God Is “Just A Belief System”
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Derek Cheshire | May 09, 2009
To find out how other Ticklers and readers responded to these questions click here. If you would like to take this interview as well, mail us your answers at interview@tickledbylife.com. (we will publish only the best responses)
What is God?
Derek: Just a belief system, not a real entity. This is good in that each person can have their own individual perspective. If God were an entity then we could end up playing tug of war (as some religions do) like we do with possessions. It also means we can believe or not.
God or the Big Bang (or both)?
Derek: Being a scientist at heart I would say the Big Bang but if we go back in time to the advent of the Big Bang then I cannot comprehend what came before. At this point God may not be relevant either apart from comforting those who cannot cope with lack of certainty.
God or Darwin (or both)?
Derek: Definitely Darwin. Unless all of science is off track. Creationism cannot explain the age of the earth, evolution etc. Darwinism can.
God or Darfur ? (How can Darfur happen if there is God?)
Derek: Depends on your view of God. I have not heard of any pro-God views that say God is a nasty piece of work. Most are along the lines of a strict but fair parent figure. If there is a God along these lines then Darfur and other tragedies cannot happen.
Who is God’s God?
Derek: There’s the rub. What happens if there is no God now but something or someone becomes God in the future. Could God have come into being at Big Bang time? In a way we should never answer these sort of questions although they provide plenty of food for thought and material for sensible debate.
Will the real God please stand up? (Why do we have so many religions?)
Derek: Setting aside the fact that I believe there is no God, if God did exist and wished to reach out to everyone then God would adopt some sort of ‘disguise’ to do so. Also many religions do not deny God but are simply based on the teachings of prophets. Does this mean that those writing scriptures etc do not have an answer for ‘God’ but concentrate on what came after?
Is this just a big lab and are we just guinea pigs and God just a researcher?
Derek: There could just be some sort of being out there who is playing with us all, and we will never know. The only argument against the lab idea is that experiments can be re-run. The human race is a once only opportunity. If we mess up then we do it big time.
Unexplained phenomena = God?
Derek: Unexplained phenomena= lack of knowledge or information about what is happening. Take ancient descriptions of natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or eclipses. Find out more and the need for attribution to a higher entity often goes away.
Filed Under: Miscellaneous
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I believe that people are entitled to opinions. What disturbs me with this piece is that the writer clearly doesn’t understand religion. Religion is a belief system. Faith is belief in the unknown. There is a difference.
Religions, just like agnostics or atheists, have a belief in certain aspects of their holy writings/teachings. Jews believe in the teachings of the old testament. Christians, believe in the entire Bible with a focus on the new testament. Muslims in the teachings of Mohammed. Buddaits in the teachings of Budda, etc. It is their beliefs that define their religion. However it is their faith that keeps them following their “leader” or higher power.
As a Christian, I have a belief in a way of life (e.g. be kind to others, don’t lie, always do what’s right even with it may be hard to do, etc.) However, my faith…not my belief…is what defines me. By faith I believe that God created this world. I believe in my faith because for even those scientists can’t say what existed before the big bang or how a single cell formed resulting in all the life on earth.
By faith I believe that I am going to heaven because I have a personal relationship with Christ. Faith is much stronger than a belief. Beliefs can falter or change over time. However, faith is steadfast, constant and unfaltering.
It disturbs me to see content like the above. It is bad enough that my kids attend school that teaches only Darwin and the big bang. It is worse when the leader of our country can’t walk the talk.
Is this writer on a mission to prove or disprove the existence of God? Or is this article and the 10+ articles (under “You will like…”) which seem to attack the faith of believers in a bigger power.
So while freedom of speech is critical, I say this writer needs to use a little more caution instead of posting such writings without clearly stating that his mission is to attack the Christians and jump on Obama’s bandwagon.
But then again…isn’t this all listed in the Bible about end times? Aren’t Christians to be marked? If that’s the case than I ask the writer, if the Bible is bogus, why then is our present time spelled out in Revelations? Oh, wait…that’s right you believe that our existence came from two random planets (which came from where) hit each other forming the organized life that makes up earth. Hmmm. Must have been an incredible act of science to form DNA strands from two stones striking each other.
Kindly read my view on my blog “The Concept of God” and tell me how correct or wrong it is.
When man in powerful, he is independent of GOD.
When man is weak, GOD can work through him.
As Paul said regarding his recurring illness, “When I am weak I am powerful.” 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.