universe would care about the human drama queens is beyond me. But everything in the Universe is connected and we do have the capacity to tap into that frequency, to understand (as far as we are capable) our connection to all. I find the separation dichotomy of modern religion, to be the source of all our angst and violence. We are not separate, god is not separate, everything is interconnected, interdependent. What harm we do to others (human, animal, plant), we do to ourselves. We have turned paradise into a garbage heap trying to fill the emptiness inside caused by this separation schism.

yyyyyyup!

 

[Cliffy]

yyyyyyup!

We are all one.

 

[Sal]

We are all one.

yes!

 

[gerryh]

What'd I say?

Here is the latest, but you have said similar previously

if a person is truly a Christian as an example, and asks themselves over and over what Christ would do......would Christ waste money on cars, laptops, furniture and all the other trappings of civilization or would he devote himself to humanity?

YOU have decide who is and who is not a Christian. YOU have decided what constitutes a Christian. YOU, who has already stated that you are now an atheist, is deciding the who, what and where's of Christianity. Since, under your very clear definitions, I am not a Christian I see no reason to carry on with this discussion. I gave my answer, and you discounted it out of hand. Like I said, that is fine. I do not look to others to justify my beliefs. I also, will not put up with others demeaning my beliefs.

and here's another example

I feel that if people actually believed in God

 

[JLM]

If God was evident one make earn a lot of money Bible Thumping!