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Originally posted by Praetoriani
Don't feel bad Praetoriani, I am actually under the same impression that one or more were atheists. Perhaps they were just atheists at one point in their history. That would be extremely hard to find out for sure though unless they explicity said it somewhere. Hell my thoughts and feelings about God change every day to some degree :) Most of it is flipflopping though lol Do you support Liberty, Freedom and wish to Uphold the Constitution? Join the movement - http://CampaignForLiberty.com |
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Originally posted by Praetoriani
As far as I know, none of the founders were atheists, and I've spent a good deal of time studying their writings on God and such. Could you point me to where you have seen such a thing?
Seems I was mistaken, sorry about that. I meant to say that not all of them seemed to be strongly Christian, even in a time where Christianity was the norm. That said, I'm not a star on American history beyond the Clovis People and, to a lesser extent, Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations. Maybe I should keep out of topics where I'm not a hundred percent well versed in.
Well, as a rational theist and a Christian Universalist, I know my brethren. They were a mix of Deists, Christian Universalists, Unitarians -- as well as quite a few a few standard Christians. Their major influence I would say was non-sectarian freemasonry -- they understood that men of honor could set aside theological differences for the sake of liberty and brotherhood -- which is at the heart of all of the above :)
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Originally posted by smokemonsc
Don't feel bad Praetoriani, I am actually under the same impression that one or more were atheists. Perhaps they were just atheists at one point in their history. That would be extremely hard to find out for sure though unless they explicity said it somewhere. Hell my thoughts and feelings about God change every day to some degree :) Most of it is flipflopping though lol They seemed to all believe in God, but believed that God gave us reason, w hcih trumped revalation. many did not accept the divinity of Christ, but believed in one God and in Providence. They were essentially non-sectarian monotheists. |
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There is this great blog I read about just that very topic. There he studies and writes on the faith of our founders. Lots of good talk about Unitarianism and Universalism: |
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Originally posted by Fishermage
Of course not. Through history they have been all killed with great efficience, but some still survived, only because they were not advocating their lack of belief in public. And NOBODY at that time proclaming himself as atheist would have any influence, he would be at least politcitaly eliminated if not physicaly. Even nowadays ... people would elect i.e. atheist president. |
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I am going to try and drive this thread back to it's original place.
When you make a decision you're life drastically changes. You won't know it until it's revealed in the past. Granted, that not all decisions can do this. For an example, my mother was asked to join the Connecticut Governor in his cabinet back in the late 70s I believe. She has declined. If she has not, she would of never of met my father and my sister and I would of never been or could of been existed. Because of that one decision. Another example, my best friend pasted away and we had plans for the college thing and move somewhere to get some gaming jobs. However, he passed away in high school, and I wasted a year of college at a community college before I delved into what I really wanted to do. Just think, the people I know now from college, I would of never of met if my best friend had not passed. Interesting eh? With this in mind I do want to give my view on one single aspect since it complements what I previously said. I believe that we do indeed have freewill from God but remember God is omnipresent and knows everything. I think that our lives are like a tree. Our life changing decisions are the branches and the leaves are the people we could have met if taken that decision. Just my thought. |
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Originally posted by Eronakis
I <3 parallel universe stories. Fun stuff. |
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Originally posted by Eronakis
Essentialy, you want to say, he is lurking when we i.e. sex in bed (also when covered?), we go to toilet, ....? :-)) About omnipotent ... he is not, prove is that he need FULL 7 days to create whole universe with need to rest at the end. About all knowning ... well ... also not. Bible says that after he created Adam, he realized he need company. He should know this from start i guess.
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Originally posted by pre_mar
Essentialy, you want to say, he is lurking when we i.e. sex in bed (also when covered?), we go to toilet, ....? :-)) About omnipotent ... he is not, prove is that he need FULL 7 days to create whole universe with need to rest at the end. About all knowning ... well ... also not. Bible says that after he created Adam, he realized he need company. He should know this from start i guess.
