By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - General - Is there a god?

sieanr on 10 June 2007
yoda31419 said:
I'm going to post a nihilist perspective to counter the atheist's perspective on why Christianity (or organized religion in general) is wrong.

Bear with me, the internet is about to explode.

It has been said that if enough people believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then, it must exist, and must be true. Or, perhaps, if you are told that a certain type of cancer is now curable by a new-fangled treatment, do you believe it? What is the difference in between these theses? Personally, I can visualize the Flying Spaghetti Monster. However, I have never seen cancer. Now, I've never met an oncologist, but I have been predisposed to believe whatever they might say.

Why is this? Well, for one, there is the fact that I've been taught by my parents and the rest of society that learned people are to be trusted. This situation is very like the situation in Spain during the Inquisition. Peasants were told their entire lives to simply follow the standard of respect of the day, which was to follow the religious leader's authority unquestioningly. Much like we follow the orders of a doctor unerringly. The priest was given authority by God. Medical science is given authority by society.

Also, believing in medical science does not behoove a response. Christianity does. This makes those who are confronted with Christianity to feel uncomfortable, because few beliefs require such a response.

In summary: if you don't trust a priest, think about why you trust a TV news anchor. I can guarantee the guy on "Live at 5" has less experience.

 Sorry, but do you have any idea what nihilism is?

Regardless, this is all meaningless...



Leo-j said: If a dvd for a pc game holds what? Crysis at 3000p or something, why in the world cant a blu-ray disc do the same?

ssj12 said: Player specific decoders are nothing more than specialized GPUs. Gran Turismo is the trust driving simulator of them all. 

"Why do they call it the xbox 360? Because when you see it, you'll turn 360 degrees and walk away" 

Around the Network
grbox2001 on 10 June 2007
sieanr said:
yoda31419 said:
I'm going to post a nihilist perspective to counter the atheist's perspective on why Christianity (or organized religion in general) is wrong.

Bear with me, the internet is about to explode.

It has been said that if enough people believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then, it must exist, and must be true. Or, perhaps, if you are told that a certain type of cancer is now curable by a new-fangled treatment, do you believe it? What is the difference in between these theses? Personally, I can visualize the Flying Spaghetti Monster. However, I have never seen cancer. Now, I've never met an oncologist, but I have been predisposed to believe whatever they might say.

Why is this? Well, for one, there is the fact that I've been taught by my parents and the rest of society that learned people are to be trusted. This situation is very like the situation in Spain during the Inquisition. Peasants were told their entire lives to simply follow the standard of respect of the day, which was to follow the religious leader's authority unquestioningly. Much like we follow the orders of a doctor unerringly. The priest was given authority by God. Medical science is given authority by society.

Also, believing in medical science does not behoove a response. Christianity does. This makes those who are confronted with Christianity to feel uncomfortable, because few beliefs require such a response.

In summary: if you don't trust a priest, think about why you trust a TV news anchor. I can guarantee the guy on "Live at 5" has less experience.

Sorry, but do you have any idea what nihilism is?

Regardless, this is all meaningless...


 That was witty. 



If you can, and you should, then you must.

rickthestick2 on 11 June 2007
grbox2001 said:
"You can't prove Facts with Science, but you prove it with Spirituality"

Ok here is where I have to jump in. The mere fact that we can be having this discussion is a testament to the power of science. All of the advancements in our understanding of the world and our mainipulation of physical process comes from science. Without an accurate understanding of electromagnetic forces and the world at an atomic level digital computers, the Internet, the electricity that powers all of those things, none of them would be possible. Even you must admit most, if not all, of your daily experiences are explained and can be understood with science. Before Newton, Kepler, and a few others, people had no idea about how to explain the orbits of the planets around the sun, in fact people used to think the Earth was the center of the solar system. But with science and progress we have grown to understand so much more about our incredible universe.

Saying that Faith can prove things is a dangerous game. That line of thinking is responsible for much pain and suffering in our world. If two people or groups have different faiths and claim something is true how can you decide who is right? I am assuming you are a Christian? So what do you say to the Billions of people on Earth who aren't Christian? Who claim that their Faith had led them to different facts?

