/lit/ - Literature

For the existence of God, the best I've seen is the transcendental argument:

https://carm.org/defending-the-faith/the-transcendental-argument-for-the-existence-of-god/

Aquinas' 5 proofs aren't so bad, and Pascal's Pensees are worth a read.

Once you're convinced of the existence of *a* God (which, I might add, is impossible to know with 100% certainly when relying solely on logic and mental efforts), you enter the realm of comparative religion. This isn't what you asked, so I won't say too much here, although I spent a few years in this zone, deciding that Christianity held the best claim to truth, and Catholicism the best claim within Christianity.

My knowledge of God now has developed mainly through prayer, trying to live my faith and earnestly seeking to do His will. Philosophising and arguing is only really useful as a means of pushing yourself into making real steps, like tricking yourself into generating 'actual grace'. Though your curiosity regarding religion is no doubt prompted by the grace of God in the first place. Just remember that for every earnest seeker there comes a point where intellectualising faith won't work any more, and you either jump in the pool or decide to walk away (usually, I've found, from fear of getting wet).

>>17497097
>>17497163

So, in summary, Christ in His supernatural office exceeds political categorisation. The teachings He left us likewise elude claims from both conservatives and liberals to belong wholly to them; Christian teaching tends towards the right in matters of morality (marriage, abortion, objective morality and intolerance of sin) while tending towards the left in matters of monetary policy. The most coherent system to try and implement both these aspects was Christian Democracy, which itself was flawed and never really took off. Christian teaching should be internalised as a personal way of living, transmitted faithfully to others through strength of example, and should never be claimed for partisan reasons or politicised in such a way that detracts from its message of salvation.

It's not often I effortpost. My ability to procrastinate clearly has no bounds. In any case, nothing can replace the New Testament in the first instance, supplemented by good works of exegesis.

>>16953506
God doesn't *want* to be worshipped, per se. Certainly not in the way you might think, anyway, like a tyrant. We are called to share in eternal life with Him, to share in the perfect love of the Trinity, and yes, to worship God, as He is our Creator and rightly deserving of worship. These are deeper theological questions than can be sufficiently answered in a 4chan post, but a quick Google search should give you a bit more detail (if less than a good book, like previous Pope Ratzinger's "Introduction to Christianity"). This is what I found with a quick search:

https://forums.catholic.com/t/why-did-god-create-us/40350/2

https://www.learnreligions.com/why-did-god-make-me-542065

https://www.catholic.com/tract/gods-love-for-you

But they will lack the sort of detail that Ratzinger's book or other such sources may have.

>>16943512
Rather a small Church of true believers than a sprawling one filled with people who think firearms can in any way be reconciled with the passion of Christ.

>>12431170

My God...

>>12393804
>i''ll just make a simple diagram
>thread continues to flounder in aimless polemic

Is Jesus Christ the coolest guy in literature?