Does God exist? - Page 18

Xil · 04-07-2011, 09:14 PM

I used to be a very devout atheist (i know that sounds like contradiction). i thought logic was the only truth.

now i see logic as a useful tool, but im also more and more valuing intent, intuition, and direct/mystical knowledge.

**SageTree** · 04-08-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xil

I used to be a very devout atheist (i know that sounds like contradiction). i thought logic was the only truth.

now i see logic as a useful tool, but im also more and more valuing intent, intuition, and direct/mystical knowledge.

Danks man... probably took some guts to say that too

kitch · 04-10-2011, 06:40 PM

the way I figure it if there's a me then there's probably a God.

Roach · 04-10-2011, 07:00 PM

not sure what I'm called.

I don't believe that any form of supernatural being ever existed, and only thru humans ignorance and fear of the unknown were they created.

which is typical of humans, who need to create solutions for problems that are beyond their comprehension.

I don't know what happens after death, no one does. And that doesn't bother me.

so atheist and agnostic don't seem to fit as they refer to "god", and that word just isn't in my vocabulary.

ChiefBongWater · 04-11-2011, 02:35 AM

People have been searching for evidence of a god for a very long time with no luck. Therefore a God does not exist.

Religion was created to give people a set of guidelines and values on which to live their lives, a set of guidelines that are very specific and according to certain religions.... have a consequence if disobeyed. This is no way for man to live.

As man we should not sacrifice ourselves, our interests, our values for the sake of others or for a god. Man has the ability to reason and has logic. Reality exists independent to Man's conscious, therefor Man needs to place himself as #1.

"The proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest". We have no responsibilities to others, nor should we. Today altruism runs very high in most religions/societies and it is a sacrifice that you are making.

ChiefBongWater · 04-11-2011, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roach

I don't know what happens after death, no one does. And that doesn't bother me.

"The world will end the day I die."

-Badger Clark

....Therefor it won't matter. Because you will be gone; there will be no "you" left to care or to even experience death, because death is the end of experience

kamikazi89 · 05-02-2011, 02:12 AM

you only wish that it did(seriously)
the big three are as follows
Sun
earth
Water
Vegatation
..faith will not make up the diffrence , but don't underestimate it's power

Grieves · 05-02-2011, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Our ignorance of the cosmos is too vast to commit to atheism, and yet we know too much to commit to a particular religion. A third position, agnosticism, is often an uninteresting stance in which a person simply questions whether his traditional religious story (say, a man with a beard on a cloud) is true or not true. But with Possibilianism I'm hoping to define a new position -- one that emphasizes the exploration of new, unconsidered possibilities. Possibilianism is comfortable holding multiple ideas in mind; it is not interested in committing to any particular story...

Quote:

Science had taught him to be skeptical of cosmic certainties, [Eagleman] told me. From the unfathomed complexity of brain tissue—"essentially an alien computational material"—to the mystery of dark matter, we know too little about our own minds and the universe around us to insist on strict atheism, he said. "And we know far too much to commit to a particular religious story." Why not revel in the alternatives? Why not imagine ourselves, as he did in Sum, as bits of networked hardware in a cosmic program, or as particles of some celestial organism, or any of a thousand other possibilities, and then test those ideas against the available evidence? "Part of the scientific temperament is this tolerance for holding multiple hypotheses in mind at the same time," he said. "As Voltaire said, uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one."

kamikazi89 · 05-02-2011, 04:04 AM

“It's not really about disco. It's about these characters that the movie revolves around and their relationships with each other and it's more about the dialogue.”

Chloe Sevigny

celestialpillow · 05-04-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMOxLLELLO

I dont believe in god, i believe in evolution and the big bang thory....but seriously sit back and think of this :

If infinity goes on FOREVER, and there HAS to be a start, and if you belive god started this.... WHO CREATED GOD? he cant create himself....and if someobne created him...who created that someone???

It really makes u think

bongsmilie

~wisely sans ultima, es shiva's mandala, an aperature expressingly furthur from symphony a forever's elements lonely also wicke'less~

~expeience sonne instantaneous sans was emptyness cosm apocalypse~

celestialpillow · 05-04-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roach

not sure what I'm called.

I don't believe that any form of supernatural being ever existed, and only thru humans ignorance and fear of the unknown were they created.

which is typical of humans, who need to create solutions for problems that are beyond their comprehension.

