A feeling came upon me. I sense that many here are quick to address their belief or not about the existence of a God. I do not sense that many question why they are like they are. For example, monogamy versus polyamory. procreation versus sexual pleasuring, social support versus survival of the fittest and nudity versus modesty. I'm sure that there is more. For example, if one accepts the sanctity of life, does it not follow naturally that one should not accept suicide or a woman, terminating her pregnancy?
What is a "God", a thing or a placeholder for a set of beliefs? If one holds the set of beliefs do they not have a God?
What say thee?
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4 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I apologize for this posting. I hadn't thought it out clearly.
SunshineEast
Level 5
Aug 27, 2022
0
What say I?
I say that I think you are on the wrong site as phrases such as "If one holds the set of beliefs do they not have a God?" smacks of religious trolling
LenHazell53
Level 9
Aug 27, 2022
1
I suppose you could redefine a word however you like, but the problem is the usefulness of your new definition has an inverse relationship to the dissimilarity of the new definition to the old one. The more dissimilar they are the less useful it is. For instance, let's say I take the word 'literally' an redefine it to the exact opposite of its meaning 'figuratively', then the word becomes useless because no one knows what you mean when you say it. It could even, as is the case with the word in the example, make the word useless to the people who haven't redefined it if enough people misuse it with the new definition. I actually have to clarify with a bunch more words when I use the word 'literally' by following it with, "and I don't misuse the word literally" to make sure the listener actually understands what I mean.
There's also a problem with so loosely defining something that it encompasses everything. Since everyone has beliefs that would mean everyone has a god making the statement "has a god" meaningless. It's the same argument I get into with people who say "Everything is art". If everything is art then the word 'art' conveys no meaning and becomes useless. If I tell my girlfriend we're going out to look at art every Saturday, take her to a museum the first weekend and then take her to a landfill the second, she's not going to know what the fuck the word 'art' means when it comes out of my mouth.
So, no, I don't believe having beliefs constitutes me "having a god".
ChestRockfield
Level 8
Aug 27, 2022
0
My beliefs are not dogmatic, and may be changed if new information develops. My lifestyle depends on what behaviors have sanction within my circle. When the circle changes, so does behavior.
Is God a placeholder for beliefs? Do God-fearing Christians behave in such ways that God would be honored? Or is all their behavior virtue signaling, staving of the insecurity they feel knowing that one false step can get them booted from the church?
"If one holds the set of beliefs do they not have a God?" No. A set of beliefs may or may not include a god, nor should they be considered equivalent. That's just semantic masturbation.
Indeed, your post resembles a wet dream, a sticky, gooey, useless mess, awaiting a circular file.
Are people a placeholder for the trash they write?
racocn8
Level 9
Aug 27, 2022
3
My starting point is semantic. "The word is not the thing. It is a placeholder for the thing." When one hears or reads a word, their mind is filled with images, sounds, feelings, whatevers that the person has associated with that word.
I have observed that some will say that they don't believe or question the existence of a God but that they believe in the sanctity of life. Another will say that they believe in a God and their God teaches them about the sanctity of life. Thus, they believe in the sanctity of life.
If one who questioned or denied the existence of a God where to enumerate their beliefs and compared them with a list enumerated by one who believed and accepted the beliefs taught by their God, and the lists were say, 85% the same, what difference does it make if one believes in a God or not. They see the living of life the same at the operational level.
Whether one believes in a God or not, everyone adopts a set of beliefs that guides them in living their life and living with others. It seems that the question becomes, "What do you believe?" and not, "How did you come to having those beliefs?"
I recognize that one who believes in a God might attach more emotions to holding their beliefs.
I keep in mind that one is known to another by what the other observes the one doing and how. On is known to themself by the sum of their experiences. One can only understand why another does what they do and how by living the life of the other from birth.
@SunshineEast It would be so much better if religions consisted of values rather than fealty to this or that god. It is the identification and worship of specific gods that causes most of the problems. When an outsider says they don't worship a particular god, that is when the hate and murder begins.
I differentiate between "religion" and "a religion". We all have a religion. It is the set of guidelines/beliefs that we adopt to guide us in living our life. "A" religion is an organization led by persons in position of power and influence. Every organization evolves a system for operating and managing itself. There will always be those who will find the way to use a system for their personal benefit. We see examples of it all around us everyday. A religion is used by the clergy for their personal benefit. It is the clergy who establishes what is expected by its Gods. It is the clergy who encourages discrimination, persecution and murder of "non-believers". History holds evidence of their actions and their actions continues to this day. It is obvious that one's gender does not follow from one's sex. It is obvious that one has a natural right to do to their body and life what they will. One can terminate their life, ingest what they will and, if a woman, terminate her pregnancy. I would argue that it is more likely that Eve was created before Adam. To procreate, one needs but the sperm of a man and the egg, womb and body of a woman. To evolve sperm seems to be less challenging than to evolve a woman's body in which to develop life. Conception begins at conception, in a petri dish, but to nurture that life to a newborn requires a woman's body.
I don't understand why some need a God in their life and others don't. I have observed rituals that condition and maintain the conditioning of adherents within a religion. It has little to do with God. The concept of God is the mechanism.
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