Do you believe in EVIL?

[MHz]

And what else is there?

It falls short of being able to prove something for one thing. Not that it slows you down much though.

 

[L Gilbert]

An 'invisible God' doesn't demand that any structures be built, He's listening 24/7. An 'invisible God' doesn't demand money (Caesar's things remain his), nor can 'large donations' buy you a spot.
Just because you demand more proof than the existence of a book means what? Nothing really,

It means that we actually prefer to get through life realistically and not lean on some imaginary being.

it only means you are still on milk and just aren't ready for the meaty parts.

Sorry pilgrim, if anyone needs someone to feed them pablum it is the people who need some crutch to have faith in. Atheists only need themselves and REAL beings like family, friends, and neighbors to get through life.

 

[MHz]

Fortunately there are a few atheists that prefer to view things rationally.

Is that at the neighborhood level or National level?

 

[L Gilbert]

.........What have you got to lose by believing. You die and there is no God - then you just die. End of story. You die and God is there - you repent and live in Heaven. End of story. .........

Let me see, what is lost is a lot of time, space, energy, and sleep. Atheists do not have to lose sleep over whether they are going to hell or heaven, do not waste time going to services, praying, and proselytizing, do not waste space by building fancy cathedrals, temples, churches, mosques, etc. Most atheists just accept death as a part of life and simply view life as something to enjoy rather than fretting about afterlives and such nonsense.

 

[L Gilbert]

Has it occurred to you that many of us do not believe for a moment that we are reading a fantasy?

I have. Unfortunately, there's absolutely NO evidence hinting that gods, demons, etc. are real. As I said before, there's more reason to worship the sun or the moon because there is actual evidence suggesting that they are real.

 

[L Gilbert]

I could have passed this up but it is wayyy too easy. The education you received where you read no books, only took in half of what the teachers covered and something about gazing around most of the time, apparently. And this qualifies you as a 'right to posses an opinion', but what else?

We could ask the same of you? And you only rely on 1 book. At least books in universities contain facts.

 

[L Gilbert]

Is that at the neighborhood level or National level?

It's a universal level (sans the fantasy level).

 

[MHz]

It means that we actually prefer to get through life realistically and not lean on some imaginary being.

Why would you consider belief as being a 'crutch'. It might pre-determine which thread I spend most of my time in, so what.

Sorry pilgrim, if anyone needs someone to feed them pablum it is the people who need some crutch to have faith in. Atheists only need themselves and REAL beings like family, friends, and neighbors to get through life.

So where does the resentment come in? When you have to go and fight in a 'Christian War' or when that war comes to your house, which causes more resentment?

Nice try but John Wayne would never have used the word pablum. Where do strangers fit in? If those are the only people you ever have to deal with then you are a living example that if you live your life very, very carefully nothing good or bad will ever happen to you.

Even the worst sinner still looks after these groups of people and looks to them for help when he needs it.

 

[JLM]

When it comes to religion I don't know anything, but I think the way the world worked until man screwed it up was something that was definitely planned- the complex "infrastructure" of all the animals and plants and harmony in which they existed wasn't something that "just happened". Fish just don't HAPPEN to end up where they hatched several years previously, birds just don't happen to migrate to the exact same place at the same time every. Call it what you want- "Mother Nature" is a good term and I think that ties in with religion. I question whether Jesus was born of a virgin or Jonah spent 3 days in a whale- but that could be because some of the observers of the day may have stopped too long at the pub.

 

[MHz]

We could ask the same of you? And you only rely on 1 book. At least books in universities contain facts.

Well I certainly freely admit my views on certain passages might not conform to the established view. It is one subject, why would I need more than one book?
And some people might even get to use that someplace down the road. Did university promote independent investigation or believe what has been provided to you as what is the truth? Most universities have research departments do they not? When it comes to religious studies, how many religions openly advocate open and heated discussion that goes to the very basis of it? Probably not many, most are probably like, read this and don't ask any questions.
Even after careful preparation the person still has to come face-to-face with all those verses and hopefully he won't have any "Hey wait a sec here." moments.

 

[L Gilbert]

Why would you consider belief as being a 'crutch'. It might pre-determine which thread I spend most of my time in, so what.

It might. I consider belief in imaginary beings a crutch because these faithful people actually cannot see themselves getting through life without the belief.

So where does the resentment come in? When you have to go and fight in a 'Christian War' or when that war comes to your house, which causes more resentment?

What resentment?

Nice try but John Wayne would never have used the word pablum.

What's John Wayne have to do with the conversation?

Where do strangers fit in? If those are the only people you ever have to deal with then you are a living example that if you live your life very, very carefully nothing good or bad will ever happen to you.

Strangers are simply people that one hasn't met yet. After meeting them they either become a friend to some degree or simply someone to avoid. Either way, said strangers are the "etc." I didn't add to the end of my sentence, to answer your petty little question.

Even the worst sinner still looks after these groups of people and looks to them for help when he needs it.

Yup. Atheists do, too. So?

 

[L Gilbert]

When it comes to religion I don't know anything, but I think the way the world worked until man screwed it up was something that was definitely planned- the complex "infrastructure" of all the animals and plants and harmony in which they existed wasn't something that "just happened".

