Who God, What God, When God, Where God and Why God?

[Taff Lafferty]

If a hundred different religions have to be wrong for yours to be right, does this show that people from all over the world like to invent gods that don’t exist?

[marco]

I kind of mock God, or mans belief in him, when we have the information in front of us that is mocked by christianity in deference to their collection of books, so its kind of fair to laugh at christians and muslims and anyone that believes in god and not superman.

It is fair to accept that Yahweh is a man-made construction but it is unfair to "laugh at Christians and Mulsims" for their sincerity. I am apprehensive when that sincerity wants to kill me but laughter is not my reaction.
There is more we don't know that what we do; the percentage of books a person has read of those that have been written is close to zero, regardless of the person's abilities. Ignorance has no cause for laughter - tears, maybe.

[JehovahsWitness]

Yes I believe so. I can invent a god today .........

Ironically the vast majority of the earth's population would say you have done so.

Firstly that is a speculation (unless you have a peer reviewed study to back up that claim) and furthermore I think that while we're speculating, in my experience that is not the case. My far the majority of people I speak to on this matter, hold the view that all people of faith, no matter what the name of their god or the nature of their belief are worshipping the Creator "in their own way".

Most Christians I have met tell me that no matter what you call him "God" "Elohim" "Yahweh" "Jehovah" some even hold "Allah" or "Shiva" you are still worshiping the True God under a different name or system. Most Christians I meet tell me that even if they believe I am mislead in terms of the religion organization to which I am affiliated*, that "we all worship the same god in the end"... I don't have any memory of a believer has telling me the "Jehovah's Witness God is "made up" but that theirs is "real" - granted people may well just be too polite to say that to my face but even on-line such a thing is not imo a majority view. In short, it is extremely rare in my experience for people (outside atheistic circles**) to tell me as one of Jehovah's Witnesses that the God himself (JEHOVAH) is just "a made up god", that doesn't really exist at all.


JW



*They may object to the name (or rather the pronunciation of that name) but rarely if ever do the object to the god himself being fictional


**Note: Atheists are a tiny proportion of the earth's population, so even if we speculate their number is added to the small (imho) number of people that raise this objection, we would be far from the "marjority of earths population" you refer to.

[JehovahsWitness]

And why would a one, true God make himself hard to find?

I didn't say he did.

Why would a one true God be interested in a religion?

If we think of "religion" as being the system of belief and behaviour by which humans worship God, then it would be because humans have a fundamental need to do so. The bible says we are created with a spiritual need which can only be satisfied by having a relationship withour Creator. "Religion" is the platform by which humans in the present system can satisfy that need; and thus be truly happy. Also because as our Creator and lifegiver it is his right to be worshipped.

Why would an almighty being, who cared, pick a few uninspiring souls from the mass of humanity and whisper: "Here I am!" Is this REASONABLE?

In my opinion, he doesn't pick uninspiring souls, you'll have to address the question to someone that holds this belief.


JW

[marco]

Firstly that is a speculation (unless you have a peer reviewed study to back up that claim)

This is funny. If I had a peer-reviewed study on that subject I would be the last to admit it.

By far the majority of people I speak to on this matter, hold the view that all people of faith, no matter what the name of their god or the nature of their belief are worshipping the Creator "in their own way". [/quote]

Am I imagining that you support the opposite view on another thread where it was suggested that Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the same deity?

**Note: Atheists are a tiny proportion of the earth's population, so even if we speculate their number is added to the small (imho) number of people that raise this objection, we would be far from the "majority of earth's population" you refer to.

I should imagine that non-Christians, supporting another God, would see your God as false, or invented. But I am prepared to concede this point to you; if vast numbers think your God is their God, that is nice.

[JehovahsWitness]

I should imagine that non-Christians, supporting another God, would see your God as false, or invented. But I am prepared to concede this point to you; if vast numbers think your God is their God, that is nice.

In my experience that is the case, in fact I think there is a thread running at the moment on this very forum with individuals arguing that "we all worship the same God, by different names" (or words to that effect) and objecting to the Jehovah's Witnesses (minority) view that that is in fact not the case. JWs believe that other religions are not worshipping the Creator, that their gods are in fact "made up" the majority say our view is wrong and that we (JWs) and everybody else haven't made up a god, we are just worshipping their (and everybody's) God by a different name.

I'm not saying there aren't anyone saying "JWs just made up their (fictional) god" or that "Jehovah/YHWH" is a made up God, but its rare.

JW

[Closingaccountreadgmailna]

If a hundred different religions have to be wrong for yours to be right, does this show that people from all over the world like to invent gods that don’t exist?

Read the Holy Book. You will find your answer, Jesus is never wrong, for He is the Truth.

If you are really interested you will take my word for it and you will search. Browse through New Testament.

God bless you!

[marco]

Read the Holy Book. You will find your answer, Jesus is never wrong, for He is the Truth.

The Holy Book doesn't always say good things. Jesus wasn't right about the mustard seed nor about his return within the lifetime of some standing in front of him. Your video gives splendid advice - if we all prayed for peace there would be no war. One can hardly disagree with that.

Basically, if someone wants to be nice to others, that is all the good we need. Involving God gets people burned and beheaded. Go well.

[marco]

in fact I think there is a thread running at the moment on this very forum with individuals arguing that "we all worship the same God, by different names" (or words to that effect) and objecting to the Jehovah's Witnesses (minority) view that that is in fact not the case.

JW

So here it is handy to conclude that all worship the same God - as revealed by consensus. The minority opinion, that only JWs have hit on the right deity, seems rather frail then. My own view is you all worship the same artefact, but some have dressed him up better than others.

[Taff Lafferty]

I read the bible in its entirety and the Quran, 4 Hadiths, an overview of the Vedas and Torah, I have read books on Buddism, Shintoism. What all these religions have in common is they are not of my culture or my locality.

They are of their time, its today's version of Aliens from Mars coming down and saying this is our god. If that happened their will be some lunatics who will take up this god and say its the one true god. These fanatics will then convert others (Jedi types) who will be young impressionable and or of unsound mind, lets call them Apostles or Prophets.

Within those groups there will be facilitators of the new cult who have the ability and means to publicise and influence people to do anything(ISIS Types) Logic will leave the window and love and acceptance will be like a warm blanket to those who need it, this religion will spread by births in the followers and charity type events where people in need are helped who because they were saved will then convert.

The then new religion will grow and spread gaining power in regions, they will then target new members, by demonstrating the logic of so many people can not be wrong, and of course the tried and practiced you have so much in common with your old religion this is the next step, its the evolution of religion, join or be left behind.

well that's what I think, so all you martians can do one.



Not perfect but it explains it well.... i159.photobucket.com/albums/t137/CrossingStyx/Religion_Family_Tree.png