Religion in general

[GrumpyPom]

why do we have so much emphasis around the world (even for non believers) on the word of a 2000 year old book. I stopped believing in fairy tales when i was about 5, so why do people revolve their lives around some old stories. it almost defies belief.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, No, I'd have said I don't know where the keyboard came from.

The Koran has clearly been filched from earlier texts, and even though your prophet was apparently illiterate, one cannot help suspecting that over the long period of time it took to write the Koran, he had a little help.

The fact that the first Arabic version of the New Testament was written later is irrelevant.

Come on, Keyplus, you're making excuses. You agreed to read the book, so read it.

No positive, logical, argument to offer then?

[JockSporran]

naomi - but you seem to want the meaning of existence in a glass jar, it doesn't work like that. Nobody is going to make it easy for you. Sorry cher ami.

keyplus - sorry to hear you lost your job. Hang in there, and keep your faith.

[JockSporran]

naomi - called you 'cher ami' just then. It's not meant to be bitchy, sarcastic or patronising, but a friendly term of familiarity. Honest.

[naomi24]

No, Jock, I beg to differ. By thinking for myself, I've chosen the difficult route. You already have it all neatly packed into a glass jar, but sadly you've allowed someone else to fill the jar for you. With so many different religions, how can you be sure the contents aren't contaminated?

[JockSporran]

Nope, naomi - nobody else has filled up the jar for me. I too have thought things out for myself. As for different religions - they all tie up in the end. They all lead to 'God' (by different names).

[naomi24]

If you say that no one has filled the jar up for you, it follows that the bible hasn't influenced you in any way whatsoever - likewise organised religion. However, since you believe in the God of the bible, that would be a contradiction and therefore cannot be accurate. Others have very clearly filled your jar, but you're either unaware of the influence they have had on you, or you are reluctant to admit it.

[JockSporran]

naomi - what makes you think I've chosen 'the God of the Bible'?

[naomi24]

Oh, now it's getting interesting. Are you really telling me that you've encouraged this discussion to continue even though you know the other contributors here are suffering under a misapprehension that you haven't had the courtesy to dispel, or are you just dangling the carrot? What makes me think you've chosen the God of the bible? Well, I'm clearly not the only one who thinks that, but I think it for the following reasons. You said 'I believe in God', and unless people specifically mention Zeus, or some other God, it's usually assumed they're talking about the biblical God; you encouraged Keyplus (who does believe in the biblical God) to continue believing; you haven't responded to my question about the universe, and you've said absolutely nothing to make anyone here think otherwise. If you would be kind enough to clarify your beliefs before we continue this debate, it would save a lot of wasted time and effort.

I await your explanation with great interest.

[JockSporran]

Hi naomi - I've said it before: it all depends what you mean by 'God'.

I'm a Pantheist, i.e. I believe that God and nature/cosmos are the same thing, but that there is more to it all than matter and energy. I believe in evolution, for example, but believe it is not just an accident. The universe and all its marvels didn't just come from nothing without something behind it. Yes, there's more than just matter and energy. There's the great unknown and unknowable 'why?' as well.

This force, of which everything is part of, I like to call 'God'. The problem is that whenever the 'G' word is mentioned, everybody assumes you mean a man in the sky. Some people do imagine God in that way, but they're not 'wrong', because it's 'right' for them. That's their interpretation.

So what I believe in, you might not call God because it doesn't fit with your definition, but I do. I prefer to.

Cheers, dudette.

[naomi24]

So, in your opinion, is this God you imagine and the biblical God that so many others believe in, one and the same?

[keyplus90]

Let me correct you a little bit Naomi. If by biblical God you mean the God which Christian believe as part of trinity then no, I do not believe in that. I do believe in the God who gave message to Jesus (pbuh) and the one who is mentioned in Quran and of course in bible too as one and only.

[naomi24]

No, Keyplus, allow me to correct you. Did I say the Christian God? No, I didn't.

Jock, an afterthought. Does your God take a personal interest in you?

[JockSporran]

Yes to both questions, naomers. Same higher power, different beliefs / interpretations. And yep, God takes a personal interest in me. And you.

Gotta go now, sis. I've enjoyed our little chat.

[naomi24]

Oh, no, Jock. I don't want him taking an interest in me. Going on his track record, he isn't someone I'd choose for a friend. I have far higher principles.

[Ankou]

nothing back from grumpypom then. maybe i was right. a bored regular just lighting the touch paper and doing a runner.