Meaningless to you maybe but not meaningless to people that believe. No offense but that was a rather cocky statement.
I suppose we should define our terms. I understand faith to be a belief that is held in the absence of evidence. By evidence I mean factual data that leads to a conclusion. That is why I say faith and belief have nothing to do with evidence. Evidence is quantifiable and qualifiable. It can be observed, measured, defined. If you assert a proposition A and offer as evidence " I believe A" then I am free to assert Not A and offer as evidence " I believe Not A" You can see that leads us to mutually exclusive conclusions that rely on ghe same “evidence” This is a logical impossibility.
Are you serious when you say that you would be willing to die in support of your belief that God does exist? Exactly what is it about a belief in God that threatens your life?
I would not be willing to die proving that God does not exist, for several reasons.
–I have never asserted that God does not exist.
–It is extremely difficult to prove an assertion of negative existence.
–I value my life more highly than that.
Are you implying that your willingless to die somehow validates your argument?
Melchett, from Blackadder II. 
So asside from the conversation, which although interested in, I am trying to avoid, (whether God or god exists) I am tyring to understand the opionions of people on what our role is. Assuming he or she exists, and is the “creator” (which to be clear I have faith in regardless of the lack of “evidence”) are we on Earth bound to follow and obey or are we expected to grow beyond the rules, in effect to be like real children.
Now if you don’t have faith that there is a God (which I must point out that there is little evidence to prove anything beyond our own existance really) then you are correct that the meaning behind my original question is indeed meaningless, so why post 
So then to broaden my original question, what is our supposed role on Earth under a “Judeo-Christian” God. And thanks to zev_steinhardt and Raindog for their answers, but is there something more that I am missing. Are we to challenge God at all or is that arrogant (and is arrogance bad in this case)
PS: Thank you for clarifying the Black Adder quote it was driving my nuts
:smack:
God is usually represented as higher intelligence, a director, one that brings order out of chaos. So in the absence of God you would find only chaos, random events without stability of any kind. Nothing could live in temperature swings of 1000 degrees coupled with random flooding and random foliage producing random supplies of oxygen, etc… The best argument for God still rests with intelligent design, unless of course, you have met God and talked with Him.
But back to the OP. we are not servants, we enjoy the status of children learning to be like our Father. I am sure there is much more to it than we can know.
Love
Are we to “grow beyond the rules” is an interesting question.
I have devoted a lot of time to this and believe there are no rules as we know them that God wants us to follow. There is a condition to be like Him. You might call this a goal, or path, that is inherent in each of us, as the “man” is inherent within the “child”. Our discovery of God rests on our understanding of ourselves and others. The tool we use to accomplish this is unconditional love. The more we learn to love the more we understand about ourselves. This is a simple path, easy to define, but hard to walk.
Love
I can’t speak to my role under a “Judeo-Christian” god, as I don’t subscribe to that family of religions; however, I do note that many of the Jews I know agree with a position whimsically expressed as “What good is a god you can’t argue with?”
See Genesis 18:16-33, in which Abraham bargains with Hashem over the fate of Sodom, winning safety for the city if it can be found to contain ten righteous men (when Hashem had intended to destroy it outright).
We are allowed to question G-d…but we must be willing to accept whatever answer we receive, even if that answer is “I have my reasons which I do not choose to make known to you now.”
That is the example set by Abraham in the verses quoted Lilairen. Job offers a similar example.
A point to consider:
The greek word “δούλος” translates to slave, not servant. (as in “δούλος του Θεού” - “slave of God” which is found in many instances in the Bible)
Do you want to be the slave of a god?
How could random foliage produce random supplies of oxygen in an environment where nothing could live? Would not the foliage have to be alive to produce anything at all?
Wait a minute. Are you seriously suggesting that the only meaningful questions pertain to things which are proven? Holy cow.
What’s more, are you seriously suggesting that one should only believe in things which are proven to be true? Do you really believe that to be so?
A burning bush that talks is not proof of the existense of god.
I’m not talking about any burning bush, Dog80. Heck, I’m not even talking about God specifically. Rather, I’m referring to Clothahump’s statement that “Until someone can show conclusive proof of the existance of a supernatural deity of any kind whatsoever, the question is meaningless.”
That’s the question which I’m asking. I don’t claim to have proof of God’s existence, much less proof that’s based on some burning bush. In fact, I’m proposing that proof is not necessary for believing in something.
So again I ask: Do you really believe that it’s irrational to believe something which has not been conclusively proven to be true? Do you?
No, I don’t think so. It was a very straightforward statement of fact; nothing cocky about it.
All we need is for one of those people who believe to show us proof of the existance of a supernature deity. Any one of the thousands that have been worshipped throughout history will do.
To point out that the meaning behind your original question is indeed meaningless. But now you’ve said so yourself, so shall we ask that the thread be closed?
What is the use in discussing any myth or fantasy (outside of its entertainment or educational value)? Were it up to me, such questions as your OP would be confined strictly to Cafe Society, for as interesting as they can be, they are discussions of fictional works.
I really request that you start this discusion on a different thread, (I created one seen below) as really the purpose of this thread for me, was to hear from individuals who do have faith as to our role (if any) under that faith, regardless of what it is. I understand that some don’t believe in God (or god for that matter), and I for one have zero problem with that.
However, please at least acknowledge that other opinions on the matter exist, and to say that those individuals questions on their own faith is meaningless, well can be seen as pretty insulting.
So if you do believe in a higher order, what do you think our role is, if any?