Both sides keep getting it wrong. . . .

[ArmsMerchant]

Lately there have been a lot of atheist versus Christian debates in the popular media. I find them interesting but frustrating since both sides seem, to me, to be totally missing the point--or at least, failing to acknowledge that there is a third alternative.

The atheists reject the Abrahamic, unevolved view of God as a vengeful judgemental jealous deity--as do I and many others who read and agree with the likes of Deepak Chopra, Neale Donald Walsch, Gary Zukav and a host of others. To us, God is not an entity per se, but the all-pervasive intelligent, sentient, loving and creative combination of energy and information that permeates everyone and everything.

The Christians keep insisting that their limited culture-bound, divisive and elitist view of God is the only possible concept of God.

Over the years I have had many discussions with so-called atheists, and try to tell them that the God they reject is nothing like the God I know.

The God I know neither rewards nor punishes, does not judge or discriminate, but rather loves everyone and everything unconditionally.

Granted, the term "God" may be misleading, since it connotes, if not denotes, a discrete entity. The redskin term "Great Spirit" is probably more precise--since we are all ultimately spiritual beings--but to me it sounds a tad pretentious. And I'm a half-breed redskin myself, and a card-carrying member of the Muskogee Nation. (My uncle was a tribal elder and my great-grandfather Red Eagle is in some history books.)

No one of us is any better or any worse than any other, each of us being an individuation of the divine. Each one of us contains a god or goddess in embryo which is waiting to fully manifest as we attain unity consciousness, and learn to transcend fear and manifest total and unconditional love. This is, I think, what Jesus was getting at when he said "The kingdom of God is within you."

[Hare_Geist]

No, I reject all Gods.

[Rizzo in a box]

Everyone is getting it right, no one can get it wrong.

[karma_sleeper]

I whole heartedly agree.

[Real.PUA]

AM you have missed the point of the atheist side. Sure, they attack the classical christian god the most because that's the most popular. But your paranormal beliefs are equally ridiculous.

[Pilsu]

No one ever believes God hates you or just doesn't give a shit

If I built a lego world and they suddenly came alive, I wouldn't love them. I'd probably set some on fire every now and then, set up some freak accidents and watch with delight as they toil and trouble to please me by killing the ones that think I like red better than blue. Oh the ones that think I like green, they get really fucked by the two other groups. The best part, I like green and just prefer to watch them being assholes to each other for no apparent logical reason. Watch the little lego child pray to me at night and BAM, hit by a lego truck the next day and paralyzed from neck down. And they'd still call me loving, hah. Fools

[Lion eats man]

Originally Posted by Pilsu

No one ever believes God hates you or just doesn't give a shit

If I built a lego world and they suddenly came alive, I wouldn't love them. I'd probably set some on fire every now and then, set up some freak accidents and watch with delight as they toil and trouble to please me by killing the ones that think I like red better than blue. Oh the ones that think I like green, they get really fucked by the two other groups. The best part, I like green and just prefer to watch them being assholes to each other for no apparent logical reason. Watch the little lego child pray to me at night and BAM, hit by a lego truck the next day and paralyzed from neck down. And they'd still call me loving, hah. Fools

har har har

[Pilsu]

Originally Posted by Lion eats man

har har har

It's plausible, you can't deny that

[boozehound420]

Your idea of god is limited to human vocabulary and understanding.

And it is still a belief baised on faith. You have worked this idea out yourself useing philosophy. Theres no evidence or reason to believe the way you do.

Therefor whether you believe god to be conciouse being who created everything or whatever you think it is, its still a complete fucking assumption based purely on a play with words.

[AngryFemme]

Originally Posted by ArmsMerchant

Over the years I have had many discussions with so-called atheists, and try to tell them that the God they reject is nothing like the God I know.

I commend you, Arms - for with the "so-called" atheists, you actually stand a chance at converting them to accepting the God you know.

I don't think you're going to crack the bonafide ones, as their imperative to be without god isn't easily penetrable.

And why even bother? If they're happy, healthy and batting a thousand without a higher power coaching them along ... then perhaps you could consider their position a worthy one, and stand to learn a thing or two from their perspective.