creator poll

[quarterstaff]

it strikes me as odd, this poll.

there are many ways of believing in a creator if you do... but it is widely accepted that one of the definitions of "god" is that god IS the creator. call him/her/it satan, the invisible pink unicorn or whatever IF an entity did create the universe then they, by definition are god.

this poll boils down to "was there a creator?" surely. no?

[hr]

god damned mongolians!

[exnihilo]

That's a very western interpretation of the meaning of God, and a very modern western interpretation at that. Perhaps three quarters of the world's population, if asked today, would define it very differently, and the entire population would have done so if asked, say, two thousand years ago.

[quarterstaff]

Quoting exnihilo from 01:19, 7th Nov 2005
That's a very western interpretation of the meaning of God, and a very modern western interpretation at that. Perhaps three quarters of the world's population, if asked today, would define it very differently, and the entire population would have done so if asked, say, two thousand years ago.

i dont agree. judaism, which was extant 2000 years ago would have listed "creator" as being one of the defining features of god, surely?

besides, i was implicitly referring to the probably cultural persuasions of those likely to answer this poll... modern-western sounds about right to me.

[hr]

god damned mongolians!

[exnihilo]

Judaism, yes, but hardly a world religion two thousand years ago, and at the time a very different sort of religion - being monotheistic.

Ther important distinction is that "God" is the god of the Jews/Christians/Muslims and "god" is any divine entity. You referred to the later, and the overwhelming preponderance of those are not creators.

[novium]

did anyone else think this poll was a bit over the top? Surely the last four are basically the same answer, except with a snide, condescending attitude?

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting novium from 09:04, 7th Nov 2005
did anyone else think this poll was a bit over the top? Surely the last four are basically the same answer, except with a snide, condescending attitude?

The last four? You mean Hitch hiker fans, atheists, agnostics and religeons I missed out are all the same? Or did you mean Satan to the GGA? These aren't things I made up. Google them. They're rather good. The Flying Spaghetti monster is perhaps America's only hope of averting right wing Christians taking over all the science classes.

And I'm snide and condescending am I? You wound me;-) I know in my heart I'm merely cynical and overopinionated. You are, perhaps, upset that I lumped God with these "comedy" entities? Well, boo hoo. Prove they don't exist and I'll prove God doesn't exist.

but it is widely accepted that one of the definitions of "god" is that god IS the creator.

By you, Dave:-)

What did Thor create? What did Quetzlecoatle create? What did Loki create besides trouble?

All gods that weren't creators. There were many others.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[flarewearer]

Quoting quarterstaff from 08:17, 7th Nov 2005
i dont agree.

It's never wise to argue with Exnihilo about religion, he always seems to win ;<

[hr]

image:www.magnificentoctopus.com/x/elgar.png

[Bitterandtwisted]

For your convenience:
http://www.palmyra.demon.co.uk/humour/ipu.htm
http://www.venganza.org/

Check out the shocking proof that global warming is caused by a lack of pirates.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[BackwardsMan]

surely no-one can know for sure so everyone should vote for "I dunno". Unless anyone else has proof of the other poll options...?

[Guest]

There are two meanings, god and God. Lower case god being defined as any supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force, and God as the particular being worshipped by the Christians/Jews/Muslims etc.

Western is hardly the appropriate word for it; all Muslims would describe define God as such.

[WashingtonIrving]

Wow, you've converted me. Go the invisible pink unicorn! I especially love this:

A significant number to followers of the IPU is 42. It is the answer to the question, "What is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?" Importantly, if you add together the digits of the year in which she was revealed, (1+9+9+4) you get 23. If you add 4 (for Her hooves), add 2 (Her ears) add 2 (Her eyes) add 1 (Her Horn), add 1 (Her tail) then add 9 the result is also 42. This proves the significance of Two Score and Two.