What is wrong with these trolls trying to get attention here? I thought this thread was merely to give your own theory of what the OP as has asked. I will not go here because I am trying to respect this thread! |
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In before: -"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time." - Bertrand Russell
I believe religion is a worthwhile tool for a monarch to use to keep his subjects in order as you can't disprove God's existence, but only ridicule the ridiculousness of putting faith into him in the first place. Do believe in God, and be religious! Orthodox or Roman Catholic are the best as they keep you most moral! |
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1st Corinthians 1:19: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate" That's my response to the fella who quoted above me - (quoye button refused to work) |
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Originally posted by Eronakis
Isn't that sort of stupid though? :P What if I built all philosophies and everything off of the flying spaghetti monster... I just don't understand why you would place infinite faith into this one God when there are so many others you could put infinite faith into. Why not believe in the Roman gods? Roman Paganism would be a cool religion to have. If I randomly decide to plunge headfirst into a belief and put infinite faith into it, it would be Roman Paganism. |
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Originally posted by zchmrkenhoff
Isn't that sort of stupid though? :P What if I built all philosophies and everything off of the flying spaghetti monster... I just don't understand why you would place infinite faith into this one God when there are so many others you could put infinite faith into. Why not believe in the Roman gods? Roman Paganism would be a cool religion to have. If I randomly decide to plunge headfirst into a belief and put infinite faith into it, it would be Roman Paganism. Because I had a genuine personal experience with God. The book teaches unselfishness which this world is not. Until you believe and have that experience you won't comprehend. That is all I am saying. It's that simple. |
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Originally posted by Eronakis Because I had a genuine personal experience with God. The book teaches unselfishness which this world is not. Until you believe and have that experience you won't comprehend. That is all I am saying. It's that simple. If God can keep you from becoming a drug-addict, but rather focus you along a moral path to producing a proud nuclear family and continuing the royal Eronakis lineage, then good! |
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Originally posted by zchmrkenhoff Because I had a genuine personal experience with God. The book teaches unselfishness which this world is not. Until you believe and have that experience you won't comprehend. That is all I am saying. It's that simple. If God can keep you from becoming a drug-addict, but rather focus you along a moral path to producing a proud nuclear family and continuing the royal Eronakis lineage, then good!
Yes, there is a royal Eronakis lineage. It started in EQ! haha - sorry I had to boast about being an old school EQ player. |
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Originally posted by zchmrkenhoff
Isn't that sort of stupid though? :P What if I built all philosophies and everything off of the flying spaghetti monster... I just don't understand why you would place infinite faith into this one God when there are so many others you could put infinite faith into. Why not believe in the Roman gods? Roman Paganism would be a cool religion to have. If I randomly decide to plunge headfirst into a belief and put infinite faith into it, it would be Roman Paganism.
You dreaming about spaghetti monster..Here the true facts..In the Old days they did not have electricity ..Matter a fact they did not know what it was..But it does not mean it did not exist..God is Spirit and he is not Matter..If people were 100% sure that there was a God, people will not be acting like dicks or Idiots..But i do know for sure..You do need a Creator to create something..Now will you please pass the Spaghetti i am hungry.. I might not be all ways right,but i am never wrong.. |
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Originally posted by hoopty
You dreaming about spaghetti monster..Here the true facts..In the Old days they did not have electricity ..Matter a fact they did not know what it was..But it does not mean it did not exist..God is Spirit and he is not Matter..If people were 100% sure that there was a God, people will not be acting like dicks or Idiots..But i do know for sure..You do need a Creator to create something..Now will you please pass the Spaghetti i am hungry.. But you haven't told me why I should believe in YOUR certain God instead of any of the others. Is the fact that the Abrahamic Religions are most popular right now reason enough to place infinite faith in them? Is there not an equal chance that all of the other religions that don't believe in your mono God will end up being true in the end as well? If you plugged it all into a computer, given that there is no proof to the existence of any God, and told the computer to make a choice as to which belief it would choose, the computer would have a divide by zero error, as there is no reason (excluding the threat of violence to you (see the massacre of British druids by the Romans and all that in Arthurian Britain)) to place infinite faith into any single one of these faiths except to "fit in" or something. On the other hand, I do think religions are very unique to each culture and should be respected for their historical meanings. My favorite religion at the moment is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the true faith. ^^ |
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Originally posted by zchmrkenhoff
You dreaming about spaghetti monster..Here the true facts..In the Old days they did not have electricity ..Matter a fact they did not know what it was..But it does not mean it did not exist..God is Spirit and he is not Matter..If people were 100% sure that there was a God, people will not be acting like dicks or Idiots..But i do know for sure..You do need a Creator to create something..Now will you please pass the Spaghetti i am hungry.. But you haven't told me why I should believe in YOUR certain God instead of any of the others. Is the fact that the Abrahamic Religions are most popular right now reason enough to place infinite faith in them? Is there not an equal chance that all of the other religions that don't believe in your mono God will end up being true in the end as well? If you plugged it all into a computer, given that there is no proof to the existence of any God, and told the computer to make a choice as to which belief it would choose, the computer would have a divide by zero error, as there is no reason (excluding the threat of violence to you (see the massacre of British druids by the Romans and all that in Arthurian Britain)) to place infinite faith into any single one of these faiths except to "fit in" or something. On the other hand, I do think religions are very unique to each culture and should be respected for their historical meanings. My favorite religion at the moment is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the true faith. ^^
I am not asking you to believe in my God.The reasons for believing that there’s a God are too numerous, I hardly know where to begin. The reason I believe in God is that we are totally incapable of rationally explaining the world without a God. In addition, if there is no God, then there is no ultimate meaning or purpose to life >>> we are little more than animals.<<< Your computer analogy where is the logic and reason in that?
