does god exist

[Storm]

"
Pick one and give it a try."

Practically every religion can be disproven from a scientific basis, i.e. miracles can't happen, scientific laws can't be broken. Depends on what kind of proof you want.

You keep saying that, but you never provide the evidence. Why is that?

 

[Runewolf1973]

The problem with picking apart religion, is that is is not about science. It is about belief. People can believe in something all they want, it is not a bad thing. I believe in aliens from outer space, but I have never actually seen one. Even doctors have seen and witnessed "miracles" happen. They can't explain it. There is well documented evidence of this, but is it an act of God? I personally think it is the power of will. Or in other words, the power of our spirit.

 

[Autodidact]

Really? And how exactly did you calculate that possibility? I think it's just your bias showing.

That's our usual definition and criteria for distinguishing real things from not-real things--whether other people see them too.

Talk about moving the goalposts!

I was trying to wrack my brain for any possible way that an purely subjective experience could be reliable evidence of anything. I can't think of any.

I am unaware of any reports of such experiences.

Consider it a theoretical question. For example, if someone has a revelation of God, different from yours--I mean, that the nature of God is entirely different, then what? What if they had a revelation that they were the only ones getting revelations? (like the Mormon prophets for example.)

 

[Autodidact]

I'll give you one, then. Are you familiar with the findings of neurotheology? They say that such experiences are entirely distinct from hallucination. Furthermore, my experience was not of the physical senses, which I believe halllucinations are.

No, please share--both about nuerotheology, whatever that may be, and your experience.

That are the exact opposite of mine, irreconcilably contradicting them? Yes, I am.

Well, what are yours?

 

[Autodidact]

The problem with picking apart religion, is that is is not about science. It is about belief. People can believe in something all they want, it is not a bad thing. I believe in aliens from outer space, but I have never actually seen one. Even doctors have seen and witnessed "miracles" happen. They can't explain it. There is well documented evidence of this, but is it an act of God? I personally think it is the power of will. Or in other words, the power of our spirit.

We have a term for believing things that contradict the evidence, Runewolf, and it isn't "religious."

 

[Storm]

That's our usual definition and criteria for distinguishing real things from not-real things--whether other people see them too.

Other people experience God, so it must be real. See the problem with that line of thinking?

I was trying to wrack my brain for any possible way that an purely subjective experience could be reliable evidence of anything. I can't think of any.

Say you're hiking in the mountains. You see a parrot, but there's nobody around to corroborate your story. Was the parrot there?

Consider it a theoretical question. For example, if someone has a revelation of God, different from yours--I mean, that the nature of God is entirely different, then what?

I think the vast majority of us automatically fit such experiences into our pre-existing cultural frameworks. God is incomprehensible, and therefore we're all wrong about it, myself included. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

What if they had a revelation that they were the only ones getting revelations? (like the Mormon prophets for example.)

Sheer hubris, and a blatant bid for power.

 

[Storm]

No, please share--both about nuerotheology, whatever that may be,

Neurtheology is the study of the neurology of mystical experiences. (We've discussed it before, remember?)

What would you like to know (Please bear in mind that I'm just a layman)

and your experience.

Well, what are yours?

Auto, I'm not willing to put the account of my theophany on the open forum for several reasons. If you're genuinely interested, PM me. If not, that's cool.

 

[Runewolf1973]

For some people anything that can't be explained is an act of "God". Yes there are destructive forces in nature such as tornadoes, volcanoes, and earthquakes, but it is just natural for those things to happen. They are not acts of "God". Yes the human body is capable of wonders that boggle even the senses of scientific reason or physics. There is lot out there that is unexplained. A lot that might never be explained. But it is one thing that no one can take away from another person is their belief. For some, it is all they have. It keeps them alive. I figure just let them be, they'll come to their own realizations sooner or later. ALL will be revealed. Death and the Afterlife (if their is one) will come soon enough. I'm open to possibilities, that is not a sign of weakness though. I just prefer to be open-minded. That is wisdom.

The truth is out there somewhere, but not everyone is ready or willing to accept it. For myself, truth means more than evidence or belief. Both can lead to truth. But sometimes the scientific "evidence" we find, or that which we "believe" doesn't reveal ALL the truth. There is always more out there than we "think" we know.

To me, evidence is only part truth. It is like having pieces of a big jigsaw puzzle. We might think we know what the picture looks like, but until we find ALL the pieces and put them all together we will never know what the whole picture really looks like. With only some of the pieces as evidence, we can only make make assumtions as to what the rest of the picture looks like. We must have ALL the evidence to fully prove or disprove something, not just part of it. I don't believe scientists have found ALL the evidence yet. Some things may never be known.

For the time being, I have encountered many people that have had eye-witness accounts of such things as spirits or ghosts. I have read and heard testimonials from people who have had experiences what could only be described as "miracles". I have also experienced strange, unexplained phenomena myself. I have also seen photographs and footage of paranormal activity. So far, even though all of this is not physical scientific evidence, it is still a form of evidence nonetheless. Is there any scientific evidence which proves that spirits or the otherworld does not exist? What is it? Are there at the very least any eyewitness accounts showing evidence that these things do not exist? If so, where is it? I would be more inclined to believe several people explaining something they witnessed or experienced but can't physically prove than someone else just merely saying " No, it can't be real." But that's just my opinion. Take it as that.