Do you believe in God?

[unknownmasterofnothing]

Humans created god, so god could be real. It depends on your definition of real. Yoda and luke skywalker could be real also.

[west_side_01]

People that believe in god are weak minded and have a childish imagination, it's like believing in ghosts, zombies, santa, easter bunny and the tooth fairy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do not believe in "God"

[Guest colsmith]

People that believe in god are weak minded and have a childish imagination, it's like believing in ghosts, zombies, santa, easter bunny and the tooth fairy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do not believe in "God"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you

 

 

 

Religion is the whole reason there are terrorsits and wars, becuase of 1 thing, becuase the other country they hate doesnt bileive in what the terrorists bileve, so they attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am totally with him, People who go to church and actually listen to the churches and get all these new ideas from the church, people who do those things, i have some words for you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, you were just brainwashed

[Astralinre]

People that believe in god are weak minded and have a childish imagination

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I suppose you've never heard of C. S. Lewis? Augustine? John Milton? All of them were Christians with a strong faith in God, and all were great thinkers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religion is the whole reason there are terrorsits and wars, becuase of 1 thing, becuase the other country they hate doesnt bileive in what the terrorists bileve, so they attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religion is the cause of war, terror, and hate? No, humans cause those. Some may use religion as an excuse for their own hate or blood lust, but that doesn't make religion itself evil. Someone may use 'god' to oppress people, but that neither disproves His existence nor proves that He is evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am totally with him, People who go to church and actually listen to the churches and get all these new ideas from the church, people who do those things, i have some words for you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, you were just brainwashed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brainwashed? Sir, I believe you are the one who has been brainwashed to stereotype those who believe in God without giving a valid reason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humans created god, so god could be real. It depends on your definition of real. Yoda and luke skywalker could be real also.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, that reasoning is not reasonable. "Since humans have made up stories of god and gods, there is no such thing as a real God that was not made up by humans." I could just as easily say, "Since humans have made up stories about love, there is not an actual thing as love." I could just as easily replace 'love' or 'god' with war, animals, food, or anything else that stories have been written about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't that ultimately what christians tell you? It is, they always keep talking about 'heaven and hell'. If you do 'bad things' or 'sin', you go to hell? Sounds much worse than just punishment and violence to be in an eternal flame and the pain never stops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think of it this way- God is perfect. Humans are fallen (imperfect). Anything that is not perfect cannot come into the presence of that which is. Christ died for our sins so that He can make us holy. If we allow Him to do so, then we enter into eternal life with God. If we refuse to let Him make us holy, then we cannot join God. Since God is life, and those people are separated from life, they have nothing left but their empty, sinful selves. What could be more hellish than being alone with your own evil for all eternity?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most christians become 'satans' themselves, they are too caught up in their teachings that they become cold, senseless creatures that keep telling people what you can do and what you can't (while they are doing 'sin' when nobody can see).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only respect those religious people that aren't racists and don't think other religions/atheists/agnostics/etc are bad, actually do good things to the world and other people, not for money or any other benefit but just because they like to do it. This description doesn't fit any christian person I've met. Funny enough, it seems to me that the people without a religion seem to follow the teachings of Jesus better than christian people, and they don't even notice it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't count the fact that religion was a way to govern people who couldn't even read back a few thousand years ago, the ultimate meaning of religion and the teachings of the prophets is to make people better and non-self-centered. Think you were the God: Would you actually give a crap if there would be a bunch of people going to your church and praising you everyday and telling everybody how good you are, but the next moment you see them beating up their wives, stealing, doing unethical things, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible: (2:14 Matthew?) Faith without works is dead faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's my point. If there is a starving person wearing rags on the street and you say 'God bless you', does it help the person? He will probably die in a few days because nobody helped him. If you'd actually stop, possibly try to arrange him at least a few bucks for food or clothes, you'd do what is the point of the whole religion instead of just saying words that don't mean anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree whole-heartedly. The Christian church is in major need of reform, especially in America. We have become more concerned with pretty building, feel-good praise music, and a watered down version of the Gospel than we are with loving Christ and people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humans are flawed. And being created by a perfect being, that shouldn't be possible

 

 

 

Care to explain that...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be perfectly honest, I can't. Though I wish I has the answer to every question, I know that I don't even come close. The best answer I can give is that God created us with free will. We can choose to glorify God like He intended us to, or we can glorify oursleves, which is sin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Atheist and Agnostic morals are based on beneficial and harmful acts, where Christian morals are nothing short of tyranny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachings which value humility, love, patience, kindness, self control, and mercy are tyrannous? I don't think I want to know what you think selfishness, lust, and hatred are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i find religion (christianity in particular) an excuse for things we humans cannot answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It isn't an excuse; it's an answer to things that science cannot answer. Science can explain how creation works, but it cannot explain how it came into existance. It can explain how people die, but not what happens afterward. It can explain how the brain works, but not where morals and emotions come from. Christianity, however, does answer those questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Astra

[worldeater65]

I believe in Nirvana,and Samurai(The meaning....'Forever loyal')

 

 

 

And I will reach true happiness......

