Research on Belief in God

[Buffalo Soldier]

Obviously it was a simplification, but proponents of the Rare Earth hypothesis seem to be a minority.

Ok, but don't make it too easy for the opponents of real science in this thread

There's never such a thing as a 0% or 100% in statistics. Only (to use a more on topic quote for once) a 0.zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, cinco%

 

[Echoes]

Those atheist are really pathetic. Creating an enemy from start to finish to make sure they're always right and masking how despicable their political agenda is.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Those atheist are really pathetic. Creating an enemy from start to finish to make sure they're always right and masking how despicable their political agenda is.

which agenda is behind saying "no I don't belive in god, in the same manner as I don't belive in unicorns or a clean Lance Armstrong?"

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

In that people in the end got smart and stopped believing in the latter two



But seriously, I think I can understand how someone can be religious of some sort, but being catholic, mormon, muslim,... I just don't get.

 

[Jspear]

To be honest, those biologist works are hardly a laugh a minute even for people with an interest in the subject. besides the debate struggles to get past the - we say there are fossil records, you say they don't exist stage.

If jspear is not having us on, and my paranoia teaches me to rarely totally dismiss such a possibility, then it's not his fault hee was born in a small much maligned part of the world (by which I mean Falwell country, not the US) where creationism is taught and I imagine it might be distressing to, having lived ones life believing it, be confronted on the internet with 10 people ridiculing it so fiercely.

It's not distressing in the sense that I know how hostile secularist are to the gospel and everything the Word of God says. I got into this discussion knowing that I most likely wouldn't convince any of you. But, hey, I've done my part....I can only hope you'll see the truth. I have yet to see any concrete proof for all the claims you all have stated. All I can say is check out some of the links and video's I've posted. I'll look at some of the stuff you all have posted.

 

[RetroActive]

In that people in the end got smart and stopped believing in the latter two



But seriously, I think I can understand how someone can be religious of some sort, but being catholic, mormon, muslim,... I just don't get.

OOHHHMMMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxV0FrFMxUY#aid=P-lqrbJoSvw

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

It's not distressing in the sense that I know how hostile secularist are to the gospel and everything the Word of God says. I got into this discussion knowing that I most likely wouldn't convince any of you. But, hey, I've done my part....I can only hope you'll see the truth. I have yet to see any concrete proof for all the claims you all have stated. All I can say is check out some of the links and video's I've posted. I'll look at some of the stuff you all have posted.

I like you, I think you are pretty much wrong on every account p), but atleast you are not shouting at me for being a sinner, or thai I am going to suffer in hell.( even if you have to think so)

 

[contessador]

Well, from the last 15 pages of this thread I just read. I had to post to say -

Jspear, you defend your beliefs and faith with grace and calm in the face of so many opposing you. Most I know who are Christian would be screaming and going off on a rant.

I do not share your faith or beliefs, but I respect your point of view. Being an agnostic, I don't believe in the Christian God or any God similarly interpreted, but I have not rule something out entirely, as in: all I know is that I don't know because I don't believe scientific theories completely and bible stories are impossible for me to take as literally in the way required to be a Christian.

 

[RedheadDane]

But seriously, I think I can understand how someone can be religious of some sort, but being catholic, mormon, muslim,... I just don't get.

What I don't understand is people with a my belief is the only correct one! mindset.
Seriously, I believe what I believe.
You believe what you believe.
And Bob over there believe what he believes.
What's the problem with that.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

What I don't understand is people with a my belief is the only correct one! mindset.
Seriously, I believe what I believe.
You believe what you believe.
And Bob over there believe what he believes.
What's the problem with that.

As for me, I don't understand how people can believe something they don't believe to be correct.

Obviously I believe what I believe to be correct, because otherwise I wouldn't believe it, thus I have to believe that people who believe something that contradicts my belief are wrong.

Sure, people can agree to disagree and live peacefully together, but then they still think they are right and the other guy is wrong........

 

[The Hitch]

If I'm standing before a house on fire, and there is a 10-year-old child in one room and a puppy in another one, and I have time to save only one of them, I'd save the child every time.

But that is not because I think humans are intrinsically superior to dogs: it is because the human child is a more complex sentient creature, able to form thoughts about the past and future, able to hold dreams and expectations that would be truncated were they to die, and quite possibly linked to many other human beings who would suffer enormously while mourning their loss.

I wonder, for Christians, if it were a dog who had to choose between saving a puppy and a human child, is it supposed to choose the child because humans are "superior"?

 

[The Hitch]

Well, first of all I would point out that I don't really see a relation between size and importance. Why is it that God should care more about some huge but lifeless galaxy, as opposed to a living being on a small planet? I really don't see the point here. Do you feel some distant star is more important than a human? I don't for one, I'm in many ways much more intrested in a human being that I can have a relationship with and it doesn't seem unreasonable to me, that God would feel the same.

But if you feel some galaxy of lifeless matter is somehow more significant, than a living human being, sure, feel free to call me arrogant....
)

Hang on, I thought you all believed that god - who is omnipotent created everything, the universe, all that is in it.

