God's purpose

[logger]

Apparently it is the grave for me and nothing more according to the OT.

Aren't you glad you got to choose?

 

[logger]

I remember that skit. I also like the one where he goes to hell and offers the tiny guillotine lol

Those words don't mean anything. That's the big secret of religion: they say obtuse things translated from a translation that don't mean anything at all, and tell you if you just believe hard enough it will make sense. But it never does.

No it has nothing to do with that.

 

[Loss Leader]

No you're wrong, many answers just take time, but of course you're very busy, I understand.

You gaze at your own navel as long as you want. Let me know if you find lint.

 

[logger]

You gaze at your own navel as long as you want. Let me know if you find lint.

I already know the answer to that.

 

[Apathia]

He created the Atomic World as a substratum to the Chemical World.
He created the Chemical World as a substratum to the Biological World.
He created the Biological World as a substratum for the World of Chickens.
So a chicken would cross a road, and you would ask why.

 

[fuelair]

He created the Atomic World as a substratum to the Chemical World.
He created the Chemical World as a substratum to the Biological World.
He created the Biological World as a substratum for the World of Chickens.
So a chicken would cross a road, and you would ask why.

 

[Aridas]

Something to ponder. What was God's purpose for creating the world, universe, and man?

OK maybe I should have fleshed it out a bit in the beginning. My focus is on the Abrahamic god who is happily filling up heaven with saved souls.

Is this the reason then for original creation? So this god can surround himself with companions? Companions who can heap their praise and grovel to him for eternity?

I can't see any other purpose but then I don't know the ways of god, (just thew this in so theists don't need to respond with it).

Actually, you're still not specific enough. Which version of the Abrahamic God? More specifically, what traits would it supposedly have? If it has a version of Omniscience that actually properly qualifies as such, for example, we can rule out curiousity, creativity, exploration, and the like. For your suggestions, you forgot "hell" incidentally, where the absurdly overwhelming majority of people would end up, going by most versions. If the version of God in question had omniscience, a viable possibility is that the God is actually just really, really bored and doing things like creating us and messing with us as a way to pass the "time."

Going past that when it comes to heaven and what you suggested, going by the little that the Bible actually says about heaven, it sounds more like "companions" would be horribly inaccurate. "Slaves" or "servants" for eternity sounds more like it.

 

[Navigator]

What purpose could any GOD have in relation to the universe? The choices are limited in that dept.

 

[Navigator]

The only entity that truly exists is an Ultimate Intelligence. It isi neither good nor evil. It created the Universe in its mind for entertainment.

Something to do...sounds reasonable, if that be the case...

But a really good story needs heroes and villains, so God ( the good guy with the white hat) and Satan (the evil one) were also created. But they are not allowed to prove reveal themselves and can only operate "behind the scenes".

Classic case of Christianity. So first "it is not good or evil' and then a 'good' story needs a villain?

Organised religion is the only thing in this case which needs a villain...the best stories don't have villains and heroes...

It is possible that God was thought up first, and he/she created the universe and the garden of Eden. But perfection was a flop in the entertainment field, so the snake and Satan entered the picture.

Or - the evil that humans do had to be 'explained' but the explanation had gaps and flaws which reflected on that idea of god...ultimately making that god appear to be evil as a consequence.

To make things really interesting, souls and spirits entered the story. The soul evolves as it goes through rebirths. The spirit is an intermediate energy form that the soul uses to interact with living organisms, and it decays and gets re-cycled.

Dancing through - morphing on...

But without science and evolution, the story again becomes tedious. Eat, drink and be merry has its limits. Atomic bombs, space travel, Big Bangs and alternate universes are much more fun.

Because they are real. Spirits and souls and gods etc are not known to be real in the same way. Although alternate universes are theory...might be real might not be real...but anyway...

The story has gotten very interesting lately since Satan seems to be winning. The world is over-populated, under-resourced, there is physical and moral decay. But all is not lost. God has a plan. He will cause/allow a pandemic to evolve and spread, and two-thirds of the worlds population will die out.

Seems reasonable if the god in question is unable to prevent such a happening. Or even if it is unwilling...a kind of 'harden up' learning curve as humans progress into thorough understanding of cause and effect etc...likely doesn't matter a hoot if souls and spirits and continuation of individual consciousness are real events...or for that matter, even if they aren't.

Religion will get a boost and mankind will try to live cooperatively together (for while at least). Religions will have to re-examine their belief systems in order to achieve such order. Those that do not may die out.

Watch this space...organised religion refraining from organising what people should believe? Priceless.

We may all be illusions, and there are no limits to the bounds of such a story, but it is all very real for us humans. Those who understand the rules, and take advantage of them get benefits. Others may have another chance in another rebirth, but some may be terminated and out of the game.

Unless of course the nature of consciousness is eternal...then while this game may be over for the individual, other games will come into play.

Do I get a gold star for the most creative (and logical) explanation?

Brownie points are more valuable.

Oh. I forgot. Where did the Ultimate Intelligence come from. It just is! And has always been.

Quite a reasonable conclusion.

 

[fuelair]

Ask your pastor if I'm making any sense.

