"Study to show thyself approved."
The scripture is referencing the word of the Lord, but I think it's a fair bet to say that God wants us to expand our knowledge and understanding of ourselves, the world and all it's elements, and of our purpose in this life.
With such knowledge and understanding, we grow to appreciate even more His divine and loving nature, and the care He took to create us as the singularly intelligent, caring, dreaming beings on the planet that can fellowship with Him.
Originally posted by sithsaber408
"Study to show thyself approved."The scripture is referencing the word of the Lord, but I think it's a fair bet to say that God wants us to expand our knowledge and understanding of ourselves, the world and all it's elements, and of our purpose in this life.
With such knowledge and understanding, we grow to appreciate even more His divine and loving nature, and the care He took to create us as the singularly intelligent, caring, dreaming beings on the planet that can fellowship with Him.
If that was true, why did god make humans so much just like animals?
Originally posted by Storm
You talked about how you don' t want to damage the great discoveries, but how God might allow it to happen. Unless God allows me to, I won' t reach my goals, regardless of all my efforts.In order for such an educator to teach its students, must it not be omniscient?
Fair question, however, if the purpose of God's plan is for us to learn. Are we not doing it so by indulging in this topic? When you said "I won't reach my goals" you're putting limits into yourself. Why would there be limits? As far as I understand we are the ones that put limits into thinking. This is why I beg the question "maybe God wants us to think." A discovery isn't something that just pop out nowhere. It's always there...just waiting for us to discover.
Omniscience is the Teacher's (i.e. God) attribute. Our attribute is that we're beings capable of reasoning. I would think the teacher has no need to learn. But rather prefers that we learn the lessons. So that the teacher can finally reason with the student.
When you say "guidance", what are you talking about?
Guidance in learning. We all need to guide ourselves into understanding and reasoning.
Originally posted by sithsaber408
Are you talking about how we invented airplanes, paint the Sistine Chapel, or have the congnitive reason to debate our own existence?
No, I'm talking about important things like, the way my eye is very much like eyes of other animals. Or I have a heart, just like other animals. I have DNA, just like other animals.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
No, I'm talking about important things like, the way my eye is very much like eyes of other animals. Or I have a heart, just like other animals. I have DNA, just like other animals.
Indeed, how you have similar physical parts (at least in basic physical things like having an eye or a heart) shows a similar maker.
But it's our reason, dreams, aspirations, and expression of those three things that seperates us from common animals. The comparison of man and animal, while ignoring this obvious truth is folly. 😎
Back on topic: Yes. God intended for us to think, reason, and more importantly better ourselves through learning.
Originally posted by sithsaber408
Indeed, how you have similar physical parts (at least in basic physical things like having an eye or a heart) shows a similar maker.But it's our reason, dreams, aspirations, and expression of those three things that seperates us from common animals. The comparison of man and animal, while ignoring this obvious truth is folly. 😎
Back on topic: Yes. God intended for us to think, reason, and more importantly better ourselves through learning.
Those are all superficial, and I am on topic. I don't think any god wants us to think harder. We are just animals, nothing more. If some god wanted us to think harder, wouldn't that god have wanted all animals to think harder?
Just because I ask hard questions is no reason to be dismissive.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Those are all superficial, and I am on topic. I don't think any god wants us to think harder. We are just animals, nothing more. If some god wanted us to think harder, wouldn't that god have wanted all animals to think harder?Just because I ask hard questions is no reason to be dismissive.
Actually I think a dream, idea, or hope is rather intangible and deeply personal and unique. How you could say such things are "superficial" is a little confusing.
I am dismissive because you make a stupid assessment: that people "are just animals, nothing more."
Even an evolutionist would be able to tell you that the fundamental difference between other mammals and human beings is reason, emotion, dreams, ideas to better ourselves, and the dedication to pursue such ideas.
(of course how, when, and why a primate or a cougar would be able to develop such things is of course a mystery to them still, but I digress...)
The point is that there is indeed a distinction between people and animals, in fact the very conversation about the nature of God (or whether or not there is a god) and his intent for us to learn should be a simple and obvious example of how much more advanced and complex a human being is to any other animal.
And as a Buddhist, do you really believe that an animal can experience whatever higher power that you do?
Are you trying to provoke here, Shaky?
That seems out of character for you. The point of the thread is whether or not God wants us to learn. You can say yes or no and give reasons if you want to be part of the discussion.
(If you believe that there is no god, then you assume that there is for the sake of the topic and give reasons to support whatever conclusion you come to think that this god "would want, were it real"😉
You can pop in and say that there is no point because there is no god, but to continue to hold that course and derail the thread is rather trollish.
Originally posted by sithsaber408
Actually I think a dream, idea, or hope is rather intangible and deeply personal and unique. How you could say such things are "superficial" is a little confusing.I am dismissive because you make a stupid assessment: that people "are just animals, nothing more."
Even an evolutionist would be able to tell you that the fundamental difference between other mammals and human beings is reason, emotion, dreams, ideas to better ourselves, and the dedication to pursue such ideas.
(of course how, when, and why a primate or a cougar would be able to develop such things is of course a mystery to them still, but I digress...)
The point is that there is indeed a distinction between people and animals, in fact the very conversation about the nature of God (or whether or not there is a god) and his intent for us to learn should be a simple and obvious example of how much more advanced and complex a human being is to any other animal.
And as a Buddhist, do you really believe that an animal can experience whatever higher power that you do?
Are you trying to provoke here, Shaky?
That seems out of character for you. The point of the thread is whether or not God wants us to learn. You can say yes or no and give reasons if you want to be part of the discussion.
(If you believe that there is no god, then you assume that there is for the sake of the topic and give reasons to support whatever conclusion you come to think that this god "would want, were it real"😉
You can pop in and say that there is no point because there is no god, but to continue to hold that course and derail the thread is rather trollish.
You don't even understand my point. This is it: we are all animals and God is the reason we exist. We are God, or should I say, we are part of God. Animals dream just like we do. We have more in common with other animals then we do with some mythological white man on a cloud.
We have big brains because we gained an evolutionary advantage from the ability to reason. However, we have enough nuclear weapons on the planet to kill all living things. So, it is still yet to be seen rather reason truly gives us an evolutionary advantage.
Also, to accuse me of trolling and derailing is childish and derailing on it’s own.
There are different ways to develop yourself spiritually I think. Through knowledge, devotion, or action. There are many people who are used to devotion, but there are other ways too.
Thats what is told in hinduism. The yogas are the different ways to develop yourself spiritually. There is the Jnana yoga which is spirituality through knowlegde basically. Bhakti yoga which is devotion, and karma yoga which is action... and some other forms.
Originally posted by Atlantis001
There are different ways to develop yourself spiritually I think. Through knowledge, devotion, or action. There are many people who are used to devotion, but there are other ways too.Thats what is told in hinduism. The yogas are the different ways to develop yourself spiritually. There is the Jnana yoga which is spirituality through knowlegde basically. Bhakti yoga which is devotion, and karma yoga which is action... and some other forms.
Can you tell me the difference between spiritual development and any other kind of development?
Well there is that one verse that says "Come let us reason together", so god must want us to think! Science is always thinking and many condemn them for doing so, even making it a sin. Look at Galileo thrown in person for thinking outside the book. One day science might just uncover the whole truth.