Sorry, but it has to be right or wrong to the individual. Every single person here who has chosen a religion for themselves (over all the other choices) has done so because, ultimately, that choice was right for them. In fact, all the religionists I know believe that it is the excercise of free will that makes their faith a choice that "saves" them.,p. You have viewed logic, reason, science and morality as something existing in the abscence of God.
No, I just don't believe they need a "God" as explained in the holy books of every world religion to have come into existance. As I argue, even if there were a creator God of some sort, and even if you insist that the manifestations of the laws of physics are as a result of the sustaining presense of that God, how does that validate any of the existing religions, with their rules about what I can eat, drink, and make love with?
I'm perfectly fine with the idea of those who see the laws that the universe is formed on, and revering that. But praying to some invisible friend is not going to change the law of gravity, or speed up light.
Again, my contention is that there is no other explanation for those things other than Christian Theism.
Every religious tradition has its own story of "how did we get here, why are we here, and where are we going". Those stories were made up to fill in the gap of observable knowledge. As we observe more and more, the old stories have less and less relevance.
You may reject him, but you will never be in a position to disprove him or belittle him through logic, reason, science or humanistic morallity.
I don't have to. Google up the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" idea, and you'll see why I'm not interested in disproving anybody's religion, because it cannot be done.
Sorry, but it has to be right or wrong to the individual.
1. You didn't answer the question I asked you. Can you explain what makes something either right or wrong?
2. Given your answer, you don't mind if someone comes to your house and spraypaints I hate kittens all over it. If that is what is right for them then that's okay?
Every single person here who has chosen a religion for themselves (over all the other choices) has done so because, ultimately, that choice was right for them
1. Says who?
2. So, anything goes in your worldview, all is relative. You would have no problem if someone came to your house and killed your goldfish.
No, I just don't believe they need a "God" as explained in the holy books of every world religion to have come into existance.
1. I'm not asking what you believe, I'm asking you to use logic to explain "HOW" you know what you know! At this point, you could say, well I know just because I know, but that would be a logical fallacy known as begging the question. Again, I want to know "how" you know what you know about logic, science or reason.
But praying to some invisible friend is not going to change the law of gravity, or speed up light.
1. What makes the law of gravity, a law?
2. You could say you observed it, but I'd point out to you that your observations are based on an assumed universal continuity. How is it, given your worldview that you can explain universal constants?
Those stories were made up to fill in the gap of observable knowledge. As we observe more and more, the old stories have less and less relevance.
1. You are offering opinion here, but no proof.
2. You can't account for "why" observational proof is relevant. If you can't account for why observational proof is relevant then your worldview has "holes" in it. I understand that we've observed the "law of gravity". I'm all for science, but you can't explain any "law" given your worldview. Since you cannot, all you are is a person offering an opinion. Why your arguments are intellectual in nature, they offer nothing substantial.
Your weakest point is on the subject of morality. You say that, "Every single person here who has chosen a religion for themselves (over all the other choices) has done so because, ultimately, that choice was right for them". Let's replace for a minute the word religion with the words world view. On September 11, 2001, a group of people with a world view flew planes into buildings and murdered over 3000 people. Given your reasoning, they were simply doing "what was right for them". Who are we then to say they were wrong? I as the Christian can absolutely say that they were wrong! At this point, can you tell me if there is such a thing as right or wrong and can you substantiate your answer with logic? Can you come to moral absolutes without using the opinions of people? A definition made up by a bunch of college professors is going to be useless as an answer to me because it will just be their opinion and will carry no more weight than the opinion of the guy down at the barber shop.