Does God exist?

[604guy]

In every country colonised by the Spanish, indigenous peoples weren't 'taught' Catholicism, they were forced.  Any who refused conversion were tortured, burnt alive, hung, or in some cases whole populations of native people were wiped out (what happened to the Caribs?)

   I wasn't aware of that. It just adds another level to how disgusting religion can be. Religion is behind many wars, holy wars as some are called. In a world where proof is the final say, religion has none.

[Athos_131]

In every country colonised by the Spanish, indigenous peoples weren't 'taught' Catholicism, they were forced.  Any who refused conversion were tortured, burnt alive, hung, or in some cases whole populations of native people were wiped out (what happened to the Caribs?)

[buddyChrist]

130 Billion, but yes, I agree.

Forgive me, I have been away and may have missed something. Where is this 130 billion coming from? The universe is observable to just shy of 14 billion years the last I heard. Let me know if there is some new evidence that I have missed, or if I am just out of the loop on a joke.

[jondalart]

one of the issues I see with using speed of light, in using it to gauge the age of the universe, is that the speed of light is a variable and estimates of how long it takes to get to earth is still theoretical, and is impacted by gravity and such.

Either way, the universe is huge, and takes while for light to cross it (ok understatement)

it is all a world view, I look at the stars and marvel about how God created it, other look at, and try to figure out it comes out of nothing, which is just as miraculous

essentially, scientists keep increasing the date. I see the increasing of the age of the universe supports the eternal essence of God.

we sort of go in circles of debate, as spiritual things are unseen, and any proofs, if you call them that, are philosophical in nature



but i have to challenge those who blame wars on religion, need to do the math, at least that last couple centuries

War - where - root causes
civil war - US - state rights
ww1 - Europe - alliances and assassination of a duke
ww2 - Global - expansionism and imperialism

it is flawed and prejudicial logic to blame religion for wars and such

most wars are about power, and in the middle ages, religion was exerting its power. if one tallies up the crusades, they are very small compared to the wars of the 20th century

the estimated deaths cause by the crusades is approximately 2 millions over many years.

WW1 death toll was slightly over 5 million over just a few years

[Katiebee]

Wars have roots in economics and power struggles. They are clothed in religion since many power struggles use a religious context.

GB is closer to reality.

[jondalart]

i would not mind engaging in a discussion about universe origin, maybe I need to move to colorado, and have a smoke

if people who are atheist, or a better description, don't believe in a creator...

Shouldn't they believe the universal is eternal, meaning it never had a beginning?

Because matter cannot create itself.

[MissBarbara]

The whys and hows of it all are a mystery and will always be a mystery. We are not dealing simply with the unknown here, but the unknowable. Any answer you, I or anyone else can come up with would have no basis in reason, logic or science. What a person chooses to believe is entirely a subjective preference. The idea that the universe appeared from nothing for no reason is not any less absurd than the idea that universe has simply always been here, nor is it any less absurd than the idea that some kind of supreme being created everything in our universe.

This is a blazing insight...

[insatiable]

Great post GB, except this small bit, which stood out to me.

The universe emerged from a singularity and, consequently, there is no information that we can observe in our universe that can teach us anything about what may or may not exist outside the boundaries of the history of our universe.

You must already know about the "Multiverse Theory" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse) which now is in its infancy. But more and more data are being collected which is starting to point towards it. And yes it is heavily disputed, but maybe in a span of generation or two we may get more evidence which may prove this theory or totally disprove it.

[Katiebee]

Metaphysical or mystical is not the same as physical, nor are either if the former items equate or are similar to science.

[Elizabeth]

Stand outside on a clear night and look up into the night sky.
Do you actually believe that "we" are alone in the entire universe?
What your eye can see is nothing to what is actually out in space.
Are we alone?....that's pretty arrogant to think that.
Love,
Liz

[Grm]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/10/jesus-wife_n_5124712.html?utm_hp_ref=uk&ir=UK

'Gospel of Jesus' Wife' Papyrus Is Ancient, Not Fake, Scientists And Scholars Say

An ancient, business-card-sized papyrus fragment that appears to quote Jesus Christ discussing his wife is real, Harvard University announced Thursday. The fragment caused international uproar when it was revealed by a Harvard historian in September 2012, with prominent academics and the Vatican swiftly deeming it a forgery.

Harvard officials said scientists both within and outside the university extensively tested the papyrus and carbon ink of the badly aged fragment, dubbed the "Gospel of Jesus' Wife." The document, written in Coptic, a language of ancient Egyptian Christians, is made up of eight mostly legible dark lines on the front and six barely legible faded lines on the back. The handwriting and grammar were also examined over the last year and a half to confirm its authenticity. Scientists have concluded the fragment dates back to at least the sixth to ninth centuries, and possibly as far back as the fourth century.

The document was never meant to prove Jesus was married, Harvard Divinity School professor Karen L. King emphasized Thursday. Instead, she argued, it's meant to highlight that some early Christians may have believed Jesus was married. The distinction is significant because debates over sexuality and marriage have dominated contemporary discussions about Christianity; the Catholic Church cites Jesus' celibacy as one reason its priests must not have sex or marry.

