What if God didn't exist?

[Orion]

Well, that is for darn certain, Free. But that brings up questions that are probably outside of the scope of this thread.

As it is for ME, . . personally, . . . "faith" has left me desolate, empty, and searching for something real. It's a sad place to be. . . . . . . but it is the truth of where I am. I've questioned the very question posed by this thread many times.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

The fact that virtually every society in history has believed in something supernatural is worth noting, regardless of those beliefs were specifically.

How intuitive. The Catechism Of The Catholic Church says the same thing:

27 - The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for....

28 - In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, men have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behavior: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being......

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect1.htm#chpt1

 

[GraceBwithU]

The question is not, "If God didn't exist, would you continue to practice?" The question is, "If you stopped believing in God, would you continue to practice?" So unless you believe the world would come to an end the second you stopped believing in him, the answer "I wouldn't exist" is just dodging the question.

It appears to me that you are dodging the answers. word the question anyway you want. There are many skeptics about Christianity and many of them present questions like this to try to confuse the fact of God's existance. To try to plant a seed of doubt. I'm not sure a true believer would ever even think of posting such a question.

Doesn't matter though. God does exist. I'm here and so are you...and it was NO accident. No big bang and not evolving from apes.

By the way, I was not able to find your answer to your own question.

 

[GraceBwithU]

I did not vote, but if God never existed, then it would be foolishness and vanity to attend Church or practice my faith.

If I might add the apostle Pauls vote, in 1 Cor 15 I believe he voted the same as I just did.

14 and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.
19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.

Excellent post mondar. I didn't vote either.. Sorry but it just seems to be a dumb question. Before I accepted Christ I might have given it some thought. But now I just can even imagine it. So there was no way I could answer with the options that were given.

First of all answering no would only show that I was willing to accept the non existance of God.

Answering yes is also dumb. Because it emplies that I am blindly following something that I nolonger believe in.

Not sure is just a luke warm Christians stand and is not much different that answering no.

Luke 8:11-15
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
KJV

Another question related to the OP is , "which one of the above are you, 12, 13, 14, or 15?" The reason I say it is related is that depending on how your seed is sown would determine how you answered. Veres 15 seeds would laugh at the question and never even consider the possiblity.

 

[Free]

How intuitive. The Catechism Of The Catholic Church says the same thing:

It had nothing to do with intuition and certainly nothing to do with the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church. It comes from studying history; it's an observation, not an intuition.

Well, that is for darn certain, Free. But that brings up questions that are probably outside of the scope of this thread.

Yeah, they most certainly would be beyond this thread. It's just one of those things I file in the back of my mind, just something to be aware of.

As it is for ME, . . personally, . . . "faith" has left me desolate, empty, and searching for something real. It's a sad place to be. . . . . . . but it is the truth of where I am.

It is unfortunate that some of the Christian denominations leave no room for a personal experience of God. However, some do, and many in the history of the Christian Church have had very profound spiritual experiences as well.

 

[handy]

I'm a little surprised and curious that I'm the only Christian who doesn't find any value in the Christian lifestyle, in of itself.

Granted, it is a moot point, because without God, there really isn't a Christian lifestyle. But, as a philosophical query; with the exception of prayer and the sacraments, I can't think of what I would change about my life if God didn't exist. (OK, Christmas and Easter would be meaningless as well. But even then, one could just go crazy with Santa's and Bunnies.)

Which begs the question, (for the Christian's here who answered no) what besides prayer and the sacraments would you cease to practice if God didn't exist? Love? Fathfulness? Truthfulness? Feeding the poor? Charity?

Hope, that would be useless without God. In a Godless universe there could be no hope, except in it's most limited, superficial sense like a kid hoping to get a bike for his birthday.

Granted, if someone were to come along and tell me that if I didn't give up the "christian philosophy" and convert to (fill in the blank) they were going to boil me and mine in oil; knowing there was no God, yep, I'd go ahead and convert. No reason to die for something non-existant. Which I believe was the point of Paul's message to the Corinthians about being pitiable if there is no resurrection.

