The Relevance of the Concept of God

You mean when you said this...

Can you see? Do you see the sign between the arrows >> ? << ?

Can you see the sign in the sentence below -

So god is equivalent to religion, even though some religions do not include a concept of god? There is even a real world example, in Buddhism.

?
 
Which is strange, given that they do call themselves atheists - which is a general term. If they would really believe any concept of G/god is strictly linked to a particular religious tradition and cannot be thought outside of it, they would have to call themselves a-Christians, a-Muslims, a-Hindus, a-Greek-pantheonists etc.

True enough, but most atheists are actually anti-religion in practice.
 
Again:

Gautama Buddha rejected the existence of a creator deity, refused to endorse many views on creation and stated that questions on the origin of the world are not ultimately useful for ending suffering.
...
The Theravada Abhidhamma tradition did not tend to elaborate argumentation against the existence of god, but in the Abhidharmakośa of the Sarvāstivāda, Vasubandhu does actively argue against the existence of a creator, stating that the universe has no beginning.
...
In the pramana tradition, Dharmakīrti advances a number of arguments against the existence of a creator god in his Pramāṇavārika, following in the footsteps of Vasubandhu.
...

While Buddhist traditions do not deny the existence of supernatural beings (e.g., the devas, of which many are discussed in Buddhist scripture), it does not ascribe powers, in the typical Western sense, for creation, salvation or judgement, to the "gods". They are regarded as having the power to affect worldly events in much the same way as humans and animals have the power to do so.
...

Though not believing in a creator God, Buddhists inherited the Indian cosmology of the time which includes various types of 'god' realms such as the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Four Great Kings, and so on.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism


Much of the "god" mythology in Buddhism was merely existing cultural and Hindu influences.

Hinduism and Buddhism have shared parallel beliefs that have existed side by side. The influence of Upanishads, the earliest philosophical texts of Hindus, on Buddhism has been a subject of debate among scholars. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Hinduism


Gautama Buddha did not deny the existence nor forbid the worship of the popular gods, but such worship is not Buddhist and the gods are trapped in the same samsaric [suffering] cycle as other beings but are in no way guides to religion, since they need instruction themselves. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Hinduism#God



Or can you provide reference to support the notion that religion is equivalent to a concept of god?

Are you serious? You're still holding your impossible position? :roflmao:
 
Can you see? Do you see the sign between the arrows >> ? << ?

Can you see the sign in the sentence below -

So god is equivalent to religion, even though some religions do not include a concept of god? There is even a real world example, in Buddhism.

?

Can you not see what he claimed?
 
True enough, but most atheists are actually anti-religion in practice.

As long as they call themselves "atheists," we'll go by that qualifier that they ascribe to themselves, and consider its implications.
 
All anyone has said to you is that there is no practical application of God as an observer without religion

You seem to think that the OP's reasoning is that there is a practical application of God as an observer even without religion.

Not sure anyone actually argued that here.

Syne?



Although, on the face of it, as long as we have some general concept of God, such as the one in a dictionary (which is derived from actual theistic religions), some practical application of God as an observer is possible even without reference to a particular religion. If in no other way, then as a generalized anxiety over doing wrong.
 
Are you serious? You're still holding your impossible position?

I see no refute to the ample references I have given. All you seem to have is a simpleton's appeal to ridicule. You know, in lieu of a reasoned and supported argument of any sort.

You seem to think that the OP's reasoning is that there is a practical application of God as an observer even without religion.

Not sure anyone actually argued that here.

Syne?

The OP only specifies the abstract concept of god, which requires no religious trappings at all. If "practical application" means accountability, punishment/reward, etc. then no, this was not suggested by the OP.
 
I see no refute to the ample references I have given.

The links YOU provided were ample references let alone the ones myself and others provided. You just simply won't admit you're wrong.
 
The concept of God implies the existence of absolutes. Without such a concept things becomes relative. For example, the framers of the US Constitution defined certain God given rights which exist like laws of science applied to humans. These trump man made or artificial rights, which tend to be designed to promote on only special interests.

From this intuition of absolutes came certain laws of science, which are the same for all, within all references.

The absolutes defined by the concept of God, are more about human nature, will power and choices, as such they define how the operating system of the human brain works, naturally, instead of artificially or man-made.
 
The links YOU provided were ample references let alone the ones myself and others provided. You just simply won't admit you're wrong.

Think whatever your confirmation bias dictates.
 
Yes, that appears to be your answer for everyone who shows you when you're wrong. LOL.

You really get off on all this one-liner trolling, huh? May be you should recap why you think I am wrong. You know, quoting specific references you think support your claim. Western cultures do not recognize a being that is no better or more powerful than a human as a god, and Capracus has not argued that they do, other than by continually moving the goalposts (from "concept of god" to "god" to "religion" to "mystical") in a lame attempt to conflate them with any argument I advance. If you think that is intellectual honesty...well, then I know what to expect from you.
 
Reading this -
Turns out my notion of a concept of god being relevant to conscience is not unique to me. As it relates to ethics, it is called ideal observer theory.
reminded me of your OP request
Now I am open to any alternate suggestions of means to cultivating conscience.
and I thought of another example:

The third-person omniscient narrator in literature (fiction and non-fiction). It's the most frequently used narrative mode. By reading literature, we internalize the idea that there exists such a thing as an omniscient perspective. Which can, in turn, be a factor for keeping us in place.
 
You really get off on all this one-liner trolling, huh?

You mean, like this one-liner trolling?

Think whatever your confirmation bias dictates.

May be you should recap why you think I am wrong.

I haven't forgotten why you are wrong, have you?

You know, quoting specific references you think support your claim. Western cultures do not recognize a being that is no better or more powerful than a human as a god, and Capracus has not argued that they do, other than by continually moving the goalposts (from "concept of god" to "god" to "religion" to "mystical") in a lame attempt to conflate them with any argument I advance. If you think that is intellectual honesty...well, then I know what to expect from you.

No, I think you are intellectually dishonest for making a claim, being shown that you are wrong and then standing by your original claim.
 
Syne said:
And to answer Capracus, Q, Balerion, and anyone else doubting the independence of this notion from religion, this theory is opposed to divine command theory.

It cannot be made any more clear than that. Even some of the language used to describe ideal observer theory is identical to my own (even though I was not previously aware of this theory).
The ideal observer theory is only meant to be a basis for the notion that all moral stances could be made consistent with a standard derived from a hypothetical omniscient, rational and impartial human observer. The theory has no value in assessing moral value to any real condition, since the resultant standard of such an observer can never be realized. The role of such an observer is not one of an influential overseer as conceived in your concept of god.

Only the concept of god provides a postulated observer whereby individuals can further develop an objective view of themselves. A postulated view that does not have the shortcoming inherent in all other human institutions that lead people to believe that something is only wrong if you get caught.

Just like a doctor's delivery of a placebo can alter its efficacy, it would seem that belief in the concept of god (or an equivalent ever-watching observer) might effect its ability to strengthen conscience.
For your concept of god to have any influence on the development of conscience, your observer, defined characteristically as a god, would need to have a discernible moral disposition. And to conform to your placebo reference, it would also have to be imagined as real.
 
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