I might not be all ways right,but i am never wrong.. |
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Originally posted by hoopty But you haven't told me why I should believe in YOUR certain God instead of any of the others. Is the fact that the Abrahamic Religions are most popular right now reason enough to place infinite faith in them? Is there not an equal chance that all of the other religions that don't believe in your mono God will end up being true in the end as well? If you plugged it all into a computer, given that there is no proof to the existence of any God, and told the computer to make a choice as to which belief it would choose, the computer would have a divide by zero error, as there is no reason (excluding the threat of violence to you (see the massacre of British druids by the Romans and all that in Arthurian Britain)) to place infinite faith into any single one of these faiths except to "fit in" or something. On the other hand, I do think religions are very unique to each culture and should be respected for their historical meanings. My favorite religion at the moment is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the true faith. ^^
I am not asking you to believe in my God.The reasons for believing that there’s a God are too numerous, I hardly know where to begin. The reason I believe in God is that we are totally incapable of rationally explaining the world without a God. In addition, if there is no God, then there is no ultimate meaning or purpose to life >>> we are little more than animals.<<< Your computer analogy where is the logic and reason in that?
I say the purpose is to mindlessly reproduce and continue the human race with all honesty. |
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Originally posted by hoopty Not really, it just means that we have the ultimate freedom to provide our life with meaning and purpose. And yes we are animals but among all the animal species we are the only one that have logic (Logos). |
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Originally posted by Tymoris Not really, it just means that we have the ultimate freedom to provide our life with meaning and purpose. And yes we are animals but among all the animal species we are the only one that have logic (Logos).
What ultimate freedom are you talking about, with this life meaning and purpose? You might consider your self as a animal, but please don't include me in it..Since you claim you are a Animal, that must be your religion, is it called the Wild Kingdom? Haha..Kidding aside.. I might not be all ways right,but i am never wrong.. |
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Originally posted by hoopty Wow ... because you can not explain something it must be god?? You are actually reasoning like cave man once when they start to develop brain and know nothing about how clouds form, how lighting, .... Today we have explanation. And every day more. Of course I do not think mankind will ever know evertyhing possible, but this does not make god responsible for what we (still) do not know. Life itself is ultimate meaning or purpose of life!!! Your children are! Your parents are! As I understand people around you and you care about mean NOTHING without god??? I'm fortunate I'm not your relative. |
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Originally posted by pre_mar Wow ... because you can not explain something it must be god?? You are actually reasoning like cave man once when they start to develop brain and know nothing about how clouds form, how lighting, .... Today we have explanation. And every day more. Of course I do not think mankind will ever know evertyhing possible, but this does not make god responsible for what we (still) do not know. Life itself is ultimate meaning or purpose of life!!! Your children are! Your parents are! As I understand people around you and you care about mean NOTHING without god??? I'm fortunate I'm not your relative.
Why is life the ultimate meaning of life? Why are children important? what gives them meaning? Why are parents important? what gives them meaning? |
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Originally posted by hoopty
What ultimate freedom are you talking about, with this life meaning and purpose? You might consider your self as a animal, but please don't include me in it..Since you claim you are a Animal, that must be your religion, is it called the Wild Kingdom? Haha..Kidding aside.. It's the freedom to decide to do whatever you want with your life. It's the freedom to think not only of what is but also of what can be. In Greek human is tranlsated as "Antrhopos" meaning the one that looks up, the one that always wants to improve. You never needed Gods, you just had enough imagination to create one. If you believe that only through God you can explain the world then maybe you should check science and see what exactly it has discovered. And regardless what I believe you and me and the rest of humanity is part of the animal kingdom. You need to eat, sleep, have sex and most important of all to survive. You have instincts, although you will try to surpress them. Hence yes you are an animal. You are not God's special creation. You have your weapon (logic and rationality) and the other animals have theirs. |
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Originally posted by Fishermage
Why is life the ultimate meaning of life? Why are children important? what gives them meaning? Why are parents important? what gives them meaning? Chemical reactions in your body for once. The ultimate meaning of life is survival, so by that it comes into perspective why children and parents in all the animal kingdom are important. |
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