God (or gods) do not exist

So if consciousness is not a chemical reaction, and not related to the soul, then what is it?

I have to admit I'm new to this area of research, but I am learning fast and am looking for more evidence to support what I've said... if it turns out that I'm wrong, I'll back down, but right now I still think i'm right

 

I don't know, I'm neither a great scientist nor a great mystic. I'm working on both, though mainly the latter. Knowledge is useful, but consciousness is key, IMO.

Still, seems to me that a purely physical universe is a fool's quest. It's a holdover from when we thought God was the Lawmaker, the master potter, and the universe was the pot, running according to His laws. But then we took God out and are left with this idiot universe, an artifact without a builder, somehow running itself. It makes no sense.

the new physics seem to be saying there is an idea-like component to the universe. That is, one of the qualities of a thing (an electron, or anything else) is consciousness. The whole damn thing is composed, at least partly, of consciousness.

A good book to check out is "The Dancing Wu Li Masters". It's about quantum physics without any math. I admit I haven't finished it, but so far, it sticks right to science, detailing what quantum physics is saying. What I mean is, don't let the title throw you, it's not a book about Eastern spirituality (although it is mentioned, given the similarity of it's conclusions to some spiritual traditions).

 

cambel i invite you to try to explasin your veiws without reffering to verses & quoteds, i started a thread in this same forum called "experiment" where i invite anyone from any religios bacckground to try to discuss the nature of god the univeres creation vs evolution good vs evil any spiritual concepts really, but with 2 simple rules..you must use thought, & u must not reffer to any sacred texts or religios dogma..& so fatrr not 1 single christian has accepted my challenge..perhaps because without the abilty to quote verses like a mindless robot they have absolutely no idea what god is?

 

i think it would be much more interesting to separate the belief in a god from the ritualistic practices that often surround that belief. both make up the basis of religion but are not interchangeable. i think it's those rituals (for example tithing or holly roller tent revivals) that turn people off to christianity. no one wants to be told what to see or believe, because the beauty of existence is in individual experience. i've always considered myself a christian, but when my childhood pastor said she truly believed Jesus physically walked on water, i just shook my head. if you think of god as a man in the sky with the power to shoot lightning bolts at you, then god sounds pretty damn silly.

when i rejoice in the privilege of a warm shower, or feel the crisp autumn breeze come back every year, that's when i feel god. i see him in my grandmother's hands when she kneads bread and hear him when my brother plays drums. god to me is the spirit of life; the energy in all things, good or evil, living or non. to me, when you have faith in that spirit, that energy, and that that energy flows throughout all things, that is when you have faith in god.

the ironic thing about faith in religion is that it is supposed to be a complete trust in god. yet so many people use god as a crutch to "explain" the things they can't understand. for example, when tragedy or death occurs..."it was his or her time," or it was "the devil's work." why people have to create polar identities to explain human actions, i don't fully understand. it's that commandeer mentality...god is just waiting with a stopwatch until it's your turn to die, or the devil is waiting to clutch on to you when you're vulnerable!! if that's the case, what is god's basis for choosing when it's your time, does he pick a number from a lottery machine??

when it comes down to it, fear forms the basis of many religions, because it helps explain the questions that people haven't sit down to iron out on their own. i remember being young and asking my mom who created god. of course, she couldn't answer, but said it wasn't something that i needed to know. wish i wouldn't have worried about heaven and hell back then; i was surrounded by god all along.

 

i submit that god exists because we created god, in our hearts & minds god is a thought..thoughts exist..
i win.wheres my cookie

 

They sure do exist i just got off the phone with = God.

 

nah you called me by accident..i just went along with it cause ii thought it was funny

 

ok, i understand the jew/christian 'reasoning' behind the blood sacrifices of OT, but i still consider the idea of the Almighty needing his humans to shed blood and cover their sins, totally bizarre, absurd, vulgar, and a concept born out of an early, unsophisticated religion/society.
for this reason alone, this idea that the unequalled perfect creator of the universe required a weird crude ritual like Blood Sacrifice (capitalized for effect )....well,
my gut cannot allow me to entertain belief in him.

there's so much weirdness and nonsensicality in the OT that reading it is just a lesson in primitive spirituality to me.

all this is obvious. any intelligent and honest christian cannot possibly deny that Almighty God denying his creation shrimp for dinner (Lev11:9-12) is totally absurd. lol... seriously, i have intelligent christian friends, they get good grades in uni, are politically aware, socially graceful, etc. i ask them about OT blood sacrifices and I CAN TELL they feel awkward about the subject, want to forget that whole bit in OT. it doesn't make sense.

