tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21219785.post116258797717313456..comments2024-03-25T17:35:02.238-04:00Comments on Debunking Christianity: On the Force of "Possibly" in Plantinga's Free Will DefenseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21219785.post-1163274998164488322006-11-11T14:56:00.000-05:002006-11-11T14:56:00.000-05:00Insert "g" into the equation (grace)Insert "g" into the equation (grace)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21219785.post-1163274619519667852006-11-11T14:50:00.000-05:002006-11-11T14:50:00.000-05:00wow - pretty cool that our brain is designed to re...wow - pretty cool that our brain is designed to respond like that! Way to go God! I don't think it's a bad idea to create a brain that is capable of responding and I don't think we're any worse off when we show love and compassionate to those whose brains are damaged. I think we only run into trouble when we use our brains as though we invented them and that we, alone are the final authority over all creation. Faith may seem strange, because it deals with the spiritual being expressed as love in the physical realm. But to place our hope in the seen world, we tend to romanticize the notion of humanism (look no further to the local rush hour traffic jam to validate this or your own personal firsthand experiences) seems really strange. God gives grace for humanity while we hold each other to rigid standards and fault finding. (Ah! Exhibit A - this blog!) God asks us to give up pride and our territorial mindsets. One more thing, even God acknowledges the power of suggestion (or influence - we are well loved sheep afterall - He doesn't see that as a weakness or cause for contempt, but that we are lead by a loving shepherd). That is why He addresses the 7 letters to the 7 churches according to geographical location - it's not that He is influenced, but He is acknowledging the truth of our vulnerability in that area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21219785.post-1162691244446571162006-11-04T20:47:00.000-05:002006-11-04T20:47:00.000-05:00How do you account for it?The presence of God can ...How do you account for it?<BR/><BR/>The presence of God can be anything from that "pounding in your heart that tells you God is talking to you" to a physical manifestation such as speaking in tongues or the "holy laughter" which was quite a popular church activity at one time.<BR/><BR/>The feelings or manifestations are brought about inwardly, through an emotional response to a particular stimulus. <BR/><BR/>Generally, when I felt God's presence, it was during a praise a worship song. The stimulus was the music, not God. <BR/><BR/>I could go into the particular components of music that the human brain responds to such as the production of alpha/beta brain waves, rpms, pleasure receptors, but it would really take too long.<BR/><BR/>In addition to external sensory stimuli, there is the internal pressure to 'feel God's presence'. Your pastor says "The Holy Spirit sure is here tonight" and people in the congregation say "Amen", and of course, you don't want to think for one second that there is something wrong with you that you can't feel the presence of the spirit - after all that could mean you are not praying hard enough, or you lack faith, or any number of bad things. So you say "Amen", not really knowing what anybody else is really feeling.<BR/><BR/>Finally, never underestimate the power of suggestion. The human brain is easy to trick. Advertising companies have been doing it for years.<BR/><BR/>That is how I account for it. Fundamentally, it is psychosomatic.<BR/><BR/>My question to you would be - How is it that muslims (or any other religious adherants) feel the presence of their God during a service?<BR/><BR/>I would suspect very much the same way.Mattiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653330047288055484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21219785.post-1162610438598668372006-11-03T22:20:00.000-05:002006-11-03T22:20:00.000-05:00david c, Yes, we thought we did, just like you now...david c, Yes, we thought we did, just like you now think you do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com