Ah, everyone should read The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan and try to think critically about everything in their lives.

I think you're qouting me, but if you are, that was a typo sorry. i meant you can't prove Faith with Science, but you prove it with Spirituality. I guess i didn't proofread by post for you all.

And probably my favorite book is Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. Its really good particulary(?) for Christians



Wii Friend Code: 7356 3455 0732 3498 PM me if you add me

Legend11 on 11 June 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO7Z_2dBh1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOaNe8_wce0&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_kQcdGy-w&mode=related&search=



Keeper Garrett on 11 June 2007

Being agnostic, I like my answer to be very simple.

Humans cannot ever know/comprehend the existence of a being such as a "god". So it isn't something to worry about.



Around the Network
lolita on 11 June 2007
Legend11 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO7Z_2dBh1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOaNe8_wce0&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_kQcdGy-w&mode=related&search=

 Quoted for truth... Penn and Teller, I love those!



dpmnymkrprez on 11 June 2007
Legend11 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO7Z_2dBh1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOaNe8_wce0&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_kQcdGy-w&mode=related&search=

those guys are great, i saw them/sigfried in vegas



dpmnymkrprez on 11 June 2007

read everything i have wrote, If you do not want to read the books, then watch this video
http://www.peekvids.com/sumerian-origin-of-humans/



DuncanMcNeil on 11 June 2007
PlagueOfLocust said:
Christian here, non-denominational. Yes, I believe in God.

@Darc Requiem - Don't buy into the load that the Bible is flawed from multiple translations. There are no different interpretations snuck into the text between translations; the only thing lost/added in translation is connotations. Going back to the Greek translation for some words can help shed light on certain ideas, but nothing is altered to trick anyone. In fact, the Bible, compared to other historical documents we accept without a second thought, is more historically valid than any other historical text (based on how accurate it has shown itself to be with the events catalogued within, and how soon after the events the texts were written.) But you won't hear that from your friendly neighborhood college professor.

If you believe something is out there (and why not, that strange feeling seems to be imprinted on our souls), the Bible is really the most compelling description of what it may be. Faith is the key word here, though; assuming that the only truth we can really rely on is that which we can see is such a modern, short sighted idea. Science is not the be-all and end-all of our world, or else we'd have no use for philosophy or any other fields of study.
You've read the bible, and believe the words in them are the words of your god (I'm assuming you are convinced that there is just one)?

 



DuncanMcNeil on 11 June 2007
Keeper Garrett said:
Being agnostic, I like my answer to be very simple.

Humans cannot ever know/comprehend the existence of a being such as a "god". So it isn't something to worry about.
In your statement you proclaim that you know that we cannot know whether a god exists?
Obviously you have then decided, that despite someone's belief or disbelief in god, they must be wrong because you know that we cannot possibly know if god exists?
Does this mean that the knowledge... for example.. that "god does not heal amputees" is irrelevant - or do we not in fact know if it is true (god healing or not healing amputees)?
Does this mean the people who have claimed to see god, and hear god talk to them, are wrong? Or that they cannot possibly know if he exists, ergo, they cannot know if that voice is god or not?
If you don't believe in any of the hateful gods, the ones that will kill you if you don't believe in them (the ones who also would thus - in their omnipotency be created the way they are by god) does that mean you know that they will not cause you to be in fire for eternity - or that you know that no one can know?
Obviously you cannot believe in two opposing views, while simultaneously knowing that you cannot choose, which means you know you won't burn in hell (making a choice), or you know you will burn in hell but don't care (making a choice as well). Either way you've made quite a choice. Not worrying about it means you have made a choice. Either you're worried God will smite us all for being gay or accepting gay people (just some crazy thing the chrazies (Christian + Crazy =  Chrazy) believe in) or you have a problem with Christian Soldiers killing gay people, and restricting the rights of gay people.
You see - your determination in not making a hard (though in my opinion, easy) choice about the existance of God causes you to make hard decisions. You must know if slavery or racism is right or wrong, if you think they're wrong, you'd be disagreeing with Jesus himself.
I don't know which is crazier - believing in god, or not knowing for sure.
At the very least -  you must admit the answer is far from simple.