I don't know what happens after death, no one does. And that doesn't bother me.

so atheist and agnostic don't seem to fit as they refer to "god", and that word just isn't in my vocabulary.

wont after~life feel amd see existence or souls' world, why were supernatural around en past before(anti) "we"? what is a supernatural forever severing fear from slipping into unknown schisms? without creation isnt sorcery sworne'!' secrets isnt losing or wont they lie like coyotes, lose your life wont you still experience soulness? suunds open(shiite!!!)
sure, es within, sweet

Kishar · 05-10-2011, 10:42 AM

Tammy A. Branom - The mind of God - Unexplained Mysteries

Quote:

Image credit: NASA/ESA/ESO
The mind of God

Posted on Saturday, 7 May, 2011 | 4 comments
Columnist: Tammy A. Branom

I have read many times how scientists are seeking the beginnings of the universe. It is the Holy Grail of science. CERN was developed to look for this answer, among other questions. Stephen Hawking has stated that after he gave a lecture on his theories of how the universe began, he met with the Pope. The Pope told him not to go beyond the beginning of the universe because to do so would to be looking into the mind of God. I wonder if the Pope now knows that Hawking (and others) was and is doing just that.

There are many speculations on the beginning, growth, and eventual end of our universe. Big bang, big crunch, big rip. Eternal growth to empty darkness, quiet rush into a cosmic tear, or screeching halt and crumple in to a cataclysmic smash. Our universe’s birth, life, and death is anybody’s guess.

Along with our universe is the prospect of other universes. And there are tons of theories about those as well. How many, how big, laws of physics, strings, bubbles, waves. Branes, planes, and alternates. Parallel universes, alternate realities, and everything wrapped up in one big happy multiverse of universes. Let’s not forget the holographic universe, either.

No one can say any of them do or do not exist because we little humans, as yet, can’t prove any of it. Then again, we couldn’t prove black holes, either. Now we know they are there.

With that being said, many of the theories of the universe and all that is in it also are examined by both religious and metaphysical groups. The Catholic Church has graciously accepted that the possibility of life elsewhere is real. Deepak Chopra argues that quantum physics is proving what religion and metaphysics has said all along--that everything around us is connected and directed by a larger, grander mind. In “The Holographic Universe,” author Michael Talbot shows how everything from apparitions to aliens and precognition to portals in time are all part of our universe as a giant hologram. Our reality comes from somewhere beyond time and space and partially guided by our own perceptions.

Now, bear in mind that I am no scientist. I simply read science articles and books. Nor am I religious or follow Deepak Chopra. I am not a big-name author like Michael Talbot, but I would like to throw my ideas of the universe out to everyone. And, if you think any of the other theories of the universe are too weird, well, you may want to stop right here. If you want to see what I see, then by all means, proceed.

As with the scientific world, I have many ideas on the universe. As I peruse scientific discoveries and photos, I try to find connections. Consequently, I stumbled upon uncanny links based first on pictures, then on theory. From that, I built my own conjecture.

As a writer, I create characters and lead them along in their lives to tell a story. They begin in my mind and then end up in whatever venue they are accepted into. Others read them, and their exploits become realistic in a sense of “seeing” them in one’s own mind portraying the events I wrote. In a way, these characters come to life, although they are only fictional and not real. This got me to thinking about universes and one theory in particular. What if WE are the product of someone’s story?

A good writer creates a perfect “world” for the characters live, play, and work. Earth is the perfect distance from the sun, with the perfect amount of water, the perfect atmosphere, perfect tilt, perfect rotation, perfect gravity, perfect soil. It even has the perfect shields from the sun and space. According to scientists, any slight deviation in any of these “perfections” would have resulted in life not existing on this planet.

Earth is, as scientists say, just perfect. Ideal for human “characters.”

As a result, I set to searching for some type of evidence that we may be creations acting out random stories and plots--that we exist in someone’s imagination, their mind. I came upon a photo of a map of the local universe.

I know you may be thinking this is a bit of a stretch, but most theories are, at least at first. Is it possible that instead of “dark matter” and “dark energy,” we are floating around in brain matter and brain energy? Before you say no, think about this: Would we know? Would we know what a brain from beyond OUR comprehension would be like? We can only say what brain material on our own level, our own reality, is like. We honestly cannot say what the brain matter of--dare I say--God is made of. Perhaps we are in a brain and that matter is an illusion first supplied by the maker and then propagated by us. Therefore, are galaxies, stars, and planets, illusions for us characters to see? Are they our backdrop? Do we create our own reality? Is it a spin off from an original source? Many of us writers say our characters take on lives of their own and actually manipulate their surroundings in a story, even to the point of changing the direction of the plot. Is what we see sustained by our own perceptions? Quantum theory says maybe yes, although in a limited way. Physicists testing quantum mechanics experiment with basic elements, not complex systems, such as humans. On the quantum level, constituents perform as the observer expects. We humans, as complex systems, do not always behave as expected. Then again, on a twist of the Uncertainty Principle, we may only perceive ourselves as complex and essentially, as observers of the system, we become part of the observed system and see ourselves how we want. I also must consider that if we are indeed the creation of a mind, that mind could be the observer and may also become part of the observed system. This would explain God (or gods) since He (or they) observes humans and is believed to interact with us. And, I must point out as well that writers often carve themselves (in some manner) into their stories.

