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Do you believe in a (personal) god or gods?
- Thread starter frg001
- Start date
Why ...
Parenthetically, your sentence is more than a little sloppy. One can envision a nonpersonal God without being a pantheist.
frg001
Complex bunch of atoms
It is purely a personal example. Yes, there exist many ideas of non-personal gods. For me I can understand and empathise with the pantheistic viewpoint in a way (in that the whole of existence is all part of "god" (although I think the word "god" is extremely misleading here). The question was trying to simplify and quantify the number who believe in a (for want of better words) "bible (or insert whatever religious text you like) god, or gods"
Someone in another post made what I feel to be a quite preposterous claim that 95% of people "believe in a god". Somehow I feel it is closer to maybe 70-80%, and quite a bit less if you take the "industrialized" world separately.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Well, I do know that in the United States, less than 1% of the population self-reported as Atheist, Agnostic, Secular or humanist in the 2000 census. 13% described themselves as "Irreligious". That leaves, assuming accurate data, 81% to 86% of the population, depending on how many of the 5% of the population who refused to respond to the question are religious. According to the same figures, 77% of Americans are Christian, the single largest religion, and the single largest group being Catholic, making for 24% of Americans.
frg001
Complex bunch of atoms
Of the non third world countries, I would hazard a guess that the US has by far the highest percentage of believers.
In Sweden where I currently live, being an atheist is irrelevant.Same in the UK. In the US admitting such can lead to open hostility.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Please can you define what you mean by "personal God". My perception of what is considered to be a personal God may be different to yours.
frg001
Complex bunch of atoms
I guess one that can be identified with, communicated with and has any conscious consideration for individuals, or maybe more importantly, worshippers. Deistic, theistic versions of 'god' The bible god, the koran god etc. Not just a concept, but a 'being' with the ability to feel emotions and make decisions.Please can you define what you mean by "personal God". My perception of what is considered to be a personal God may be different to yours.
Anywhere near Lund? The Bishop there (Antje Jackelén) impressed me as a remarkable person.
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Hmmm.. but then again, the Deist God isn't really interested in things, so I don't know whether it would be considered personal, impersonal, transpersonal, whatever.
At the moment, I don't know what I believe in regarding this; I believe in a higher being, but I don't know whether or not said being has emotions, and if it does - if it actually gives a crud about humanity. However, I certainly do not believe in a deity who has 'wrath' and kills innocent people, nor one who knows everything, past, present, future, whatnot.
So, I dunno. Do I? Your guess is as good as mine, and it's my belief!
frg001
Complex bunch of atoms
Hmmm.. but then again, the Deist God isn't really interested in things, so I don't know whether it would be considered personal, impersonal, transpersonal, whatever.
At the moment, I don't know what I believe in regarding this; I believe in a higher being, but I don't know whether or not said being has emotions, and if it does - if it actually gives a crud about humanity. However, I certainly do not believe in a deity who has 'wrath' and kills innocent people, nor one who knows everything, past, present, future, whatnot.
So, I dunno. Do I? Your guess is as good as mine, and it's my belief!
It is very interesting however that so far, twice as many people who have decided to respond, do not believe...
Heartfelt
Member
I don't feel there should be any hostility towards one who believes there is no God...You have every right to feel/believe what you chose just understand that as a Christian I believe your soul is worth more than you would imagine...but hostility due to you being atheist...that is just wrong. In all the world everyone has every right to believe in whatever they choose.
adelpit346
Member
i can not say i believe for to believe is to be able to prove
i can not prove any thing
i only imagine that THeLORd1JESUsisGOdALMIGHTybyTHEFATHERinHIm
my imaginings do not profit me
to think is to have the truth in you
to notion is to have an erronious opinion
i hate opinion
i hate co-incidence
i would rather not have come into this world were it that i live my entire life and not gain the ability to believe
to be forever insane and ignorant all things necessary to create life is to admit i do not have an understanding of how i came to exist and were it that electrons, neutrons and protrons decided to organize life then does it not make sence that they would have passed to me the same ability to control the attractive and repulsive forces of nature
but they did not
hense they did not create me
but yet i imagine i exist and am posting a useless message in this forum
useless for there is none in all the world that has what i seek
and insane creatures spending time in pointless conjucture with each other will in the end offer up no answers
in short we all imagine we are
we all suffer the same
we all desire the same
we are
or perhaps we are not
i am nothing0
do i desire that there is a GOd to save us from ourselves?
i do
i can not prove any thing
i only imagine that THeLORd1JESUsisGOdALMIGHTybyTHEFATHERinHIm
my imaginings do not profit me
to think is to have the truth in you
to notion is to have an erronious opinion
i hate opinion
i hate co-incidence
i would rather not have come into this world were it that i live my entire life and not gain the ability to believe
to be forever insane and ignorant all things necessary to create life is to admit i do not have an understanding of how i came to exist and were it that electrons, neutrons and protrons decided to organize life then does it not make sence that they would have passed to me the same ability to control the attractive and repulsive forces of nature
but they did not
hense they did not create me
but yet i imagine i exist and am posting a useless message in this forum
useless for there is none in all the world that has what i seek
and insane creatures spending time in pointless conjucture with each other will in the end offer up no answers
in short we all imagine we are
we all suffer the same
we all desire the same
we are
or perhaps we are not
i am nothing0
do i desire that there is a GOd to save us from ourselves?
i do
Breathe
Hostis humani generis
Hmmm. Maybe it's because of the bad rep? Or they do not want to be criticised - since the majority of posters in here have said "No", saying "Yes" would make some people feel uncomfortable, since they are the odd one out, and thus the easiest way is not to respond.
