Is God the cause of everything?

[Dust]

Let us have fun with deep intellectual thinking.

If you are one who believes in God, I don't want an answer like this: Of course, because He is God.

If you are an Atheist, I don't want an answer like this: Of course not. God does not exist therefore He can't be the cause of everything.

Whatever answer you give, I would like you to back it up. No articles please. If you get your answer from somewhere else, be sure to acquaint yourself with it for I will try to break your logic apart.

[IamDZJ]

how about God is a placebo for law and religion the order...? o and i am not here to discuss anything. this will be my very first and last visit to this thread so take it easy on yourselves.

[Dust]

I wish for you to stay. This will be engaging.

Placebo effect wears out, many religions have withstood time. Why?

[AgnosticPashtana]

I do not believe in God because I think life is way too complex and the Universe is way too complex. I also think that God can't be cruel. Muslims say billions will burn in fire, Hindus say Muslims will burn, Jews say Muslims burn. Muslims say Jews will also burn. I guess if he does exist, I will burn. I think if God existed, he would not have allowed to see innocent people die.

[IamDZJ]

I wish for you to stay. This will be engaging.

Placebo effect wears out, many religions have withstood time. Why?

which religion's credibility has not been questioned over time? if a pure form of religion had survived time you wouldn't be asking us this question today. i can apply everything i have learned and seen of islam or any other religion in to what i believe in and worship it's validity.

[Baygham]

Human brains are the product of evolution. We have phylogenetically older parts like the limbic system layered over by newer parts like the cortex. Emotions, a product of the limbic system have cortical connections and controls. Just like breathing, 99% of the time it is run automatic by a primitive, older brain stem, but keeps a cortical super layer of control, developed later, that is available all the time but used less than 1% of the time.

Emotions, and especially the emotion of fear, run by the amygdyla, a part of the limbic system, has similar cortical connections. Similarly the reward system in the brain is layered.

Over the last 60000 years the human brain has evolved very little from a phylogenetic point of view, Yet humans have seen enormous transformation of its enivornment and way of life. However the underlying brain circuitry remains the same.

In a chaotic, uncertain environment, the fear circuitry of the brain is very active. Our advanced capacity of imagination, memory and anticipation (cortical functions) allows threats, real or percieved/imagined to persist while they come and go for other less cortical animals.

God is a cognitive adaptation to calm this circuitry from over activation. Thus the concept of deity changes as our intellectual abilities of imagination, memory and anticipation change, along with changes in the level of stability of the environment.

[Dust]

I do not believe in God because I think life is way too complex and the Universe is way too complex. I also think that God can't be cruel. Muslims say billions will burn in fire, Hindus say Muslims will burn, Jews say Muslims burn. Muslims say Jews will also burn. I guess if he does exist, I will burn. I think if God existed, he would not have allowed to see innocent people die.

You said that God can't exist because of the complexity of life and the Universe. Complexity means constructiveness, and it exist because of a conscience mind. Destruction is random, look at the aftermath of a bomb, meaning the absence of a conscious mind.

1.

I also think that God can't be cruel.

2.

Muslims say billions will burn in fire, Hindus say Muslims will burn, Jews say Muslims burn. Muslims say Jews will also burn. I guess if he does exist, I will burn.

3.

I think if God existed, he would not have allowed to see innocent people die.

1. You said God can't be cruel. Then you said if He exist then you will burn. Contradiction?
2. Don't judge a religion based on its followers. Read the context of punishment within that religion.
3. If God existing means that the innocent would not suffer then His absence would be that people are suffering. Therefore, it means that people are not following what God is saying. Wouldn't you say so. This is derived from your initial logic.

[Dust]

which religion's credibility has not been questioned over time? if a pure form of religion had survived time you wouldn't be asking us this question today. i can apply everything i have learned and seen of islam or any other religion in to what i believe in and worship it's validity.

Yes, I agree with you. That begs the question: what did you mean by God is a placebo?

[Dust]

Human brains are the product of evolution. We have phylogenetically older parts like the limbic system layered over by newer parts like the cortex. Emotions, a product of the limbic system have cortical connections and controls. Just like breathing, 99% of the time it is run automatic by a primitive, older brain stem, but keeps a cortical super layer of control, developed later, that is available all the time but used less than 1% of the time.

Emotions, and especially the emotion of fear, run by the amygdyla, a part of the limbic system, has similar cortical connections. Similarly the reward system in the brain is layered.

Over the last 60000 years the human brain has evolved very little from a phylogenetic point of view, Yet humans have seen enormous transformation of its enivornment and way of life. However the underlying brain circuitry remains the same.