I think you missed her rather clear implication that she has none.

 

[fuelair]

The answer is for us to know him.

Carnally I am quite sure!!!

 

[PartSkeptic]

Just like everything in the bible, god is the ultimate out. All you have to say is that God has some sort of plan and it's impossible for us to understand. Boom! All questions answered.

That's why I don't accept as a given that there even is a god.

If there is a God he/she will be intelligent. Intelligence entities have a purpose or a plan. No God, no plan.

Do you not think that entities that are much less powerful and intelligent lack the ability to second-guess the seriously powerful entity with respect to what they are thinking/planning/doing?

You get back to debating whether God exists. Your belief versus others.

 

[Thor 2]

Actually, you're still not specific enough. Which version of the Abrahamic God? More specifically, what traits would it supposedly have? If it has a version of Omniscience that actually properly qualifies as such, for example, we can rule out curiousity, creativity, exploration, and the like. For your suggestions, you forgot "hell" incidentally, where the absurdly overwhelming majority of people would end up, going by most versions. If the version of God in question had omniscience, a viable possibility is that the God is actually just really, really bored and doing things like creating us and messing with us as a way to pass the "time."

Going past that when it comes to heaven and what you suggested, going by the little that the Bible actually says about heaven, it sounds more like "companions" would be horribly inaccurate. "Slaves" or "servants" for eternity sounds more like it.

Yes indeed I agree with you Aridas. If the purpose is to create "saved souls" to pander to his, (oops - His), needs then it's a very sloppy job. Given that, according to Christians, the harvesting of these souls has only been possible since Jesus did his thing, all the souls before that had to finish up in the wailing and gnashing of teeth place, and even today only a very few percent will make the grade. Far far more of the souls this "good god" is churning out are going to keep the devil company.

 

[Thor 2]

And you theists that are putting your spade in here. Can't you rack your brains and come up with some sort of coherent answer to my question?

You all seem to be dodging the question and going off on tangents.

 

[asydhouse]

Yes indeed I agree with you Aridas. If the purpose is to create "saved souls" to pander to his, (oops - His), needs then it's a very sloppy job. Given that, according to Christians, the harvesting of these souls has only been possible since Jesus did his thing, all the souls before that had to finish up in the wailing and gnashing of teeth place, and even today only a very few percent will make the grade. Far far more of the souls this "good god" is churning out are going to keep the devil company.

It has become clear to me that the so-called devil is actually just the god. The disguise of a loving god is a pretty thin and cheap costume over the ropes of the old consumer of souls.

Think about it: why does god want you in heaven? So you can lavish worship on his lascivious bulk. How is that any different from eating the vast majority of people he has cast into the hell?

It's a con, and the god is a monster, as evidenced in the genocidal psychopathy in the old testament… and slyly in the human sacrifice of the new.

Once you realise it, it's bloody obvious!

 

[tinribmancer]

The purpose of all gods is to get the ones that claim to speak to and for him laid, easy lifestyle, and to control people.

Like The Illuminati...

Does that mean that Patrick Stewart is a god, too?

 

[Thor 2]

It has become clear to me that the so-called devil is actually just the god. The disguise of a loving god is a pretty thin and cheap costume over the ropes of the old consumer of souls.

Think about it: why does god want you in heaven? So you can lavish worship on his lascivious bulk. How is that any different from eating the vast majority of people he has cast into the hell?

It's a con, and the god is a monster, as evidenced in the genocidal psychopathy in the old testament… and slyly in the human sacrifice of the new.

Once you realise it, it's bloody obvious!

You won't get any argument from me on that one asydhouse. It is most certainly bloody obvious!

 

[MikeG]

Ask your pastor if I'm making any sense.

I don't have one of those. I doubt many here do. Instead, we become self-reliant in the judgement of what makes sense, and what doesn't, as relying on a third person/ intermediary adds a whole layer of unnecessary complexity and potential error.

Oh..........and no, you aren't making any sense.

 

[Aridas]

Yes indeed I agree with you Aridas. If the purpose is to create "saved souls" to pander to his, (oops - His), needs then it's a very sloppy job. Given that, according to Christians, the harvesting of these souls has only been possible since Jesus did his thing, all the souls before that had to finish up in the wailing and gnashing of teeth place, and even today only a very few percent will make the grade. Far far more of the souls this "good god" is churning out are going to keep the devil company.

Depends on the particular brand of theology invoked, incidentally. For at least some versions, there's a bit of a caveat there. For those who are completely unreached, if the person lived a completely good and righteous life (whatever that actually means given the varying interpretations of such), they would be let into heaven. This tends to apply to before Jesus, as well. Of course, if they were told about Jesus on their deathbed and they failed to accept it then, whether or not they were completely good and righteous wouldn't really matter anymore.

 

[arthwollipot]

You're over thinking it, the answer I gave you is the reason.

"The answer is for us to know him" is not a reason for anything.

At best, it can be recast as "I can't tell you - you have to find out for yourself" which, while a complete cop-out, is actually an answer. All answers are responses, but not all responses are answers. Your response is not an answer to anything.