1,000,000 Post Thread

[The Question]

The fact that I believe in god is *why* I'm not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew.

 

[Alticus]

Hmmmm...I don't understand.

 

[The Question]

A god made in man's image just don't do it for me.

 

[Alticus]

It's the other way around I believe.

 

[The Question]

That's what the book says. But what the book describes says different.

 

[Alticus]

Really? I don't remember ever reading that.

 

[The Question]

Okay, let's take the Job story as an example.

 

[Alticus]

Okay. Go ahead.

 

[Alticus]

What are your feelings on the book?

 

[The Question]

Job is pious. Faithful. Satan challenges God and says, "Yeah, he only likes you 'cause you gave him a good life." (Paraphrasing, of course.) "If you hadn't, he wouldn't be so fond of ya."

 

[The Question]

Am I getting that basically right?

 

[LotusBud]

What do you mean by "living the old ways," @MANCID RILKO ?

 

[Alticus]

That roughly describes it and to be honest I've always though that God and Satan shouldn't be gambling with our lives.

 

[Alticus]

@The Question That's roughly describes it and to be honest I've always though that God and Satan shouldn't be gambling with our lives.

 

[Alticus]

@The Question That's roughly describes it and to be honest I've always thought that God and Satan shouldn't be gambling with our lives.

 

[The Question]

You know what that story makes god look like? An insecure, ego-driven human who is "bothered" that Job's faith isn't genuine. An omniscient god would already know how the experiment would turn out, anyway, without having to make a human suffer to validate his own ego.

 

[The Question]

That story depicts god as psychologically human.

 

[The Question]

And a pretty flawed one, at that.

 

[Alticus]

@The Question The thing we have to always remember is that we cannot as humans comprehend God's mind. It's impossible.

 

[The Question]

And yet, that's exactly what that book portends to do: explain god's mind.

 

[The Question]

Again, I absolutely believe in god. I *don't* believe god is dumb enough to put two newly-created animals in the same garden as a tree that would 'activate their morality chip', tell them not to eat the tree, and then be shocked and angry when they disobey because they don't know why they shouldn't disobey. That's not just a failure of omniscience, that's bone-headed stupid. I don't believe that god is stupid.

 

[Alticus]

It's not about explaining God's mind. It's about God proving to the Devil that Job is a solid dude. Of course God knew in advance what the results would be so it was a clear win for Him.

 

[The Question]

But why would god have any motive to prove anything to the devil?

 

[MANCID RILKO]

@LotusBud the ways we're living right now, with the same old belief and control systems

 

[Alticus]

@The Question Because basically Satan was questioning God's word and intent.

 

[The Question]

Yeah, but again, why would god care about that? That's what I mean; it depicts god as a human with an ego that can be manipulated. He goes from Creator Of Reality to Insecure Bro.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

It's not about explaining God's mind. It's about God proving to the Devil that Job is a solid dude. Of course God knew in advance what the results would be so it was a clear win for Him.

but wouldn't the Devil also know the results then? hmm the Devil ain't no human and would have the same understanding as God even though he don't give a fuck about anything good.

 

[Alticus]

Yes TQ I get that I really do, but again we can't comprehend His powers and works. Just because we may not understand his motives doesn't mean he's not all powerful.

 

[Alticus]

It would be like me trying to understand how a Grandmaster in chess thinks and reasons. I can't in most cases.

 

[The Question]

Well, discussing religion isn't gonna get anybody anywhere they want to go. I'll leave it at this: To the extent that it helps you more than it hurts you, I'm fully supportive of you believing whatever you believe. But I see the holes, so I can't share it. I do believe in god -- just not that idea of what god is.