I'm a theist!

[Nilly]

There is only one. You get to pick the name. God doesnt care what you call it.

Could there not be two?

 

[lizzie]

go with the one who brings you peace of mind and fulfills your spiritual needs.

if you feel you need to objectively prove it's the correct Creator, you're doing the whole spirituality thing wrong.

Exactly!
I've been known to have a God who is specifically my own brand. God isn't my insurance policy. It's something which adds an extra dimension of meaning and joy to my life. I'm not looking for proof, nor am I trying to convince any to believe anything at all. Religion is the practice itself, and the way it effects your quality of life, and not what you claim to believe.

 

[lizzie]

Could there not be two?

I suppose so, if that's what you believe. I personally don't see God as anything which I am separate from, but I see myself as a tiny insignificant part of IT.

 

[lizzie]

Yeah, he does care. He doesn't want to be called Baal or Sophie or whatever Wiccans or Satanists call their supposed deities.

All paths do not lead to God.

Do All Paths Lead to the Same Destination?

You have no more proof nor knowledge than I, when it comes to what God is.
You can believe whatever you wish, and you can try to rationalize and put the pieces together, which form the picture of your desires, but you cannot know anything for certain.

 

[X Factor]

That's right, I've been swayed by the logical arguments that there must be a Creator. But now's the hard part, which Creator should I believe in? And how can I objectively know if the Creator I choose to worship is the right one?

Can anyone help me?

Just out for a nice troll, today, Spud? :2razz:

 

[Removable Mind]

God will retire from public life long before the Judgment. He's going to give me his job as soon as I get to heaven.

(So you'd better shape up...)

Hey DD, send me a copy of the official announcement as soon as you take over. I'll even frame it, hang it over my computer.

 

[Thrilla]

That's right, I've been swayed by the logical arguments that there must be a Creator. But now's the hard part, which Creator should I believe in? And how can I objectively know if the Creator I choose to worship is the right one?

Can anyone help me?

one other thing to consider... instead of being a theist.. you might want to look into being a deist.

being a deist helps you steer clear of the questions and concepts a theist will have to contend with... and as a bonus, you don't have to give the Creator a name.

I was drawn to Deism for a little while, but i found it fulfilling to have to contend with the questions and concepts of theists..... not that I actually have answers, but i do love the internal process of contending with them nonetheless.
( much in the way i love to content with the questions and concepts of Astronomy... the unimaginable and incomprehensible somehow brings me pleasure to ponder...while simultaneously making me feel like a big dummy.:lol

 

[Unrepresented]

Then give your life to Harry Potter or your little pony and see how that works out for you at the Judgment.

Equal likelihood would suggest equally likely outcomes.

 

[countryboy]

That's right, I've been swayed by the logical arguments that there must be a Creator. But now's the hard part, which Creator should I believe in? And how can I objectively know if the Creator I choose to worship is the right one?

Can anyone help me?

Hmmm, let's see, a lib posting about creation in the philosophical discussions forum. I'm guessing this is very thinly veiled ruse.

 

[Thrilla]

Exactly!
I've been known to have a God who is specifically my own brand. God isn't my insurance policy. It's something which adds an extra dimension of meaning and joy to my life. I'm not looking for proof, nor am I trying to convince any to believe anything at all. Religion is the practice itself, and the way it effects your quality of life, and not what you claim to believe.

yup, that's what i'm talking about...well said.

 

[Logicman]

You have no more proof nor knowledge than I, when it comes to what God is.

Yes, I do. It's called the New Testament.

You can believe whatever you wish, and you can try to rationalize and put the pieces together, which form the picture of your desires, but you cannot know anything for certain.

Sure I do. I and other born-again Christians have the witness of the Holy Spirit, who testifies about Christ.

 

[X Factor]

Nope. And when you can bust the resurrection you'll have some credibility for your position.

Buddy, I'm a Bible believing Christian so cite the Bible as authority to me and it works. You have to acknowledge, though, that it will not and cannot work to cite it as authority to those who don't believe there's any truth in it. Could you be convinced that Muhammed is a prophet closer to God than Jesus Christ by reading the Quran?

 

[lizzie]

Buddy, I'm a Bible believing Christian so cite the Bible as authority to me and it works. You have to acknowledge, though, that it will not and cannot work to cite it as authority to those who don't believe there's any truth in it. Could you be convinced that Muhammed is a prophet closer to God than Jesus Christ by reading the Quran?

