What is life?

[Sonofason]

Would you consider my son's name as being just a metaphor?

From Wikipedia:
"A metaphor is a figure of speech that refers to something as being the same as another thing for rhetorical effect. It may provide clarity or identify hidden similarities between two ideas. Where a simile compares two items, a metaphor directly equates them, and does not use "like" or "as" as does a simile. One of the most commonly cited examples of a metaphor in English literature is the "All the world's a stage" monologue from As You Like It:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances[...]
—William Shakespeare, As You Like It"

Sonofason, I am not so certain you are using the word metaphor correctly. I don't think a name is a metaphor and I am not so sure that the creation account is a metaphor either. When you read the creation account literally it actually describes the world as displayed in the image ArtieE posted (#180). The creation account also matches the Babylonian picture of the world. There are other Bronze Age societies that also shared this cosmological view.

I am using the word metaphor as I like to use it. We may not be using it the same way. But I will concede that I am using the word in a different way than most people use it. And I do it only because I can, because I dictate what words mean, and how I use them.

Let me explain my thinking. I have laid out what I believe is good reason in this thread. When the atheist can't see the common sense and logic in my words, I begin to think I will not get through. The atheist is closed minded, and I will get no where. So I might as well have some fun too. I will give you good cause to attack some of the words I use, because when it comes to the argument at hand, you (the atheist) really doesn't have a good argument.

 

[Runewolf1973]

I suppose not.

But the truth is there really aren't hundreds of thousands of gods in the world. There can only be one.
God is defined as: the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=God+def

There can only be one supreme being. There can be only one ruler of the universe. There can be only one source of "all" moral authority. The Nephilim that were worshiped by the ancient Greeks for example were not Gods at all. And the Bible explains how those creatures came into existence:

"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:1-4)

They were your Greek gods, with a very very small g.

The truth is, your "God" and all other "gods" are entirely man made and designed to control large populations of humans like so many scared sheep. Population control...that's what it's all about. Just look at yourself. You are being controlled by a fantasy...a figment of some ancient goat herder's imagination.

 

[ArtieE]

Now, I am not 100% sure that everything in the Bible is true...no one can know that. But I do know that God exists. Because as I said, I trust my own experience over the word of anyone in the entire world..and I have experienced God for myself. Now I know could be wrong...but I would bet my life that I am not.

If I had "experienced God" for myself I wouldn't for a second "know" that God exists. The only thing I would know is that I've had some kind of religious experience and I would set about learning about temporal lobe epilepsy and get myself checked out for possible brain damage as such experiences can often be traced to injury or disease of particular parts of the brain. Just google "temporal lobe epilepsy" and "religious experience". Here is one interesting article. http://www.macalester.edu/academics/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/tle09/Religiosity.html
Read up on neurotheology.

 

[Sonofason]

The truth is, your "God" and all other "gods" are entirely man made and designed to control large populations of humans like so many scared sheep. Population control...that's what it's all about. Just look at yourself. You are being controlled by a fantasy...a figment of some ancient goat herder's imagination.

It's fine for me if you believe that, but I believe you are entirely wrong. I believe in God not because some human being is trying to control me. I believe in God because I experience his presence in my life. And my experiences of God have been very very good. It's a sure thing for me. If it should turn out to have been my imagination, well, I'm okay with that too. I'll have no regrets. And when you atheists begin to persecute Christians, I'll be okay with that too. There is absolutely nothing that you can show me, nothing you could ever discover that could shake my faith in God. I am secure.

 

[Sonofason]

If I had "experienced God" for myself I wouldn't for a second "know" that God exists. The only thing I would know is that I've had some kind of religious experience and I would set about learning about temporal lobe epilepsy and get myself checked out for possible brain damage as such experiences can often be traced to injury or disease of particular parts of the brain. Just google "temporal lobe epilepsy" and "religious experience". Here is one interesting article. http://www.macalester.edu/academics/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/tle09/Religiosity.html
Read up on neurotheology.

I'm not googling s**t

 

[Sonofason]

You are being controlled by a fantasy...a figment of some ancient goat herder's imagination.

I trust the imagination of those ancient goat herders a lot more than I trust you, or any other atheist in the world. I'll never trust the judgment of an atheist. They have nothing to offer me.

 

[Walter Russell]

We have all heard it said that life begins at conception. Is that really true?
It seems to me that the life I have is exactly the same life that my mother and father had. It seems to me that the life in me has existed long before it embodied me.

This word, "life" that I am referring to here is best described as the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body or inanimate object, and not to be confused with other meanings of the word life which might include "the period of duration, usefulness, or popularity of something", or "a specific phase of earthly existence"

If life is something that exists, how many exist?

