Posts by Christ Alone

31

Did Sab get banned?

by Christ Alone in

jw
friends

i sure hope not.

if you're still around, please let us know that you're ok. you kinda worried me in your last thread.

hope you're ok, bro....

Christ Alone

I sure hope not. If you're still Around, please let us know that you're ok. You kinda worried me in your last thread. Hope you're ok, bro...

317

Does God's foreknowledge take away from free will?

by Christ Alone in

just by knowing what will happen, that doesn't mean that we can prevent or cause something to happen.

my knowing that does not prevent them the free will of making the choice.. it's the same with god.

if god is not restricted to existence in the present, then the future is known by god because god indwells the future as well as the present and the past.

Still thinking, true. But you are also a mutable human. That's why these comparisons fail under consideration. We do not and cannot know the future in our human and non spiritual position. God, however, is not physical, and hence is not bound by it

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

To exist is to be something, somewhere. For there to be a somewhere it must be measurable!

Right, but where are you measuring FROM? A physical dimension? It has been theorized by science that there are many dimensions. Can all these dimensions (perhaps 10) be measured?

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

Moggy lover, I wish I could have stated that as beautifully as you just did.

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

And I wasn't speaking for others in saying that most would attribute a supernatural event to a more "rational" way of explanation. I was saying it would be easy to imagine such a rejection.

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

I'm not meaning to be disingenuous terry. But you can't get around the need for a spiritual dimension when discussing God. And by spiritual I mean unseen, unmeasurable (from a physical standpoint). I can't talk about the nature of god without it. It can't be done. Which is the main reason why I say I can't prove god to you and you can't prove his non existence coming from a purely physical perspective. I'm now on my phone, so I can't type much...

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

Yes.

Read some QM and prove it.

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

God could not KNOW because there was nothing TO KNOW.

But are thoughts PHYSICAL? Can the mind be explained merely in physical terms related to the body? What is thought? What makes me self aware? We can try to explain it in terms of biological function, but we really don't know where or even what the MIND is. We can explain it as a series of electrical impulses. But what makes these thoughts? There is a major mind-body problem. And its a question that is considered in quantum theory and has set off a whole trend of pseudo-science regarding it. But the question still remains.

In many cultures the mind is viewed as a separate entity from the body, and is a spiritual function rather than physical.

So what existed before God created? What are thoughts in terms of God's thoughts? What did God do for an eternity before He created. Can't tell you. I can't understand eternity as it relates to science OR God. For example, what was before the singularity that caused the big bang? Is the universe eternal and have a history of eternal big bangs previous to the most recent? I have no idea. But if it IS eternal, then I can't understand it. How did something come from nothing? No one can explain that. And the big bang requires it. Something had to have come from nothing at some point unless the universe is eternal, in which case that opens up even more philosophical questions.

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

Let me interrupt this quickly by saying, I really enjoy your perspective Terry. Please don't think that I'm trying to be dishonest in my argument. I love this line of thinking.

ahem...back to things.

You said: Then, by virtue of acting "as though" those things are true---we-- by our belief-generated-actions start affecting reality. So, it is US. Not God.

Agreed, and hence the whole "Law of Attraction" movement. Sort of...er...not at all.

Back to topic, I suppose that unless or until a person actually sees prophecy being fulfilled before their eyes, many will not believe. And even if it DID happen, I think that many would continue to either chalk it up to a coinsidence, or have a more "rational" explanation of how to explain it in a physical rather than spiritual reality.

This is a poor example, but I once used the example of a theoretical "rapture" taking place. Millions of people suddenly disappear as some believe the Bible teaches. I think that most would come up with an explanation that would sound more "rational" to them. They would explain it away as aliens, governmental technology, etc. And all the explanations would necessitate a physical explanation rather than a spiritual one. Even that sort of "proof" would not be enough to convince people of a spiritual reality outside of a physical one.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this... my mind is DEFINITELY not in top shape today. Feeling kinda fuzzy.

81

Do you know why God cannot KNOW?

by Terry in

logic prohibits self-reference.

it is a convention like not multiplying by zero.

live with it!.

Christ Alone

I can't do anything but agree with you, Terry. In ONLY a physical reality, God does not make sense. I'm sorry that I have to go to an "alternate reality" to explain God. But that is what is necessary. The Jews and Christians have always taught that God exists in a spiritual realm, not a physical realm. IF there is a nature outside of the physical that can't be measured with the physical, then we have a problem. And hence the inability of me, you, or anyone else to either prove or disprove God. IF God does not exist in our PHYSICAL realm, then we cannot measure Him.

If I agree that "God created", that requires me to place God outside of a physical reality. It means that He created all things physical. Which means He CANNOT be physical. It's the natural implication of believing "God created".

If God created time, then God is not a part of time. He IS time. If God can declare things to come as if they already happened, then God is not bound by time. If God is a spirit, then we cannot explain God in physical terms.

Believe me, I see EXACTLY what you are saying. And I agree that it looks like "cheating". But again, it is what is required by the statement "God created".