God has a plan. An observation and a question.

RadishRose said:
Maybe, this all occurred when the earth had only one continent called Pangaea. All the flora and fauna were together until Pangaea started splitting apart and drifting away, taking the neighborhood critters with them who adapted and evolved after the flood in question.

495px-Snider-Pellegrini_Wegener_fossil_map.svg.png


Pangaea - Wikipedia
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The continents formed 200 million years ago. This in no way adheres to the timeline within the Bible, which suggests the Earth was created 6000 or so years ago.
 

For a full visual of the progression of planet earth this documentary series on Netflix is worth viewing

Life on Our Planet

Can't really fault the story tellers in the bible for not understanding the progression, they didn't have the ability that science has now. No way for them to know that billions of years passed or that events happened over hundreds of thousands of years that can boggle the mind when explained.

So while the bible has a nice story the accuracy just isn't there.
 

Does god have a plan for people’s lives? I don’t know, most people find assurance that a deity is looking out for them and their best interest. It is part of Chrisitianity that god watches over believers and keep them from harm.
Without Christianity I cannot determine any difference from before, except life is much clearer now without the shadow of guilt and fear of the faith.
 
hollydolly said:
yep but always in the same place right ?.. so my question still stands
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I had to go back through the comments to find your question, Holly. This thread has generated so many responses that it's difficult to keep it all straight. Now I see, understand, and agree with your question. For many such reasons I find the Flood story (of Noah) quite implausible. However, there is geological evidence that the earth was inundated at a time in the distant past. These Flood stories have been found to be a collective memory among nearly all civilizations around the planet. The story of Gilgamesh is one well known example.
 
sailormann said:
I had to go back through the comments to find your question, Holly. This thread has generated so many responses that it's difficult to keep it all straight. Now I see, understand, and agree with your question. For many such reasons I find the Flood story (of Noah) quite implausible. However, there is geological evidence that the earth was inundated at a time in the distant past. These Flood stories have been found to be a collective memory among nearly all civilizations around the planet. The story of Gilgamesh is one well known example.
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So it seems there was a great flood event that was so shocking to the mind of man that the memory of it has been imprinted upon the collective consciousness of humankind, being handed down orally (sometimes eventually written) and embellished over time to better fit each societies world view. A problem arises when groups of people choose to interpret the stories literally, claiming it as their own, in order to bolster their particular version of reality.
 
Knight said:
For a full visual of the progression of planet earth this documentary series on Netflix is worth viewing

Life on Our Planet

Can't really fault the story tellers in the bible for not understanding the progression, they didn't have the ability that science has now. No way for them to know that billions of years passed or that events happened over hundreds of thousands of years that can boggle the mind when explained.

So while the bible has a nice story the accuracy just isn't there.
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This is where I sit on the subject of the Bible and how it’s presented. Having said that Christianity and other well known religions teach the same lessons, just in different ways.
Maybe all religion is humanity trying desperately to understand something that isn’t humanly possible to understand.
 
Most Christian denomination churches over centuries have introduced much dogma that does not reflect actual Bible scripture or is vaguely so with other possible interpretations that are not mentioned or rationalized away. Instead, claims are made that a holy person [insert name] centuries after Jesus's days, was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Much of such dogma is of benefit to denominations because they encourage people to join their churches.

For example, much of the Hell and Damnation narrative that rose just a few centuries ago, tried to scare people into becoming members lest they burn for eternity in Hell regardless of how moral and ethical their lives had been. The worst dogma is that God has unlimited magic like omnipotent powers that can do anything, knows everything, and is everywhere. About all the Bible relates is he is Almighty. The next worst is inerrancy because then church authorities can cherry pick all manner of vague scripture, then manipulatively promote whatever for their own benefit.

Does God have a plan? I think so but it is not what most believers think. This person hypothesizes God is likely a part of a race of ancient Ultimate Intelligent Entities with great science powers though with physical limitations. That they have visited our zoo of a planet and work here like occasional gardeners for the benefit of its incredible evolved life, just as they do at other rare, stable, organic life planets in liquid water Goldy Locks zones.

They spent a few thousand years when we warmongering selfish Earth monkeys began living in civilizations, repeatedly helping steer us away from flawed behaviors that was likely to result in a hopeless future once we arrived at a science technology era with horrible destructive weapons. So they sent Jesus down as their final attempt to help us, leaving us mostly on our own to be responsible for our own future. Even his incredible carrot of Eternal Life for living a moral life has hardly had much effect. And yeah, they do not want to actively intervene lest they might be blamed for having possible influence on our eventual self destruction. Consider how insane the monkeywrenched Global Warming debate has been.
 