I do believe there is plenty of truth in it- I just think that other religions are valid as well. You probably won't find many people who act more Christian-in-action-and-example, than I. I just believe that much of it was altered in order to maintain power at the top.

 

[Logicman]

Buddy, I'm a Bible believing Christian so cite the Bible as authority to me and it works. You have to acknowledge, though, that it will not and cannot work to cite it as authority to those who don't believe there's any truth in it. Could you be convinced that Muhammed is a prophet closer to God than Jesus Christ by reading the Quran?

I've told many a dedicated skeptic that there's no evidence they will ever believe.

 

[Your Star]

I've told many a dedicated skeptic that there's no evidence they will ever believe.

Evidence with proof, yes, we believe that.

 

[Logicman]

Evidence with proof, yes, we believe that.

Science can't prove God. All you can ever get is evidence, and there's plenty of that in the philosophy thread, "Evidence for God / the Bible."

 

[X Factor]

I do believe there is plenty of truth in it- I just think that other religions are valid as well. You probably won't find many people who act more Christian-in-action-and-example, than I. I just believe that much of it was altered in order to maintain power at the top.

I don't doubt that at all, lizzie. I was referring more to those who refer to it as "book of fairy tales" or things like that. It makes zero since to say to someone like that, "well the Bible says.." as a way to justify your beliefs. Personally, I won't justify why I hold the beliefs I do to anyone.

 

[Unrepresented]

I've told many a dedicated skeptic that there's no evidence they will ever believe.

We're all skeptics and believers, we just vary on the respective topics that we're enthralled by.

 

[Nilly]

I suppose so, if that's what you believe. I personally don't see God as anything which I am separate from, but I see myself as a tiny insignificant part of IT.

While it's a nice sentiment, I find it staggeringly optimistic (and to be honest, a little arrogant) to believe that the 'power' behind the universe is just whatever we personally feel it is.

As long as it's kept out of public discourse, which I get the feeling you do, can't really have an issue with that, however.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Really? Bet I can find quite a few quotes by Jim Jones and David Koresh...and lord knows how many quotes by a lot of extremist claiming to be Jesus or other types of semi-supernatural, demigod people - or who claim that they have a direct cell phone connection to god. Pat Robertson comes to mind.

It's evident that a lot of people will believe anything. Don't you agree?

If ever there was a perfect place for this musical interlude this is it. RM, as your good friend Ray Wylie Hubbard once said, "The trouble with irony is a lot of people don't get it." There will be some here who won't get the irony of the following song but for those who do here it is:

 

[lizzie]

.. the unimaginable and incomprehensible somehow brings me pleasure to ponder...while simultaneously making me feel like a big dummy.:lol

If I didn't feel like a complete idiot at times- either by my own actions/stupidity, or the superiority of a few other people I have known (or one I currently know), I'd think I must be dead. Making an ass of myself is innate.

 

[Paschendale]

Pick whichever one has evidence suggesting that they're real. So, you know... none of 'em.

Or Clapton. Clapton works.

 

[Thrilla]

If I didn't feel like a complete idiot at times- either by my own actions/stupidity, or the superiority of a few other people I have known (or one I currently know), I'd think I must be dead. Making an ass of myself is innate.

:lol:... myself as well.

mainly, I make myself feel like an idiot by pondering on the unknowable.. it's rare that other people make me feel like an idiot, but it happens.

 

[Removable Mind]

If ever there was a perfect place for this musical interlude this is it. RM, as your good friend Ray Wylie Hubbard once said, "The trouble with irony is a lot of people don't get it." There will be some here who won't get the irony of the following song but for those who do here it is:

Oh so true, Bro... :lol:

"Every son of God gets a little hard luck sometimes - specially when he goes around saying he's the way

I am the way
I am the way
I'm the way"

 

[RAMOSS]

Fulfilled Messianic prophecy at a rate much higher than chance argues strongly for the God of the Bible.

The Odds of Eight Messianic Prophecies Coming True | Berean Publishers

There is some very bad problems with that. It doesn't take into account that there are alternate explanations for the 'messianic prophecies coming true. There is shoe horning into place, vague references, out of context quotes, and writings being written to, rather than coming from. Those probabilities make the 'odds' much lower than the claims of this apologist , who is trying to promote the faith.