Smedley_buzk**l wrote:
Both of you should consider another perspective... have you ever heard of anthropomorphism? Giving human characteristics to non-human things? While I believe in a Supreme Intelligence, for lack of a better term, what makes you think that an entity capable of creating the entire universe; (or at least starting the creation ball rolling) CAN be understood by humans? I think any attempt to ascribe human like attributes a Being of this nature is an exercise in futility.
Suppose that this "Being" is not supernatural at all but simply an as yet not understood part of the natural order of things? What if survival of consciousness after physical death is simply a natural phenomenon rather than a religious one? There are lots of things we understand imperfectly or not at all. One thing remains consistent about human scientific achievement; whenever we think we have reached some sort of pinnacle, sooner or later we are proven wrong.
Both of you should consider another perspective...... (
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"...Both of you should consider another perspective... have you ever heard of anthropomorphism? Giving human characteristics to non-human things? While I believe in a Supreme Intelligence, for lack of a better term, what makes you think that an entity capable of creating the entire universe; (or at least starting the creation ball rolling) CAN be understood by humans? ..."
What makes you think that a Supreme Intelligence that creates the entire universe wouldn't care about that creation?
And even more to the point . . . what makes you think that this God wouldn't care enough about (His) creation to make sure that (His) message and revelation of (Himself) would not be done with clarity?
I've said it before . . . this entire thing we call existence is all about God restoring a relationship between God and His creation! The first few chapters of Genesis reveals creation of all we perceive and mankind . . . mankind's fall from the relationship with God . . . and the entire rest of the Bible is all about God restoring that broken relationship! It is all about RELATIONSHIP!!!
"...I think any attempt to ascribe human like attributes a Being of this nature is an exercise in futility..."
You have it backwards according to the Bible! God created us with His attributes . . . not the other way around!
"...Suppose that this "Being" is not supernatural at all but simply an as yet not understood part of the natural order of things? What if survival of consciousness after physical death is simply a natural phenomenon rather than a religious one?..."
"Suppose" and "what if's" are just that . . . grasping at clouds and trying to hold water in your hands! One can speak on them until their blue in the face and get absolutely nowhere!
"...There are lots of things we understand imperfectly or not at all. One thing remains consistent about human scientific achievement; whenever we think we have reached some sort of pinnacle, sooner or later we are proven wrong..."
Science is a tool . . . trying to prove God scientifically can be futile. Although there has been a concept of Intelligent Design proposed by some, one can conclude there is a God by observing all of creation and answering the hard questions on their own.
There are numerous scientists that believe in God . . .
Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543),
Francis Bacon (1561-1627),
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642),
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630),
William Harvey (1578 –1657),
Rene Descartes (1596-1650),
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662),
Isaac Newton (1642-1727),
Gottfried Leibniz (1646 –1716),
Robert Boyle (1791-1867),
Michael Faraday (1791-1867),
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895),
Gregor Mendel (1822-1884),
William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907),
James Clerk Maxwell (1831 –1879),
Ernst Haeckel (1834 –1919),
Max Planck (1858-1947),
Robert A. Millikan (1868 – 1953),
Guglielmo Marconi (1874 –1937),
Albert Einstein (1879-1955),
Erwin Schrödinger (1887 –1961),
Arthur Compton (1892 – 1962),
Werner Heisenberg (1901 – 1976),
John Eccles (1903 – 1997),
Francis Collins (Born 1950) . . . . . to name a few!