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PeppermintPatty said:
Maybe all religion is humanity trying desperately to understand something that isn’t humanly possible to understand.
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I believe this is the case. There are unanswerable questions, and we still struggle to answer these questions today. Religion attempts to explain the unexplainable, to make sense of the world. I also think that once you allow yourself to pick and choose which parts of the Bible you believe, and which you don't, that you essentially build a faith on a foundation of sand. I know a guy who believes everything in the Bible in a literal sense. I'd say that's the only way to do it, honestly.

Us humans have a need to understand things, and the Universe is a strange place.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
This is where I sit on the subject of the Bible and how it’s presented. Having said that Christianity and other well known religions teach the same lessons, just in different ways.
Maybe all religion is humanity trying desperately to understand something that isn’t humanly possible to understand.
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Well said, Peppermint. Some things cannot be approached intellectually and defy all logic. I suspect that is why by many it is called the Great Mystery. Although it may not be understood through logical deduction or direct reasoning I am convinced it can be experienced through a process of awakening or enlightenment. This is a more Eastern concept but I believe it equates with the Western concepts of being born again and visitation of the Holy Spirit. I usually run into problems when I try to share such opinions with my Christian acquaintances but the members here seem to be, for the most part, a bit more open-minded. There is more I could say but I have a tendency to say too much, so for now I will leave it at that.
 
sailormann said:
Well said, Peppermint. Some things cannot be approached intellectually and defy all logic. I suspect that is why by many it is called the Great Mystery. Although it may not be understood through logical deduction or direct reasoning I am convinced it can be experienced through a process of awakening or enlightenment. This is a more Eastern concept but I believe it equates with the Western concepts of being born again and visitation of the Holy Spirit. I usually run into problems when I try to share such opinions with my Christian acquaintances but the members here seem to be, for the most part, a bit more open-minded. There is more I could say but I have a tendency to say too much, so for now I will leave it at that.
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That was beautifully stated sailor guy. 🥰
 
sailormann said:
Well said, Peppermint. Some things cannot be approached intellectually and defy all logic.
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I don't go along with this. We may lack the knowledge today, but some time in the future, I hope we will. Probably not in our lifetimes, but humanity has a long time to roll on after we're passed.

I also don't like the use of the word "logic" here. Logic really isn't going to work in this sense. Logic didn't start life, logic hasn't determined how we humans have developed, and logic didn't create this planet. Random chance plays a huge role in all this. We like to think we, humans, are central to everything, but in fact I don't think we are. We're simply an instance of a sentient organism. Our perspective is soooooo limited, how are we supposed to make sense of the universe?

Perhaps one day we'll meet beings from another planet, and they'll know more than us? I hope so.
 
VaughanJB said:
I believe this is the case. There are unanswerable questions, and we still struggle to answer these questions today. Religion attempts to explain the unexplainable, to make sense of the world. I also think that once you allow yourself to pick and choose which parts of the Bible you believe, and which you don't, that you essentially build a faith on a foundation of sand. I know a guy who believes everything in the Bible in a literal sense. I'd say that's the only way to do it, honestly.

Us humans have a need to understand things, and the Universe is a strange place.
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Oh I don’t pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe. I haven’t even read all of it yet and probably never well. For myself, it’ puts me off organized religion altogether. I can’t say the same for Buddhism. Religion isn’t what i base my faith on.

When I say I take bit of religion, I’m meaning from them all. I’m not divided in the least. I follow what rings true to my heart & spirit.
 
VaughanJB said:
I don't go along with this. We may lack the knowledge today, but some time in the future, I hope we will. Probably not in our lifetimes, but humanity has a long time to roll on after we're passed.

I also don't like the use of the word "logic" here. Logic really isn't going to work in this sense. Logic didn't start life, logic hasn't determined how we humans have developed, and logic didn't create this planet. Random chance plays a huge role in all this. We like to think we, humans, are central to everything, but in fact I don't think we are. We're simply an instance of a sentient organism. Our perspective is soooooo limited, how are we supposed to make sense of the universe?

Perhaps one day we'll meet beings from another planet, and they'll know more than us? I hope so.
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You don’t have to go along with it.
We are having a conversation and sharing aspects of religion that we can relate to. If it doesn’t ring true for you, that’s ok. We have different brains so think differently. Imagine that. lol 😂
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Religion invented gods and invented religion. Thankfully God isn’t man made. We’d **** that up for sure.
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But God IS man made. As a non-believer, what else could he be? He had to be created to explain all the unexplainable things from thousands of years ago. We struggle knowing things today, let alone then! Those really hard questions are largely brushed under the carpet, and written off with poor excuses/explanations.

