Author Topic: Define God and Faith...  (Read 7525 times)

Sassy

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #25 on: July 30, 2016, 12:32:05 PM »
This reply is a classic example of why some discussion sites degenerate and fail.

What a ridiculous excuse.
Sites fail because of attitudes like your own.


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  Each of those sentences are about me, or your opinion of me, which is not what the topic is about.

Nothing about you only about what you have done... EASIER to tell the truth.


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  The topic is this: "Define God and Faith... It would be interesting to see the different views and discuss the way we all see these things."  If you already know your God and faith then it should be easy for you to define 'God', 'faith' 'Holy' and 'sacred' and continue the discussion.

The idea is for OTHERS to define God and Faith... AS it say on the tin....
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be interesting to see the different views and discuss the way we all see these things.

However the obvious facts of the Christian faith is not what we are discussing. Not my personal knowledge of those facts about the Christian faith.  Hence my replies have been on-topic and have been straightforward in letting you know this.




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  If, on the other hand, you are only interested in an ego trip or contest then you are not really 'interested in the different views' of others, and the discussion might just as well be terminated.

As above in my replies you cannot move the goal post now. EGO trips is ridiculous and absolutely NO WAY you could actually make that valid. Ekim just admit you got it wrong and if you cannot do as it says on the tin, DON'T reply. You have no valid argument in your false accusations. Seems your ego is the one with the dent in it.
Truth is you haven't a clue how to reply to my thread and the posts I have made because you simply do not have the ability to understand them. I don't mind that but bringing it to a slanging match is more your thing not mine.
As I said you make all the false accusations you want I know what I wrote and clearly why I wrote it. Would have been better if you had just moved on quietly. I have nothing to prove and as for ego trip. The evidence of the way I am treated here and as you join in with them... shows there can never be a ego trip here for me.

I want truth not ear ticklers...
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Brownie

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #26 on: July 30, 2016, 12:51:03 PM »
BR defined faith as I would like to suggest that this is a seriously flawed understanding of 'faith'.  Before my father died in 1982, I had faith in his decision-making abilities and his approach to life because I had seen both in action and bearing fruit.  I would use the same criteria for faith in anyone else, including a deity.  Oddly enough, from a purely scientific way of thinking, there was probably limited evidence to support the faith I had in my father, but experience provided the evidence I needed.
One needs faith, even when 'evidence' exists; in fact, even when 'evidence' exists, one has to have experience and understanding to validate that evidence.

That is so very true, it's all about having a relationship with God which transcends any differences in translation and interpretation of scripture, which we will all argue forever.  I think that is what Sassy means, hoping she doesn't mind me mentioning her in this context, when she says she "knows God".  The knowledge and understanding is something inside a person and that is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2016, 12:54:37 PM by Brownie »
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Enki

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #27 on: July 30, 2016, 02:21:03 PM »
In response to the OP:

As I have no direct experience of any god then I am left with no alternative than to listen to others as to how they conceptualise their god*, and attempt to glean from these views some sort of generalised picture of what the idea of 'god' is contained therein. I confess this is no easy task, as, as I see it, so many influences(cultural, historical, personal) have to be taken into account. Hence I am quite happy to leave it others to attempt their own description of their own particular god version. If you are talking only about a Christian God, then the same applies, except that I would try to limit my views to those expressed by Christians of widely different persuasions as much as possible, as these are the persons most likely to 'experience' their own particular version of this Christian God. Again, all I am really left with are generalities, although ones which involve Christ, salvation and sin.

As I understand it people have religious faith for a variety of reasons, sometimes intellectual but mostly associated with powerful feelings and experiences. For me, a person who experiences such religious faith is a person who has a strong(sometimes overwhelming) feeling of conviction that their particular faith is essential for themselves. Those feelings though are often translated into convictions that some sort of 'truths' must necessarily flow from their faith, and, given that they are seen as 'truths', then they are often seen as necessarily applicable to others, whether the 'others' accept them or not.

* Of course this does not discount information gleaned from many other sources which might include people of faith/no faith.
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ekim

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #28 on: July 30, 2016, 04:01:19 PM »
That is so very true, it's all about having a relationship with God which transcends any differences in translation and interpretation of scripture, which we will all argue forever.  I think that is what Sassy means, hoping she doesn't mind me mentioning her in this context, when she says she "knows God".  The knowledge and understanding is something inside a person and that is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
The trouble with that is that there have been many instances of people who believe that they are being guided by a divinity and have committed atrocities on the strength of it.  I should think that it would be better to err on the side of caution when it comes to claims to know God and consider the saying 'Beware of false prophets, who are like wolves in sheep’s clothing, Good produces beauty, harmony, completeness, and bad produces dis‑ease, dis‑harmony, partiality. Know them by what they produce.'  There are theologians like St Thomas Aquinas who say  'We cannot know what God is but rather what he is not.' which puts a dampener on 'define God'.

Maeght

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #29 on: July 30, 2016, 04:16:59 PM »
In response to the OP:

As I have no direct experience of any god then I am left with no alternative than to listen to others as to how they conceptualise their god

Absolutely - it is very difficult for someone with no religious beliefs to try to define God and faith - you can only respond to other people's descriptions.

ekim

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Re: Define God and Faith...
« Reply #30 on: July 30, 2016, 05:25:11 PM »
Absolutely - it is very difficult for someone with no religious beliefs to try to define God and faith - you can only respond to other people's descriptions.
Very difficult when the entity is declared ineffable.