Your Religion

[pikatore]

Quote by: anak Johhny, a high-school student, is taking a survey for his Christian Ethics class. The survey concerns his friends' religious denominations. He first walks up to George as he takes a sip from the water fountain in the hallway. "So," asks Johnny, "what religion are you?" "Aye, I'm atheist," replies George in a Canadian accent. "Oh, that's cool. See you later," replies Johnny as he walks away, laughing under his breath. Johnny then goes up to Robert in front of locker #666 and asks him the same question. Robert answers, "I'm Satanic!" Johnny, without taking his eyes off little Bobby, slowly backs away, with his left eye slightly twitching. He is completely oblivious to the fact that he walks right into Sally and knocks her down. After ten seconds of unblinked staring, Johnny finally lets out a suppressed yell, turns 180 degrees, and darts in the opposite direction down the hall. As if intentionally egging on Johnny's over-reaction, Bobby calls after him, "Hey, I was gonna to ask you to come to my Satanic Bonfire tonight!" He hears Johnny yelp a second time and sees him pick up speed. Bobby averts his eyes from the hysterical Johnny, looking into his navy-blue locker, and chuckles to himself, "If only he knew what Satanism really was..."

..?

[Occam]

Me too. :)

While I accept the term atheist, I'm really a non-theist. I just don't see any relevance to or necessity for the concept of a god.

Occam

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: Occam Me too. :) While I accept the term atheist, I'm really a non-theist. I just don't see any relevance to or necessity for the concept of a god. Occam

Given forever, how could a god-level being not evolve?

[Occam]

Quote by: Captain Chaos Given forever, how could a god-level being not evolve?

Good point, but rather than evolve, wouldn't the "god-level being" be a product of intelligent design? :)

However, my argument isn't whether or not such a being exists. Instead, I see no repeatable evidence of any occurance in our physical universe that demonstrates the existence of such a being. Most of the things that used to be ascribed to a god are now seen to have natural causes. There are certainly many questions that are not yet (and may never be) answered by human investigation, but just because we don't have the answer there is NO reason to say that "god caused it."

Therefore, I feel the concept of a god is an unnecessary and cluttering complication to our lives.

Occam

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: Occam Good point, but rather than evolve, wouldn't the "god-level being" be a product of intelligent design? :)

Absolutely. There are prolly many ways such beings could come into existence.

Most of the things that used to be ascribed to a god are now seen to have natural causes. There are certainly many questions that are not yet (and may never be) answered by human investigation, but just because we don't have the answer there is NO reason to say that "god caused it."

I am not a big fan of god of the gaps arguments. Apparent fine tuning is something that could be said to be a footprint of a creator. However, it is evidence that could be interpreted in multiple directions - certainly it is not proof.

Therefore, I feel the concept of a god is an unnecessary and cluttering complication to our lives.

I see no harm in believing that a god(s) probably exists. It is when people start believing in their specific imagined concept of god that they abandon reason.


An important point that theists rarely consider: If God wanted everyone to believe, then why hasn't God made his existence apparent? I can see answers to that question that are consistent with deistic beliefs like my own, but I cannot see any good answers that are consistent with traditional theistic beliefs.

Clearly, belief in God cannot be that important if God does not make himself apparent.

[pikatore]

Quote by: Captain Chaos Clearly, belief in God cannot be that important if God does not make himself apparent.

Or God only has so much room in heaven and needs some stinking rotten non-believers to burn in the fires of redemption.

[Kuldeep]

@ Ocam & CC

I enjoyed your conversation about importance of God as neutral i.e. neither theist nor atheist.

Truly speaking, I too feel there is no need of God as long as our life runs smoothly. But then, our inquistive mind questions our owselves some unanswered questions like how and why this Universe got made, who we are and were do persons go after death and the like!

We just begin to imagine there mght be some force behind this whole game which has been given the name God. Coming to theists belief that God exists and it wants every one should believe in his existence; I do not think it is so...But our wish to know everything unknown continues to make us believe that something like God a force behind the universe exists. Our power of mind to concentrate is so immense that we can frame picture of that force (God) according to our faith, belief and immagination...so much so in mind that we get his real appearance. Since, this is an individual's imagination only, he can never prove it to others, not even to his dearest person (say spouse). The power behind the universe is such which is existent in the whole universe. To my mind, it is already apparent as mistery of universe only and therefore there is no need of additional apppearance of the power (God) in the universe. :)

[Occam]

...But our wish to know everything unknown continues to make us believe that something like God a force behind the universe exists.

I agree, Kuldeep, that most people have a real fear of or antipathy for unanswered questions. In their demand for an explanation they are willing to accept the idea of a god.

I believe the most important thing I got from a university physical science degree was the training in the scientific method and thinking that was required. Scientists must learn to accept that many questions are unanswered and may never be answed. This is probably why so many scientists don't bother much with religion.