The way Walter Russell put it is that life is a simulation of gods one while idea of creation.

The whole idea is known in gods still magnetic light "mind". The idea is then extended outward in 2 opposing lights of his thinking. The one still magnetic light of gods knowing is the fulcrum of the 2 equal and opposite lights of his thinking.
1 white generative light that is electrically positive from where gravitation and heat are responsible for all creation.
1 black radiant light that is electrically negative from where radiation and cold degenerate creation.
This occurs in 2 spiral vortices passing through each other in opposite directions.

From rest to motion back to rest. This is the life cycle of the universe.

These 2 opposite lights can never become one but eternally give to each other in order to remain in balance.

That is life.
Theres only one consciousness and thats gods consciousness which resides in all his creation.
Life isn't consciousness. Consciousness is eternal but we can co create with god and as god through life if we understand that life, his creation, is about rhythmic balanced interchange, ie giving of yourself to others to maintain balance and harmony.

What I like about Russell is that he uses scientific language to describe god and the meaning of life rather than to place it in story form like so many religions that say very similar things but using theatre like concepts that create alot of confusion.

 

[blue taylor]

Sonofason. Whose judgment do you trust. And why? Words written by men you know nothing about? Born into a particular religion? The words of self-appointed "preachers" telling you they know the words of God better than you? Or your own desire to belong to a group that believes the same as you?

 

[Sonofason]

Sonofason. Whose judgment do you trust. And why? Words written by men you know nothing about? Born into a particular religion? The words of self-appointed "preachers" telling you they know the words of God better than you? Or your own desire to belong to a group that believes the same as you?

I trust my own judgment, because I am the most logical and reasonable person I know. I know more about the men who wrote the Bible than I know about most of the people in the entire world with just a few exceptions. I was not born into religion. My parents were atheists. I don't like most preachers. And I know God far better than most preachers. I don't like people, so I have no desire to belong to any group especially if it includes people. I have my family, and I have the people in my life that I have to work with. That's enough for me. And no one believes the same as me...not one person.

 

[Sonofason]

The way Walter Russell put it is that life is a simulation of gods one while idea of creation.

The whole idea is known in gods still magnetic light "mind". The idea is then extended outward in 2 opposing lights of his thinking. The one still magnetic light of gods knowing is the fulcrum of the 2 equal and opposite lights of his thinking.
1 white generative light that is electrically positive from where gravitation and heat are responsible for all creation.
1 black radiant light that is electrically negative from where radiation and cold degenerate creation.
This occurs in 2 spiral vortices passing through each other in opposite directions.

From rest to motion back to rest. This is the life cycle of the universe.

These 2 opposite lights can never become one but eternally give to each other in order to remain in balance.

That is life.
Theres only one consciousness and thats gods consciousness which resides in all his creation.
Life isn't consciousness. Consciousness is eternal but we can co create with god and as god through life if we understand that life, his creation, is about rhythmic balanced interchange, ie giving of yourself to others to maintain balance and harmony.

What I like about Russell is that he uses scientific language to describe god and the meaning of life rather than to place it in story form like so many religions that say very similar things but using theatre like concepts that create alot of confusion.

I'll admit your viewpoint is interesting and new to me, but having experienced God for myself, I have no idea how to even relate to this. God is far above and greater than anything that is merely physical. You cannot measure God.

 

[Walter Russell]

I'll admit your viewpoint is interesting and new to me, but having experienced God for myself, I have no idea how to even relate to this. God is far above and greater than anything that is merely physical. You cannot measure God.

I agree and Russell felt the same way but his attempt was to relay god to the scientific community based on the science of how god created.
If you read his book "The Secret of Light" you'll get my meaning. Without a formal education beyond 8 years old, his deep well of scientific knowledge is undisputable and it was a knowledge and understanding he said god imparted to him in the language of light.

Every year for the duration of the month of his birth he went into nature alone and communed with the light of gods love and knowing.
He wrote seversl books and their all great reads in my op.
He felt science could change the world in a great and positive way with this understanding.

 

[Sonofason]

I agree and Russell felt the same way but his attempt was to relay god to the scientific community based on the science of how god created.
If you read his book "The Secret of Light" you'll get my meaning. Without a formal education beyond 8 years old, his deep well of scientific knowledge is undisputable and it was a knowledge and understanding he said god imparted to him in the language of light.

Every year for the duration of the month of his birth he went into nature alone and communed with the light of gods love and knowing.
He wrote seversl books and their all great reads in my op.
He felt science could change the world in a great and positive way with this understanding.

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)

There are many verses of scripture that equate God with light, but it seems to me that in all of those cases the word light is used as a metaphor for God's nature. There could be more to it, but I don't really see it. Maybe I'll take a look at the book you're referring to here.

