[Offers] What religion are you?

[Commander]

It's not about whether it's right or wrong. There may well be a lot of truth in it. The Old Testament simply doesn't apply to Christians.

I wouldn't dream of challenging any Jewish person on their faith.

By being a Christian you are challenging every other faith. That's the point, these religions don't say "Ours is right but others are too" because that wouldn't make sense. If you grew up in Iran you'd have been a Muslim, surely? In which case, even if you are right, then you are right by circumstance and chance.

I find the whole thing quite bizarre, to be honest, but as you say, each to their own.

 

[RossyG]

No. But the odds would surely suggest it probably does exist somewhere.

Have you any evidence for God existing, or more accurately, the God that the Bible talks about existing?

No, like your belief in aliens it's a faith.

As for the odds on aliens existing: what odds? Based on what? That you think it might be true and so it must be. That's back to faith again. And that's perfectly fine.

I don't think we're going to convince each other about this, though, so probably best to call it a day.

 

[Commander]

No, like your belief in aliens it's a faith.

As for the odds on aliens existing: what odds? Based on what? That you think it might be true and so it must be. That's back to faith again. And that's perfectly fine.

I don't think we're going to convince each other about this, though, so probably best to call it a day.

Based on the fact that with trillions and trillions of planets, it seems less likely that ours would be the only one with life on, than for what has happened here to have been replicated at least once somewhere else in the universe. It's not faith because I don't 'believe' it, my logical conclusion is that it is probably true.

Religious people never seem to like discussing this stuff, I guess because they don't like thinking about it too hard, in case they come across some answers that they don't like.

But yes, let's call it a day.

 

[Megazone]

just from this thread, it seems the atheists are certain on their belief to the point of calling it 'fact' where as the believers hold their knowledge as faith.

Which one are the fools I wonder?

I reckon we'll be finding out very soon. This mass spiritual awakening everyone seems to be banging on about might give us a few answers. I know a few people who used meditation advised by their aa meetings to cure their alcoholism, which they claim worked wonders snd still use. Must be deluded?

in the mean time, lets just go with what we've yet to experience.

 

[papajaff]

I grew up as a Catholic, or rather I was made to. It made me realise that all religion is made up and depending on WHERE you were born influenced what fake God you followed.

How can that be right? Even as a very young lad, I asked our Parish Priest searching questions. I genuinely wanted answers. Such as how come that if whatever heavenly being we were supposed to believe weaved his magic just 1971 years ago, that the Earth was actually billions of years old. The ****er could not answer this 10 year old. And me raising what actually happened, evolution, was met with anger and the usual "sin on your soul, you'll go to hell" bollox.

And yes, Bulldog is correct is his analysis. Most people now see that what is written is a fairytale.

 

[daveinplzen]

But... there aren't any people on them.

When we have barely an idea as to what is in our own galaxy, thats a bold statement. I find it hard to believe, that with billions of other galaxies (that we know about, some much, much larger than ours) in the entire universe, that we are the only life form.

 

[Megazone]

And yes, Bulldog is correct is his analysis. Most people now see that what is written is a fairytale.

That's not true. Spirituality is becoming bigger than ever. Just not on NSC

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

When I lived in the UK I was an atheist, having lived in the US for a while has only reinforced this. Maybe it's the megachurches who scam millions from the gullible and don't pay a cent in tax, perhaps it's all the evangelicals who have absolutely no problem in supporting someone as reprehensible as Trump and not forgetting all the NFL teams who always thank God for a victorious win (if he did exist wouldn't he have more pressing problems to sort out)

If I'm wrong .........

“Why are you dedicating your life to blasphemy?” – Lisa Simpson
“Don't worry, sweetheart, if I'm wrong, I'll repent on my deathbed.” – Homer

 

[beorhthelm]

No, like your belief in aliens it's a faith.

As for the odds on aliens existing: what odds? Based on what? That you think it might be true and so it must be. That's back to faith again. And that's perfectly fine.

its maths, probability. theres no certainty, but its more probable there are multiple life forms out there over time and space.

just from this thread, it seems the atheists are certain on their belief to the point of calling it 'fact' where as the believers hold their knowledge as faith.

where are these facts, concerning what? seems you are making alot of inference, when atheism is simply non-believe in deities. its doesnt mean believe in something else.

 

[Soylent Blue]

Without a God or authoritarian state like China to enforce morality, morality becomes internalised. Soon everything becomes moral down to the food you eat and the jokes you tell. There are various problems with this world for example people getting God complexes "Here is the truth and I will smite you if you do not accept it!" ,as well as stiffling debate, creativity and interaction as more and more people find they are walking on egg shells over the most mundane issues.

But the worst is moral value inversion, this is where you define your self as good and the person who objects as evil because you either dont understand their motives or the information base they are reasoning from. Well who can guess what happens when one group of people declare themselves to be morally superior to another group?

 

[Eeyore]

It really depends what replaces it.

If insatiable consumerism and social media inspired naricissism is the new religion, then God help us all!

Technology has been God for a while in the majority of folk's eyes.

 

[RossyG]

I’d say that celebrity worship and political ideologies are what tend to fill the religion-shaped hole.

Even sports teams and film and TV franchises to an extent.

 

[beorhthelm]

...I do however believe that atheists are wrong. I feel it is incredibly improbable, even in an infinite universe, that the order of the universal physics and life itself could occur the way it has, without some kind of divine consciousness creating or influencing the nature of things.

where does the divine consiousness come from? if that can come from nothing, the so can the observed universe.

 

[Algernon]

If I select No faith I don't want anyone round my place on the weekend in a dark suit carrying a briefcase trying to convert me.

 

[dangull]

Have you any evidence for life on other planets? No. So it's faith.

One you're fully entitled to, needless to say.

I did read somewhere, that if intelligent life had existed on other planets long before humans came about here, then the galaxy should have been colonised by now.

 

[beorhthelm]

... but in a timeless realm, it doesn't make sense for something to have "come from nothing", if it has always been.

bit of a contradiction you have there, given a infinty of time and space anything and everything would be possible. so this universe pops into existance, and will pop out. having an entity to create (or merely observe) its existance doesnt really answer anything. and on the point of observation i agree seems quite probable, though really matter itself can observe other matter, we dont need a consciousness to resolve that issue.

 

[crodonilson]

Quite surprised at the lack of diversity on this board, less than 3% muslim and less than 2% COMBINED Hindu/Sikh.

 

[RossyG]

Quite surprised at the lack of diversity on this board, less than 3% muslim and less than 2% COMBINED Hindu/Sikh.

You could always convert.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

It’s about faith. Believe it if you like. Or not. It’s entirely your choice.

Doesn’t make you right though does it.

It doesn’t give religions the right to persecute those who do not believe or that their belief are not totally aligned with yours.

Belief is not fact.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RossyG]

Doesn’t make you right though does it.

It doesn’t give religions the right to persecute those who do not believe or that their belief are not totally aligned with yours.

I never said that.