TheBigKahoona

I hardly think that the workings of the universe are mundane at all. You are looking for flashy cool evidence of GOd. You want to see a dog talk or the stars arrange themselves into funny pictures. What you fail to see is that the workings of the universe are flashy enough.

I've often heard the argument that primitive people thought that GOd caused lightning. Later when science advanced people realized that lightning is caused (once again) by the mundane laws of Physics. But GOd still did cause the lightning. He designed the universe in such a way that on January 17th 2006 at 4:37 Pm sparrow #389463647 will eat some rice thrown at a wedding and die.

James T

I asked the question not expecting an answer. Believers in God have a long history of moving their definition to avoid the facts. I was just interested to see what sort of things people have pursuaded themselves to belief.

You, apparently, have pursuaded yourself to believe that sparrow #389463647 is going to die next year on the 17th Jan. If you want to make this a little more believable why don't you tell us the name of the bride and groom so that I can send them my congratulations. Of course, it'd also be nice if you could advise how we can identify said sparrow and where it will die. At least we'd have a falsifiable claim for a change.

seebs

God gives people guidance.

You may or may not be able to verify this, but it's a clear statement of a thing God is alleged to do.

Columbus

My post originally had a long parapraph about what I wish God would do. I deleted it because it seemed off-topic, coming from me.
It mostly revolved around guidance and support and insight. Support for my efforts at being a good moral person. Guidance about being more effective at the things I feel strongly need doing, but am not any better at than anyone else. (Such as my work with Friends of Haiti.) A little insight as to why we have to struggle with doing it, when God could do it so easily Himself.
As an agnostic atheist all I can do is create a wish list, not an answer to the OP.

Tom

Crowley

For starters, if I was God I would have revealed Myself to ALL people, not just some backwoods wandering tribe. That way at least the religions that sprang up would have some basis of Me involved. While it would not generate world wide acceptance, it would certainly make believing in Me sensical.

I would also never encourage "My" people to kill off others to give them more land and women. After all, in My scenario, ALL people are My people.

I would promote equality of the sexes rather than subject women to thousands of years of submission to men.

I would promote the notion that all men are created equal in My eyes incorporating the dogma that no one shall enslave another. Meaning I would never condone the taking and keeping of slaves in my religious revelations to My followers.

That's right. Bow down before your new God. :notworthy

James T

It's not really a clear statement though. The reason I say this is because many descriptions of how the guidance is provided are simply the decisions people make themselves while also having faith. The detail of your description so far is not detailed enough to allow discrimination between the self-guidance in faith explanation and the god speaks guidance to me explanation.

Mageth

Isn't asking what God does the equivalent of asking where a 600-pound gorilla sits?

Crowley

Hi,

Someone posted a thread requesting that we (athiests) respond with how we would be god but better given some limitations. I had thought about it and come up with some ideas that met the criteria but was indeed better, I thought, than the Christian. I believe that thread had/has the same name as this one an posted it here inadvertantly. So...Ignore the above post by me. Sorry.

I'm really not as stupid as the above post makes me seem regarding this thread. Thanks.

Crowley

James T

Close to the same name but theist as opposed to atheist in the title. The other title inspired this one although the content is different. In any event I initially started it in EoG incorrectly so your error is not alone .

Columbus

No, it's the equivalent of asking "Where is the 600 pound gorilla sitting right now?" The answer so far is "Well, he's around here somewhere."
Tom