But here you are treating god as some innocent bystander who just happens to find himself in the middle of all it, and you ask why he should care about other galaxies.

Umm because he created them, according to you.

Why did he spend 14000000000 years creating a desert if he only cares about 1 atom on 1 grain of sand.

 

[rhubroma]

What interests me is the insistence on a personal, redemptive Creator. I mean it's all well and good that science is as in the dark about the universe actually existing, as religion claims to have certainty behind its cause; however, to then go a further step and anthropomorphize a deity who has left his laws and rules of comportment in "holy scripture" is a curious thing indeed.

This “revelation” thus becomes, at various levels, both a negation of all other religions and the chronological aspect of human history before it was written .

These facts have led me to conclude that the Creator was created by human fantasy, with various consequences for society and people’s behavior.

 

[hrotha]

What interests me is the insistence on a personal, redemptive Creator. I mean it's all well and good that science is as in the dark about the universe actually existing, as religion claims to have certainty behind its cause; however, to then go a further step and anthropomorphize a deity who has left his laws and rules of comportment in "holy scripture" is a curious thing indeed.

There's an SMBC comic for every occasion.

 

[rhubroma]

There's an SMBC comic for every occasion.

The irony is that there are some very qualified physics who subscribe to the same highly irrational conclusion.

Evidently being a genius in one field, doesn't necessarily constrain one's culture to a certian worldview.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I wonder, for Christians, if it were a dog who had to choose between saving a puppy and a human child, is it supposed to choose the child because humans are "superior"?

Who would you save as an atheist or agnostic guy, another human being or a dog?

 

[Jspear]

As for me, I don't understand how people can believe something they don't believe to be correct.

Obviously I believe what I believe to be correct, because otherwise I wouldn't believe it, thus I have to believe that people who believe something that contradicts my belief are wrong.

Sure, people can agree to disagree and live peacefully together, but then they still think they are right and the other guy is wrong........

Well said.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I am a Christian and i believe in God but i don't tell anyone what they believe is wrong and i don't need people telling me what i believe is wrong? Free will and all.

 

[Jspear]

I am a Christian and i believe in God but i don't tell anyone what they believe is wrong and i don't need people telling me what i believe is wrong? Free will and all.

If you believe something to be true, then logically you believe that another belief system that is in conflict with yours is wrong. I can tell people that believe they are wrong, and people can tell me they think I'm wrong, but it always has to been down in a kind manner. I think it is a sign of maturity in people if they can disagree(even heatedly) without biting each others heads off.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

If you believe something to be true, then logically you believe that another belief system that is in conflict with yours is wrong. I can tell people that believe they are wrong, and people can tell me they think I'm wrong, but it always has to been down in a kind manner. I think it is a sign of maturity in people if they can disagree(even heatedly) without biting each others heads off.

But telling them repeatedly that they are wrong can be tiresome?

 

[Jspear]

But telling them repeatedly that they are wrong can be tiresome?

It can be. Whats your point?

 

[RedheadDane]

I am a Christian and i believe in God but i don't tell anyone what they believe is wrong and i don't need people telling me what i believe is wrong? Free will and all.

Exactly.
Why can't there be different truths? Why can't everyone's* truth be, well... true?








* I'm drawing a line with people whose truth tells them to hurt other people.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Hang on, I thought you all believed that god - who is omnipotent created everything, the universe, all that is in it.

But here you are treating god as some innocent bystander who just happens to find himself in the middle of all it, and you ask why he should care about other galaxies.

Umm because he created them, according to you.

Why did he spend 14000000000 years creating a desert if he only cares about 1 atom on 1 grain of sand.

Again, what's with the size? I don't see a connection between size and importance. Though I can see a certain connection between time involved in making something, I certainly don't see a necessary connection either. Furthermore I'm not claiming God doesn't care about those galaxies, I'm just suggesting that the Christian idea that God cares more about humans than about those galaxies is not incoherent or illogical. I also don't claim to have all the answers as to exactly why God created everything in the way he did. I'm not very familiar with astronomy, but I've been told stars plays a major rol in de making of the various different types of elements that are needed for instance to have life. So then all these different stars arn't even wholly irrelevant to human life; in fact, they've played a crucial part in the development of the universe that was needed for human life. Now again, I don't know why God created everything like He did. I'm just playing arround with some thoughts here, but my point is that it isn't very difficult to think of reasons why God would love humans most of all his creation.

So af for me, though I hear this type of argument a lot from various different groups, I find it utterly unconvincing and I though there are plenty of arguments that I feel are a real challenge to my faith, this is certainly not one of them.

 

[BigMac]

Exactly.
Why can't there be different truths? Why can't everyone's* truth be, well... true?








* I'm drawing a line with people whose truth tells them to hurt other people.

Maybe because there cannot be different truths? At least as far as this discussion is concerned.

 

[RedheadDane]

Maybe because there cannot be different truths? At least as far as this discussion is concerned.

Why not?
This discussion is about what people believe. Why can't what I believe be just as true, as what you believe is true?