God exists, as there is evidence in some places. Who can create a tree? No human can, and that's one mark of God.
The idea of God is made by man, but is it really presented in satisfactory terms? I can come up with the idea that a human can fly in the sky, and travel at 500,000 mph. If this man exist, is there a good reason to show how he is that powerful? There can be many meaning in the term God.
All sinners who don't think God exists is in for a big surprise. Man does fear God.
Originally posted by SupermanAscends
God exists, as there is evidence in some places. Who can create a tree? No human can, and that's one mark of God.The idea of God is made by man, but is it really presented in satisfactory terms? I can come up with the idea that a human can fly in the sky, and travel at 500,000 mph. If this man exist, is there a good reason to show how he is that powerful? There can be many meaning in the term God.
All sinners who don't think God exists is in for a big surprise. Man does fear God.
Why would someone fear god?
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Why would someone fear god?
Indeed. Worst case scenario...even if God is a malevolent entity that enjoys inflicting suffering and misery upon the very stupid creatures, we can still be thankful for this brief existence on this plane as we create our own heaven via our perspectives. 😄
But, to comment directly, Fearing God and being afraid are two different things. The Christian "fear God" idea cannot be directly translated into modern English. You have to think in middle English terms. I believe it is closer to filial fear instead of the immature fear version that many Christians incorrectly believe.
Originally posted by dadudemon
Indeed. Worst case scenario...even if God is a malevolent entity that enjoys inflicting suffering and misery upon the very stupid creatures, we can still be thankful for this brief existence on this plane as we create our own heaven via our perspectives. 😄But, to comment directly, Fearing God and being afraid are two different things. The Christian "fear God" idea cannot be directly translated into modern English. You have to think in middle English terms. I believe it is closer to filial fear instead of the immature fear version that many Christians incorrectly believe.
I guess you have a point, but that is still a distance relationship. We are part of God; we are one with God. This is regardless of what we do, or don't do. We cannot be separate from God, therefore there is nothing to fear, in any way.
Originally posted by SupermanAscends
The idea of God is made by man, but is it really presented in satisfactory terms? I can come up with the idea that a human can fly in the sky, and travel at 500,000 mph. If this man exist, is there a good reason to show how he is that powerful? There can be many meaning in the term God.
This seems like the worst possible definition of god. You shouldn't bow down and worship something simply because it is more powerful than you.
Originally posted by SupermanAscends
All sinners who don't think God exists is in for a big surprise. Man does fear God.
I can't fear a thing I'm not aware of, that's actually impossible.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Then how do you explain the meme of fear of the unknown?
It still requires a level of awareness of the fact that you don't know something, I suppose.
Originally posted by SupermanAscends
God exists, as there is evidence in some places. Who can create a tree? No human can, and that's one mark of God.
Who can create dog poo? No man can! Clearly God is a dog.
Originally posted by SupermanAscends
All sinners who don't think God exists is in for a big surprise.
What big surprise? And how about those who don't think he exists but aren't sinners?
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Therefore, you can be afraid of something you do not know of. However, I am not saying you are.
No I'm not afraid of the thing I don't know about, I'm afraid of the thing I do know about (the unkown, my own ignorance).
Metaphor time:
There could be a mugger hiding in a dark alley. I can't be afraid of that particular mugger until he attacks me because I don't know he exists. I can be afraid of the dark alley because I know that dark alleys leave me vulnerable to muggers.
Now I could be afraid of muggers in a generic sense because I have so idea of what a mugger is. I can't be afraid of god/gods in a generic sense when there is no clear image of them for be to have such thoughts about.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
No I'm not afraid of the thing I don't know about, I'm afraid of the thing I do know about (the unkown, my own ignorance).Metaphor time:
There could be a mugger hiding in a dark alley. I can't be afraid of that particular mugger until he attacks me because I don't know he exists. I can be afraid of the dark alley because I know that dark alleys leave me vulnerable to muggers.Now I could be afraid of muggers in a generic sense because I have so idea of what a mugger is. I can't be afraid of god/gods in a generic sense when there is no clear image of them for be to have such thoughts about.