But, aside from not dying before denying, prayer, taking communion and baptizing, and some of the holidays, what would you actively change about your life if we take God out of the question?

Is it more of a question of what are we NOT doing that we would do if God was taken out of the picture? What is it that I'm denying myself, solely because I know God doesn't want me to do it?

Hmmmmm.......the only thing that comes to my mind is that I would be a lot more snarky and willing to ...how does the saying go..."rip you a new one" if you ticked me off. I'm VERY tempermental and work daily to try to keep my anger in check. I suppose with no god, I wouldn't worry about sinning with my anger, holding things in check and trying to resolve issues without boiling over. Of course, my husband would probably divorce me, and my kids would hate me if I really lost all self-control over my anger. So, maybe it would be better to continue to exercise self-control over anger after all.

Perhaps I'd just fulfill any fantasies I like without worrying about the sin aspect. Like maybe frolicking nekkie with Brad Pitt. But, if Brad and I were able to have a nekkie frolick, both Steve and Angelina would be hurt, and again if the families broke up then all the kids would be hurt....nope that wouldn't work out so well after all either.

Maybe, just once, I would take an LSD trip, (just to see what it's like) and I'd drop the LSD at the Cherry Bowl during Cosmic Bowling night. (Then again, one hardly needs LSD to trip out during Cosmic Bowling.) Of course, I'm such a wuss, I'd be afraid that I'd be one of those who would get hopelessly addicted on the first try. I don't know. The point about never trying drugs is that one never gets the urge to continue on with them, and I like my body enough not to want to waste it on drugs.

 

[Orion]

It is unfortunate that some of the Christian denominations leave no room for a personal experience of God. However, some do, and many in the history of the Christian Church have had very profound spiritual experiences as well.

I would love to have a "personal experience with God", but apparently, my "faith" is supposed to be paramount over any "personal experiences". I find it odd, . . .and quite unsatisfying, . . . that it is supposed to be "faith" that is the thing that's pleasing to God. The "you never see, touch, smell, hear, or taste anything supernatural, but it is out there" type of mindset, the "without faith it is impossible to please God".

Why is the "faith in the unsensed" so important? For me, it just speaks to me, "It really isn't true, . . we won't be able to actually prove it to them, . . .so we'll say that it is a religion based on "Faith", and then make them HAVE to have this "faith" and declare them unpleasing to God if they lack this faith."

Why the "uber incognito"? Why not an ACTUAL personal experience? God? . . . Are you REALLY there?? :-?

 

[Free]

I would love to have a "personal experience with God", but apparently, my "faith" is supposed to be paramount over any "personal experiences". I find it odd, . . .and quite unsatisfying, . . . that it is supposed to be "faith" that is the thing that's pleasing to God. The "you never see, touch, smell, hear, or taste anything supernatural, but it is out there" type of mindset, the "without faith it is impossible to please God".

Why is the "faith in the unsensed" so important? For me, it just speaks to me, "It really isn't true, . . we won't be able to actually prove it to them, . . .so we'll say that it is a religion based on "Faith", and then make them HAVE to have this "faith" and declare them unpleasing to God if they lack this faith."

Why the "uber incognito"? Why not an ACTUAL personal experience? God? . . . Are you REALLY there?? :-?

I don't know why, no one does. Interestingly enough, many deep personal experiences often come at the darkest times. I would love to have a profound experience of God but I am content if I don't. For me, the fact that thousands upon thousands have had personal experiences is another one of those things I keep filed in the back of my mind.

There is much to be said in answer to your questions but I won't be able to give a satisfactory answer and I want to avoid giving a wrong one. There are many books on Christian spirituality that address these deep longings. Your questions and desires are valid, just go to the right sources to point you in the proper direction. The Christian walk is a journey, not a destination, and there is much to learn on the way and for whatever reason, God only reveals certain things at certain times.

 

[Free]

I'm a little surprised and curious that I'm the only Christian who doesn't find any value in the Christian lifestyle, in of itself.

Apart from God, no, there is little or no value in the Christian lifestyle. If God didn't exist there would be no objective right or wrong, nothing to restrain, no moral or spiritual consequences.

