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I agree; it would take someone in a position of power. But it would be just as good if chosen as a guide for life. Apologies if you didn't mean it was good, that was how I read it at the time. Agreed. I'm just trying to understand how/why people that do believe he exists, do believe.

10 Commandments, some of which are pretty irrelevant. I fail to see how whether or not I work on a Saturday/Sunday (depending on which brand of Old-Testament believers you choose) has any bearing on whether I have a good life or not. I certainly don't see it as on a par with committing murder...

I thought I'd spelt this out clearly enough - three times - but apparently not. My point isn't specific to the existence (or not) of a god, but of a general point. One example is 7 day creation - how/why do people believe in it when there is solid evidence to the contrary? But that is just one...

I know. But some people do - but anyway, it was intended in the general respect of any particular individual part or item of faith. Like, as discussed above and agreed as sickening by a Christian: If your daughter is raped and then refuses to marry her rapist, you have to stone her to death...

In terms of the original question, I completely agree there is no solid evidence in either way. However, for me, any theory as big as "There is a God" needs some pretty solid evidence before I'll even accept it as a valid theory... That'll be my background as a mathematician I expect... My post...

To be honest, I just wish I understood how that worked. When there is solid evidence to the contrary of something you believe - evidence that is available for you to see/test - how do you continue to believe? Is it done by deliberately choosing to ignore it? Or... no, sorry, I can't think of any...

The difference, with all due respect, is that only the second of those two is a matter of opinion. No miracle has ever been shown to be real, or anything more than word-of-mouth. Sudden remission in disease happens, for example, in patients who are prayed for and those who aren't; there is...

...and some believers have murdered innocent non-believers solely for that lack of belief. Obviously not all believers are murderers and I'm not pretending they are. However, I utterly resent the way your post is worded to imply the moral high-ground belongs to the believers. There are plenty...

Can't say fairer than that :)

Are you also planning on learning and asking questions about other religions? If you are hoping to learn more about "what to believe" (for want of a better expression), would the best course of action not be to read the alternate 'theories' as well? Read the Koran, read about Shinto, read about...

The actual end itself can indeed be scary thought. However, the thought of 'it', whatever 'it' is, being eternal and never ending fills me with horror if I'm honest. Can you imagine the concept of forever?

The simplest way to explain to a religious person how it feels to be an atheist. It feels exactly the same as you (Christian, for example) feel in respect of Hinduism (to pick a random non-Abrahamic religion), except I feel the same about your god too.

Without meaning to bombard you... how do you decide which bits to take literally? Is it just the bits that haven't yet been disproven by science are to be taken literally - a list that then over time has decreased (and, I would presume) continue to do so? The "God of the Gaps"?

Out of interest, are you reading the whole Bible cover to cover, or just the New Testament or "Good News" bit? There is some really screwed up stuff in the Old Testament (probably in the New too, but nothing compared to the Old) - Tim Minchin's favourite example being the instruction to stone...

Must admit I hadn't seen it - I've come to this thread late and I'm wasting enough time posting at all. I'll have a look through though and see if I can find it now :thumbsup:

What a simply bizarre statement. There are many theories on what caused the big bang - and just because none of them involve a consciousness you simply ignore them/state that they don't count as answers? How odd.

Almost 100% agree with you - depending on how you define "themselves". If you literally mean as individuals, giving their own kids free reign to learn about all religions (and non-religious points of view) and decide for themselves then this is absolutely spot on. But if a religious individual...

Do you find it hard to concentrate on the game when at the Amex? Must be tricky given the number of people that must surround you...

The assumption "if there is a god, he couldn't possibly be a massive, omnipotent, omnipresent bastard" always makes me laugh. Arguments over right/wrong/moral/immoral have no bearing on the "does he exist" debate at all. (No, he doesn't, btw...)

Me + 1, tickets arrived on Saturday. Cannot wait - only have good memories of my past 2 away trips there.