Generally, there are some who will regard personal God as one who feels negative emotions: anger, hatred, jealousy, favouritism, etc. People do not want such a deity in the modern world. I know I don't. It seems as though the personal God is within mainly the Abrahamic religions, and is exclusivist (that spelled right?). People are slowly becoming more inclusive, I guess.
Out of curiosity, do you think that my current view leans me towards a personal deity, or an impersonal or transpersonal one?
cbachinger
Peace in wisdom
I believe in Prime Creator (female entity), who created the Creator Gods (male and female), who in turn, through their own evolution of knowledge gain and encouraged by Prime Creator, created vast numbers of civilizations (our known knowledge of the Universe and beyond what we dont know), including us.
We are all a genetic experiment made by the very hands of the Creator Gods. Jesus (aka Immanuel), is the son to a specific Creator God chosen to teach Earth man in those days the necessary knowledge to evolve more.
Jesus did infact do many things that the Bible tells us but not all or not exactly how it was written. For example, when Jesus went into the desert to be tempted by Lucifer; not so. He went to the far side of the world (for those days)...a place closer to Russia actually. There, he met with his Godly father and the other Creator Gods and they were the ones who gave him the immense knowledge of life which would help Earth man more knowledgable about life. But because his teachings were not in favour of the local leaders as with other reasons, he was done away with.
'God' simply means 'great knowledge' and that was Jesus's biggest weapon but he was too early for people to accept it; thats why he died. There are more biological reasons why people didnt believe him.
One of our biggest problems, is that we are so spiritually low in nature and there is so much that we are missing out that we are dragging ourselves backwards instead of forwards. We need to improve ourselves spiritually, not religiously. Religion has been a mind control and profit organization since it began. Jesus didnt create Christianity, the early Christian's did. Jesus simply tried to bring in knowledge and spiritual wisdom. His miracles of healing the sick (blind people, leprasy, crippled people) are all very possible today through spiritual healing, we just have to evolve ourselves in spirituality to achieve such abilities.
For example, those people who do not get sick often have high energy levels within them that keeps their immune system strong and fights off most sickness. These people are able to heal others and correct their chakra energy centres that keeps them healthy. I am one of these people.
We brag about high technologies but we have 2/3 of the world's population in poverty.
We are all a genetic experiment made by the very hands of the Creator Gods. Jesus (aka Immanuel), is the son to a specific Creator God chosen to teach Earth man in those days the necessary knowledge to evolve more.
Jesus did infact do many things that the Bible tells us but not all or not exactly how it was written. For example, when Jesus went into the desert to be tempted by Lucifer; not so. He went to the far side of the world (for those days)...a place closer to Russia actually. There, he met with his Godly father and the other Creator Gods and they were the ones who gave him the immense knowledge of life which would help Earth man more knowledgable about life. But because his teachings were not in favour of the local leaders as with other reasons, he was done away with.
'God' simply means 'great knowledge' and that was Jesus's biggest weapon but he was too early for people to accept it; thats why he died. There are more biological reasons why people didnt believe him.
One of our biggest problems, is that we are so spiritually low in nature and there is so much that we are missing out that we are dragging ourselves backwards instead of forwards. We need to improve ourselves spiritually, not religiously. Religion has been a mind control and profit organization since it began. Jesus didnt create Christianity, the early Christian's did. Jesus simply tried to bring in knowledge and spiritual wisdom. His miracles of healing the sick (blind people, leprasy, crippled people) are all very possible today through spiritual healing, we just have to evolve ourselves in spirituality to achieve such abilities.
For example, those people who do not get sick often have high energy levels within them that keeps their immune system strong and fights off most sickness. These people are able to heal others and correct their chakra energy centres that keeps them healthy. I am one of these people.
We brag about high technologies but we have 2/3 of the world's population in poverty.
Darkwater
Well-Known Member
I believe in myself & my connection to my universe,which through questioning & understanding can lead the the Universe.
As such I am greater in my own image & stand shoulder to shoulder with beings of greater duration than my (small) self,for my greater self is of greater duration.
By better allignment to universal energy I can become as *light being* such is my love & understanding of the resonation of darkness,the light at midnight.
I believe in the everything(Supreme)
I believe in the nothing(supreme)
I believe in the everything in between supreme everything & supreme nothing(shadow),for all is love & it is just what you make of it.
ps,for the avoidance of doubt I voted *yes*
daimon time is just a dam in time(duration)
As such I am greater in my own image & stand shoulder to shoulder with beings of greater duration than my (small) self,for my greater self is of greater duration.
By better allignment to universal energy I can become as *light being* such is my love & understanding of the resonation of darkness,the light at midnight.
I believe in the everything(Supreme)
I believe in the nothing(supreme)
I believe in the everything in between supreme everything & supreme nothing(shadow),for all is love & it is just what you make of it.
ps,for the avoidance of doubt I voted *yes*
daimon time is just a dam in time(duration)
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