For example, we're born sinners. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why did God allow people to do bad things? Free will. It's an excuse to cover a multitude of sins. Why would a being create a garden of eden, and then build into it temptation to go to hell and be damned forever? It's crazy. It's like making sure every mug you own has a hole in it.

What was there before the big bang? We simply don't know. We may never know. But it's less confusing than trying to believe there is a being who never had a start, and has always been. Not mention virgin births. It's all odd to me. But then, I can be mighty odd myself, so.....
 
VaughanJB said:
But God IS man made. As a non-believer, what else could he be? He had to be created to explain all the unexplainable things from thousands of years ago. We struggle knowing things today, let alone then! Those really hard questions are largely brushed under the carpet, and written off with poor excuses/explanations.

For example, we're born sinners. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why did God allow people to do bad things? Free will. It's an excuse to cover a multitude of sins. Why would a being create a garden of eden, and then build into it temptation to go to hell and be damned forever? It's crazy. It's like making sure every mug you own has a hole in it.

What was there before the big bang? We simply don't know. We may never know. But it's less confusing than trying to believe there is a being who never had a start, and has always been. Not mention virgin births. It's all odd to me. But then, I can be mighty odd myself, so.....
Click to expand...
We all have our own idea of what God is. To me he’s our creator . There is no he or she. Our creator doesn’t judge us so there is no sin. Sin was made up by us.

Religion is easily a multi billion dollar business that’s overly glamorized and overly strict.
Look at purgatory. It’s a guilt driven money making ritual. Then there’s the offering plate. If you’re a good Christian you are expected pay 10% of your earnings. That way the bearded guy up in the clouds will be happy with you.

Did you know that the Mennonites only allow their children to be educated to a grade 8 level. Why? They want to keep their lives simple but they also want to guard them from knowing about dinosaurs and that the Big Bang theory couldn’t have happened the way the Bible explains it. Our universe is 13.8 billion years old. The Bible doesn’t account for factual evidence of our earth and universe cause they didn’t know stuff back then.

There are people who still believe the earth is flat. No connection. I just wanted to add that.
I already know you are anti religious. I have for a while now. ;)
 
I admit the word logic in this context may not have been the most logical choice. Sometimes I have a word with ways. Please forgive me if my choice of words did not convey my meaning clearly. After all, what we are doing here is making conjecture and offering theory. The spaceman theory is an interesting one, indeed, rather akin to the god theory in my thinking. It really comes down to a matter of faith rather than fact. We can hope, imagine, guess... the universe laughs, and keeps right on doing what it does with or without us. I certainly agree that there is more going on here than we can see. Personally, I believe consciousness is the key.
VaughanJB said:
I don't go along with this. We may lack the knowledge today, but some time in the future, I hope we will. Probably not in our lifetimes, but humanity has a long time to roll on after we're passed.

I also don't like the use of the word "logic" here. Logic really isn't going to work in this sense. Logic didn't start life, logic hasn't determined how we humans have developed, and logic didn't create this planet. Random chance plays a huge role in all this. We like to think we, humans, are central to everything, but in fact I don't think we are. We're simply an instance of a sentient organism. Our perspective is soooooo limited, how are we supposed to make sense of the universe?

Perhaps one day we'll meet beings from another planet, and they'll know more than us? I hope so.
Click to expand...
 
PeppermintPatty said:
We all have our own idea of what God is. To me he’s our creator . There is no he or she. Our creator doesn’t judge us so there is no sin. Sin was made up by us.

Religion is easily a multi billion dollar business that’s overly glamorized and overly strict.
Look at purgatory. It’s a guilt driven money making ritual. Then there’s the offering plate. If you’re a good Christian you are expected pay 10% of your earnings. That way the bearded guy up in the clouds will be happy with you.

Did you know that the Mennonites only allow their children to be educated to a grade 8 level. Why? They want to keep their lives simple but they also want to guard them from knowing about dinosaurs and that the Big Bang theory couldn’t have happened the way the Bible explains it. Our universe is 13.8 billion years old. The Bible doesn’t account for factual evidence of our earth and universe cause they didn’t know stuff back then.

There are people who still believe the earth is flat. No connection. I just wanted to add that.
I already know you are anti religious. I have for a while now. ;)
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I believe in the Creator (divine consciousness, if you will) and I love Jesus (his message so oft overlooked), but I hate religion. Here is a short bit by George Carlin which aptly sums up my feelings regarding organized religion.
 