[ericthecow]

astra when you die, you cease to exist. you get planted in the ground and rest among the worms for the rest of eternity. and when you said something about C.S. Lewis, you do realize he wrote one of the most popular children's fantasy novel series of all time? proving what you were trying to dissprove in that he did not have a childish imagination. i dont believe in god, but i enjoy the the arguement that it entails, so feel free to respond......eric

[Astralinre]

astra when you die, you cease to exist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric, prove to me *scientifically* that there is no life or existance after death. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and when you said something about C.S. Lewis, you do realize he wrote one of the most popular children's fantasy novel series of all time? proving what you were trying to dissprove in that he did not have a childish imagination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice I only said that he was a great thinker; I never said he didn't have a childish imagination. Neither do I see nothing wrong with having one. In fact, Christ Himself said that we must become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Astra

[hurl]

I believe in god, and I don't care what anyone else says, because its my beliefs and I'll keep god in my beliefs...

[Imaginary]

 

astra when you die, you cease to exist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric, prove to me *scientifically* that there is no life or existance after death. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can't ask science to prove a negative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That being said, the scientific reasoning behind "when we die, we die" is this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There really is nothing after death - that we can measure.

 

 

 

So a completely accurate statement is "When you die, you cease to exist as can be detected by modern science."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, science does not acknowledge the possibility if life after death, because 1) it is not required to explain anything, and 2) it requires an unnecessary "leap of faith". (Occam's Razor)

 

 

 

In other words, an afterlife is unnecessary to explaining any phenomena, and its inclusion into scientific principles adds a slew of new "unexplainables" to sort out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also have a satisfactory explanation for death: our "life" or "consciousness" is a result of electro-chemical reactions in the brain. When we die, these signals cease, effectively ending our lives.

 

 

 

This is the simplest solution utilizing the fewest assumptions, and is consistent with existing scientific principles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I said "We die because Family Guy's Death reads our medical forms and comes to kill us when our HMOs mark us as deceased.", that'd be a less satisfactory answer than above, because it relies on the unprovable assumption that Norm MacDonald is Death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This theme of Occam's Razor pretty much sums up my entire view on religion: That it's a matter of faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything

 

 

 

 

 

 

(He was a 14th century Christian theologian who wanted to prove that believing in God is based on faith, not logic.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no proof, nor is there need of proof, for the existance of a god or gods.

 

 

 

From a scientific perspective, which I choose to take, there is no religion.

 

 

 

If you choose to believe in God, it's entirely up to you, and nobody can tell you "That's Wrong!", as it's a question of faith. I.e., what YOU believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMO the reason the last thread got so messy (well the part I participated in, anyway) was because people tried to apply religion to scientific concepts. Most notably literal interpretations of 7-Day creation in Genesis and Noah's Ark.

 

 

 

Science cannot prove a negative, but it most certainly can disprove extraordinary claims that stray into its boundaries. In this case, taking Bible stories a little too seriously.

[unknownmasterofnothing]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, that reasoning is not reasonable. "Since humans have made up stories of god and gods, there is no such thing as a real God that was not made up by humans." I could just as easily say, "Since humans have made up stories about love, there is not an actual thing as love." I could just as easily replace 'love' or 'god' with war, animals, food, or anything else that stories have been written about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No someone had to come up with the name god. If you were just born, and you knew nothing about christianity, you would almost never come up with the word god. Then you'd have to come up with the character of god. Then you have to write the plot. You make up angels, who live up in heaven with god in perfect harmony. Next scene- angels rebel against god. Gabriel or whatever his name was, wins the war. Lalaala- hell, lucifer. FAnd then you have to write a lot more stories to fill in holes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love is questionable also. But you can come up with it without someone telling you stories about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

War- You can actually see it. You can know what had actually happened

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food- You need it to survive. You can write stories about food. But you won't find out how delicious somethign is without really eating it.

[sonsie]

astra when you die, you cease to exist. you get planted in the ground and rest among the worms for the rest of eternity.

 

 

 

Everybody who is dead raise your hands, come on now don't be shy!

