NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm Muslim, but my beliefs aren't exactly in line with Islamic beliefs, practices, and teachings. What holds me onto Islam is that I believe that Jesus is another human just like anyone else who happened to be a prophet.

Anyway, I'm a believer of both science and religion, both logic and God. A contradiction perhaps to some, but to me it works fine.

First off, I wondered to myself why exactly did I believe in my one God and dismiss all other Gods? Keep in mind, I don't accept just what people tell me to believe, I try to think these things over in my head and rationalize why I believe what I believe. So I tried to make sense of this. Why DID I believe in one God? My God? And not be a polytheist?

Bear in mind, there's never a clear cut answer to everything. I'm not saying that what I say to be the truth, just another step toward an explanation that will all be figured out once we die - either we're just dead or we get to meet God.

So anyway, if God creates us in his own image, then wouldn't God have similar human faults? God may be perfect, but then again many people say that they're perfect with no real base. God may just be a narcissist like everyone else. So what if there used to be more than one God? Sometime before the laws of the universe were defined? If the 20th century has taught us anything, it's that many superpowers end up fighting each other until one comes out to the top. In Earth, that would be the U.S. after the British, French, Germans, Russians, Japanese, and Americans (and many others) battled it out side against side until one finally was able to stand up above the rest. What if something similar happened with God? He is the victor above all other Gods?

And in any case, a God of thunder makes no sense. A god of water doesn't. A god of fire doesn't. A god that controls weather doesn't make any sense. It's biology, physics, chemistry, etc. that controls these things, not God. God perhaps just created the laws of the universe to work these things out for themselves, but he wouldn't stoop so low as to make sure your crops grow that season so long as you kill a goat for him. Why? Well, maybe because he's so full of himself. ;)

A reason I don't fear death so much is because I want the answers to whether or not God exists, how and why. Of course I like living and want to live a full life, but I can't help but feel a little envious toward those who've passed on because I feel like they've either started another journey or that they finally know the answer.

So any case, that's my bit of...rambling or whatever it's called.

Myself, I believe in one god because there's only one me. Hardly need more of them.

Myself, I believe in one god because there's only one me. Hardly need more of them.
:)

Yeah that's probably the kind of thing God'd say.

Maybe God killed off all the other deities, or betrayed and murdered his predecessor, (Sith!) or something. Maybe there are still rogue divine entities lurking just off the edge of reality....

This would all be more interesting if I actually believed in the supernatural...

Maybe God killed off all the other deities, or betrayed and murdered his predecessor, (Sith!) or something. Maybe there are still rogue divine entities lurking just off the edge of reality....

This would all be more interesting if I actually believed in the supernatural...
Call it whatever you want baby, doesn't make it true.

Perhaps there is is a one source God from which many gods emerged to create their own things (or collaborate together on projects) so that both a one god can be true while also a many god scenario can also be true.

Well, in God's own image doesn't have to mean exactly like God, you can have 2 things wrapped in the same package and the contents be very different :/. I can't answer the "why did I believe..."things though, that can get real personal.

I believe in no gods, because I am god.

Please leave your offerings to me outside of cell #58, wing 2, Shelton Mental Healthcare Hospital, UK...

I actually believe in no god because the idea doesn't fit in my brain. It's like trying to install Mac software on a Windows PC. Doesn't work. Sure, you might be able to force it in there, but even then it wouldn't really 'fit'. I would have thought the same would be true with the theists. Don't you just 'know' one way or the other?

Anyway, I'm a believer of both science and religion, both logic and God. A contradiction perhaps to some, but to me it works fine.
Having recently read Abelard, I don't think its a contradiction at all

So anyway, if God creates us in his own image, then wouldn't God have similar human faults....
(I haven't read the Koran so I'm not sure if this is included in the Koran and thus, for you at least, might be a moot point) When God gave Adam the right to name all creatures of land and see etc. etc. etc. he gave man independance to develop on his own. God gave people language, which gave us independance from God, thereby allowing us to develop flaws.
So God, I think, according to scripture could both be perfect and have created us in his image.