You are slitting hairs. I can be afraid of anything that I can imagine, including nothing. Fear is a very basic emotion and is not always attached to logic. That is why people have phobias.
However, I was in no way saying that you are afraid or should be. You should not be afraid.
Originally posted by Mindship
What mean you by 'meme' of fear? (I think you have a song title there.) I regard fear as a hardwired, multi-faceted response to a situation where the organism feels it may exerience pain and/or death.
...and I don't think it is bound by logic. We can apply logic and over come fear, but fear comes first.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
I am aware of the unknown.
You're omniscient???!?!?!?!?!?!?
My God. LORD!
Forgive me for not having worshiped you sooner.
What is it that you would have me do?
Originally posted by Digi
What big surprise? And how about those who don't think he exists but aren't sinners?
Shhhhh. Don't tell him that his very own beliefs that he is ignorant of state the they are saved in their ignorance.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
No I'm not afraid of the thing I don't know about, I'm afraid of the thing I do know about (the unkown, my own ignorance).Metaphor time:
There could be a mugger hiding in a dark alley. I can't be afraid of that particular mugger until he attacks me because I don't know he exists. I can be afraid of the dark alley because I know that dark alleys leave me vulnerable to muggers.Now I could be afraid of muggers in a generic sense because I have so idea of what a mugger is. I can't be afraid of god/gods in a generic sense when there is no clear image of them for be to have such thoughts about.
I think you missed his point.
A better comparison would be: "I do not know if there is a mugger around the corner. The idea that there might be and the fact that I do not know scares me. I am afraid for whatever is or is not around that corner."
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
...and I don't think it is bound by logic. We can apply logic and over come fear, but fear comes first.
Just saw this.
Logically, you can create reasons for fear, as well. Logic is not the solution to fear.
Logically, you can conclude that you will die. Thus born is the fear of death: thanatophobia.
Logically, you can conclude that you will become sick. Thus is born emetophobia.
Logically, you can conclude you will become old. Thus is born gerontophobia.
So what is the way to overcome fear? It is not logic, sometimes. I would say that always, it is a state of mind that is achieved rather than an exercise in rationalism, pragmatism, or logic (I am using those last 3 words in a philosophical sense).
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
You are slitting hairs.
You are not paying attention.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I can be afraid of anything that I can imagine, including nothing.
Yes and you cannot be afraid of a thing you imagine until you imagine it. If you don't yet know that chairs exist it is impossible for you to be afraid of them.
Originally posted by dadudemon
You're omniscient???!?!?!?!?!?!?
😕 How could you possibly end up with that reading of what I wrote?
I am aware of the unknown. I know that the unknown is a thing because I know there are things I don't know. Because of this I can be afraid of it.
On the other hand if I do not have knowledge of something I cannot be afraid of it because I don't know it exists. Name one thing you have never heard of that you're scared of. Imagine an infant. Is the infant scared of werewolves? No, it has no idea that werewolves are a category of things that it is possible to be afraid of.
Originally posted by dadudemon
A better comparison would be: "I do not know if there is a mugger around the corner. The idea that there might be and the fact that I do not know scares me. I am afraid for whatever is or is not around that corner."
This is what I referred to as the "generic mugger". I cannot be afraid of the specific mugger because I have not imagined (arguably cannot) the specific mugger.
Originally posted by dadudemon
Logically, you can create reasons for fear, as well. Logic is not the solution to fear.Logically, you can conclude that you will die. Thus born is the fear of death: thanatophobia.
Logically, you can conclude that you will become sick. Thus is born emetophobia.
Logically, you can conclude you will become old. Thus is born gerontophobia.
Emotions are affective. Logic is not. Even if you include logic in the process there must be an additional element in becoming afraid of something, a point where emotional experience gets involved.
And actually phobias are usually defined as being irrationally frightened (either of a thing that is irrational to be scared of or to an extent that is irrational) and thus cannot really be blamed on logic.