Is God In Anyway Necessary?

[Sunstone]

Is there any way or sense in which God is necessary? For instance, is God necessary to explain anything about the universe? Is God necessary to make life meaningful? Is God necessary to underpin morality? Or, is God necessary for some other reason?

If God is in any way or sense necessary, in what way or sense is He necessary? And why is He necessary?

 

[cardero]

Is there any way or sense in which God is necessary? For instance, is God necessary to explain anything about the universe? Is God necessary to make life meaningful? Is God necessary to underpin morality? Or, is God necessary for some other reason?

If God is in any way or sense necessary, in what way or sense is He necessary? And why is He necessary?

I was just thinking about Jay's signature too.

It depends on what kind of REALationship one wants. If one does not expect that much from GOD it can blossom into a hearty friendship. If one starts to expect too much from GOD one may eventually become disappointed or unimpressed.

 

[BucephalusBB]

Well, as atheist I must say that I am doing quite fine without him. As religious person you could also say that he's controlling the world around me and I can't see it..

 

[doppelganger]

Not for me at this time, though I understand why "God" might be necessary for someone else.

 

[Sunstone]

Not for me at this time, though I understand why "God" might be necessary for someone else.

In what way do you think God is necessary for some people?

 

[doppelganger]

In what way do you think God is necessary for some people?

I think for some people, they are at a place where they need something outside themselves to feel loved or important or can't find meaning in themselves to deal with some of life's hardships. "God" can help provide a great deal of comforting certainty about death and family and purpose for those at times in their lives need that, or for acceptance for those who feel isolated or burdened by guilt or painful memories that they cannot embrace.

"God" seems to me to be first and foremost a psychological coping mechanism to deal with the hysteria and anxiety that comes of being able to contemplate and anticipate death.

 

[Peace]

Is there any way or sense in which God is necessary? For instance, is God necessary to explain anything about the universe? Is God necessary to make life meaningful? Is God necessary to underpin morality? Or, is God necessary for some other reason?

If God is in any way or sense necessary, in what way or sense is He necessary? And why is He necessary?

God is necessary for all what you mentioned above (the three first options) and also for other reasons. God is necessary because He is necessary and must be necessary. You will ask me why?
Too simply because He is our creator. He is the One who created all things, and He alone has full knowledge of all things. In other words and since He is our Creator I cannot function without Him nor can I survive without Him. We can't live without His support and provision. We can't survive without His guidance. He is the source of life and of everything. He is the first and the last.
Without Him you wouldn't have been here to post this thread and I wouldn't be here either to reply.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I posted in the "Superheroes as Gods" thread that Gods and superheroes alike act as "buffers" against the harmful things of the "outside world." We view our existence as tumultuous, and we like knowing that there is a powerful being on our side. Some people may need that.

 

[Storm]

I believe God is necessary to sustain the cosmos. Were God to die, our reality would die with it.

 

[doppelganger]

I believe God is necessary to sustain the cosmos. Were God to die, our reality would die with it.

Do you equate "God" with something along the lines of "collective consciousness"?

 

[Storm]

Do you equate "God" with something along the lines of "collective consciousness"?

Not only consciousness, also collective matter and "life force." God is both the source of these three elements, and the sum of their infinitely complex interaction - the universe as we know it. I believe in what was aptly dubbed "the living Godiverse."

 

[doppelganger]

Not only consciousness, also collective matter and "life force." God is both the source of these three elements, and the sum of their infinitely complex interaction - the universe as we know it. I believe in what was aptly dubbed "the living Godiverse."

So is the life force something greater than consciousness? If there were no consciousness would there still be "God" or a "living Godiverse"?

Would you agree with the statement, "Consciousness is the animating force of the Universe"?

 

[Storm]

So is the life force something greater than consciousness?

Not greater, just different. I see all three as being equal.

If there were no consciousness would there still be "God" or a "living Godiverse"?

Great question! The short answer is: I have no idea. It would certainly be radically different.

 

[Storm]

Would you agree with the statement, "Consciousness is the animating force of the Universe"?

No. Life force is the animating force. Consciousness is what gives it purpose, though, the element able to change and grow.

 

[Master Vigil]

I'm of the opinion that god is not here to explain aspects of the universe. I also believe that our universal human morality is the effect of god, whether it be through our genetics, or our evolutionary, social, and cultural journey. I don't think we can say that god is or isn't "necessary", for god is. Is it necessary for one to follow some religion based on someone's idea of god? Not necessarily because it is written in us already by god. We are innately connected to god anyway. Whether we believe in him, believe he is necessary, or whatever.

 

[doppelganger]

No. Life force is the animating force. Consciousness is what gives it purpose, though, the element able to change and grow.

But "life force" is itself a product of consciousness, isn't it?

And if all things are one thing, then isn't there no things?

 

[Wandered Off]

And if all things are one thing, then isn't there no things?

Can't a piece of a thing be a thing?

 

[doppelganger]

Can't a piece of a thing be a thing?

Then all things wouldn't be one thing. They would be one thing and separate things. This is complementarity - Perspectivism. One will see what one will see based on the manner in which one looks. All the action is still in the realm of thought an language in either case though, isn't it?

By what means do we apprehend, comprehend, organize and define our reality? Fundamental to language, though largely unperceived in its ordinary use, we form the reality of things and motion through relation. Things are understood, categorized and remembered according to categories of traits and uses stored from other things remembered. We recognize motion of objects from change in their position relative to other identified objects. Put simply, this is the only manner in which language, thought and the logic of "things" works.

Signs and symbols cannot capture the whole truth of things and motion, or causes and effects. The mere act of carving out of reality discreet things in relation to other things, and identifying discreet motion relative to other things, although quite useful to enable more mastery over my environment, detaches them from the complete whole of which they are a part. For example, to a boy eating an apple, the single identified fruit is a useful object. That same apple from the perspective of the grocer is merely part of a bushel of apples. That bushel (which contains our apple) from the perspective of the grower is part of his orchard. The orchard to the environmental planner is part of the development plan for valley . . . and so on. Which perspective of the apple is the true one? All and none. It depends on the use to which the apple is being put. And changing the perceived truth of the apple can be accomplished merely by changing perspective.

 

[Storm]

But "life force" is itself a product of consciousness, isn't it?

No. Life force is energy, all energy. It's what makes our hearts beat, cells divide, atoms vibrate. Without it the Godiverse would be static, unchanging, dead, and consciousness would have no means to change and grow.

And if all things are one thing, then isn't there no things?

It's an idea I've been exposed to before, but quite frankly, I don't follow it. God exists. Wihin God, an untold vareity of "things" exist.

Besides, I don't believe the three elements are one thing. They are distinct elements of one thing.

 

[doppelganger]

No. Life force is energy, all energy. It's what makes our hearts beat, cells divide, atoms vibrate. Without it the Godiverse would be static, unchanging, dead, and consciousness would have no means to change and grow.

But all that is a product of consciousness as well, right? Change is a perception that depends on observation integrating with memory. Without the transaction between sensation and memory, how can there be change?