The Religion of Atheism

[Pauldohert]

I would think you would understand someone's reluctance to answer a question Paul. Do you think she's scared that she may have to concede to being wrong?

Nothing personal against YOU Alisa...

I don't know! Only Alisa has this knowledge. (nothing new there!)

 

[Alc]

If I was as ignorant as you claim to be - I would be guessing.

As you clearly aren't - and thank you for the insult - one can only assume your inability to answer the question is deliberate.

Edit, rather than avoiding the question as it doesn't fit in with what you want to hear, could you answer it?
Do you feel able to elminate something as a possibility if you believe wholeheartedly that it doesn't exist?

 

[Rich]

Why do you think Alisa won't answer Mike?

He won't ask a sensible question

 

[Rich]

But he really is. Black, I mean.
I read it in a book.

You wouldn't have read it in the bible, and certainly not in an American version of the book of contradictions

 

[Thales750]

You wouldn't have read it in the bible, and certainly not in an American version of the book of contradictions

Ah the Rich, we all love, cause the seperation between the athiest and the thiest is not great enough, without adding nationality to the mix.

 

[Thales750]

Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.

Arthur C. Clarke

 

[Alc]

Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.

Arthur C. Clarke

He was talking about aliens, not God.

Other than Mike375 and the Scientology bunch, no-one equates the two, do they?

 

[Thales750]

He was talking about aliens, not God.

Other than Mike375 and the Scientology bunch, no-one equates the two, do they?

I know what he was talking about. But it holds equaly for both.

 

[Rich]

Ah the Rich, we all love, cause the seperation between the athiest and the thiest is not great enough, without adding nationality to the mix.

There should be an apostrophe before "cause"

 

[Alc]

I know what he was talking about. But it holds equaly for both.

The first part, yes, but unless we're talking about people who don't just believe in God but need for there to be a god, for some reason, why is it frightening to think that he's non-existent? It's certainly not frightening to think that he does exist, implausible but not frightening.

 

[Thales750]

The first part, yes, but unless we're talking about people who don't just believe in God but need for there to be a god, for some reason, why is it frightening to think that he's non-existent? It's certainly not frightening to think that he does exist, implausible but not frightening.

The frightening part is the counter to the love of God; the power of evil. A concept blatantly absent from this discussion.

So as soon as you embrace that God exist you must also except that disembodies evil exist. And given the examples of evil run amuck in history, we must have faith that the power of love will always prevail and for those with faith it does.

But it is evident that for individuals and groups of them, that good does not apparently prevail; lending a certain degree of fear, to the observations of the universe controlled by divine powers.

My vision of God is not the same as most religions, it is much more complicated in nature and I have reconciled many of the paradoxes that plague major religions. I am basically cast into a role of pariah from all fundamentalist because of the nature of my arguments. But that is a price that I gladly pay to get closer to the power or more accurately termed, energy.

Since I was young people around me have noticed that I am extremely lucky. Lucky in a form and frequency that transcends that which could even be labeled excessive or even natural.

So years ago I started to notice and look for it, and soon it overwhelmed almost every one I know. I have found the key to observing the power of God and increasing my connection to it. So to me when you say you cannot prove it, so therefore it must not exist, I cannot agree, because I feel it the same way you see light reflecting from a tree.

Going back to the style that most of you use. You cannot hear the frequencies that dogs hear, but you know they can hear them. You cannot see the detail that an eagle sees, but you know it can. It’s the same with me. I feel and experience the energy of God all the time. And the universe changes shape, both temporally and physically to accommodate my journey.

I do not require anyone to believe this, for any sort of peace that I need. I merely show everyone I can, the joy that is available for any who seek.

 

[Atomic Shrimp]

Big Bang would hardly be called a single detail.

No, I mean it has details.

 

[oumahexi]

I don't know! Only Alisa has this knowledge. (nothing new there!)

Ah see I thought you would know why people don't answer questions when they are backed into a corner because I've been trying to get you to answer a question on the "values" thread for days and you just keep blinding me!

 

[oumahexi]

The frightening part is the counter to the love of God; the power of evil. A concept blatantly absent from this discussion.

So as soon as you embrace that God exist you must also except that disembodies evil exist. And given the examples of evil run amuck in history, we must have faith that the power of love will always prevail and for those with faith it does.

Which is a good thing. However, if God created the universe it stands to reason that He also created good and evil - being the creator of all things. Perhaps what we perceive as evil is only the natural duality of the devine power. So if we were somehow able to wipe out evil completely then we would be altering the state of God and if we could alter the state of God does that make him a mere mortal? Or a lesser being than us?

 

[Pauldohert]

Ah see I thought you would know why people don't answer questions when they are backed into a corner because I've been trying to get you to answer a question on the "values" thread for days and you just keep blinding me!

I haven't seen it - you should have considered that possibility. Alisa clearly has seen Mikes question.

I'll have a look for you.

 

[Pauldohert]

As you clearly aren't - and thank you for the insult - one can only assume your inability to answer the question is deliberate.

Edit, rather than avoiding the question as it doesn't fit in with what you want to hear, could you answer it?
Do you feel able to elminate something as a possibility if you believe wholeheartedly that it doesn't exist?

It would depend on wholeheartedly - if I could proof it didn't exist of course I could dismiss it.

However if I had one option which I didn't really understand but felt it was unlikely, but had no better theory. I could not dismiss it. Even the most unlikley things can be true, and if you have no knowledge of other theories - the fact that one seems unlikley doesn't mean the others can't be even more unlikely.

I can reasonably safely dismiss the gryphon, cos I understand what is puports to be, and I have never heard anyone even claim to have gotten a gryphon to work. And also because I do have good theory of how else you may have gotten to work. As there are millions of other examples each day of how else it could be done. ie - I got the bus, so its quite reasonable that you may have done too.

However having not really got to grips with the concept of nothing - and then there being everything, created by a god of by other methods.

I really don't have the knowledge to rule anything out, and I have no other proven examples given to me everyday of how it is done elsewhere. Then there are the great minds through history who support a belief of God, not many for the gryphon.

Thats the situation you report yourself to be in - but choose to dismiss the theory of God.

I am more open minded, or willing to admit I really don't know.

 

[Rabbie]

It seems to me that many religions have as a common theme that you will be rewarded if you abide by their rules. Maybe not in this world but in the next!

This leads to the conclusion that good atheists (yes some atheists are not as good as others) are actually acting in a more altruistic way. I take it as a given that atheists do not believe in an afterlife. I certainly don't despite the thought that the idea could be quite appealing

It also leads to the thought that religion is a good way of controlling people in this life by threatening them by awful punishment in the next if they don't behave in this.

 

[Rabbie]

There should be an apostrophe before "cause"

Rich shouldn't you leave that sort of correction to Colin.

 

[oumahexi]

I haven't seen it - you should have considered that possibility. Alisa clearly has seen Mikes question.

I'll have a look for you.

You're right, I should have. Instead I presumed you'd get notified of any update to a subscribed thread.

Thanks though.

 

[Pauldohert]

No worries.