The big bang Theory. What a novel idea, that everything spontaneously burst into being out of nothing in an instant with no cause and for no reason. This seems to defy every law of physics these same scientists profess to employ. It's like they are saying, just allow us this one miracle and we will explain all the rest. The big bang Theory has become so popular in modern imagination that it has taken on the mantle of religion itself.
 
VaughanJB said:
But God IS man made. As a non-believer, what else could he be? He had to be created to explain all the unexplainable things from thousands of years ago. We struggle knowing things today, let alone then! Those really hard questions are largely brushed under the carpet, and written off with poor excuses/explanations...
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I won't continue to argue about what I write below regardless of responses because seriously arguing about religious subjects has little value on informal social web boards like this beyond offering one time opinions. My input will serve purpose as an example of how such might be discussed without indicating I will address posts by others anytime I read something I disagree with.

should be:
But God IS man made to @VaughanJB.

should be:
@VaughanJB struggles knowing things today, let alone then!

Indeed some do rationalize speculative narrow explanations, especially religious authorities, but that doesn't at all mean one ought consider just their explanations. The web today given the rise of science, has some alternative possible explanations however one will need to search the web and read parts of The Bible.

VaughanJB said:
...For example, we're born sinners. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why did God allow people to do bad things? Free will. It's an excuse to cover a multitude of sins. Why would a being create a garden of eden, and then build into it temptation to go to hell and be damned forever? It's crazy. It's like making sure every mug you own has a hole in it...
Click to expand...

IMO, limited thinking just accepting interpretations of religious authorities without obviously even studying the actual subject. First one has to reject as I briefly wrote above three primary dogmas. Maybe what you call "God" is just from a race of UIEs with physical limitations.

If so maybe after tending to myriad organic life planets within the Galaxy much less the universe, they looked at our negative tendencies and concluded we Earth monkeys were likely to eventually destroy it all once we became a technological society. Not because of the simplistic Genesis story possibly recorded by our science primitives but because they had already experienced that on many other worlds where intelligent life arose. That might be what religious authorities call "original sin". So "God" might have had little to do as to how we obvious creatures evolved, much less our negative behaviors and actions. They seem to have genetically enhanced Adam but that had limited results. Anthropology science speculates on how homo sapiens behaviors may have evolved.

There is little scripture wise in either the OT or NT beyond vague statements narrowly interpreted that relates one might burn in eternal hell. The synoptic gospels otherwise, especially direct Jesus statements, just tend to state people will die without eternal life ending existence.

VaughanJB said:
... But it's less confusing than trying to believe there is a being who never had a start, and has always been. Not mention virgin births. It's all odd to me. But then, I can be mighty odd myself, so.....
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Virgin birth is one of the easiest Bible stories to look at differently. The race of Angels could have easily put her to sleep with an anesthetic, and implanted DNA into her egg that they had been working on improving since Adam's days. Note Adam and Eve were obviously NOT the first homo sapiens but rather if any of that can be believed, the first they attempted to improve that is reflected in how his offspring lived for hundreds of years until Noah's days when genetic diffusion reduced that to current lifetimes.
VaughanJB said:
...What was there before the big bang? We simply don't know. We may never know. But it's less confusing than trying to believe there is a being who never had a start, and has always been...
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Once again church dogmas. There is nothing but vague narrowly interpreted scripture that describes the nature of "God" much less when he might have began if that was so.
 
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sailormann said:
I admit the word logic in this context may not have been the most logical choice. Sometimes I have a word with ways. Please forgive me if my choice of words did not convey my meaning clearly. After all, what we are doing here is making conjecture and offering theory. The spaceman theory is an interesting one, indeed, rather akin to the god theory in my thinking. It really comes down to a matter of faith rather than fact. We can hope, imagine, guess... the universe laughs, and keeps right on doing what it does with or without us. I certainly agree that there is more going on here than we can see. Personally, I believe consciousness is the key.
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I thought it was a good word choice. We should balance our spiritually with a bit of logic.
sailormann said:
The big bang Theory. What a novel idea, that everything spontaneously burst into being out of nothing in an instant with no cause and for no reason. This seems to defy every law of physics these same scientists profess to employ. It's like they are saying, just allow us this one miracle and we will explain all the rest. The big bang Theory has become so popular in modern imagination that it has taken on the mantle of religion itself.
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And what’s wrong with adding a bit of logic to this big bang theory?
 
sailormann said:
I believe in the Creator (divine consciousness, if you will) and I love Jesus (his message so oft overlooked), but I hate religion. Here is a short bit by George Carlin which aptly sums up my feelings regarding organized religion.
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Haha. Thats good. Gotta ❤️ George Carlin.
Religion is the worst thing that happened to God.
 
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