adults imaginary friend

[Anonymous]

For all of you people out there that is chasing god I personally think god is just an imaginary friend for adults. I mean what has he/she done for any race whatsoever and I dont want to hear this bovine excrement about we screwed are lives up and adam and eve got us kicked out of paradise.
so what im saying in a foot note is that you people are making up god and the devil and heaven and hell. I also think that the "cross" is just a good luck charm.

[mactombs]

I lost religion a while ago, became atheist, then agnostic. I'm not Christian, but your supposition is rather shallow.

Firstly, getting on a metaphysical forum and saying something is just "imagination" without even taking time to consider what imagination is, how it even exists, is kind of lazy.

Next, your idea of what god/christ/satan is a shallow view. You suppose that all belief in such follows a certain line, without ever having studied the many facets of belief in them. How can you hope to make any worthwhile arguments without ever having studied philosophy? Instead, you simply come off as mindlessly antagonistic.

You could start with something like Hall's The Secret Teachings of All Ages ... but on this topic, it could take a lifetime to really explore the depths of this subject.

As it is, you come across as attacking something out of personal discomfort - like you have not the confidence in your own belief systems to broaden your perspective, but instead attack anything that threatens your shaky foundation.

I don't believe in a personal god, but I know I don't have the infallable knowledge to ridicule those who do.

[Tom]

From careful observation beginning back in the early 1980s, my conclusion is that most people who say they believe in God actually do not believe in God. They do not even really understand what the word God means. They live as though they believe only in government and big business. Of the people who do appear to actually believe in God, it seems to have very little actual impact on them. The interesting people are the ones who believe in God and would rather that God would wait somewhere else for them at least part of the time rather than watching too closely.

[markulous]

For all of you people out there that is chasing god I personally think god is just an imaginary friend for adults. I mean what has he/she done for any race whatsoever and I don't want to hear this [edit] about we screwed are lives up and adam and eve got us kicked out of paradise.
so what im saying in a foot note is that you people are making up god and the devil and heaven and hell. I also think that the "cross" is just a good luck charm.

First off your alive aren't you?  If not for God you wouldn't be alive.  I can't think of any better gift than life.

And like mactombs said your argument is just lazy.  That's like someone coming up to you and saying, "Look out your window the sky has turned red."  And you say, "No I won't look because I don't believe you.  You are just making it up."  Well obviously if you don't look you'll never know.  You can't expect everything in life to come to you.  You have to get out there and take some chances.

[Anonymous]

Mactombs;
first off all I believe that I came across wrong. by using the word "imaginary" I merely meant that the "idea" off an actual god ex. someone who is all powerful and can control your life in extremely dramatic ways without even blinking an eye. (eye?)
is most likely obsolute. Hence people that do believe in god are using him as an imaginary friend.
Second
Dont assume that I didnt "consider" what it really is if you dont know for a fact. I believe that "god" is are insecurities acting up. meaning that we after having proof of metaphysics is The real deal most people would of become scared back then and blamed  it on whichcraft. Once they realized you cant beat them they had given in to it. so they blamed it on being a gift from a "god" which in actuality it was just their chakras and what not.
Third
I realize that my post does seem to come off as "attacking" yet that was only because I was in a hurried enviroment and I apologize if it offended you in anyway (besides the one intended)
fourth
What you seem to call a "shaky" foundation in my belief system is not what it appears.
It is in actuallity a strong foundation hence the post. You see a "shaky foundation" would make me choose religion after religion after religion.
And that as you would guess wouldnt make me want to post something like this.
fith
Now I think you coming here and posting on a metaphysics forum without fully reading in to a situation is "kind of lazy" and I advise you too next time look into a post before jumping headfirst to defend your beloved religion.
And also Maybe you should
ASK someone about what they believe before you try and humiliate them.
Thank you mactombs and have a wonderfull day

tom
I thank you for the insightfull post and will reasearch more articles and writings, and also thank you for not harassing me like some people that posted (not pointing fingers or anything)

Thankee-sai
May respect follow you like a dog to a meat truck (made up blessing)

[Anonymous]

markulous read my previous post then judge
(or not because only"god" supposedlly has the power to judge)lol

[alexd]

Like most things I believe God is a metaphor. He is all and everything. It is really beyond the scope of human comprehension to attempt to "believe" in an entity that is actually God. Most people believe blindly in a God but remain saturated with materialistic beliefs and absolutely no understanding of the paranormal whatsoever.

I'm not really fond of religion. I believe you can't realize God just by thinking about him. You have to realize your own self first. If you look for God outside yourself you will never find him, the real search begins within.


Alex

[Anonymous]

Alexd
That is a reasonable explanation and that is also what im saying basically We are god are souls are intelligence all of us are god. I am trying to say that their is in actuality no being that is more powerful than us ourselves and we. Rather than something controlling our fate we take it in our own hands, and that adults or children for that matter are just using god as a imaginary friend.
Thankee-sai
may respect follow you like a bee to a flower

[mactombs]

Now I think you coming here and posting on a metaphysics forum without fully reading in to a situation is "kind of lazy" and I advise you too next time look into a post before jumping headfirst to defend your beloved religion.

I'm not fully reading into a situation, then I'm jumping headfirst to defend my beloved religion? That's silly of you to say - since I mentioned twice that I don't believe in a personal god. I'm not defending religion, I'm saying that your post suggests you need a good deal more study before assuming you know the minds of believers. I think you show them much disrespect, as well as disrespect for antiquity with such blanket statements that do little to progress constructive arguments.