Unfortunately, if the religion was driven into their skulls when they were small children, it is often impossible to overcome.

Occam

[samsara15]

I have no problem with unanswered questions, which is why I often think I am an agnostic, although, in terms of probability, I think it less than ten per cent likely a God exists. However, as you said, I majored in Math and minored in Chemistry, so I took a lot of science courses. I bother with religion because it seems to dominate our culture, even our world, so we cannot ignore it.

I certainly do not view our debates on this forum as ever settling anything, I'm just having fun talking to other people who like to discuss serious issues.

[anak]

Quote by: Fenix I'm a baptized Roman Catholic. I'm Vietnamese, majority of the vietnamese population are either buddhist or roman catholic, due to french influence. I was raised catholic, went through all my sacraments (reconciliation, communion, confirmation, etc.). I follow Christian beliefs nd at times (usually edsperate times) I find myself talking to "God". I'm sketpical of all faiths, but I'm willing and open to learn about them. I hold no grudges towards any path of fath or belief. Thats how I live life though, question everything, there's no right answer to anything. But what I do find funny is how Religion is supposed to bind and unite people when all I see it it doing is separating us.

If you question everything, how can you accept your own religion? How could you have went through confirmation with skepticism? You can't question things... because it leads to knowledge and power. I mean, haven't you read Doctor Faustus?

[Jack]

some stinking rotten non-believers to burn in the fires of redemption.

I'd volunteer, but only for duty in the true hell. "Fires of redemption"? No one has ever mentioned anyone in hell being redeemed. That's a new one.

[Kuldeep]

Quote by: samsara15 I certainly do not view our debates on this forum as ever settling anything, I'm just having fun talking to other people who like to discuss serious issues.

Never debate shuld never settle! Otherwise how we can have fun as term it?

[aebe]

Already from Socrates and Plato and Aristole we see rational thinking comes in place of believe.

I am also a very liberal protestant but for me the bible is literature written by people who were in there time believed. But while more knowledge was gathered. There stories became literature. But about other subjects I can talk very well with those people. Only not about the various religions. But again about the real history from religions again. Knowing in a desert people have a little less water in their blood and thick blood gives easier hallucinations. Like also a fata morgana. But who dares to think this.

have a nice day

[namguy69]

Quote by: dotComa Hey, I'm new to the forums, and I think a good way to get things rolling here would be to ask something personal about you. What is your religious affiliation, why, and what conclusions have you come to about your own religion. Do you accept other ones? If not why... I myself was baptized catholic, but I find myself in a state of disbelief. I tend to keep an open mind, and believe that I do not know enough about my surroundings to judge them yet. I hold an attitude of "if there's a God I've been a good guy, but I'm not going to drink the Kool-Aide" if you get my drift. so...how about you?

I have no religious affiliations, I don't care for ' religion. ' I am born again by the Spirit of Christ, now I'm not non of these ' holly rollers,' I quite sensible and oppose that type of doctrine, though holly rollers are, most are Saved by the Blood of the Lamb. The doctrine I follow is taken from the KJV Bible and that only. As for others, how they believe is their business but I've never knew a Catholic that knew where they were going when they die. Myself, I'm going to Heaven, you I don't know.

No I didn't understad your drift.

[FlameMasterAxel]

I follow the left hand path, aka Satanism. I believe that there is a god of some way, shape or form. I don't worship him, just believe in him. I do things for me, and not to please some all powerful being.

[Praxius]

I'm on this planet as I see it and I'm gonna live my life the way it makes sense to me.... I see no logic in following a book that in theory, has rules made by God, when actually it has been revised by so many different humans over the centuries, who can tell if it was God who said it, or someone with their own personal agenda?

I'm gonna live my life as I see fit, and if in the end I'm face to face with God and he tells me I sinned and I can't goto heaven, then I'm just gonna tell him he can shove his self-riotous ways right up his godly ass and twist...... he was never around to help, nor guide me, so if I'm on my own, he can blow.

.... which is why I don't beleave in a God..... there is an afterlife, and there is a reason to all of this.... but God has nothing to do with it. God is just a reference to label something we don't understand yet.

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: FlameMasterAxel I follow the left hand path, aka Satanism. I believe that there is a god of some way, shape or form. I don't worship him, just believe in him. I do things for me, and not to please some all powerful being.

Does it please you to do things for others?

[namguy69]

Quote by: FlameMasterAxel I follow the left hand path, aka Satanism. I believe that there is a god of some way, shape or form. I don't worship him, just believe in him. I do things for me, and not to please some all powerful being.

Well, satan is a being.

" I do things for me..."

[namguy69]

All I can and will say is that everyone is entitled to what they believe.

[Captain Chaos]

Quote by: namguy69 All I can and will say is that everyone is entitled to what they believe.

I believe the system should be designed to allow all people a fair degree of self determination, and also to allow all people the chance to learn and grow throughout eternity - meaning no eternal damnation.

Am I entitled to this?