"The main topic of the fragment is to affirm that women who are mothers and wives can be disciples of Jesus -- a topic that was hotly debated in early Christianity as celibate virginity increasingly became highly valued," King, whose specialties include Coptic literature, Gnosticism and women in the Bible, said in a statement Thursday. "This gospel fragment provides a reason to reconsider what we thought we knew by asking what the role claims of Jesus' marital status played historically in early Christian controversies over marriage, celibacy, and family."

The legible lines on the front of the artifact seem to form a broken conversation between Jesus and his disciples. The fourth line of the text says, "Jesus said to them, my wife." Line 5 says "... she will be able to be my disciple," while the line before the "wife" quote has Jesus saying "Mary is worthy of it" and line 7 says, “As for me, I dwell with her in order to ..."

[MissBarbara]

And again I point out that Orthodox priests, including Coptics, have *always* been allowed the sacrament of marriage.  Rome excommunicated the Orthodox Church in 1054, known as "The Great Schism."  In 1123, The First (Catholic) Lateran Council ruled that priests, deacons, subdeacons, and monks were absolutely forbidden to have concubines, contract marriage, or even remain married. The reason was to ensure that money remained within the Church, and was not inherited by the children of priests.

Not really.

In the Catholic Church, clerical celibacy was observed, by custom, as early as the second century, and the divergence of views on this topic between the Western and Eastern Churches began as early as the fifth century.

Further, the "reason" had nothing to do with money, and everything to do with clerics being free from the obligations of parenthood and family life to best perform their chosen duties. Pope Francis recently re-emphasized this point.

[Elizabeth]

 the Catholic Church cites Jesus' celibacy as one reason its priests must not have sex or marry.

Wow, that must be a relief to all the children that the priest have molested over the years.
Love,
Liz

[Bexy]

"Never argue Catholicism with a Catholic." -- Pope Francis

I don't really care about the quote or the discussion. I just wanted to give you your 1000th woo. LOL    

[MissBarbara]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/10/jesus-wife_n_5124712.html?utm_hp_ref=uk&ir=UK

'Gospel of Jesus' Wife' Papyrus Is Ancient, Not Fake, Scientists And Scholars Say

An ancient, business-card-sized papyrus fragment that appears to quote Jesus Christ discussing his wife is real, Harvard University announced Thursday. The fragment caused international uproar when it was revealed by a Harvard historian in September 2012, with prominent academics and the Vatican swiftly deeming it a forgery.

Harvard officials said scientists both within and outside the university extensively tested the papyrus and carbon ink of the badly aged fragment, dubbed the "Gospel of Jesus' Wife." The document, written in Coptic, a language of ancient Egyptian Christians, is made up of eight mostly legible dark lines on the front and six barely legible faded lines on the back. The handwriting and grammar were also examined over the last year and a half to confirm its authenticity. Scientists have concluded the fragment dates back to at least the sixth to ninth centuries, and possibly as far back as the fourth century.

The document was never meant to prove Jesus was married, Harvard Divinity School professor Karen L. King emphasized Thursday. Instead, she argued, it's meant to highlight that some early Christians may have believed Jesus was married. The distinction is significant because debates over sexuality and marriage have dominated contemporary discussions about Christianity; the Catholic Church cites Jesus' celibacy as one reason its priests must not have sex or marry.

"The main topic of the fragment is to affirm that women who are mothers and wives can be disciples of Jesus -- a topic that was hotly debated in early Christianity as celibate virginity increasingly became highly valued," King, whose specialties include Coptic literature, Gnosticism and women in the Bible, said in a statement Thursday. "This gospel fragment provides a reason to reconsider what we thought we knew by asking what the role claims of Jesus' marital status played historically in early Christian controversies over marriage, celibacy, and family."

The legible lines on the front of the artifact seem to form a broken conversation between Jesus and his disciples. The fourth line of the text says, "Jesus said to them, my wife." Line 5 says "... she will be able to be my disciple," while the line before the "wife" quote has Jesus saying "Mary is worthy of it" and line 7 says, “As for me, I dwell with her in order to ..."

Dr. Leo Depuydt, a professor of Egyptology at Brown University, said it is so fake that it "seems ripe for a Monty Python sketch." He noted that the "gross grammatical errors" are an exact match to writings found in the Gospel of Thomas, and that "an undergraduate student with one semester of Coptic" could have forged the lines.

[veteran1]

Stand outside on a clear night and look up into the night sky.
Do you actually believe that "we" are alone in the entire universe?
What your eye can see is nothing to what is actually out in space.
Are we alone?....that's pretty arrogant to think that.
Love,
Liz

Wow, when you look up at the stars, do you really believe someone is looking down at you?  What keeps NASA in business, I guess.

[Lois]

http://www.amazon.com/How-Jesus-Became-God-Exaltation/dp/0061778184

[watcher1]

I don't really care about the quote or the discussion. I just wanted to give you your 1000th woo. LOL    


Thanks.  First male in KB history to break 1,000 and to think, I did it one blow job at a time.   

Hope some of those blow jobs weren't from males. Would ruin your reputation. 

[phtlc]

Stand outside on a clear night and look up into the night sky.
Do you actually believe that "we" are alone in the entire universe?
What your eye can see is nothing to what is actually out in space.
Are we alone?....that's pretty arrogant to think that.
Love,
Liz

Wow, when you look up at the stars, do you really believe someone is looking down at you?  What keeps NASA in business, I guess.

She never said people were looking down at us.

[Lois]

I've just joined the holy church of jizzus.