The priest is to sprinkle the blood against the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols...Lev17

with all due respect, Come On.

now, i wonder if you agree with me here, or if you would admit it. in any case, you abandon the issue of Bible Inelegancies and turn to another case - the prophecies. i'll tell you now that in studying the early history of the christian faith, and how its systems and doctrines came into being, so much was adopted and moulded out of adjacent religions, cults, philosophies, etc that its originality is more than dubious. i don't give a hoot about the so-called prophecies; these are purposefully vague and fulfilled after the fact. i mean, christ rides into town on an ass and a colt, says the 'prophecy'. so, a century after christ dies, the Writers think, yea... christ did a lot of riding around. "and this one time here, i seem to remember he definitely rode into town on an ass and a colt. so what if it doesn't make sense, jimmy? he's gotta fulfil all the prophecies." every religion has its 'reasoning' for being the One True Faith. writing years after the fact from the point of view of someone who wants to prove Jesus' divinity is going to make the prophecies "come true".
from a clear perspective, anyone would find these things absurd.


peace

 

that was well written, astralweeks. i agree with you that too many people seem to think they need the 'sturdiness' of religion and its doctrines. you can be peaceful with simple wonder, love, respect for your being in what could be called 'spirituality' if it didn't sound so hokey. it's not necessary to go through meaningless motions and rituals and have piles of religious rulebooks. it seems that doctrines are what both harden and stabilize spirituality, and what allow it to crumble in the end. we don't actually need to harden and stabilize anything.

this reminds me of a tv ad that's running here, i don't know if you get it where you're at. it's put out by united christian churches - something or other - and goes like this: a smiling blonde dude says, "i'm not into religion, but a lot of what jesus said really makes sense!" and follows with a phone number to call for a free jesus info booklet. it's on billboards and stuff too, like everywhere i go i see "but a lot of what jesus said...really..makes..sense!" lol
i find this really funny because, 1.it sounds like the church is feeling sypathetic to those who can't swallow the poof and pillow of the doctrine (which is happening more and more in today's society), and 2.what could the pamphlet say but "repent and ye shall be saved"?, for that is what the religion is all about - salvation. jesus said, no one shall come to the father but through me, surely the christian writers of the pamphlet aren't going to leave that bit out.
if this guy isn't into religion, then jesus might not be the philosopher for him. there's plenty of other places and people available for intelligent views on how to treat your fellow man and live a 'good' life. the things jesus said weren't exactly anything new - in fact, i think that a person doesn't even need to read on other people's views on 'goodness'. surely if they take a moment to ask the question of themselves, they'll understand what love and respect means.

anyway, good post & welcome to the forums!

peace

 

the propgesies of my existance
1: there shall come a time when these prophessies shall come to be written and that time shall be known as now
2: but the knowledge of these words shal not be known untill a time later
3: ye shall hear a voice telling you of the truth of the prophesies
4: many shall laugh
5: there shall come those who will call these prophesies false

 

and now you know

 

all these thing are true

 

was that a gigle? only 1 sign left, who shal come forth & be the antisoaringeagle & denounce me asa false prophet thereby fullfillng my final prohesy?

 

pick me, pick me

 

are you calling me a false prophet?

 

omgzors soaringeagle is god, he fufilled like 3 prophecies. how can you argue with that

 

well dot worry your all safe untill someone calls mea false prophet ..i'm a freindly god

 

i just want to help fulfil the final prophecy. plus it would be cool to have the title Antisoaringeagle.

 

all the prophesies have been fulfilled the antisoaringeagle has come provclaiming mea false prophet therby providing the final proof i am the true one for i have fortold it & it has come to pass..now being that i am a gente lobing god i wont destroy theworld, instead i'll get ya all stoned

peace & love to all my children

 

IPU - need I say more?