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Bill Collins
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 26 May 2005
Location: England
Posts: 11247
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 9:16am | IP Logged | 1
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I`ve seen a documentary on tv about island hopping pigs,
apparently they can swim quite far.
The main problem i have with that story, is how did the
ever expanding colony survive if they stripped all the
native fauna and flora? Yes, the pigs may eat each
other, but the goats?
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Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 09 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1356
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 9:54am | IP Logged | 2
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If the universe had no life in it, there would be no one
to witness it's glory, it may as well not exist.
This could be part of God's motivation.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132241
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:04am | IP Logged | 3
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Well, see, God created the Universe and the World at pretty much the same time. And what that creation amounted to was the Middle East and some Xmas lights in the sky. The latter for “signs”.Which is curious in itself, since God created Man after those “signs”, so we must wonder who was reading them. And that brings us back to a nagging problem with the Big Kahuna. All of Creation seems ro have been brought about so he could have some flawed and ignorant creatures (Hey! He was tired!) to buff his ego.
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12186
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:07am | IP Logged | 4
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Thomas Woods wrote:
If the universe had no life in it, there would be no one
to witness it's glory, it may as well not exist.
This could be part of God's motivation. |
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This brings me back to the question of what was God doing before he created the universe?
I know some scholars (if that's the right word) have said that there was no "before" and that asking that is akin to asking who the bachelor is married to. But whatever we call it (non-time?), the fact is, based on what has been presented to us, there was a God prior to creation. Time, non-time, whatever we call it, there must have been some awareness. So how was he occupying time/non-time prior to creation?
(This is hypothetical, of course, I am not a believer).
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Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 09 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1356
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:23am | IP Logged | 5
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This brings me back to the question of what was God
doing before he created the universe?
I know some scholars (if that's the right word) have
said that there was no "before" and that asking that
is akin to asking who the bachelor is married to. But
whatever we call it (non-time?), the fact is, based on
what has been presented to us, there was a God prior
to creation. Time, non-time, whatever we call it,
there must have been some awareness. So how was he
occupying time/non-time prior to creation?
---
I've thought about this a lot, and asked myself, how
could an eternal being have a first thought? How could
his thoughts eternally regress? But as I thought on
that more, he is described as knowing all things, all
the time. He knows the beginning from the end. Such a
being would have to have every thought, at all times.
Never is there a moment where he has less information,
he has all information all the time.
Being outside of 'time' or 'beginnings' is impossible
to imagine, but if the above is true, he always knew
the creation and what would happen.
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:29am | IP Logged | 6
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That one certainly taxes the brain!
It does (and I'm not being awkward, simply raising questions) wondering what the point of prayer is. Obviously, I don't pray. But let's suppose someone prays:
"God, please help me be reunited with the woman I love." "God, please help this temporary job, which I enjoy doing, become permanent."
If God already knows ALL things (eternally and infinitely), and it is his will that the prayer-giver NOT be reunited with his love, or that the temporary job doesn't become permanent, then what is the point of prayer?
Some (not all) Christians may think these awkward questions. They are sincere. I'm here to have a friendly debate. But if God already knows what will happen throughout all of time, then decisions must already be set in stone. It would appear to make prayer futile.
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Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:39am | IP Logged | 7
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The prayers and the results were both known up front is
all I can say. So I guess the prayers could have
affected things. But I know my unanswered prayers far
outweigh any answered ones.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 10:43am | IP Logged | 8
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Prayers are at least insulting to God. After all, he is Omniscient. And Perfect. His Creation is part of his Plan, which is also Perfect. So asking God to do something else — to change his Mind — is asking him to do something LESS than Perfect.
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Jabari Lamar
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 18 October 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 351
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 11:17am | IP Logged | 9
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Regarding prayer, take a religion like Islam, whereupon God demands that humans must pray to 5 times a day, at specifically designated times, every single day, and tells us exactly what to say during these prayers (essentially telling Him how awesome He is, over and over), and if you say any of them incorrectly, or at the wrong time, or don't follow the proper ritual before or during the prayer, then they don't really count anyway.
Why does He need us to do that? Ego-boost?
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Robbie Parry
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 11:20am | IP Logged | 10
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Yes, that has crossed my mind.
I don't care what the ants are doing or thinking (if thinking is a thing in ant-world) outside my apartment. Am I not an "ant" to God? Why would he demand worship and praise constantly?
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Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 11:26am | IP Logged | 11
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Why does He need us to do that? Ego-boost?
---
One thing is that it keeps your mind on God rather
than PlayStation, Game of Thrones, partying, and
getting into trouble.
If you are someone struggling with an addiction or
some 'sin' that will only hurt you or others, and
trying to choose a better path by believing in a
higher power, prayer is a good way to keep your eye on
the ball and not fall into disaster.
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Jabari Lamar
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 05 October 2018 at 11:31am | IP Logged | 12
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And what's wrong with Playstation, Game of Thrones, or partying (not that I personally have a Playstation, watch Game of Thrones, or do much partying these days) as long as I'm not getting into trouble because of any of it?
If I'm just living my life normally, going to work, paying my bills, not hurting anyone, why do I need to my mind on some "God?"
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