Belief in God

[Some Schmo]

Everyone has had the experience of hearing a friend talk about someone you don't know. I know that whenever this happens, I automatically draw a mental picture of this stranger. I've heard many people relate the same experience that I've had; when I finally met the stranger, they were nothing like my mental picture.

I'd love it if all the god believers kept that common experience in mind when they think about the concoction that is their god. Even if a god exists, I'm willing to bet everything I own your mental picture is wildly inaccurate. So inaccurate, in fact, you'd be crazy not to question it. Of course, I'm willing to bet everything I own safe in the knowledge none of us will ever meet your god.

But believing a god exists that you understand is crazy to begin with, so living with crazy has become comfortable for people who keep a personal god. I'm not holding out much hope, here. It was just something I was thinking about.

[Jersey Girl]

Everyone has had the experience of hearing a friend talk about someone you don't know. I know that whenever this happens, I automatically draw a mental picture of this stranger. I've heard many people relate the same experience that I've had; when I finally met the stranger, they were nothing like my mental picture.

I'd love it if all the god believers kept that common experience in mind when they think about the concoction that is their god. Even if a god exists, I'm willing to bet everything I own your mental picture is wildly inaccurate. So inaccurate, in fact, you'd be crazy not to question it. Of course, I'm willing to bet everything I own safe in the knowledge none of us will ever meet your god.

But believing a god exists that you understand is crazy to begin with, so living with crazy has become comfortable for people who keep a personal god. I'm not holding out much hope, here. It was just something I was thinking about.

I don't have a mental picture of God. Does that make me weird? I don't know why a Christian believer would have a mental picture of God. Maybe? I dunno...why would they, Schmo?

[Some Schmo]

I don't have a mental picture of God. Does that make me weird? I don't know why a Christian believer would have a mental picture of God. Maybe? I dunno...why would they, Schmo?

I don't believe this. You have to have some way of conceptualizing your god, some kind of mental articulation. Otherwise, you're praying to something you don't think about, which makes no sense.

[Jersey Girl]

I don't have a mental picture of God. Does that make me weird? I don't know why a Christian believer would have a mental picture of God. Maybe? I dunno...why would they, Schmo?

I don't believe this. You have to have some way of conceptualizing your god, some kind of mental articulation. Otherwise, you're praying to something you don't think about, which makes no sense.

According to the Bible, God is a Spirit. I don't know how to have a mental picture of a spirit, Schmo.

[Some Schmo]

I don't believe this. You have to have some way of conceptualizing your god, some kind of mental articulation. Otherwise, you're praying to something you don't think about, which makes no sense.

According to the Bible, God is a Spirit. I don't know how to have a mental picture of a spirit, Schmo.

So you're communicating with nothing when you pray. You're talking to a nothingness. You've got no concept of the thing you are praying to.

OK. Not sure what the point of that is, but OK. I think most people call that "meditation."