Does God exist....

[Saint Frankenstein]

Saint Frankenstein:

So I hope you aren't offended by my asking, but how do you know you are sane? Please understand, it's a philosophical question, not intended to be an insult.

I've never had a psychotic break or disordered thinking. An insane person never questions if they're sane.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Hmm. Maybe uneducated? When I think irrational, I think uncontrolled behavior rather than childhood playfulness and a teen testing the limits. Maybe irrational would apply to adults who still exibit the arrested behaviors as a child or teen. The child/teen are acting in their age group. An adult in the latter, according to society (us)standards, would not be.

The terminology aside, do you think this:

Take an athlete's superstition for instance. An athlete might use a lucky item. Despite being a completely rational person in everything else, they demonstrate this irrationality. Why? I would suggest that it is a need to control and ego believing they can control.

could apply to a want or need to pray. I wouldnt say prayer doesnt work, I have experienced the works of prayer. I was also challeged because I dont pray to God how are my prayers answered and by whom. It is as if our beliefs dictate who prayers go to. Which Id probe as a mind over matter thing. The heart doesnt discriminate.

Anyway, you have good points. I normally can have these talks with non mainstreme believers and self identified athiest.

 

[Spockrates]

I've never had a psychotic break or disordered thinking. An insane person never questions if they're sane.

Well, I suppose an insane person is like a person who is dreaming. The two don't know what they are experiencing is not real, at least not until they wake up. So if you don't mind my asking, has anyone ever questioned your sanity? If the question is too personal, we can talk about something else.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Well, I suppose an insane person is like a person who is dreaming. The two don't know what they are experiencing is not real, at least not until they wake up. So if you don't mind my asking, has anyone ever questioned your sanity? If the question is too personal, we can talk about something else.

No, no one's questioned my sanity. Lol.

 

[Spockrates]

No, no one's questioned my sanity. Lol.

Just checking! LOL!

So the words that come into your thoughts--how do you know they are not your own? Or are they feelings rather than words?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Just checking! LOL!

So the words that come into your thoughts--how do you know they are not your own?

It's hard to explain, but it was like hearing something on a speaker, but in my head. It also was not my voice. This is more something you just know.

 

[Curious George]

Why George, you ARE curious!

Of course I am. However it might have some relevance. Care to share?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I understand. I have had those too; but, I associate them with my family who have passed. Also, in times where I almost gone into accidents, that voice would yell, I mean yell NO. Id be like, okay, okay. Later, Im glad I didnt go through with it. Its an inner feeling. I would be uncomfortable to say it is from the mind because I live in a christian environment where experiences like that come from the heart.

Then it dawned on me that the heart is a combination of what we experience or percieve from our minds and body. It connected everything, so when I think of my Buddhanature, I think of the nature of my mind and body combined. They are in one word a person would call the heart.

So we can hear things from "God", ancestors, spirits, and say they come from our heart. Since we can har them as ijner thoughts, i feel the mind is involved too.

Maybe the question is not whether God exists, but whether we have a need to believe in God?

I say this lightly, if one finds out they

Carlita:

Interesting premise, but I don't think (1), (2) or (3) apply to me, at least not in this instance: Many years ago when I was in college I was engaged in an activity I liked and had no idea was wrong. OK, this might sound like I'm a nut job, but please bear with me. I then heard the words, "This is wrong." I heard them not with my ears, but in my thoughts. Although I was not thinking them.

Now, looking back I have wondered if I was insane, but dismissed the idea as improbable. For I'm now twice as old as I was then, and I never heard such a voice before or since. I mean, if this was some psychotic episode, why did it occur only then? If I was schizophrenic, wouldn't I hear voices, instead of one voice that only spoke to me once?

So for me, personally this was convincing evidence that either God exists, or someone communicated to me with telepathy--if such an ability is possible outside of science fiction. But what do you think, Carlita?

 

[Spockrates]

Of course I am. However it might have some relevance. Care to share?

Maybe when we get to know each other a little better.

So tell me, why choose the name of a monkey?