[Anonymous]

I noticed that you said that you dont believe in a "personal god" "twice"
I said it because you seem to want to be a christian. you seem to have very defensive beliefs in it so have fun.
post later migraine now.

[mactombs]

I noticed that you said that you dont believe in a "personal god" "twice"
I said it because you seem to want to be a christian. you seem to have very defensive beliefs in it so have fun.

As tremendous as your ability to deduce the inner principles of someone over the internet (and from only two posts at that!) I'm going to have to say any further arguments are wasted.

Just don't be surprised if your nebulous declarations about people's beliefs aren't taken very seriously.

[Tom]

Aside from being off-topic, you sound really defensive now, mactombs.

Burningriver, I think you are giving most people too much credit. At least children generally come to a point where they realize their imaginary friend is their own creation. Adults who don't believe in God and yet say they do think that their imaginary friend created them.

[mactombs]

Aside from being off-topic, you sound really defensive now, mactombs.

Burningriver, I think you are giving most people too much credit. At least children generally come to a point where they realize their imaginary friend is their own creation. Adults who don't believe in God and yet say they do think that their imaginary friend created them.

Attacking the Person
(argumentum ad hominem)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Definition:
The person presenting an argument is attacked instead of the
argument itself. This takes many forms. For example, the
person's character, nationality or religion may be attacked.
Alternatively, it may be pointed out that a person stands to
gain from a favourable outcome. Or, finally, a person may be
attacked by association, or by the company he keeps.
There are three major forms of Attacking the Person:
(1) ad hominem (abusive): instead of attacking an assertion,
the argument attacks the person who made the assertion.
(2) ad hominem (circumstantial): instead of attacking an
assertion the author points to the relationship between the
person making the assertion and the person's circumstances.
(3) ad hominem (tu quoque): this form of attack on the
person notes that a person does not practise what he
preaches.

Your second paragraph shows such derision for the overwhelming majority of the world. At least have a good reason for it. That's my whole point - but anyone who speaks against atheist dogma must be a xtian fundie in sheep's clothing, right? Yes, that does sound defensive ... but as you can see above, that is irrelevant with the point I'm trying to get across.

All I'm saying is, if you must impress your belief or non-belief on someone, it's nice if you have a good understanding of both sides, instead of spewing inane lines about imaginary friends.

[Tom]

Actually, I might have described it more as an imaginary enemy than an imaginary friend. I don't have anything against the majority of people; I just think that most people I meet have something against themselves.

[mactombs]

Actually, I might have described it more as an imaginary enemy than an imaginary friend. I don't have anything against the majority of people; I just think that most people I meet have something against themselves.

Imaginary enemy, that gives me something to think about. I think I understand what you're saying there. I agree, in some cases religion is self-defacing, self-defeating. They would do well to explore what god really means, too - and the problem there is that often that is simply destroyed by dogma, or seen as a lack of faith. I know in the culture I grew up in, asking questions about where god came from, the nature of god beyond doctrine would get you in a lot of trouble. Either accept it or be a heretic. Absolute foolishness.

Any organization prohibitive toward learning has something to hide.

[Anonymous]

Tom
That is a very interesting philosophy.
Not trying to be disrespectful to you but  having something against yourself doesnt immediatelly mean it is blamed on religion. although you probably know that lol. I do agree with you on that tom.
Thankee-sai

Mactombs
Ok I seriouslly sugest that if you cant have a conversation in a non-offensive manner please dont have the conversation. Either post in peace or dont post at all. Unless the topic calls for a drastic butt whooping!

[mactombs]

Ok I seriouslly sugest that if you cant have a conversation in a non-offensive manner please dont have the conversation. Either post in peace or dont post at all.

Offensive to whom? I'm not responsible for what you feel offended by. And it seems ironic that you say this considering the title of your thread. But I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I'm trying to get a point across (although maybe a little aggressively). I'm not saying you don't have anything worthwhile to say, I'm just saying that I'm sure you have more substantial things to say about god than he's an imaginary friend for deluded masses, and that I'm sure studying the topic more will further enhance your perspective.

Don't think I have any grief with you personally ... after all, that would be ad hominem, wouldn't it.

[Anonymous]

Althoughthats what I mean constantine and all those people used the cross as a good luck charm and even though there may be higher entitys I dont bielieve that "god" in particular rules all I think that we as a whole are the so called god are minds and our imagination.
and that since this religion is basically embedded in our culture we belief it. hence making the thought of an all powerfull a "imaginary" beliefmeaning that its just in our heads.

[Tom]

Can you imagine how a person who is not in perfect self-acceptance would feel about being constantly watched by a flawless judge? I would have to expect such a relationship to be strained at best.

[Telos]

I've heard the expression that pendulums are parents on a string.

[Tom]

I think that is going to need some elaboration to go with it. I am 30 am I am still realizing how little my parents know. It makes pendulums sound worse than useless.

[Anonymous]

lol When I was a young child and i was forced to beilieve in god and was sent to ccd and I hated the idea of someone watching me all the time.
And That is a revalutionary idea you can put your parents on a string
lol

[Telos]

Just do a search on "pendulum" and "intuition" or something. You'll get more information that you can handle.

Although this site is particular interesting. Give me some designer pendulums.

http://www.pendulumworks.com/

For those who are offended, I've used pendulums before. They didn't work, but maybe I'm just bad at it. Anyways, just trying to take the subject off God. :)

[Anonymous]

Why? that was the point of the post although I apreciate any input

[Telos]

That God is an imaginary friend... a pendulum is an imaginary parent on a string... that all religious/spiritual things are illusory...

It's all the same argument.