Posted on 10/30/2009 10:11:01 AM PDT by Stoutcat
Does it ever occur to anybody (religious) out there that maybe, just maybe, their “Holy Book” is a crock? Maybe it’s just a 2,000 (+/-) year old urban legend gone horribly righteous and viral?
(Excerpt) Read more at grandrants.wordpress.com ...
Lazy indeed.
“Does it ever occur to anybody (religious) out there that maybe, just maybe, their “Holy Book” is a crock? Maybe it’s just a 2,000 (+/-) year old urban legend gone horribly righteous and viral?”
Yes it did occur to me. When I was sixteen. But I got over it after spending a year with Jean-Paul Sartre and his merry band of trailer-park-trash-existentialists.
Sorry to give you the bad news, but your at the level of the average 16 year old in your spiritual beliefs.
I can understand his point. But-—I have absolutely nothing to lose. He has everything to lose.
My advice to any agnostic, unless you are dealing with islamofascists who believe in killing nonbelievers, just live with the peaceful believers who at the most, will just pray for you. Worrying about “In God we trust”, or public crosses and Ten Commandment postings, is just plain silliness...
There are moments in which I realize that my faith is a gift.
I never try to argue people into the kingdom, it doesn’t seem to come that way when it comes.
And if it is, so what? Why does it bother anyone who doesn't believe in God that others DO believe? If this life is all there is, why would anyone want to destroy something that brings peace and joy to the believers in that thing?
You probably know there is a difference, but in case you've been living in a cave with no contact with the outside world, let me explain.
Many Christians are willing to die for their faith. But they simply allow themselves to be lead as sheep to the slaughter, refusing to deny their faith in Chris.
Many Islamics are willing to die for their faith. But they do so by blowing themselves up, taking as many people with them as possible.
Hopefully now you can see the difference. To me, the difference is huge.
“feel God’s love in his heart.”
What’s it feel like? And how does someone know its “God’s love” they is feeling, and not just the results of the beef and bean burrito?
Odd, it’s usually liberals whose “beliefs” are determined by their feelings.
Hank
“...the statistical improbability of our existence.”
The statistical probability of our non-existence is zero.
Start there.
Hank
I have an opinion but am interested to hear from others.
If I conveyed the idea that I didn't understand the behavior of the adherents of these two religions, I should have been clearer.
I was actually looking for something a little deeper...such as who are the beings at the root of each religion.
Again, I have a VERY clear opinion on the matter, but would like to hear from agnostics and/or muslims (we used to have some of each on FR).
Obviously, some folks are willing to die simply for an idea...but not many. The fact that Christians will die for their faith in great numbers and that muslims will die trying to kill Christians and Jews (again in great numbers) says, at the very least, that God/god worship is a potent vehicle (the most potent) and even the agnostic must be curious about the source of such potency.
The incredible potency of faith raises the question of the actual existence of such objects of worship. For an agnostic or atheist, that question alone should at least rattle some basic tenets of their belief systems.
The new movie out now “Invention of Lying” touches on this, it’s pretty anti-religious in an agnostic sort of way....
Can you prove to you yourself that what you perceive as reality isn’t just a dream?
Okay, being the relative newbie that I am here on FreeRepublic, can someone explain what IBTZ means? I searched the site and it doesn’t seem to be a good comment to see on a thread. Definition, please, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
“Can you prove to you yourself that what you perceive as reality isn’t just a dream?”
Of course. Can’t you? Or do you use words without meaning? For example, what do you mean by the word “dream?” If you know what the word means, you already have proved the difference between a dream and reality, else your question has no meaning.
Hank
Can you prove to yourself that reality is indeed "real" and not a mental construct, dream, vision?
Obviously, you would rather play word games (poorly, I might add) than address the issue.
Point is, you cannot prove to yourself that what you perceive to be "reality" is anything more than a complex mixture of sensations, images and ideas. For that matter, life could be a complex virtual reality construct and what you perceive to be you is actually residing in a complete separate dimension.
BTW, word definitions are only a matter of common usage. They are not universal absolutes.
“BTW, word definitions are only a matter of common usage. They are not universal absolutes.”
So, how do you expect anyone else to know what you mean if you are not using a definition for the words you use that everyone would understand?
Sorry if your thin skin is irritated, but I never use rudeness. That is totally in your own interpretation.
“Point is, you cannot prove to yourself that what you perceive to be “reality” is anything more than a complex mixture of sensations, images and ideas. For that matter, life could be a complex virtual reality construct and what you perceive to be you is actually residing in a complete separate dimension.”
Now that is rude, which doesn’t bother me, but just so you know. Just because you cannot do something is not a case for supposing someone else cannot. I know with absolute certainty, based on the evidence, the reality I perceive is real. Now, please tell me what you mean by, “reality,” because you do not seem to have a meaning, as far as I can see.
For example you seem to believe in “complete separate dimension,” being “real” but are not sure the world you percieve, from which the concept of “dimensions” is derived, is real. Doesn’t that seem strange to you?
I’m not your enemy, friend. I’m really trying to help you escape all the post-modernist relativistic lies some professor has obviously filled your head with.
Hank
For heavens sake, lighten up, Francis!
I'm not saying what we perceive to be real isn't...I'm just saying we can't prove it mathematically or otherwise because any evidence of it exists purely within the construct (or equation) we are attempting to prove.
It's a simple conundrum...not a political movement or dark philosophy that one studies in college or needs to be liberated from.
I'm not your enemy either, just having fun (or at least that was my intention) on the day before Halloween.
I offer my apology if what I said seemed rude...such was not my intention.
You needn’t apologize, friend. I wouldn’t have mentioned it, except you brought it up. It doesn’t matter to me.
This “doubt” of reality is, actually, a political issue. All of the so-called “PC” multiculturalism is based on the concept that we cannot know what is realy true, that reality is what it is percieved to be. It is not just a “fun” concept or question.
Perhaps this is a little too serious for you on All-Hallows-eve-eve, but if you are not certain the reality you perceive is real, on what basis do you affirm such things as other dimensions? If the world you percieve is not “real” what do you mean by “dream” or “dimension” for example.
I’d really like to know what you mean by those words.
Have a pleasant Halloween eve, by the way.
Hank
As a devout (yes, born-again) Christian, reality for me is a world that is indeed based only on “faith”...a faith-based reality that would be somehow diminished by proof.
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