Are you an atheist?

[Alisa]

Isn't the point that He doesn't physically exist? At least, not in a physical sense as we know it.

If He did, He could be measured and bob's your uncle, end of argument.

I thought likening Him to a political belief was pretty accurate. People don't need to see Him to base their whole way of life around Him. He exists because they believe he does. He's impossible to measure.

I agree, he doesn't physically exist at all, and that belief in god is akin to belief in a political idea - both beliefs are so deeply ingrained they are essentially impossible to change. I also agree that it is more than likely that our failure to measure him is due to the fact that he doesn't exist.

 

[Pauldohert]

Now who is playing dumb?
The parallel is that both the people who believed that the sun went around the earth and the people that believe in god cling to their beliefs in spite of the evidence, or the lack of evidence, respectively.

There is evidence that the earth goes round the sun, there is no evidence that God does not exist is there?

I don't see the parallel at all - except what you beleive?


So what it coems down to is what you belive is right and everyone else is for snickering at?

 

[Rich]

There is evidence that the earth goes round the sun,

Then why did the church deny it for so long?

 

[oumahexi]

Fascinating that the Romans discovered the art of test tube babies and then it was "lost" to man for 2,000 years, and there's only one who benefited from it at the time

I think it's a terrible story. As a child I used to lay awake, terrified in case God would do that to me That was the type of thing he might do because I questioned his existence (lol, I was only a kid for Pete's sake). But I just knew that my parents wouldn't believe me...

Maybe, Mary's parents were a bit less, shall we say gullible, than mine? No offence meant, but come on! Either it was a space man or, she was trying to cover something up, possibly after he became "famous".

 

[Rich]

she was trying to cover something up, possibly after he became "famous".

We'll have to try and dig up some 2,000 yr old stone papers

 

[dan-cat]

But offended?

I live very close to religious people so perhaps I'm taking it as a given that this is easy to understand.

Religion, for some, is a core that all else revolves around. It provides, for whatever reason, a harmony in people's lifes. It is, by definition, very personal.

An atheist can pull out all of the toys and play with the theist all day. Afterwards they go home for dinner and it's left to the theist to put everything back in the toy box again.

 

[oumahexi]

We'll have to try and dig up some 2,000 yr old stone papers

Oh, yes, the original tabloids

 

[Alisa]

There is evidence that the earth goes round the sun, there is no evidence that God does not exist is there?

I don't see the parallel at all - except what you beleive?

I agree that it is not a perfect analogy, but I think you are purposfully refusing to see the parallel that exists, and that I have explained several times. In both cases, you have people that believe in their beliefs regardless of any evidence one way or another.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Then why did the church deny it for so long?

The church has done a lot of foolish things throughout the centuries. What does that have to do with whether God exists or not?

 

[Rich]

Religion, for some, is a core that all else revolves around. It provides, for whatever reason, a harmony in people's lifes. It is, by definition, very personal.

An atheist can pull out all of the toys and play with the theist all day. Afterwards they go home for dinner and it's left to the theist to put everything back in the toy box again.

For Atheists life revolves around and has the highest priority, in their families, not some mythical being

 

[Rich]

The church has done a lot of foolish things throughout the centuries. What does that have to do with whether God exists or not?

Are they not his (or hers) spokesman, (oops pc Spokesperson)

 

[Alisa]

I live very close to religious people so perhaps I'm taking it as a given that this is easy to understand.

Religion, for some, is a core that all else revolves around. It provides, for whatever reason, a harmony in people's lifes. It is, by definition, very personal.

An atheist can pull out all of the toys and play with the theist all day. Afterwards they go home for dinner and it's left to the theist to put everything back in the toy box again.

Why would you (not you personally, this is a general statement) choose to depend on your belief in something that may or may not exist for the stability of your mental state?

If your foundation is so fragile that somebody questioning it causes you distress, then maybe it is not such a great foundation . . .

 

[Alisa]

For Atheists life revolves around and has the highest priority, in their families, not some mythical being

That is certainly true for me at least.

 

[Rabbie]

The church has done a lot of foolish things throughout the centuries. What does that have to do with whether God exists or not?

As the church claims to be acting in the name of God its foolish deeds reduce its credibility.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Are they not his (or hers) spokesman, (oops pc Spokesperson)

I don't really feel like chasing rabbits, Rich. But, no, the church is not His spokesperson. And the church is fallable, just like all His people.

And, what does this have to do with whether God exists or not?

 

[dan-cat]

Why would you (not you personally, this is a general statement) choose to depend on your belief in something that may or may not exist for the stability of your mental state?

They are attracted to it because it provides a sense of harmony. Very simple.

If your foundation is so fragile that somebody questioning it causes you distress, then maybe it is not such a great foundation . . .

With all due respect you are doing a little more than questioning it. You are attempting to reduce their belief to the point of absurdity in order to render it worthless. As I said before, atheists dwell on the theists fallibilities, as you have done in this comment, and then go home for tea, untouched.

 

[Rabbie]

I don't really feel like chasing rabbits, Rich. But, no, the church is not His spokesperson. And the church is fallable, just like all His people.

And, what does this have to do with whether God exists or not?

Are you sure? Surely people go to Church to hear the word of God explained.

And is not the Pope God's representative according to the Catholic church? And also is he not infallible in matters of doctrine?

 

[Rich]

But, no, the church is not His spokesperson. And the church is fallable, just like all His people.

So we can dismiss the church as worthless for starters then?

 

[Alisa]

They are attracted to it because it provides a sense of harmony. Very simple.

With all due respect you are doing a little more than questioning it. You are attempting to reduce their belief to the point of absurdity in order to render it worthless. As I said before, atheists dwell on the theists fallibilities, as you have done in this comment, and then go home for tea, untouched.

But lots of things provide a sense of harmony. And that doesn't explain why they so vehemently defend their belief - if they would just admit, hey, I believe this because it makes me feel good, and you are right, god probably doesn't exist and there probably is some other explanation for the origin of the universe, then I would have nothing to argue about. But instead, many say, I believe this because it is true, because god really exists, and if you don't believe that god exists, you are going to hell (see previous posts on this thread). That is not about harmony.

From my perspective, it seems a bit absurd to believe that god really exists, yes. As far as going home for tea untouched, you seem to be implying that this discussion is somehow bruising or injuring believers. If someone is so emotionally or mentally fragile that questioning their beliefs injures them, does that make it wrong to question their beliefs?

 

[Rich]

With all due respect you are doing a little more than questioning it. You are attempting to reduce their belief to the point of absurdity in order to render it worthless. As I said before, atheists dwell on the theists fallibilities, as you have done in this comment, and then go home for tea, untouched.

With respect, that is not what you said, in fact you were implying that theists have to put the world to rights after atheists made a mess