[HugATree]

 

 

 

Think of it this way- God is perfect. Humans are fallen (imperfect). Anything that is not perfect cannot come into the presence of that which is. Christ died for our sins so that He can make us holy. If we allow Him to do so, then we enter into eternal life with God. If we refuse to let Him make us holy, then we cannot join God. Since God is life, and those people are separated from life, they have nothing left but their empty, sinful selves. What could be more hellish than being alone with your own evil for all eternity?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doesn't the story of Job kind of go against this claim?

 

 

 

God and Satan makes a bet, now how can Satan come into Gods presence or visa versa to make this bet?

 

 

 

The story comes from Judaism in which Satan is not the evil rebel, Christianity comes up with the logic he is but now they're stuck with teachings from judaism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Atheist and Agnostic morals are based on beneficial and harmful acts, where Christian morals are nothing short of tyranny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachings which value humility, love, patience, kindness, self control, and mercy are tyrannous? I don't think I want to know what you think selfishness, lust, and hatred are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're forgetting God comes first above all you just listed, thats tyranny, as for selfishness God does a good job at keeping his ego well fed.

[djscoobsta]

whos god??

[Death_By_Pod]

 

(P.S I'm a Moral Agnostic which in theory places me morally above Christians as I'm not motivated about getting in to heaven rather to help mankind as a whole. Tehehe)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just out of curiosity, what is your moral standard and where did it come from?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hehe I see what youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re doing here;

 

 

 

Well to answer your question my moral standard is to treat others with the same respect that you treat your family.

 

 

 

Basically in a nutshell being kind and if its not too much trouble at all help out a bit (moving a couple of things or giving someone a bit of loose change so they can use the rest of their change to buy a packet of chips or something is better then just leaving it lying around your pocket).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other part of the question, where did it come from surprisingly enough isnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t the bible or god but as a by product of natural selection and instinct. If you act aggressive then more then likely you will be shunned by society and therefore your genes wonÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t be passed down generations. For the opposite my kindness is a reflection of my character as well as providing me with a sense of self fulfilment. This is not based on a text or a leader but as a result of physical and social evolution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might say this is a motivation in itself but you and myself do not walk around everyday thinking "hey if I do good I will be put in a good light by society", but this kind of thinking is subconscious rather then conscious (hell this is probably one of the only times IÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ve actually thought this out). It is unbiased therefore is not a motivator rather an instinct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will leave this post with a quote-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"At the other end of the spectrum are the opponents of reductionism who are appalled by what they feel to be the bleakness of modern science. To whatever extent they and their world can be reduced to a matter of particles or fields and their interactions, they feel diminished by that knowledge ... I would not try to answer these critics with a pep talk about the beauties of modern science. The reductionist worldview is chilling and impersonal. It has to be accepted as it is, not because we like it, but because that is the way the world works."

 

 

 

- Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg

[frogact]

 

 

 

Religion is the whole reason there are terrorsits and wars, becuase of 1 thing, becuase the other country they hate doesnt bileive in what the terrorists bileve, so they attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No that is not true. The reason is that people twist and pervert their religion's teachings and take it's mandates out of context.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other part of the question, where did it come from surprisingly enough isnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t the bible or god but as a by product of natural selection and instinct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmm..Lets just say humans are just another part of the animal kingdom. If you compare us with all of the other kinds of animals you will find that the human species (ugh..i hate to refer to us as that) is the only one that has no preset pattern of behavior to determine how the animal (cringe) will respond to any given circumstance. There is no preset pattern because we get to make choices. If it were natural selection and instinct we'd all react the exact same way to any given circumstance the way that animals do. Animals never lie, divorce their mates, neglect their children, or engage in homosexuality, just to name a few. They dont have a choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This goes back to what was asked by someone else about a perfect God creating imperfect people. The truth is that He did make us perfect but we choose not to be the way he made us. Had He not given us that choice He would have robbed us of the whole reason that He made us, imo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So where does that leave us? We have to have a moral standard. And if there is no God then who gets to say what it is? You say treat people with respect and kindness that you would show your family. But how do we define respect and kindess if there is no God? And if everything we do is really done according to instinct and natural selection there can be no respect or kindness. The laws of nature will have to take over and it's every person for himself. That just doesnt make sense to me.