In a chaotic, uncertain environment, the fear circuitry of the brain is very active. Our advanced capacity of imagination, memory and anticipation (cortical functions) allows threats, real or percieved/imagined to persist while they come and go for other less cortical animals.

God is a cognitive adaptation to calm this circuitry from over activation. Thus the concept of deity changes as our intellectual abilities of imagination, memory and anticipation change, along with changes in the level of stability of the environment.

There are many who don't believe in God, so how would you reconcile their balance?

[Baygham]

There are many who don't believe in God, so how would you reconcile their balance?

I am one of them, our circuitry is kept in control by other methods, like making the environment less threatening, using anticipation and imagination to calm the thinking rather than catastrophise or at times tend to have memories that are not traumatic.

This also explains the immense popularity of areligious spirituality and other calming techniques amongst those frustrated by religion. Some use science this way.

[Dust]

I am one of them, our circuitry is kept in control by other methods, like making the environment less threatening, using anticipation and imagination to calm the thinking rather than catastrophise and have memories that are not traumatic.

How does this equal to the absence of God or "the imagination of God?" They are both equal. As per what you have stated, just as they fool their brain with "God" you fool your brain by "imagining peace."

The world we live in today is very chaotic. We assume that the police are doing their job. However taking into consideration that crime exists means that you are "hoping" for police to be working at all times. This is only speaking of Liberal Democracies. Other places on earth DO NOT have peace. Therefore, going by your statement, God is a valid tool, then.

Based on what you have said, your ground is very shaky for claiming that God does not exist, for you yourself are fooling your brain by other means. Which leads me to think that man does need a higher being in order to have a balance.

[IamDZJ]

Yes, I agree with you. That begs the question: what did you mean by God is a placebo?

blind faith is a form of self deception.
speaking of one's religious beliefs openly with others allow them to be an easy target for the manipulations of those they don't necessarily agree with. good bye.

[Dust]

blind faith is a form of self deception.
speaking of one's religious beliefs openly with others allow them to be an easy target for the manipulations of those they don't necessarily agree with. good bye.

I agree with you. Most religious people suffer from this. That is why they feel that they need to ostracize someone from their religion in order to show that they will not tolerate "sighted" faith.

[Baygham]

How does this equal to the absence of God or "the imagination of God?" They are both equal. As per what you have stated, just as they fool their brain with "God" you fool your brain by "imagining peace."

The world we live in today is very chaotic. We assume that the police are doing their job. However taking into consideration that crime exists means that you are "hoping" for police to be working at all times. This is only speaking of Liberal Democracies. Other places on earth DO NOT have peace. Therefore, going by your statement, God is a valid tool, then.

Based on what you have said, your ground is very shaky for claiming that God does not exist, for you yourself are fooling your brain by other means. Which leads me to think that man does need a higher being in order to have a balance.

You are absolutely right, its this or that, in the end its a mechanism to reconcile our brain circuitry. However some methods dilute the cortical capacity of reason and critical thinking and some not. If critical thinking is needed some methods of amygdyla silence may be counterproductive and harm the capacity and ability of a person or a group of people.

Remember our earlier discussion of why muslims can not do critical thinking in biology and physics. Because when your amygdyla is activated you always satisfy its needs first, its human brain circuitry. Critical thinking can wait.

If you are on a beach, plenty of food, no threat , good health, good fortune, good time, not a worry in sight, the women call you king, the men get out of the way when you go by, all because of a irregular shaped birth mark on your back. After a few days of this, you will believe in the authenticity of the birth mark, no matter if you were einstien the night before. Critical thinking in such a scenario is pure foolishness. Roll with it would be a lot more rational.

Life has no purpose, our brains have no higher reason to exist, its a product of evolution, its build a certain way, it reacts a certain way. There is no great mystery, we can with todays knowledge pretty much dissect most human states upto the molecular level.

[AgnosticPashtana]

You said that God can't exist because of the complexity of life and the Universe. Complexity means constructiveness, and it exist because of a conscience mind. Destruction is random, look at the aftermath of a bomb, meaning the absence of a conscious mind.

1. You said God can't be cruel. Then you said if He exist then you will burn. Contradiction?
2. Don't judge a religion based on its followers. Read the context of punishment within that religion.
3. If God existing means that the innocent would not suffer then His absence would be that people are suffering. Therefore, it means that people are not following what God is saying. Wouldn't you say so. This is derived from your initial logic.

I said IF he exists as in I am speaking hypothetically. Which God is saying? Hindu claims they are following the truth and that you will burn. There are a billion of them who will disagree with you. Are they going to hell Dust? Do you see the problem?