Though all men are "equal" on this earth - that is, no one is more superior than another - there is a great difference between the choices they make, and the actions and consequences of those choices.

That's where the "us" vs "them" comes into play. As long as morals and ethics remain subjective - and the world heads toward relativism, it's only going to get worse, or simply remain the same.

And what leads you to believe that?

I find it hard to believe that God lived within either Hitler or Stalin - to name but a pair of apparent "Godless" individuals. So what justifies your belief that God lives within man - unless that individual choses it to be so?

Because God lives everywhere and has ITS existence in everything. You see, my concept of God is different from yours. God is Love and life in expression.

I'm sure you believe that there are two things, good and evil and that your God is only good.

I see the dualistic nature of God. Only humans divide this nature into good and evil in their ignorance of balance and the nature of God.

Where does the Holy Spirit reside Eljay? Blessings...Miles

Eljay, why do you think you know enough to judge who is a so-called "godless" individual?

I have known people who have called me that and they don't know what they are talking about. Just because I don't go to there church? That is so wrong.

The Holy spirit resides in man/woman - but not all men/woman.

So to say that "God lives within" - is really not representing the whole truth, as you won't find this to be the case with a devout Atheist. (For example)

So, now that I'm in better understanding of "what" you believe, I still ask "why" you believe this. What justifies this belief that God lives in "everything"?

You are asking me to answer a question according to your understanding of the term God. That isn't me passing judgement - it's you passing judgement. I don't need to clarify for you what "God" means to me - so your question is disingenuous.

Why don't you explain to me how Stalin - a reknown Atheist - was Godly. Clear me up on this.

I don't know why other's call you "Godless". I know I didn't. If their reasoning was because you didn't attend services in the same building they do - mistakening that as a definition of "the church" - then I agree with you. That's just wrong. It doesn't matter where one "goes to church" - it matters what one believes.

It's a little funny (maybe sad) that we as people think that God could have a fault.

I can see why we may need to justify ourseives but when we think that we can put this off on God. HHHHMMMMM

We are the silly ones aren't we?

We are still looking for someone else to blame

He is the know it all that created us(some say), if he knows it all he would have known exactly how we'd be. He must have either done it on purpose, or he messed up and created us wrong and doesnt know it all at all. One way or another, God has faults, and is at fault.

If he is perfect, then how we are and how we act, cannot be wrong.

God and us are either all perfect, or all imperfect.

Or maybe there is no god.

What justifies the belief in the Bible? In God at all? In what you believe? Why does this need justification at all?

Here is my opinion.

People say that God is Love. I am going to take that statement literally if you don't mind. Okay, God IS LOVE. THAT IS WHAT GOD IS. God is not a deity. God is not Jesus. GOD IS LOVE.

That is the premise.

Now that being the premise, anyone who has any love or compassions at all for anyone cannot be GODLESS. I don't think you can know whether or not Stalin or Hitler did not have any love or compassion at all for anyone. You can assume they did not, but you cannot know.

It is an interesting study!!! We as humans try our whole lives to get our arms around who and what God is. For myself I enjoy studies of the bible and the apocrypha. Also studies of some of the God seeking people of the past. These studies help me to get more of an understanding.

When we do put love together with the study of God not only do some things become more clear but also we start to develop a peace with life and the after life.

peace

Here we go again...
Okay, it's obvious you don't believe in God from your remarks...how can you say He is imperfect in His making us. He loved us all in spite of that! Yes, He knew we would make mistakes. His decision was to make a man in His own image to have free will and choose to love His creator. He gave man the ability to think for himself and make decisions based on morals, God's teaching, etc.

If God had wanted man to be perfect, He could have created that also, but then it wouldn't have been giving us free will or minds to think all on our own! He didn't want to create a carbon copy of Himself. He wanted to create a world of different people. He doesn't want us to choose the wrong things, but He still loves us in spite of those flaws.

Another thing, thank God that God is a know it all!!!!!!!

It doesn't need a justification... it is the justification. It merely describes the way things are, and does so with amaizing accuracy - considering it was written thousands of years ago, it still adequately describes the character of man.

Well... this premise that people have about God being love is one that is derived from the biblical definition of God. Since the Pantheistic God makes no claim of this sort, (the one that is "in all"), you are mixing your claims. Besides - who are these "people" who claim that God is love? Not that I disagree with the claim, it's just I tend to wonder about the claims of "people" - especially those who fit the generic "everyone".

If you believe and read the Bible, then you have read "God is Love."
It is IN YOUR HOLY BOOK. It is a complete statement. If you take it literally, then that is what it means. If you believe the Bible you have to believe the statement. How more plain can I state that?

Who are these people you ask? Christians. Christians who claim that the Bible is the gospel truth. The Bible says that God is Love. I understand and accept that statement, by choice. It makes sense to me. I have a right to agree with that and accept that premise.

That does not obligate me, a non Christian, to believe everything else that Christians believe in their complicated God concepts and religions.

There is no "Pantheistic Deity" that make claims of any sort. If you think there is, then you don't understand the meaning of pantheism. Neither do I worship any "Pantheistic Deity." Pantheism is simply someone's way of describing a type of concept of God or spirituality. I do not claim to be a pantheist or follow any kind of pantheist religion. I was labeled that by a person who feels they have to label everyone.

I am simply a person who feels that LOVE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT. And that GOD = LOVE.

Its not the least bit complicated.

Pantheism is interesting cause it allows us to study from old text. It was one of the points of view that was popular (and still is) while Jesus was teaching the relationship between himself and the father God. It's not hard to find the different names and meanings by studies in the original Greek, Hebrew so on. The key to all of this comes down to what one wishes to believe.

You have to have faith to believe any text!!

Many people pick a side to argue. That's not that hard to do.

Bottom line is God doesn't need us to argue the truth. God is the truth!!!