Is God In Anyway Necessary? (moral, Creator, atheist, moral)

[Random]

Originally Posted by 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.

What he said. Frubals.

[sandy whitelinger]

On a grand scale God is necessary for everything since He created everything. On a personal scale He is necessary for eternal life. Among other things.

[UnTheist]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is there any way or sense in which God is necessary?

In reality, no.

Originally Posted by Sunstone

For instance, is God necessary to explain anything about the universe?

Saying "Goddidit" is the opposite of a rational explanation.

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is God necessary to make life meaningful?

The fact that there are many people that are very happy without God disproves God being necessary for that.

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is God necessary to underpin morality? Or, is God necessary for some other reason?

Morality comes from within.

[rojse]

Originally Posted by 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?

I do not think that God is necessary in any way, whether it be morally, scientifically, or for worth in life.

If it is necessary for God to exist so that people do good deeds, I would despair at the motives behind this - it should be enough to do it on the basis of helping your fellow man, not to save yourself from damnation or to curry favour with a god.

Nor do we need God to exist to give a deeper meaning to life. People's goals in life should only be based on their personal ideas and feelings, and what they wish to do. Whether that goal is be eradicating world hunger, curing cancer, spending a life in solemn worship, or being the best at latest computer games, good for them. My personal opinion on each should not matter, nor should anyone else's, nor should a big beard in the sky make individual judgements on who's goal is more worthy.

As for an explanation about the universe or any component that makes up the universe, I am quite happy to leave that in the realm of science. Science gives testable hypotheses about the universe. It gives concrete measurements and equations. Religion or God cannot do this for us. As it stands now, God is either an appendage to any scientific explanation, or a refutation of it without scientific merit. Adding God to any explanation adds nothing to our understanding of the world, and only serves to increase the complexity behind the explanation.

[Jeremiah]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is God necessary to underpin morality?

I remember reading that some individuals whose morals that have been inculcated with these mythical religious stories. Psychologically do need God to give these stories meaning. That they turn to these mythical figures and images for moral guidance and without God the stories lose meaning. But this does not mean that everyone’s morals have to be based of these myths and that God is a necessity to have morality. But that just for those individuals God is a necessity for moral guidance. I don’t have the book with me so I am working off recollection but I believe that was the just of it.

[spiritually inclined]

God is necessary to explain some aspects of the universe.

I don't think we can come to this conclusion through scientific means at this time or any time. This statement is simply not falsifiable. We will never know every aspect of the universe or universes and have the opportunity to determine whether each and every one is explained through natural means. Personally, I seriously doubt that "God" will ever become necessary to explain anything about the universe. As we progress, we continue to find natural explanations even for those things that once seemed supernatural or unexplainable, such as a bee's ability to fly. If the past is an indicator, we will continue to discover natural explainations for aspects of the universe.

God is necessary to give life meaning.

Sometimes, when I'm thinking about subjective experience and meaning, I draw from myths, fiction, even "God" concepts, but I don't think they are necessary to provide life with meaning. They are merely a rich and beautiful way of describing the meaning that comes from within us. Humans are meaning-makers. Our stories can enrich that meaning. They are like a work of art, an expression of the human urge to find meaning and beauty in life.

God is necessary to underpin morality.

Morality results from a combination of biology and culture. Naturally, our morality is centered around human needs (though it does not have to be limited to merely human needs, although it can be argued that not limiting morality to human needs is a human need to live morally!) We don't need a god to tell us to live morally. We should live morally because it enriches our experience of life, and why wouldn't we want that?

God is necessary for some other reason.

I personally can't think of another reason.

Thus, I come to the conclusion:

God is not necessary.

But I add: God concepts, stories, and myths can be a beautiful and artistic way of describing and finding meaning in life. I find it sad that people so often take ancient myths as scientific fact or can't venture to think that perhaps we should create our own modern myths or modern twists on old stories.

James

[rojse]

Originally Posted by spiritually inclined

God concepts, stories, and myths can be a beautiful and artistic way of describing and finding meaning in life. I find it sad that people so often take ancient myths as scientific fact or can't venture to think that perhaps we should create our own modern myths or modern twists on old stories.

James

That's an excellent idea.

I suppose people place more value on older myths, though, because there is a larger element of unreality and epic scope about them. Today's myths are much more mundane and silly.

[spiritually inclined]

I suppose people place more value on older myths, though, because there is a larger element of unreality and epic scope about them. Today's myths are much more mundane and silly.

True, though I love Alice Walker's fiction. Putting new twists on old myths is more appealing to me, such as artwork of a female Christ to illustrate the oppression of women.

James