Santa exists. My belief in it is irrelevant; it existed prior to me and will continue on after me, and it cares not one whit about my belief in it. — Book273

If that makes you happy, go with it!

I do not exist and I will attack with my fists anyone who says I do exist.

I am confused about the use of the word "God" that is used in most of the above discussions. Would it not be more correct to use the word: "Gods"?

Is not Jehovah considered by many here to be a God? Jehovah is 14 billion years old and created a big bunch of stuff? Is all of that so negligable as to be ignored?

And Is not not Jesus Christ considered to be a God by many here? That makes two Gods here as an absolute minimum.

And are there any Catholics participating in the above discussions? If so do not Catholics not consider Mary, wife of Jehove and mother of Jesus, to be a Goddess and being prayed to and to be listening to such prayers? Is Mary not Godly?

That makes three Gods.

I have heard of some Catholic Saints performing miracles and being prayed to. Is that not Godly behavior?

That might make multiple Gods here in these discussions.

I am confused about the use of the word "God" that is used in most of the above discussions. Would it not be more correct to use the word: "Gods"?

Is not Jehovah considered by many here to be a God? Jehovah is 14 billion years old and created a big bunch of stuff? Is all of that so negligable as to be ignored?

And Is not not Jesus Christ considered to be a God by many here? That makes two Gods here as an absolute minimum.

And are there any Catholics participating in the above discussions? If so do not Catholics not consider Mary, wife of Jehove and mother of Jesus, to be a Goddess and being prayed to and to be listening to such prayers? Is Mary not Godly?

That makes three Gods.

I have heard of some Catholic Saints performing miracles and being prayed to. Is that not Godly behavior?

That might make multiple Gods here in these discussions. — Ken Edwards

I think you are referring to the holy trinity the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. “3 becoming 1”.

In the faith it can be confused as 3 separate Gods. “The mystery of the holy trinity.”

I was a practicing Catholic who converted to Christianity and I have to admit is very different “poe-ta-toe”. “Pa-TA-toe ”

We both believe in The apostle and Virgin Mary, but we acknowledge they are the Servants of God.


And in the Christian faith we discourage preying to Saints since prayers should only go to God. But we acknowledge them in our faith. And Acknowledge them as Servants of the Lord.

The faith is hard to explain because there are different denomination that created different dynamics of faith. What I say through the perspective of a Christian may differ through the perspective of a Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox Christian.

You need to keep in mind each denomination cookie cutted the Bible to fit that denomination dynamics.

Catholics are more ceremonial and structured while Christianity has a more relationship outlook and free spirited. Protestants wanted reform and separated from the Roman Church. Christian orthodox have very strict practices that need to be followed.

It also depends on the church. Because you can go to a Church where the congregation express very strong opinion which in my opinion undermines the faith.

Than you have really good Churches that understand scripture very well and are not pushy in there teaching.

Is kinda like dating you’ll meet some nice girl who understands you well and with others you’ll wish you haven’t left your house.


But the point is they all encompasses the same core belief “Jesus Christ”

You misunderstand me. I was only discussing my own mild confusion and I was discussing several words and some of the many different ways that I they are used. I was not discussing religions or beliefs or dogmas or the many interpretations of Christianity. I am totally unqualified for such.

I was talking merely about five Words and the meaning of those words as they are sometimes used by many people.

I referred to nothing else and what I may personally believe or believe in (whatever that means) is my own affair.

I was talking about the use of five words. God, Gods, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, and Maria. I gave no opinions about the existence or nonexistence of such entities and I am totally unqualified to do so.

I am quite properly using their given names as they might appear on their birth certificates.

I speak only of what I, myself, have personally observed.

I have observed that many - many people refer to Jehovah as being a God. You did yourself, or rather you implied it, in your phrase: "Apostle and the Virgin Mary ....we acknowledge they are the Servants of God". I assume that you are using the words "The apostle" as another name or a nickname for "Jesus Christ" and that He and Mary are servants of Jehovah or, in the Case of Jesus, his son.

The word "servants" here is meaningless.

I simply describe the generally accepted opinions that these three entities are "Gods or Goddesses" in that all three routinely are described as engaging in the very Godlike behavior of listening to millions of prayers daily and at times acting on them.

My point is a very trivial one.

That there are three such and not merely one.

So let's suppose there is a God. — Gregory

GOD: The intelligence that created this simulation? Perhaps an advanced alien from a meta universe.

Or

GOD: The highest nature of reality itself, and when you realize it you disappear.

I like that last. "GOD: The highest nature of reality itself, and when you realize it you disappear."

The ontological argument requires some faith. I see Anslem's argument as a meditation tool — Gregory

:up: Si señor! Si!

The OP has Hume written all over it. The first cause (there are at least two active threads on it as I write this) isn't necessarily more than a first cause.

We're a girl with (a) balloon. and God's Banksy.

The post-shredder price was higher than the pre-shredder price! Go figure! :chin: Hmmmm...

Logic and reason compel the human mind to believe by necessity that something created all this. We call that something God. Past this point reason can't help us, so everything that follows is dreamlike, a phantom, a metaphorical projection, or perhaps, just fragments of our unconscious - all leading us to construct from this aether a transcended meaning and purpose.

The dream like fragments - if they possesses sufficient utility, power and persuasion may attract further embellishments and more phantoms that are refined into something viral. These are the god myths that pervade a culture, possessing and attracting followers who add rituals to further preserve, sanctify and elevate. Sometimes, a myth becomes so widespread and exalted it is formalised into a religion.

God without Religion is a story about God that is insufficiently compelling to have developed into a religion. Only, let's not be too hasty to dismiss the intelligence embedded in stories that are sufficiently powerful to evolve over aeons and be deified. It's not to be scoffed at - they may be trying to tell us more than we think.

Religious texts have 1) moral lessons, and 2) religious stories of piety. These are not the same. The religious stuff can be quite immoral