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By 'definitive' you mean scientifically proveable, I'm guessing.
Or tangible, maybe? Or digital, with words and syntax? I submit that there are other ways to communicate, to convey information from one consciousness to another. For instance, how do we communicate feelings? Words are usually insufficient for that communication. Yet, feelings are real: they have effect upon our minds, our bodies, and others' minds and bodies.
I suggest there are many avenues of communication for the Great Whatever to convey information to our Little Whateverness. And vice-versa.
Successful communication reqires both broadcast and reception. But it does not require that either sender or receiver know for certain that the communication has been successful.
posted by
Ciel
on February 13, 2007 at 12:06 PM
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MoonSpirit - that's it in a nutshell - anyone can talk a good game
Just as anyone can prescribe how others should conduct themselves. I have to wonder what people are thinking when they attempt to enlist others to monitor the behaviour of other members on this site. As this latest convoluted idea took shape there was also another distinct agenda at work. The same old story of attempting to manufacture a deficiency pertaining to the non believers on this site by utilizing a transparent negative option strategy. (I may have lost you but let me explain) A negative option strategy in this instance was used by someone wanting to prove that those who do not believe in their God are deficient in character, or in this case immoral. By appealing to popular consensus in having others agree that we should all pay tribute to this God they believe in by promoting morality (amongst ourselves no less), anyone not willing to pay tribute to this God is therefore immoral. The only choice given is to pay tribute to their God or be deemed immoral. (that is the negative option) . . . amazing isn't it?
posted by
gomedome
on February 12, 2007 at 10:09 PM
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Gomedome, I'm either tired, getting old or becoming slow. I'll opt for just tired. It should have taken a nanosecond but, it took about two full seconds for me to get this one: 'it involves sex and travel'. I really like that. 
Regarding imposing one's morality on another (or much of anything else along those lines for that matter) I always think of a few things that Jesus said. Here are two (paraphrasing) - regarding the adultererss - "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" and in terms of finding fault with others "remove the plank from your own eye and then you can see to remove the speck from your brother's eye." I'm sorry. Both of those seem fairly straightforward to me. MoonSpirit 
posted by
syzygy
on February 12, 2007 at 9:39 PM
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Ciel - in the history of mankind there has never been any form of
definitive two way communication between God and man.
There are many instances of anecdotal evidence of God communicating with mankind, there are those who would argue that prayer is a form of communication and there are those who would insist that miraculous events are a from of communication. Unfortunately none of these things could be considered as true two way communication between a being that many insist is conscious and our species.
posted by
gomedome
on February 12, 2007 at 9:27 PM
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Why do you think the communication is one way?
posted by
Ciel
on February 12, 2007 at 5:48 PM
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Ciel - that is a very good comment - especially your closing line
How interesting indeed that the "great whatever" chose to reveal itself in the manner that it does. ......by utilizing a one way means of communication in revelation? If this method of communication was in fact a conscious decision on the part of the "great whatever" . . talk about blunders. It becomes a given that all revelation will be received and interpreted in a manner unique to the subject.
posted by
gomedome
on February 12, 2007 at 9:22 AM
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Just as there is prewiring in a human being for faith,
there is also prewiring for forming cliques and even needing cliques to be assured of what matters, what is true or false, who is friend or foe, and what to do about either one... And, as you say, we are not all prewired to the same extent. Or some of us are wired to rewire ourselves. Or life does that-- a kind of psychic neuropathy that cuts the connections or numbs us to their effects. For good or ill--always a matter of perspective--we come in every range of sensitivity or non-, we human kind.
How interesting that God/the Universe/the Great Whatever has chosen to express Itself in this way... 
posted by
Ciel
on February 12, 2007 at 8:58 AM
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Well, if the Almighty is All Mighty, then I guess we must simply Go Spell Gospel in order to discern the true problem with modern Internet communications.
posted by
Jenasis
on February 12, 2007 at 8:28 AM
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