 

[Curious George]

Hmm. Maybe uneducated? When I think irrational, I think uncontrolled behavior rather than childhood playfulness and a teen testing the limits. Maybe irrational would apply to adults who still exibit the arrested behaviors as a child or teen. The child/teen are acting in their age group. An adult in the latter, according to society (us)standards, would not be.

The terminology aside, do you think this:
could apply to a want or need to pray. I wouldnt say prayer doesnt work, I have experienced the works of prayer. I was also challeged because I dont pray to God how are my prayers answered and by whom. It is as if our beliefs dictate who prayers go to. Which Id probe as a mind over matter thing. The heart doesnt discriminate.

Anyway, you have good points. I normally can have these talks with non mainstreme believers and self identified athiest.

Yes, I would say that prayer fits well into superstition. However I wouldn't make the jump to say because superstition lacks merit in some cases it lacks merit in all cases. But the superstition comes generally from the same motivation for control.

 

[Curious George]

Maybe when we get to know each other a little better.

So tell me, why choose the name of a monkey?

My name is George. And, I am curious.

 

[Spockrates]

It's hard to explain, but it was like hearing something on a speaker, but in my head. It also was not my voice. This is more something you just know.

What you heard, were they words, or some feeling, such as a strong conviction that some action is the right or wrong one to take?

 

[Spockrates]

My name is George. And, I am curious.

Hi George. My name is Chris, and I admire the logic of Spock and the curiosity, humor and method of Socrates, hence my name Spockrates. How do you do?

 

[Curious George]

Hi George. My name is Chris, and I admire the logic of Spock and the curiosity and method of Socrates, hence my name Spockrates. How do you do?

Well, but perhaps we could meet up on chat for this portion, however if u are willing to note what you were doing I think that would be of relevance here. However if you would feel better discussing this whole topic in chat, we can do that as well.

 

[Spockrates]

I say this lightly, if one finds out they

Please continue.

 

[Spockrates]

Well, but perhaps we could meet up on chat for this portion, however if u are willing to note what you were doing I think that would be of relevance here. However if you would feel better discussing this whole topic in chat, we can do that as well.

I think perhaps if you give me an example to demonstrate relevance it might help me understand your meaning.

 

[Curious George]

I think perhaps if you give me an example to demonstrate relevance it might help me understand your meaning.

Ah, I don't mind that. Was waiting for you in chat btw. Well there are several things that my curious nature questions. Is this "wrong" activity something you were taught was wrong (by your parents or society) why did you feel no guilt, was this the first time you were engaging in such a behavior, how did this activity contribute to your mental state at the time and location (generic of course) is important as well. If for instance you were smoking marijuana, first we can note that drug use has a correlating relationship with triggering psychological conditions, we can also note that drug use is seen as wrong by many cultures. While you remember consciously feeling "no guilt" an act that was likely instilled as an immoral act is likely one which a person would actually feel some ambivalence toward. And if not consciously then certainly subconsciously as the society in which they live or the people that raise them have instilled such views.

I think perhaps if you give me an example to demonstrate relevance it might help me understand your meaning.

 

[Deidre]

People come up with a lot of ideas to comfort them through difficult times. If someone 'conjures' up an idea of a deity...knowing such an idea can't be proven...why is that so bad? ^_^

 

[Deidre]

No, God is not some coping technique that only exists in the minds of believers. He is the Infinite One, the Creator. He doesn't need me, you or anyone or anything else to exist. But we sure do need Him to exist!

Well, there are many happy atheists in the world...who would say you are wrong. I desire to believe, but if others don't...perhaps they know something we don't. lol Just like we think we know something they don't.

Life is funny that way.

 

[Curious George]

People come up with a lot of ideas to comfort them through difficult times. If someone 'conjures' up an idea of a deity...knowing such an idea can't be proven...why is that so bad? ^_^

If I am not mistaken, I don't think the op was suggesting it is bad. It was more of asking for critical analysis of why people come to such beliefs and what role the psyche has in this construction.