If we spend an hour per day worshiping Odin or Quetzalcoatl, that equates to fifteen 24-hour days per year. Would that be wasted time? There are, literally, thousands of 'gods' promoted by religions.
How can it be determined (beyond anyone's opinion) which, if any, of the proposed 'gods' are worthy of our time, effort, and resources?
Wasting Time?
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Wasting Time?
Post #1.
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #2Let's start with the ones that send fire from heaven on request and narrow it down from there.
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #3There's only one God. There has always only been one God. In fact, God is the only real thing that exists. These other gods you mentioned are "revelations" of God. They are the color of the lenses we look through to see God. Some are wrong, some are inadequate, some are outdated. I only defend Jesus Christ as the way to God. Anything else is useless. In my ever so humble opinion.Zzyzx wrote: ↑Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:50 am If we spend an hour per day worshiping Odin or Quetzalcoatl, that equates to fifteen 24-hour days per year. Would that be wasted time? There are, literally, thousands of 'gods' promoted by religions.
How can it be determined (beyond anyone's opinion) which, if any, of the proposed 'gods' are worthy of our time, effort, and resources?

All for Christ and only for Christ! 

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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #4Personally, I don't give two hoot on who worships what in their own life: the gal down the street wants to worship the god of coffee? Have at it.Zzyzx wrote: ↑Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:50 am If we spend an hour per day worshiping Odin or Quetzalcoatl, that equates to fifteen 24-hour days per year. Would that be wasted time? There are, literally, thousands of 'gods' promoted by religions.
How can it be determined (beyond anyone's opinion) which, if any, of the proposed 'gods' are worthy of our time, effort, and resources?
To the question:
We can't, nor shouldn't, try to determine who worships what for others. Only the individual can do that for themselves.
As to who is worshipping the 'right' on? I say let them fight it out on their own land and the last one standing 'wins'.
Last edited by nobspeople on Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #5OH -- "ones that send fire from heaven on request"?
How can we verify that such things happen(ed) in the real world -- not just ancient (or modern) tales?
How can we verify that such things happen(ed) in the real world -- not just ancient (or modern) tales?
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ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #6"There's only one God. There has always only been one God."
Thank you for posting your opinion.
However, notice that the OP specifies "beyond anyone's opinion." How can the 'one god (or God)' claim be shown to be truthful and accurate (verified beyond ancient or modern claims, tales, and opinions)?
Thank you for posting your opinion.
However, notice that the OP specifies "beyond anyone's opinion." How can the 'one god (or God)' claim be shown to be truthful and accurate (verified beyond ancient or modern claims, tales, and opinions)?
.
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #7My new book can be read freely from here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rIkqxC ... xtqFY/view
Old version can be read from here:
http://web.archive.org/web/202212010403 ... x_eng.html
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rIkqxC ... xtqFY/view
Old version can be read from here:
http://web.archive.org/web/202212010403 ... x_eng.html
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #8I meant do the 1 Kings 18 experiment yourself. Pile up a bunch of sticks with a dead bull (or pigeon, if you're poor), do the "dear [Yahweh/Zeus/Vishnu/whatever], please send fire" thing, and see who responds. Any that actually send fire go on the short list.
My pronouns are he, him, and his.
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Re: Wasting Time?
Post #9Some seem to achieve levels of comfort, happiness, euphory, and even degrees of ecstasy by worshipping their chosen god/gods. If that is what one values, then I suppose it's not wasted time for them. If they are expecting their worship to cause their chosen god/gods to bend the odds of life in their favor absent any hard work on their part, then it is most likely a waste of time.
It can't be unless again one's goal is to feel comfort, happiness, etc. If that is the goal, then most any god or group of gods will do. Any could potentially provide that benefit as long as one really believes. There are of course methods to achieve these goals that don't require worship of god/gods.How can it be determined (beyond anyone's opinion) which, if any, of the proposed 'gods' are worthy of our time, effort, and resources?
Though not directly related to the O.P., this reveals the danger of thinking that if believing in XYZ makes me feel better, then XYZ must be the real.
Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
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Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
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I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
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- American Atheists
Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
- wiploc
I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
- Irvin D. Yalom