There is probably much I would do as well.

Brad Pitt....heh. I used to not like his movies 'cause all the girls loved him. Now I do enjoy most of his recent movies.

 

[Paul W.]

Let's just break it all the way down.

If God did not exist...nothing would exist.

Handy is correct when she says, "The point is moot."


If God did not exist we would not be having this conversation.




Praise God in heaven for He is glorious and greatly to be praised!!









May the love and peace of Jesus Christ be yours,
Paul W.

 

[Orion]

Paul W. . . . .the idea of this thread isn't about your take on how YOUR religious background would affect your answer. I believe (unless I'm wrong) that the atmosphere of the question is:

If archeologist/scientists/(even the findings of the verifyable words from Abraham, David, or Paul stating that all their words were completely false), . . . if this information arose today, and the whole world came to the realization that there was no God, . . . . . . would you still believe it?

To give the answer "if God didn't exist, we wouldn't be here" is dodging the question. The whole idea of the question was about your response if "God's non-existance" became fact.

 

[Paul W.]

Actually, Orion, I understood the question quite well.

My answer remains the same.

"If the TRUTH were not the TRUTH" seems (to me) to be an exercise in inutility and a waste of time. We may as well discuss "What if blue was really orange?" or something along that line.

If the religionists of the theory of evolution were correct (I can scarcely bring myself to type such foolishness) there would be nothing whatsoever to motivate anyone to live a moral life. We would be stupid not to be greedy, self-centered, egoists if this life were all there is.

The apostle Paul said it two thousand years ago.


"If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die." -1Corinthians 15:32




I prefer to concern myself not with "what ifs" about what cannot be and meditate with joy on what is.




"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things." -Philippians 4:8





I sincerely hope, Orion, I do not come off here as sounding pompous. I have struggled here tonight trying to say what I am thinking without sound self-righteous. I fear I may have failed. I assure you it is not my desire to be rude. I hope you will receive this post in the Christian, loving spirit in which I mean it. I can respect (in a minor sort of way) the concept of this thread; it just seems to me there are so many positive things about which we could be thinking and sharing.



I wish you much Christian love, and...









May the love and peace of Jesus Christ be yours,
Paul W.

 

[Orion]

This question is FAR from the "What if blue was really orange?" type question. You are speaking from your devotion to a religion, which is honorable for you to remain resolute. However, JUST LIKE those other religions are "false", . . . . so yours could also be.

Look at it this way. If you were in Islam, and discovered that Allah infact doesn't exist, . . . . . .. . .

It is the same. I know that you are convinced that God exist, and I'm not saying this isn't the case. But the spirit of this thread is that YOU personally discover that it isn't true. . . . . . . looking at it with your "pious mind" out of the picture, for the moment.

 

[CatholicXian]

If God did not exist, then I would not exist.

 

[Orion]

Uh, please see my posts to Paul W. right above yours. Try to pull yourself out of dogma for a few seconds and look at the spirit of the question without your "pious glasses" on, please.

 

[Veritas]

... I would die.

 

[CatholicXian]

Uh, please see my posts to Paul W. right above yours. Try to pull yourself out of dogma for a few seconds and look at the spirit of the question without your "pious glasses" on, please.

I'm not going by faith here. If God did not exist, then I wouldn't exist. Nothing would exist. It's not about being pious, it's about being practical. I don't think we need a Bible to prove that God exists.

 

[Orion]

I'm not necessarily saying that I disagree with you. These are hypothetical questions that require a hypothetical answer.

Fact is, no one will be able to prove or disprove the existance of any divine being. Hypothetically, I answered, "no". I wouldn't keep up the aire of christianity if it were all proven false.

 

[CatholicXian]

Fact is, no one will be able to prove or disprove the existance of any divine being.

Nearly every philosopher has tried. And some have made a sound argument that reason cannot deny... I'm a fan of Anselm's myself, but I also think Thomas Aquinas' "second way" is pretty clear.

 

[Orion]

I'm afraid that I haven't been exposed to either of them.