 

[ArtieE]

I trust my own judgment, because I am the most logical and reasonable person I know. I know more about the men who wrote the Bible than I know about most of the people in the entire world with just a few exceptions. I was not born into religion. My parents were atheists. I don't like most preachers. And I know God far better than most preachers. I don't like people, so I have no desire to belong to any group especially if it includes people. I have my family, and I have the people in my life that I have to work with. That's enough for me. And no one believes the same as me...not one person.

Are you a Christian? Mark 12:31 says 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' So if you say "I don't like people" wouldn't that be the opposite of what you're supposed to do? I mean, Christ loved people and you don't like them? Why do you write "Following Christ" under your post? Surely Christ didn't go around disliking people?

 

[blue taylor]

I trust my own judgment, because I am the most logical and reasonable person I know. I know more about the men who wrote the Bible than I know about most of the people in the entire world with just a few exceptions. I was not born into religion. My parents were atheists. I don't like most preachers. And I know God far better than most preachers. I don't like people, so I have no desire to belong to any group especially if it includes people. I have my family, and I have the people in my life that I have to work with. That's enough for me. And no one believes the same as me...not one person.

Thomas Jefferson said "I am a congregation of one".

 

[viole]

It's fine for me if you believe that, but I believe you are entirely wrong. I believe in God not because some human being is trying to control me. I believe in God because I experience his presence in my life. And my experiences of God have been very very good. It's a sure thing for me. If it should turn out to have been my imagination, well, I'm okay with that too. I'll have no regrets. And when you atheists begin to persecute Christians, I'll be okay with that too. There is absolutely nothing that you can show me, nothing you could ever discover that could shake my faith in God. I am secure.

You are not so secure if in the same post you admit it could be a figment of your imagination.

Ciao

- viole

 

[viole]

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)

There are many verses of scripture that equate God with light, but it seems to me that in all of those cases the word light is used as a metaphor for God's nature. There could be more to it, but I don't really see it. Maybe I'll take a look at the book you're referring to here.

Well yes, I agree on the metaphorical theory. Equating God with electromagnetic radiation or photons seems a bit far fetched.

Ciao

- viole

 

[URAVIP2ME]

God is a word as well. Quite simply the word God is just a metaphor, a symbolic representation of the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.

Yes, God is a word. A 'title' word meaning: Supreme Being. The God of the Bible is named at KJV Psalms 83:18
The God of the Bible is also our Creator - Revelation 4:11, and our Heavenly Father ( Life Giver )
Yes, source of all moral authority in that God has the ultimate position in absolute authority, whereas we have relative authority being in relative subjection to God's absolute position.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The truth is, your "God" and all other "gods" are entirely man made and designed to control large populations of humans like so many scared sheep. Population control...that's what it's all about. Just look at yourself. You are being controlled by a fantasy...a figment of some ancient goat herder's imagination.

In a way you are right about ' gods ' because clergy often use scare tactics to try to control the flock of God - Acts of the Apostles 20:29-30; Matthew 7:15
False clergy often have their own agenda for doing so, and it is often a political agenda and Not what the Bible really teaches.
False religious-myth teachings being taught as Scripture does Not mean what the Bible really teaches is fantasy.
Can the world's evils just be chalked up to a mere quality of human sin, or is there something more behind the world scene ?
Since most people want peace, then why isn't there more Peace on Earth ?
Only the Bible gives us the answers as to why or why not, and what will be done about the wickedness on Earth. Something man can't conquer - Ecclesiastes 8:9

 

[URAVIP2ME]

When chimps or other animals behave in a moral fashion it is certainly not in deference to God. Do you suppose they are responding to a moral imperative established by God? How do you account for chimps, or even monkeys, acting morally?

Animal go by instinct, whereas we humans, unless damaged, come equipped with a built-in conscience.
That is why even people of the nations who do Not have the Law still do the things of the Law - Romans 2:14-15
Under Christ's coming 1,000-year governmental rulership over Earth animal kind will be a peace with human kind - Isaiah 11:6-8

 

[Sonofason]

Are you a Christian? Mark 12:31 says 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' So if you say "I don't like people" wouldn't that be the opposite of what you're supposed to do? I mean, Christ loved people and you don't like them? Why do you write "Following Christ" under your post? Surely Christ didn't go around disliking people?

Are you my neighbor? Are all atheists my neighbor? Are pastors my neighbor? Are Islamists my neighbors? Nope. I have a few neighbors, and I love them all.
Christ said Love not the world nor the things therein. My friend, you are a thing in the world. Must I love you? I think not.