Does Yahweh/Jesus live by the Golden Rule?

Ren said:
I can think of an epistemological challenge here: could this not be construed still as a belief that the experience in question wasn't an illusion?
Click to expand...

Perhaps all of reality is an illusion?
(And that gives rise to the question, who created that illusion?)

We rely on our experiences to a degree, especially when many people have had similar experiences. And I think it's fair to say that that's the case when it comes to experiencing what I'll call God.

There are other reasonable arguments for the existence of God, and many people base their belief off that.

My point is, that experiential evidence usually seals the deal on a personal level when it comes to trust in God.
 
hithere said:
Perhaps all of reality is an illusion?
(And that gives rise to the question, who created that illusion?)

We rely on our experiences to a degree, especially when many people have had similar experiences. And I think it's fair to say that that's the case when it comes to experiencing what I'll call God.
Click to expand...

I think an important difference is that in cases of everyday experience, the content of the experience in question can be socially shared and justified in that way. Religious experiences seem to be of a more personal nature; the report cannot be confirmed by another party who witnessed the same thing. It's like there is no 'peer review' process possible, so the experience of one person cannot be contradicted by another.

Anyway, these are just thoughts to play with. I certainly understand how a religious experience can lead one to faith. I'm just not sure this can be accounted for in terms of belief justification. Looking at it from a different perspective, do you really feel like you need to justify your belief?
 
Themis said:
What i see is that I'm waiting 2000 years to see God, to bring me enlightenment, love, knowledge, happiness, peace and money Lol
Click to expand...

If it turns out that God is immanent within you, you might be waiting for a long time ;)
 
Ren said:
I think an important difference is that in cases of everyday experience, the content of the experience in question can be socially shared and justified in that way. Religious experiences seem to be of a more personal nature; the report cannot be confirmed by another party who witnessed the same thing. It's like there is no 'peer review' process possible, so the experience of one person cannot be contradicted by another.

Anyway, these are just thoughts to play with. I certainly understand how a religious experience can lead one to faith. I'm just not sure this can be accounted for in terms of belief justification. Looking at it from a different perspective, do you really feel like you need to justify your belief?
Click to expand...

Regarding experience, I agree it's hard to put spiritual experiences into words. I still think it can be peer reviewed to an extent. Personally I've had this sense of a loving Higher Being since I can remember.
I also have more to say on the topic, but I'm wary of coming across dogmatic.

Yes, I absolutely do feel my beliefs and actions need to be justified. I would say it was pretty much all I was occupied with in my later teen years. But once I was satisfied with certain core principles, I stopped questioning every last thing and lived my life based on those principles.

I think we all have different starting points based on our education, environment, the ideas we are exposed to etc. Different people approach the same concepts in entirely different ways. And even with the same person, the way he looks at something today might not be the same way he sees it tomorrow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top