Religionists - If Your Deity Was Proven To Be Unreal, How Would You React?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by curtsibling



And I could easily say you have a fetish for Sir Alec Guiness.

The Camel IS Civ2!!

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Indeed - the deity is eternal. Radically other to the natural world. The meal is part of this world, the product of the restlessly changing processes of nature, life, birth, growth, death. How can the eternal impact the temporal?? What does it mean to speak of G-d IN the world???? These are deep, questions.


They cannot be fully addressed in a forum such as this, and i am not certain at this point of my stand on them.


I think at this point, that a mystical/kabbalistic approach is more promising than a traditional theological approach. To advance my knowledge in this area I am currently reading Gershom Scholems "The Messianic Idea in Judaism" I am a little saddened by his critique of Martin Buber, since I thought Bubers attempt to link Hasidic mysticism with modern Existentialism might be part of the answer, but i find Scholems arguement (that Hasidic mysticism contains a Platonic component incompatible with existentialism) compelling.

OK, I find this stuff interesting.

This is the kind of info I like collecting in these threads.

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


The Camel IS Civ2!!

Dude, that was directed at our resident Jedi Smuglord.

[Ben Kenobi]

What does his edicts matter in this day and age?

The only matter to those who will listen, like your good self.

And that is precisely the point. It matters a great deal who disproves the existence of God to other Christians, of whom you are asking their opinion.

Where did you get the notion that I am German?

I'm pretty sure that you are not a native English speaker. German seems to fit well with what I know of you from the demogames, and such.

And I could easily say you have a fetish for Sir Alec Guiness.

I withdraw the earlier comment.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by curtsibling


OK, I find this stuff interesting.

This is the kind of info I like collecting in these threads.

You oughta read Soc.culture.jewish.moderated. I havent read it since its been moderated (nothing against moderation, just i went off in a different direction) . But it used to have, in between the Nazi trolls, and the off topic political rants, and the nastier personal squabbles and OCR (Orthodox vs Conservative vs Reform) wars, some really interesting tidbits.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
Has the following question been asked:

What would you do if a deity was proven to exist?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


See youre asking about some PARTICULAR set of critters - like asking me if there is an old guy with a beard, who says "gays are evil" and who wants you to sing hymns. Different from struggling with eternity as a principle - what is eternal? is eternity compatible with will??? etc.

What is this about eternity? Eternity is easy - it is an infinite length of time. What does it have to do with religion in general, though?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
dont play word games - if i define "nature" as the world that is observable, or the world that is subject to natural law, then nature != to the set of all that exists - at least not by definition.

I STILL get you. If something is not observable, how can you make any claim that it exists? And if it is observable, it is part of nature.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by curtsibling


We could also apply your rant here to the easter bunny, santa or a giant cosmic cucumber.

Because they are not any more unfeasible than the deity you have chosen to support.

And your attempts to sound high and mighty also come to naught, sir.

He and others are not trying to be "high and mighty" by asking that if you want to have serious, theological discussion, that you should do so with respect -- even while disagreeing with us, and asking INTELLIGENT questions.

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
And that is precisely the point. It matters a great deal who disproves the existence of God to other Christians, of whom you are asking their opinion.

Well, imagine the pope has announced that god is not real.

How would you react?

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I'm pretty sure that you are not a native English speaker. German seems to fit well with what I know of you from the demogames, and such.

LOL!

British born and bred, old fellow.
Perhaps you have me confused with someone else...

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I withdraw the earlier comment.

No malice intended from me!

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


You oughta read Soc.culture.jewish.moderated. I havent read it since its been moderated (nothing against moderation, just i went off in a different direction) . But it used to have, in between the Nazi trolls, and the off topic political rants, and the nastier personal squabbles and OCR (Orthodox vs Conservative vs Reform) wars, some really interesting tidbits.

I'll check it out!

[curtsibling]

It's been a fun night in postville.

But the hour draws late, and I still have work to do.

So I will return tomorrow, with a new thread!

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
I would probably examine other religions to see if all were disproven. If so, I would probably be a bit depressed for a while, then pick myself up and try to cling onto some hope that there was something beyond this corporeal existence, even without a god. Call me sentimental or naive, but I think that this all has a purpose.


Has the following question been asked:

What would you do if a deity was proven to exist?

Be pissed at it, but believe in it

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by skywalker


I STILL get you. If something is not observable, how can you make any claim that it exists? And if it is observable, it is part of nature.

I dont make a claim about it. I change my life based on my faith. Which is what, IIUC, Buber means by dialoguing with it. You're mixing up theology with dialogue. As Buber said (IIRC) god is not an IT or a HE god is a YOU!!! (Why he called his book I and thou)

[Kuciwalker]

"Faith" is not an argument. "Faith" means "I'm going to completely ignore logic and blindly cling to something comfortable".