We've established that you cannot either prove or disprove the existence of God, but that different experiences make possible different sets of knowledge which may intersect and overlap in some ways but not in others. There is no point in trying to convince those of the opposite persuasion to change their views because we're all using different criteria of evaluation that do not map onto each other neatly. It's not a matter of one position being logical and the other illogical and a simple debate can resolve the matter. Debate merely entrenches each side in their self-righteous barricaded positions.
So, can we ask if there is value in believing in God or in not believing in God. Is one view more beneficial than the other? Don't be surprised that I've found middle ground!I'm indebted to someone else for this discussion. I've embellished and elaborated a bit, but must give credit beyond myself for the initial idea. Of course, when I read it, it all seems so obvious!!
What he said was: what one considers of greatest importance depends on the circumstances. When considering the value of a diamond or water, in the usual circumstances the diamond has much greater value. But to one lying in a vast desert, a diamond would be valueless and water of immeasurable value. Both God and the material world "have their value and power of attraction at different times and under different circumstances and hence it cannot be said which is of greater value, or preferable" except in consideration of the particular situation.
Some cannot live without art; some cannot live without physical passion such as sports, dance etc,; some cannot live without books and ideas; some cannot live without social interaction, parties, gatherings, clubs, groups. And some cannot live without God. God is relevant in the conversation of things we love, of things we find exciting and beautiful. For you it may be race cars, for someone else it might be horses or dogs; for others it might be politics or mathematics or fashion.
For those whose considerations lie with the material dimension, attaining the comforts of life, achieving accomplishments, being recognized for their strengths and gifts, God may not be such an attraction. For them, God and anything related to God is essentially unseen, unknown and unattainable. Of course there are many who think that by pleasing God he'll give you all that stuff! I'm not sure that's the kind of "focus" that actually transforms consciousness!
Of course thinking about God in any way and in any situation will always transform consciousness to some degree. And the more we think of God, even in the limited context of getting things we want for ourselves, the more we may begin to think less of those things we want and more of the being of God as such. So thinking about God will always change you. In fact, thinking about God diligently in order to disprove the existence of God is very much a heavy meditation on God!
But for some, the innumerable pleasures and potential achievements of the material world have less interest than the quest for the spiritual capacity of the human mind and heart. For them, thinking about God can become a significant source of delight in life. Of course one may not conceive the Ultimate Truth as a divine being. Buddhists do not have any conceptions of a Supreme Being, but one is still striving for complete conscious experience of the absolute eternal Truth that underlies all that is.
However one conceives Ultimate Reality, as Being or as Non-being, it is in the context of the spiritual dimension of life that this takes on value. If you need to fix your car, understanding of mechanics is probably of greatest value; if you want to invest your money, you'll want knowledge of finance. And if you want to explore the mysteries of the human soul, God has value. You clearly don't have to believe in God to delve into the spiritual dimension of life or of the human soul; but it does have value in that context.
In the next set of posts we'll look at questions of how right we can actually expect to be about anything
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