According to medical research, the human brain shrinks as it ages, unless it is actively healthy. If the brain suffers from disease or dementia, it works slower and slower, and atrophies. If it is healthy, it shows no cognitive loss or decline in mental abilities. If we are inside a mind and it is anything at all similar to ours, then theories on how the universe will end make some sense. Either a slow decline to nothingness (as if diseased or dementia) or a full stop and collapse (as in sudden death?). At this point, scientists agree that galaxies are hurtling away from each other at increasing rates. Is it possible our host (God?) is dying? Or, is he gearing up for another novel?

Along with researching brain activity and comparing it to our cosmos, I found that black holes in our universe posed a problem for me. We do know they exist, so how do I tie them to a brain? Synapses were the obvious solution, with the cell centers being the host of information; however, I found something else. At MailOnline, I read a very interesting article on holes in the brain. Photos on the site show how caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and even Alzheimer’s deteriorate the brain, starting with small holes and growing to large dead spots where there is no brain function due to lack of blood. Check it out for yourself at:

Are you wrecking your brain? Chilling pictures reveal shocking effects of alcohol, cigarettes and even caffeine on the mind | Mail Online

Again, could our Host be dying? I compared the pictures from the above website to pictures of Hubble’s 3-D image of dark matter. Take a look at this article and maps. New 3-D Map of Dark Matter Reveals Cosmic Scaffolding Interesting to me is the use of the word “scaffolding” in the piece. That term brings to mind the platforms that workers stand on to construct buildings. Cosmic scaffolding and story construction...nice comparison of universe-to-brain structure.

So, if a brain and our universe are one in the same, what of background radiation or the holographic universe boundary? Could that be the layers of dura mater membrane between the brain and skull or even just the skull itself?

Therefore, are we all interconnected? If we exist as characters in a masterpiece novel, yes. Is there a deeper level of reality? If we are in someone’s mind, I would have to say yes. Our universe as a brain and humans as characters in a creative mind explains many things, among them paranormal phenomena and unfound (yet necessary to clarify time, space, and the universe) particles such as the Higgs Boson. Parallel universes could be explained as other parts of the brain or as other individuals or perhaps even computer programs.

So, in the beginning, when the universe burst into existence, it could have been a synapse firing an idea--a heated, I-can’t-wait-to-get-going-with-this plan. And, the idea grew.

04-07-2011, 09:14 PM	#341 (permalink)
Xil OD'ing on sobriety Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mizzura Posts: 3,334 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,037 Thanked 1,158 Times in 717 Posts	I used to be a very devout atheist (i know that sounds like contradiction). i thought logic was the only truth. now i see logic as a useful tool, but im also more and more valuing intent, intuition, and direct/mystical knowledge. __________________ "we'll show these fascists what a couple of hillbillies can do"

04-10-2011, 07:00 PM	#344 (permalink)
Roach Victoria Aut Mors Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7,184 Thanks: 2,372 Thanked 1,987 Times in 1,509 Posts	not sure what I'm called. I don't believe that any form of supernatural being ever existed, and only thru humans ignorance and fear of the unknown were they created. which is typical of humans, who need to create solutions for problems that are beyond their comprehension. I don't know what happens after death, no one does. And that doesn't bother me. so atheist and agnostic don't seem to fit as they refer to "god", and that word just isn't in my vocabulary. __________________ לזיין את הקופים

04-11-2011, 02:35 AM	#345 (permalink)
ChiefBongWater a lot of grease Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,056 Thanks: 135 Thanked 315 Times in 223 Posts	People have been searching for evidence of a god for a very long time with no luck. Therefore a God does not exist. Religion was created to give people a set of guidelines and values on which to live their lives, a set of guidelines that are very specific and according to certain religions.... have a consequence if disobeyed. This is no way for man to live. As man we should not sacrifice ourselves, our interests, our values for the sake of others or for a god. Man has the ability to reason and has logic. Reality exists independent to Man's conscious, therefor Man needs to place himself as #1. "The proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest". We have no responsibilities to others, nor should we. Today altruism runs very high in most religions/societies and it is a sacrifice that you are making. __________________ Straight No Chaser Bridgez, Boobs, Beer

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