Of course not. Everything that happened and will happen pretty much sticks to the laws of the universe. And I seriously doubt the universe "plans" anything.

Fish just don't HAPPEN to end up where they hatched several years previously, birds just don't happen to migrate to the exact same place at the same time every.

No they don't. You are right. It has to do with their internal road maps that is based upon the magnetic fields of Earth as well as personal cognitive abilities. Call it what you want- "Mother Nature" is a good term and I think that ties in with religion. I question whether Jesus was born of a virgin or Jonah spent 3 days in a whale- but that could be because some of the observers of the day may have stopped too long at the pub.[/quote]lol I question whether this "Jesus" did actually exist in the first place. So far, I have seen no evidence suggesting he did. So that leaves me with the reasonable conclusion that the observers of the day were either delusional, wanted to pull the wool over people's eyes for personal gain or something, or they stopped too long at the pub, or they were smoking (eating, injecting, etc.) something illicit.

 

[L Gilbert]

Well I certainly freely admit my views on certain passages might not conform to the established view. It is one subject, why would I need more than one book?

That's a question only you can answer. But, I have known people to actually brag about how little they have read, but said people are extremely ignorant of the world and universe around them. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss.

And some people might even get to use that someplace down the road. Did university promote independent investigation or believe what has been provided to you as what is the truth?

Yes.

Most universities have research departments do they not? When it comes to religious studies, how many religions openly advocate open and heated discussion that goes to the very basis of it? Probably not many, most are probably like, read this and don't ask any questions.
Even after careful preparation the person still has to come face-to-face with all those verses and hopefully he won't have any "Hey wait a sec here." moments.

Well, I on the other hand, hope people actually DO say, "Wait a minute" and start looking at the evidence for whatever.

 

[MHz]

That's a question only you can answer. But, I have known people to actually brag about how little they have read, but said people are extremely ignorant of the world and universe around them. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss.
Yes.
Well, I on the other hand, hope people actually DO say, "Wait a minute" and start looking at the evidence for whatever.

Yes is not an answer to a choose a or b type of question.
That should be true in any 'education' taking place at that high a level, but they don't, like science once there is an 'established answer' for some question rocking the boat is never good for the one starts the rocking.

One book as far as Christanity goes, is that better, want to know what chemistry courses I have taken?

 

[L Gilbert]

Ok. If you won't accept "yes" as an answer, I will say both. And you are wrong, partially. Not all science is stodgy. By its nature science will stick to its interpretations until new facts are brought to light. At that time it will amend its previous view. Religions only change their interpretations after science makes fools of them.

Ahhh. One source for info about Christianity. This makes more sense now. I have read a few myself. But I have also read various other books about works of fiction, too.

If you like you can tell me of the courses you have taken. I always enjoy learning about my friends.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

IslandSpecific,

I believe in a multiverse, many thousands of parallel universes. But that gets way to complicated to explain outside of quantum physics (that you think is bunk because you read it somewhere). Trying to explain it then becomes a exercise in futility, like you trying to explain your god by quoting scriptures from the bible. It is meaningless to me.

Cliffy, that is the current theory of Cosmology, anyway. The String Theory postulates of ten dimensions (plus one of time). It also postulates parallel universes, time travel, countless number of big bangs etc.

These days Cosmology very much reads like science fiction. But you are right; it is not easy to explain it to the uninitiated. To get the proper understanding, one has to read a popular Astronomy book.

As to Bible, it does have some useful things to say, as long as you don’t take it literally and assume it to be the word of God. It is just a book written by a bunch of men 2000 years ago. Like any other boo, it has some good things, some words of wisdom, some nonsense, some rubbish in it.

 

[MHz]

Does science ever resist change?
On the 1 book issue your coherence is breaking up, are you saying reading more than one version is required? Did you just have a mental breakthrough?
Normally a book of fiction carries a disclaimer saying it is not meant to refer to actual events. The Bible makes no such claim to being fictious.

Friend?? A moment or two ago I was your entertainment......lets see if we have anything in common instead of this 'friend' thing.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

The status that parents are to be respected (either) would seem to rate pretty high in the universal dept.
Submission to a 'higher authority' is also quite universal, society demands there be some sort of leadership.

Widespread certainly, but not universal. We're talking absolutes here, and it's easy to find multiple examples where disrespecting parents or 'higher authority' is perfectly legitimate, so those don't have the status of absolutes. Censuring children for disrespecting parents who abused them isn't an idea likely to fly, for instance, and there are plenty of people who legitimately disrespect various forms of religious and secular authority.

 

[VanIsle]

I use my brain, my university education and my everyday experiences. I believe nothing that I read (someone else's opinion), half of what I hear (BS) and all that I can see.
Argue that.
rgs
scth

So you watch a magic show. A white man climbs into a massive micro-wave oven and a black man steps out when they open the door. That same black man appears to have his head cut off and be nothing but a "living" head. You see it with your eyes. Is it true?

 

[Cliffy]

So you watch a magic show. A white man climbs into a massive micro-wave oven and a black man steps out when they open the door. That same black man appears to have his head cut off and be nothing but a "living" head. You see it with your eyes. Is it true?

IslandSpecific,

Wow! You saw that too. I never would have believed it either if I had not seen it with my own two eyes!