- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Years ago as I studied philosophy in university, we assessed a series of arguments in favor, and against the existence of God. These were based on pure logic. The class got really involved and it proved to be a very good course. At one point, the class asked the professor if he believed in God, and the role of faith as he perceived it.
He said he has no faith in faith of any kind. Someone asked him — what will you tell God if, after you die, you find He exists and you should have had faith in him?
He explained that he would tell God that he had given mankind reason and logic, and that God had not given him a solid reason to believe in him.
What do you think of this philosophy professor’s response?
I think it works for him, and I am totally cool with it. It’s not how I look at things, but I understand it completely and will never argue with someone who says that – since it is their perspective (that is shared by multiple people here). I think God would respond with something like:
Quote:That’s cool. Now, what kind of person did you become? How did you treat others? Did you develop a loving heart? Did you live according to the dictates of your conscience? What did you learn as a result of your life?
I think that’s pretty much what he will say to everyone, whether they believed in God or not.
Old-Timer wrote:I think it works for him, and I am totally cool with it. It’s not how I look at things, but I understand it completely and will never argue with someone who says that – since it is their perspective (that is shared by multiple people here).
I think God would respond with something like:
Quote:That’s cool. Now, what kind of person did you become? How did you treat others? Did you develop a loving heart? Did you live according to the dictates of your conscience? What did you learn as a result of your life?
I think that’s pretty much what he will say to everyone, whether they believed in God or not.
Pretty much. But then again not everyone views a universal law of “justice”.
Justice and mercy by there very concept can’t exist outside of thought. Any non physics laws are completely dependent on the person or god in question. The universe doesn’t have feelings as as such can’t dictate to god or anyone what justice or mercy is. It’s 100% up to him. Given that, I picture a loving god because it gives me hope and strength since a authoritarian god makes the whole plan of salvation completely meaningless and pointless(at least to me).
SilentDawning wrote:What do you think of this philosophy professor’s response?
I think his is the only rational response a scientist can give. I think any god worth his salt can hide his tracks well enough for his followers to exercise faith. If we had knowledge or proof that he exists it sort of contradicts the whole way the plan of salvation was created – for mormons anyways.
I asked an agnostic physics professor after an oral exam about quantum physics the question “what do physicists think about god” and this professors response was that for every person you ask you’ll get a different answer. He also said that science and religion are parallel tracks both seeking “truth” but that the tracks will never intersect and are totally distinct in their method of searching for truth.
He is right about the method for searching for truth. I have beliefs and faith but I do not pretend that it is all 100% completely based on theory of mystics in different periods of time. I can choose to believe and do but the nature if faith is that everything becomes true. Everything that a person hopes for and can dream up becomes true. Dragons –faith —tooth fairy —-faith— shiva—faith– Odin —faith.
It’s all based in faith on a theory and I make no pretend about it though.
I made a choice and I live with it and he makes a choice and loves with it.
Others make a different choice and lived with it.
Each has 0 proof it’s all 100% theory because of 0 real evidence for any so it’s all choice based.
As such I choose to believe what gives me hope but I am so happy their are people that really study and go after things that are more them theories.
We often say that we can know truth through the HG but even that at best is a belief based on a belief based on a theory when we look at it objectively.
It’s its all choice based. I don’t feel bad about what ever thing someone beliefs because without any real proof no theory is valid more then another. They are all equal and I respect that.
One person makes one choice and another, with the only real way of knowing over time is to either die or become a scientist and search for what can become, what we can become together and achieve together.
So I am happy for both sides. I certainly would be very sad if people stopped searching for how things really work and just accepted every theory because all are equally valid without good evidence.
We are approaching new enlightenment now with great tools and research and mass data.
We understand more about human nature and capacity now in the last 50 years then the last 50,000.
It will get better. We will learn more and better understand ourselves and each other and our relationship to the earth and universe more and more as time goes by.
The key is to learn it’s not a race. We will get there, progress more because of the search.
Mum happy for what ever gives a man/women/child hope.
Old-Timer wrote:I think it works for him, and I am totally cool with it. It’s not how I look at things, but I understand it completely and will never argue with someone who says that – since it is their perspective (that is shared by multiple people here).
I’m among those people right now. I just haven’t been given an outstanding reason to become a believer yet. I still hold out hope, but it’s based on some pretty slender threads. I often think about how amazing it would be to have a strong conviction in God. I just can’t quite imagine it. I believed once but I can hardly remember what it felt like—I think because my belief was more of a culturally inherited thing and was never deep-rooted.Old-Timer wrote:I think God would respond with something like:
Quote:That’s cool. Now, what kind of person did you become? How did you treat others? Did you develop a loving heart? Did you live according to the dictates of your conscience? What did you learn as a result of your life?
I think that’s pretty much what he will say to everyone, whether they believed in God or not.
This is my hope as well. Otherwise God would have been acting pretty capriciously towards me and others like me.Quote:He said he has no faith in faith of any kind. Someone asked him — what will you tell God if, after you die, you find He exists and you should have had faith in him?
He explained that he would tell God that he had given mankind reason and logic, and that God had not given him a solid reason to believe in him.
An interesting and very rational response. I’m not sure that I can work that way. But I do sometimes wish God wouldn’t “hide” Himself from us quite so much.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.