"Suppose there were nothing. Then there would be no laws; for laws, after all, are something. If there were no laws, then everything would be permitted. If everything were permitted, then nothing would be forbidden. So if there were nothing, nothing would be forbidden. Thus nothing is self-forbidding.

Therefore, there must be something. Q.E.D."

LMFAO i want to literally bash this fucking retards brain in with a shovel. LAWS ARE SOMETHING the fucking faggot squeeled as i fucked his ass open

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839732)

indeed, the best answer may be "why not?"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839746)

The Absolute and The Void are the same thing.

Before the physical universe existed, pure eternal/infinite consciousness/nothingness "existed"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839769)

you're so trapped by philosophical definitions that you can't see what is immanently right in front of you the whole time.

Obviously this notion was and is considered "heretical" by many, and I would've been excommunicated/possibly executed in the earlier days of the church, but there have been self-described Christians who held a similar view of God.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839796)

but at least you acknowledge that this laozi new age bullshit is not christian. would prefer you stopped taking the lords name in vain though.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839803)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophatic_theology

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839812)

It is far, far easier to talk about God through negation (e.g. He is not Being)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839862)

Have you not even touched the mysticism book yet?

There are tons of CHRISTIAN mystics who have had experiences more powerful than this and hold this view, and I believe them.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839897)

"What caused the universe?" is an absurd question, because before something can act as a cause, it must first exist--ie, it must first be part of the universe. The universe sets the foundation for causal explanation and cannot itself require a causal explanation.

The primacy of existence is illustrated in science by the principle that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.

The universe, then, has always existed and always will exist. Some theists find this difficult to accept, and they argue that god makes the universe easier to understand. Yet, while the theist complains of difficulty accepting the notion of an eternally existing universe, consider his alternative. We must conceive of a supernatural, unknowable, eternally existing being, and, moreover, we must conceive of this being creating matter from the void of non-existence. It is strange that those who object to the idea of eternal matter display little difficulty in accepting the creation of something out of nothing. While the idea of an eternal universe may be initially difficult for some people to assimilate, the theist's alternative is an exercise in fantasy.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839855)

requiring the Absolute to be "PART" of the universe is wrong.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839883)

I go to a protestant church because it's the best approximation of my beliefs that is reasonably available, and I do believe in "gathering together" as opposed to just seeking God on your own.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839957)

lutheran, presbyterian, methodist??

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839963)

Main theological belief I have that matches up with this denomination is predestination. See Romans 9. No one can come to God whose heart has not already been opened.

Edit: primarily Romans 8, sorry

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36840033)

Also biggest aspect of the service that I strongly prefer is liturgy, which many Protestant denominations reject in favor of the worship-lite rock concert atmosphere. I like the collective call and response reading of scripture (especially Psalms) a lot. Also collective confession of sin. Sacrament of communion I prefer not to think of as magical transubstantiation, a "remembrance" as He Himself said, rather than physical body and blood

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36840095)

"Bible" was a required class. It was lulzy as fuck the handful of times predestination came up because I was literally the only one in the class willing to defend it, and everyone else was Shocked Pure Shocked. It offended their preconceived notions so deeply, but they had extremely little rational defense, reminded me a lot of libs, just believing shit because it FEELS right to them. LJL at thinking fucking sinful as hell evil-natured humans can just randomly decide to love God and "oh whoops! Guess God had no idea which way you would go, what a surprise for Him!"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36840230)

The universe, then, has always existed and always will exist.

this is a pretty grand proclamation to make purely from "logic" and even when i read this as an angry atheist teenager it stuck out to me as awfully hand-wavey.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36839953)

790 verbal though...

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36841009)

He has made everything [a]appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, [b]yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4081236&forum_id=2#36856284)