Quoting Bitterandtwisted from 11:48, 7th Nov 2005
For your convenience:
http://www.palmyra.demon.co.uk/humour/ipu.htm
http://www.venganza.org/

Check out the shocking proof that global warming is caused by a lack of pirates.

[hr]

.

[hr]

There's gotta be some way out of here, the joker said to the thief

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting BackwardsMan from 12:03, 7th Nov 2005
surely no-one can know for sure so everyone should vote for "I dunno". Unless anyone else has proof of the other poll options...?

Only if you think all the options have an equal chance of being right. You don't have to always sit on the fence.

Example:

I have lots of odd socks. The reason could be one of two things:

1) I lose them
2) My washing machine is a gateway to Narnia and Mr. Tumnus keeps stealing them. The goat bastard that he is.

I would only evoke a third option ("I don't know") if I couldn't decide which was more likely.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[BackwardsMan]

but you know for a fact you lose them. you don't know for a fact that 'God' or a god exists.

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting BackwardsMan from 17:14, 7th Nov 2005
but you know for a fact you lose them. you don't know for a fact that 'God' or a god exists.

I don't know for a "fact" that I lose them. It just seems more probable than Mr. Tumnus stealing them. Offer me a way of proving one theory over the other. Likewise, I can't prove God exists or not so I go with what seems most likely.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[novium]

well, not the last four. The ones in the middle, but with your reply, it's sort of case in point, isn't it?

Quoting Bitterandtwisted from 10:53, 7th Nov 2005

Quoting novium from 09:04, 7th Nov 2005
did anyone else think this poll was a bit over the top? Surely the last four are basically the same answer, except with a snide, condescending attitude?

The last four? You mean Hitch hiker fans, atheists, agnostics and religeons I missed out are all the same? Or did you mean Satan to the GGA? These aren't things I made up. Google them. They're rather good. The Flying Spaghetti monster is perhaps America's only hope of averting right wing Christians taking over all the science classes.

And I'm snide and condescending am I? You wound me;-) I know in my heart I'm merely cynical and overopinionated. You are, perhaps, upset that I lumped God with these "comedy" entities? Well, boo hoo. Prove they don't exist and I'll prove God doesn't exist.

but it is widely accepted that one of the definitions of "god" is that god IS the creator.

By you, Dave:-)

What did Thor create? What did Quetzlecoatle create? What did Loki create besides trouble?

All gods that weren't creators. There were many others.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[BackwardsMan]

Quoting Bitterandtwisted from 17:55, 7th Nov 2005

Quoting BackwardsMan from 17:14, 7th Nov 2005
but you know for a fact you lose them. you don't know for a fact that 'God' or a god exists.

I don't know for a "fact" that I lose them. It just seems more probable than Mr. Tumnus stealing them. Offer me a way of proving one theory over the other. Likewise, I can't prove God exists or not so I go with what seems most likely.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

so you don't know that you lose your socks and you don't know that god exists or not.

[flarewearer]

I take it "other" encompasses the scientific viewpoint of big bangs and all that?

[hr]

image:www.magnificentoctopus.com/x/elgar.png

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting BackwardsMan from 20:10, 7th Nov 2005


so you don't know that you lose your socks and you don't know that god exists or not.

Well, what is knowledge...?

I shared a flat with an incredibly annoying Uber-skeptic who would use this line all the time. For what it's worth, I believe I lose my socks myself, and God does not exist. I cannot prove either but that is what the evidence implies.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting flarewearer from 20:31, 7th Nov 2005
I take it "other" encompasses the scientific viewpoint of big bangs and all that?

[hr]

image:www.magnificentoctopus.com/x/elgar.png

No, they come under the "blip" option as no thing as such created it. "Other" covers any one of a thousand religions that wouldn't fit on the poll.

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting novium from 19:34, 7th Nov 2005
well, not the last four. The ones in the middle, but with your reply, it's sort of case in point, isn't it?

Sorry, your meaning is?

[hr]

When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams will come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much fucked no matter what you wished for. Unless it's death by meteorite.