And in any case, a God of thunder makes no sense. A god of water doesn't. A god of fire doesn't. A god that controls weather doesn't make any sense.
I don't see how they make less sense than a single almighty entity

It's biology, physics, chemistry, etc. that controls these things, not God.
Again, I don't see how the idea of having a god or demi-god/angel in charge of these individual 'elements' (for lack of a better word) makes less sense than saying "god created biology and that controls life"

God perhaps just created the laws of the universe to work these things out for themselves,
Where is this comming from?
but he wouldn't stoop so low as to make sure your crops grow that season so long as you kill a goat for him. Islam's God, I beleive is almighty, eternal, omnipresent etc so why wouldn't he bother to look after the little things?

Well, in God's own image doesn't have to mean exactly like God, you can have 2 things wrapped in the same package and the contents be very different :/. I can't answer the "why did I believe..."things though, that can get real personal.

I like the idea better of having a group of major gods as well as a few other minor gods that people could worship in a common way. You can pick the god that best represents you and worship that deity on a regular basis. Then there are still other gods in which you could pray to if ever you needed help or blessings for whatever it is that they're known for.

There is also a heck of a lot less arguing about which god is the correct god to worship because each god is known for his or her own specific qualities. Everybody knows that it's senseless to pray to the god of thunder so that you could make a better pot. That is unless for some reason the god of thunder is also the god of craftsmanship.

That's not to say that will stop the bickering outright. There will still be some people who think that their god is better than some other god. That dispute could have started due to some confrontation in the myths, or due to some other real world reason.

The problem though is that most polytheistic religions aren't well suited for today’s technological advances. Exactly who would a professional spammer or a telemarketer pray to as their patron deity anyways?

The problem though is that most polytheistic religions aren't well suited for today’s technological advances. Exactly who would a professional spammer or a telemarketer pray to as their patron deity anyways?

Spamicus, Viking god of spam, of course. What a silly question.:D

Spamicus sounds more Roman than Norse

Spamicus sounds more Roman than Norse

True, but spam itself is a Viking delicacy. They have songs about it.

Anyway, now that I've had the chance to ponder the topic, I'm going to offer a serious response: Colodia, your arguments against polytheism don't work because they're going after a straw man. Polytheistic gods aren't usually the people who everyday ensure that things work right, they're just beings with extraordinary power over their given area of expertise. It will always thunder or rain when there's a storm, they make storms gather out of a clear sky. It it always possible to grow fertile crops in good times, but they can make them grow in a drought. It's supernatural power, not natural.

Actually, I find limited, polytheistic gods to be much more plausible than a single all-powerful being. A being who can do anything might do anything. You can't really ascribe any comprehensible personality to such a being because the being's very mind could be constantly changing in response to unknown whims. A limited being, on the other hand, can be expected to follow certain courses of action, and can be depended upon to feel a certain way.

I think there is more to god and heaven then what we think (Duh obviously). I definately think there is more than one god. Just one god on Earth. For instance where did god come from? No matter how powerful and awesomesauce you are you can't just 'appear' and know how to make a planet. Maybe there is a race of god like creatures?

A being might do anything unless he has a certain Character, take God the way the Bible describes Him, it says that since He is perfect He can do nothing wrong. All-powerfulness doesn't necessarily imply the ability to do everything with it.

Yes but remember that the stories in the bible were told and drawn for thousands of years before they were formed into the first scriptures. There is a chance their meaning could have gone astray. Like nowadays how stories change so easily.

Example: Tim and John walked down the street.

Now if this was interesting enough to be talked about eventually the story will change to: Tim and John ran down the street.

Eventually if its told enough it will turn into: Tim and John drove their Ferrari's down the street but they lost control, crashed into a house and both died.

Not only does that story make no sense, it has been changed excessively from its original content.

:)

Yeah that's probably the kind of thing God'd say.
LOL

I'm not god, but there is a certain mirror effect to it. ;)

Funny to think God saying, "There's only one me because there's only one Willamena." :)

Yes but remember that the stories in the bible were told and drawn for thousands of years before they were formed into the first scriptures. There is a chance their meaning could have gone astray. Like nowadays how stories change so easily.

Example: Tim and John walked down the street.

Now if this was interesting enough to be talked about eventually the story will change to: Tim and John ran down the street.

Eventually if its told enough it will turn into: Tim and John drove their Ferrari's down the street but they lost control, crashed into a house and both died.

Not only does that story make no sense, it has been changed excessively from its original content.
The difference between the Bible stories and your example is that your example has no meaning to hold it together.

True, but spam itself is a Viking delicacy. They have songs about it.

"Well... spam, egg, sausage, and spam doesn't have much spam in it...":p