[Death_By_Pod]

 

 

 

 

Religion is the whole reason there are terrorsits and wars, becuase of 1 thing, becuase the other country they hate doesnt bileive in what the terrorists bileve, so they attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No that is not true. The reason is that people twist and pervert their religion's teachings and take it's mandates out of context.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other part of the question, where did it come from surprisingly enough isnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t the bible or god but as a by product of natural selection and instinct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmm..Lets just say humans are just another part of the animal kingdom. If you compare us with all of the other kinds of animals you will find that the human species (ugh..i hate to refer to us as that) is the only one that has no preset pattern of behavior to determine how the animal (cringe) will respond to any given circumstance. There is no preset pattern because we get to make choices. If it were natural selection and instinct we'd all react the exact same way to any given circumstance the way that animals do. Animals never lie, divorce their mates, neglect their children, or engage in homosexuality, just to name a few. They dont have a choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What makes us different from one kind of animal from another?

 

 

 

We both share DNA which coincidentally consists of the same basic compounds and even some of the same sequence of DNA code (the difference in sequence brings about the difference in nature).

 

 

 

Now logically you may say we share the same origins (DNA) then why do we break away from the creature "standard" of instinct (predetermined reactions)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well what makes us different from a fish or dog? Evolution quite simply. We start at the start as primordial soup, one type of organism multiplying over and over again. Occasionally a mutation may develop in this soup (most likely by a lightning strike) and if the mutated organism performs better then its original then eventually it will survive better and over take its predecessor. Without getting into too much more detail eventually all the mutations get to us and everything we see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now going back to the original question of instinct and how we are unpredictable. Well consciousness would appear to be a mutation and quite frankly itÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s given us the insight to take control of the world and now we have practically survived the animals and populated the world with out siblings. Would it not be a benefit to have consciousness over our rivals and to use it and abuse it? If you take a look outside its obvious what consciousness has done for us as a race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ItÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s funny that you mentioned how we are unpredictable but we do have some form of predictability. Well there are two types of ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅinstinctÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[frogact]

What makes us different from one kind of animal from another?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well what makes us different from a fish or dog? Evolution quite simply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are spiritual beings and they are not.

[Death_By_Pod]

 

What makes us different from one kind of animal from another?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well what makes us different from a fish or dog? Evolution quite simply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are spiritual beings and they are not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is not one inch of valid proof in that statement. How come spirituality in some people is lacking? Would that you mean that people who are not spiritual are not people but are merely animals?

 

 

 

Please explain this in a scientific manner without resorting to unprovable or out of scope evidence such as ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅfaithÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[Mercifull]

*hugs mad*

[chambochae]

I put this question to Christians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you know God was telling the truth when he dictated Genesis?

[HugATree]

 

 

 

So where does that leave us? We have to have a moral standard. And if there is no God then who gets to say what it is? You say treat people with respect and kindness that you would show your family. But how do we define respect and kindess if there is no God? And if everything we do is really done according to instinct and natural selection there can be no respect or kindness. The laws of nature will have to take over and it's every person for himself. That just doesnt make sense to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't get what you're saying. What does God have to do as far as respect and kindness is concerned?

[JohnnySmum]

I put this question to Christians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you know God was telling the truth when he dictated Genesis?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are various scientific evidences, which I'll go into if you'd like. Christianity isn't primarily concerned with the fact that Genesis is correct (although it does confirm its authenticity). Of more importance is getting your relationship right with God and avoiding judgement.

[chambochae]

 

 

 

There are various scientific evidences, which I'll go into if you'd like

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would argue that it is important. Genesis sets the scene for God being Good. The rest of the Bible either assumes God is Good, or has God/Jesus saying God is Good. If God and Jesus- (perhaps unknowingly, perhaps he was in on it) were lying, then the god that christians worship does not exist. How can you get your relationship right with someone you do not know anything about?

[BlueLancer]

 

What makes us different from one kind of animal from another?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well what makes us different from a fish or dog? Evolution quite simply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are spiritual beings and they are not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But what is a 'spiritual' being? About 50,000 years ago the human brain wasn't developed enough to grasp the concept of 'ethics' or 'morals', which would mean humans that have evolved into what we are today were just animals who happened to have the perfect gene pool, body structure and hunting methods for this planet so they started to get more intelligent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By that logic only a person who can acknowledge things and grasp abstract concepts such as 'morals', can be 'spiritual' and begin to wonder 'why was I born' instead of living his life by his instincts and then die. So if there is a baby that is born with severe brain malfunctions which disables the baby from thinking rationally, the baby is just an animal for his/her whole life. For example, fishes don't have enough brain processing power to even think about spirituality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chimps on the other hand can learn to communicate (not through their mouth though) and do almost everything a human can do, but they can't understand what is a 'joke' or what you are doing when you pray to a God. Yet they learn things just like a human child, they will learn what is 'good' and what is 'bad' when raised in a human community.

[frogact]

I put this question to Christians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you know God was telling the truth when he dictated Genesis?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It takes just as much faith to believe He wasnt, if not more.