Design on a Dime

Either God is transcendent. You are correct that few believe God micromanages the sex lives of ants or something, but one could still hold to a belief that all of nature is somehow connected and dependent on God in substance.

Isn't that pretty much how we view the world normally? I wasn't suggesting that free will does not exist.I asked two questions. One was about how much planning went into the universe, which is somewhat important to those who do not believe humans are here by accident. You and Ringo have both given me variations on that question.The other question was whether or not God, in any way, = Universe, something which Buz for example overlaps in his theology, and which pantheism teaches. You really can't get a hold on it unless you stop seeng God as human, or superhuman, or just an invisible man.

I believe the universe had a beginning, but I don't know that Buz does, and he probably doesn't make science the top priority.Either way, you can get into weird stuff, like a belief that the physical universe had a beginning, but that the underlying 'substance' of the universe is purely spirit, and has always existed. You are not so much confused how I meant universe, but how I mean God. The definition for pantheism may help.Oh, and stop pussy-footing around! I am not taking any of this personally, and they are not even specifically my beliefs. I do know I believe in free-will, so I would rule out scenerios which preclude it.Edited by anastasia, : No reason given.

I am not a pantheist, but it is a very prevalent belief in many cultures, and it has some merit. I don't know how conscious the God of pantheism is, but some may call it the Supreme Consciousness. It's a little different from an all-seeing God who actually cares what you and Mrs Straggler do. Remember, there are two Gods of Genesis, and the belief in a personal God is not IMO the only or main belief we should be dwelling on at this stage in human history.

Hi Stile,My keyboard has been sailing in and out of port, so I couldn't respond right away.You and Straggler are making me smile. I don't mind your input at all, but good food for thought, but I suppose not directly relevent to Christianity. Yes, but there are several ways in which one could see that.For a non-evo creationist, creation lasted some period of days. The actual 'creatures' were formed instantaneously in tradition, and the 'event' was more a collection of events which occured 'in the beginning', but in 'real' time.I have never totally believed in the 'real' time part, but I could easily believe that all of creation occured instantaneously, and
only appears to stretch out into billions of years in our time. Miracles? Paranormal events? Anything specific in mind? I am surprised so far to find two pretty hard core atheists willing to believe in something more, but maybe you have more of a problem with traditional religions? Hah, well obviously things do happen as a result of intelligence. Global warming? I think I should have asked whether a persn has a belief that all natural mechanisms were designed.I am not convinced that they are, they must just exist, like math. In that one way, I feel that my religion makes me intellectually dishonest. I don't believe in ghosts 'haunting', although I believe in apparitions, because I don't see why they need be here, in the context of my belief. Ghosts should be neatly packed in Purgatory. There are many unexplained things which I write off just because they don't coincide with what I believe.

Most of us could say the same. In fact, we could say the same and be Christian. It is not required to believe in a 6000 year old earth, and we could certainly say that we can know only the tiniest reflection of God.I somehow thought you were atheist, but I suppose you just refuse to put God in a neat package. I think along the same lines myself, I surmise that hope and intuition, gut instinct and deep longing, are indications of something 'real' which lies in the future of man. Surely no argument to bring to court. Oops, sorry for jumping the gun in the first part of my post. I don't agree with you though that 'atheism' is the simplest explanation. A great number of people are 'lapsed believers' who no longer belong to any formal religion, but still retain faith in God of some sort. You believe God is or may be responsible for some paranormal events, which tentatively puts you beyond deism. You are waiting for conformation so to speak, before you believe in God. You are waiting to see if a God is required. Yet, you say you believe, because you want to believe. So, I say find what is in your heart. You may end up with 0 reasons to believe in God, but that really means nothing.