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God is beyond religion

Colt

Well-Known Member
I kind of agree and kind of don’t. Atheists espouse no religion. Religion is a specific system of beliefs, myths, ceremonies, and sacraments. Not all who are spiritual make use of such systems. Humanity’s approach to the Divine is not always through religion. But it is always a matter of intuition.
Isn’t the non-existence of God central to atheism?
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
God is universal. God is beyond religion. God has no spesific religion. This is my belief


Any thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?
Sorry, but I just don't see how that can work. Not if mutual understanding among believers is one of your goals.

There are myriad understandings of what "god" would be. Many are very much at odds with others.

I am well aware that many people attempt to avoid raising up those divergences for many reasons. I understand that it is even often the case that joining people whose understandings of deities are in direct conflict is perceived as a worthy goal.

None of that makes the divergence less real.

In truth, I think that it is a serious mistake to value gods or god-beliefs over religions. While religions are often misguided, even criminally so, there isn't really an upside for avoiding them. They should be course-corrected or even extinguished according to their specific merits and circunstances, but abstract, context-less, undiscussed belief in a deity isn't really advisable on its own. It is just too fertile a ground for a variety of dangers.

Even at their best, gods are tools for religions to use, and very much optional ones. I don't really understand why so many people seem to believe that religions emanate from deities. The facts are fairly clear to the contrary.
 

ajay0

Well-Known Member
Can there be other hard austerities that are useful?

All austerities are supposed to be hard because they go against the selfishness of the ego-mind, which seeks and craves all pleasures for itself even to the point of vicious conduct. This is why crimes of an immoral nature happens.

Practice of moderation, charity and generosity, honesty and simplicity, self-restraint and self-discipline, mental clarity and introspection, initiative and application are virtues and hard austerities that are useful in daily life.
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Taking a long lunch break. :rolleyes::(

So do I, but I don't normally eat at those upscale restaurants.

That's why I wouldn't call God, a God. I've scaled it down to an eternal source of intellect that has no omniscience. Something along the lines of Brahman, but not Brahman; something of a transcendent reality but impersonal.

The word God denotes authority and personal responsibility over creation. I can't find any of that in reality.

When I think of God, I think of supreme life, and ideal character. Believing in god makes me think that humanity and living creatures deserve whatever they get here. I could never believe that's the case.
 

muhammad_isa

Well-Known Member
If God is, then what exactly is this place we live in? The world has natural evils, and catastrophes, the world has monumental corruption and wickedness throughout history.

Where, Oh, where is God in all of this?

I really want to know!
The angels asked God "Why have you created mankind, when they will cause corruption in th earth?"
He replied "I know what you know not" ..

We should never stop trying to understand. It has to do with responsibility.
He has made us vicegerents of the earth, and is trying us through one another.
This life is only a means to an end.
Much like attending school in our early years.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
God is universal. God is beyond religion. God has no specific religion. This is my belief Any thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?

I base my beliefs on God's Word the Holy Scriptures as found in the Bible at James 1:27 where it speaks of pure religion, pure worship..... So, "yes" to me God has a specific religion. - John 4:23-24
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
The angels asked God "Why have you created mankind, when they will cause corruption in the earth?"
He replied "I know what you know not" ................
In the Bible there are No angels with the ^ above ^ question.
Satan turned himself into being a sinner, a law breaker - Ezekiel 28:13-15
The Bible's God does Not tempt with evil..... James 1:13-15
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
That's why I wouldn't call God, a God. I've scaled it down to an eternal source of intellect that has no omniscience. Something along the lines of Brahman, but not Brahman; something of a transcendent reality but impersonal.
I am not convinced that God is personal. That is a Christian belief, not a Baha'i belief. Although I believe that God is personal in the sense that God is a being with a personality (including the capacity to reason and to feel love), I do not believe we can ever have a direct personal relationship with God, but rather I believe we can only relate to God through His Messengers.
The word God denotes authority and personal responsibility over creation. I can't find any of that in reality.
I believe that God has authority over creation but I do not believe that God is responsible for creation. I believe humans are responsible since God entrusted us with that responsibility.
When I think of God, I think of supreme life, and ideal character. Believing in god makes me think that humanity and living creatures deserve whatever they get here. I could never believe that's the case.
I do not believe that we deserve everything that we get here. Some of it is deserved if we cause it, but many things happen to us that we do not deserve, like accidents, injuries, diseases, and other misfortunes. It is difficult for me to believe in a loving God who would allow unwarranted suffering, the only way I can believe that is by believing there will be a reward and a recompense in the afterlife.
 
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Bird123

Well-Known Member
God is universal. God is beyond religion. God has no spesific religion. This is my belief


Any thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?



Religion is a creation of Mankind. God's system has nothing to do with beliefs, accepting or following. On the other hand, religion does serve a purpose. Religion is a catalyst that brings so many of mankind's problems to the surface so they can be dealt with. After all, when one thinks one has God's blessing, one can justify anything.

Religion is mankind's attempt to understand God. This is not a bad thing. On the other hand, mankind tends to make it more about mankind than anything else.

Like most things in life, there are views to Discover from many many sides. One thing I do know is that God is so much more than you can find in any book. To limit one's knowledge about God to only a holy book is to limit oneself from really Understanding God at all.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
It's an analogy.
"God" is a subset of religion.
Harry Potter is a subset of fiction.
Subsets cannot be "beyond" the set.

Forgive me.
I thought it so obvious that elaborating would be mansplaining.

I don't see God as a subset of religion.
*ponders*

I think I see what you mean. From my worldview, that's often true, but not universally so. More like overlapping Venn circles.

From a theists point of view I'm not sure that'll resonate though.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I don't see God as a subset of religion.
*ponders*

I think I see what you mean. From my worldview, that's often true, but not universally so. More like overlapping Venn circles.

From a theists point of view I'm not sure that'll resonate though.
Religions needn't have gods.
Some religions have gods.
People don't invent gods without religion...a tautology of sorts.
So all gods are in religion.
Harry Potter is fictional, but not all fiction has Harry Potter.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Religions needn't have gods.
Some religions have gods.
People don't invent gods without religion...a tautology of sorts.
So all gods are in religion.
Harry Potter is fictional, but not all fiction has Harry Potter.

Meh...us arguing the toss on this is a sign we both have too much time on our hands...lol.

I don't think deists are necessarily religious. But they necessarily believe in God.
Checkmate atheists. Or...umm...checkmate Willy?

I agree with your final point though. Harry Potter is fictional, but not all fiction is Harry Potter. Despite people trying to turn Quidditch into an actual sport.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Meh...us arguing the toss on this is a sign we both have too much time on our hands...lol.

I don't think deists are necessarily religious. But they necessarily believe in God.
Checkmate atheists. Or...umm...checkmate Willy?

I agree with your final point though. Harry Potter is fictional, but not all fiction is Harry Potter. Despite people trying to turn Quidditch into an actual sport.
If deists believe in gods, then this is religion.
It might be undefined airy fairy vague, but
it's religion.
 
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