Do you believe in some sort of God(s)?

[valenzuela]

I posted this on SMP a while ago

Why would God create the world? If he is perfect then he didnt need to create the world.

In other words:
1) Only God exists.
2) God is perfect.
3) Since only God exists and he is perfect, the current status-quo is perfect.
4) God creates an universe that is not perfect, thereby the current status-quo is not perfect.

Why would God want to change from a perfect state to a non perfect state?

[maddog2030]

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That "something greater than us" is "something greater than us" because it is a self-caused cause. Thats what makes it greater than us, so no other explanation necessary.

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That's fine as a belief. I was just pointing out that I thought it was lazy to reason that the universe must have had a cause but arbitrarily not extend that same reasoning to the "something greater."

[cjmewett]

Something that I think would be worth examining in another thread is the question of where right and wrong comes from. I'm sure (as others have referenced) that there's some sort of evolutionary biological explanation for this, and I'd be interested to hear it. I'm also curious about the other explanations used by militant atheists. (I should note that I don't mean to suggest that "right" and "wrong" are objective measures for all of humanity, but merely that those who are free of mental illness can come to a general consensus about certain thoughts or actions that are unnatural, inhumane, or otherwise just plain bad.)

In response to the OP, no, I don't believe in "God" as that concept would be generally expressed in Western religion. I have what you might call somewhat Taoist leanings, in that I think that a certain "Way" runs through existence and that free men (as all are in their minds) can choose a course of action that in varying degrees conflicts or accords with that "Way." I guess I mean to say that there IS in fact some objective good and evil, and than action that causes discord with "the Way" or that muddies one's perception of this truth is in a sense counterproductive (though it won't result in any sort of punishment beyond simple ignorance of truth and perhaps temporal unhappiness).

This is probably a subject that is best discussed at a time other than 3:30 am, so I'll leave it there for now.

[Gugel]

I don't believe in God. That being said, I can imagine a situation where we develop artificial intelligence to the point that it would be able to mimic reality. Imagine The Sims only like 100000000000000000000x better. We would be their "gods".

[Earl Sleek]

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I don't believe in God. That being said, I can imagine a situation where we develop artificial intelligence to the point that it would be able to mimic reality. Imagine The Sims only like 100000000000000000000x better. We would be their "gods".

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The day we invent that simulation, what do the chances become that we ourselves are in a simulation? 100%?

[Dr. Strangelove]

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While it is irrational to dogmatically believe there is no god (at any moment evidence might present itself), ...

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What evidence could ever "present itself" that could prove the existence of God? If this evidence occurred in the "natural" world, which it would have to in order for humans to be aware of it, then it appeared within the confines of reality and thus the source of the evidence must possess a certain identity.

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Are you saying that God is incapable of convincing scientists of his existence to the same degree that they are convinced that evolution describes the world? It seems that would be somewhat easier than CREATING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE FROM NOTHING.

And I don't have any reason to be convinced there is any other world but the "natural world".

[kickpushcoast]

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What's it called where you think it's dumb to think God is sitting up there judging us on whether or not we charge interest on loans, eat pork, or have buttsex, but you also think it's pretty unlikely the universe just popped into existence without the influence of some higher intelligence?

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sensible?