The God Questions

[Pearl]

Originally Posted by BEAL

Buddha probably has the right thinking. The "what is out there" is so large that its most definitely infinite. Is there a god? Is there multiple gods? Who created them? What are they made of? It's just more complexity.

Live a good life. Everything else will sort itself out. If you need a belief, ok then.

And besides, there's a saying that anyone who claims to know God, doesn't know Him at all.

It's a good saying and that's what I think of when radicals say "This is God's will!" - and that could be Christian or Muslim or any kind of religious extremists. Really, they know God so well? Because I would think if God was so easy to figure out, wouldn't life be simpler, other people be easy to figure out, and science easy to explore? I think God is as complex as the world is.

As for who or what created God or the universe itself, that's even something I can't wrap my mind around. If I find myself wondering about what created the Big Bang, then I'd want to go back and ask what created that? And that? And that? Time seems to have no beginning and it is both astounding and baffling.

[Kieran McConville]

I return again to my pet theory that God, if such a thing exists, may be the Final Mind of a previous universe. After that, unfortunately, it's turtles all the way down. Lots of turtles, potentially.

[Jive Turkey]

I wonder how many will understand that reference....

[u2popmofo]

It can be argued that some sects of Buddhism believe in gods, as bodhisattvas can take on this type of "deity" role. It varies vastly from sect to sect though, more so than many westerners are used to with Christianity.

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by u2popmofo

It can be argued that some sects of Buddhism believe in gods, as bodhisattvas can take on this type of "deity" role. It varies vastly from sect to sect though, more so than many westerners are used to with Christianity.

I guess this depends on what we mean by a god. If we are talking about something that transcends physicality and "normal" human experience, then I would say bodhisattvas are definitely gods. If we are talking about a supernatural being with direct power over the workings of the world, then they don't quite fit that mold.

The only question in this thread to which I want to respond is the one about the "War on Christmas." There is by no means a war on Christmas. If anything, there is a war on the part of militant Christians to impose Christmas on everyone regardless of willingness to participate.

[nathan1977]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

If anything, there is a war on the part of militant Christians to impose Christmas on everyone regardless of willingness to participate.

Oh give me a break.

[Jive Turkey]

Was Santa even religious? I don't understand what his birthday has to do with Christianity

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by nathan1977

Oh give me a break.

Sorry, no. Does it not strike you as peculiar that the cries about Christian persecution over Christmas are becoming louder as the Christmas season and its pervasiveness are expanding? Every year for my entire life there has been a noticeable expansion in the "Christmas season" and its presence in all forms of major media. There is absolutely no war on Christmas. If there is, it is the most pathetically unsuccessful war ever fought.

[U2DMfan]

Originally Posted by Jive Turkey

I wonder how many will understand that reference....

I got it.

[U2DMfan]

The "War on Christmas", if it actually did exist, should be fought by devout Christians against commercialism and materialism.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by U2DMfan

The "War on Christmas", if it actually did exist, should be fought by devout Christians against commercialism and materialism.

I think devout Christians should take a look at the commercialism and materialism of Christmas and realize it's the only reason the holiday is as big as it is. Take what you can get. Otherwise you have Easter. Imagine all the bitching and complaining about the 'war on Christmas' if it ever got as small as Easter?

[u2popmofo]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

I guess this depends on what we mean by a god. If we are talking about something that transcends physicality and "normal" human experience, then I would say bodhisattvas are definitely gods. If we are talking about a supernatural being with direct power over the workings of the world, then they don't quite fit that mold.

True.

Originally Posted by Jive Turkey

Was Santa even religious? I don't understand what his birthday has to do with Christianity

[Jive Turkey]

Oh, and I loves me some Christmas. I even think the birth story is nice. I like how friendly everyone is to one another around that time. I like visiting with family and friends. I even like shopping for people and exchanging gifts.

Easter is ok. Chocolate is ok

[u2popmofo]

Peeps are gross.

[nathan1977]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

Sorry, no. Does it not strike you as peculiar that the cries about Christian persecution over Christmas are becoming louder as the Christmas season and its pervasiveness are expanding? Every year for my entire life there has been a noticeable expansion in the "Christmas season" and its presence in all forms of major media. There is absolutely no war on Christmas. If there is, it is the most pathetically unsuccessful war ever fought.

But wait. You said that a loud and vocal minority are trying to force Christmas on people even though they don't want to participate. I'm so confused. Do hundreds of millions of people in America want to celebrate Christmas (in which case your argument about a minority foisting the holiday on Americans collapses), or don't they (which is simply statistically untrue)?

There is no war on Christmas. But there's also no loud and vocal minority trying to force Christmas on people. If anything, taking your point just above, there are an awful lot of people who want to celebrate Christmas, and a small and vocal minority of people who don't. Both need to figure out how to live with each other, and trying to paint Christmas well-wishers as Christian jihadists is simply ludicrous.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by nathan1977

But there's also no loud and vocal minority trying to force Christmas on people.

I'm not sure I agree with you here. Look back in some of our "war on Christmas" threads and look at the arrogance and mentality of some people who used to post in here. When ask, what if you know the person is Jewish? "I tell them Merry Christmas anyway, if they want to live somewhere where we don't celebrate Christmas they can move to one of those countries." And this mentality is a very loud and vocal minority. They are the ones who try and legislate Christmas. We had an article posted in here a few years back about Republican lawmakers trying to pass a resolution that would require 'Merry Christmas' on the President's cards he sends out, both Bush and Obama chose 'Season's Greetings' cards.

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by nathan1977

Do hundreds of millions of people in America want to celebrate Christmas?

Well, that's a good question, and I'd say it depends on what you mean by "celebrate Christmas." Are we talking about putting up a tree and buying presents, or are we talking about actually doing something religious involving the birth of Jesus? This obviously is purely anecdotal, but I "celebrated" Christmas this year with my parents, going through the whole litany of middle-America Christmas rituals, despite having no desire whatsoever to do so. And I'm sure there are plenty more who do so simply because of that cultural weight. At the very least there is a disjunction between those who participate in Christmas rituals and those who have genuine religious feeling toward the holiday.

[Irvine511]

"happy holidays" solves EVERYTHING.

and it includes Thanksgiving through New Years.

go with it. things will get better. promise.

[Jive Turkey]

I say Merry Christmas to people. I don't see how that can be offensive. It's so secular now anyway. I don't get upset when people say "God bless you" after I sneeze and get snot all over the place

[trojanchick99]

I celebrate Christmas in the commercial sense. I love exchanging gifts and spending time with my family. I however, am annoyed that the Christmas season has extended to all of November. I'm of the opinion that the way Christmas is celebrated now, it's almost a secular holiday.

I used to work retail during the Holiday season, and I always said Happy Holidays to people. Why? Because I worked in an area with a large number of Jews, Muslims, and even Buddhists. It to me would be offensive to make assumptions as to the specific holiday people were celebrating.