1730 replies to this topic

[Acheron]

Pascal's Wager my friend. It was explained a few pages ago.

[Sweeney]

In this world, there is something called faith.

N.B (in my opinion, no offence taken I hope):

It is foolish to apply empirical ways of knowledge acquisition to religion because, in summary, beliefs in religion and evidence in science belong to completely different worlds.

The processes we use to acquire knowledge in each field are different.

Why must the scientific method lord over all?

In epistemology (theory of knowledge), science does not prevail - there are in fact several other ways of knowing.

Nonsense. There are ways of knowing, and there are ways of making up an answer and forcing people to accept it with lies and post-hoc justifications.
Faith in religion comes under the latter.

[Ziz]

Although the church wants to control people, that doesn't mean that if you believe in god you are brainwashed.
You can't deny that faith in god can be helpful for some people in some situations.

[Sweeney]

Although the church wants to control people, that doesn't mean that if you believe in god you are brainwashed.
You can't deny that faith in god can be helpful for some people in some situations.

Nope. Nothing wrong with personal faith. You can believe whatever bat-shit insane crap you like.

Just as long as you don't try to legislate it, or use it to stunt intellectual endeavour, or use it to harm, or incite harm, of other people.
Keep it behind your doors.

[Vivendio]

Nonsense. There are ways of knowing, and there are ways of making up an answer and forcing people to accept it with lies and post-hoc justifications.
Faith in religion comes under the latter.

Is the Mona Lisa beautiful?

Again, in epistemology, how we acquire knowledge in 'the arts' and in 'science' are completely different.

How can you expect a scientific explanation for everything?

Some people say the Mona Lisa is beautiful, others will say no she is ugly etc. This comes down to emotion, and obviously not hypothesis-method-falsification.

Or in literature, what defines a good classic? It comes down to whether language portrays an aspect of culture or human nature effectively/ingeniously, and not hypothesis-method-falsification.

If you want a scientific explanation for everything, then I end my piece here.

As a side note: based on a scientific view, a series of premises, conclusions and suppositions are just as ridiculous as faith.

The question of 'does God exist' simply cannot be justified, at least for now, by empirical evidence.

If something cannot be determined by empirical observation does it mean it is not true?

I hope you are a person who respects the beliefs of other people.

Almost all (traditional) religions are associated with culture and so with literature as well.

Beliefs aside, there are many lessons to be learnt from books like the Bible, the Koran/Qur'an, Buddhist scriptures, which do benefit society positively.

(lol scientology is associated with modern American culture hahahaha - ignore this)

No harm intended

[Nunc]

Science and religion are both bullshit. That said I believe in science.

Though, of course, it would be far better for the world's entire population to be priests than scientists.

[equitatus]

I'm agnostic
Partially because that word is way cooler than atheist or religious

[thoragon]

i'll believe in him when i see him

[Moss]

No. However I do believe in karma.

[giraffe]

I don't believe in God in the Judeo-christian sense, but I believe in the spirits of all things and that they're deserving of respect.

[Blueberry]

nope

[sharky]

Nope, I'm atheist.

[Blueberry]

-virtual high five-

[Elindoril]

Reposting for clarification to this topics section:

I'm not sure you grasp the concept of a debate topic, people.

[00000]

Not necessarily. I think that there really is only belief. And that people think that religion is belief, but it is not that way. you can have belief, but not religion. I personally prefer to interpret for myself and not have someone else do it for me. Hence why I don't go to church.

[mjcm]

To see is to believe. But there is always the faith.

[batryn]

Really sorry for offending anyone, but no. If there was a god, do you think he would really throw you in hell for not believing? A parent would tolerate a child who thought the earth was flat right? Not throw the child in jail or something. The parent would gently correct the child and show them the way. See what I mean?

[SamTheMan]

Buddhism ftw?

[rhexis07]

Buddhism ftw?

Buddhism actually teaches you a lot about life, and tries to mature you into a good person with a good heart.

Now, I'm not saying other religion don't teach good stuffs and all, but Buddhism is very much different from Christians. Christians believe there's a God, and leaves everything, if not most of the things to God, saying everything is fated. (Not trying to stereo-type. I actually been to Church before. Their people are nice, but their beliefs tend to be a little...weird?) But Buddhism believes in Karma, and good will come to you if you do good.

I can't say that I don't believe in God, but I don't exactly believe in it as well. But I do believe in doing good, and I believe in Karma more than I do of God.

But I think modern era has brought this whole "God" thing to an absurd level, that now it seems like a money-making, socializing scheme, at least in my country.

[1337hunt3r]

I will proceed to post some pictures as to why I'm an aetheist.

[katinsuspension]

I went to a Catholic school all my life until university, I don't follow very strictly though. There are uncountable religions, all which offer different ways of life. It's just a matter of finding your fit and the religion that suits your beliefs, or lack there of.

[luvsmyncis]

I will proceed to post some pictures as to why I'm an aetheist.

This image is really stupid, and gives Atheists a bad name. To not believe in God because there is no evidence of God is perfectly fine, but to not believe in God because 'evil exists'... that's as redonkulous as believing in God because goodness exists.
God is perfectly capable of preventing evil, if it were his will to do so. Apparently, he's allowing it to run amok. Evil exists because God permits it to exist. He is a cruel, unfair God, but he is also forgiving and loving. It's one of those confusing 'makes-no-sense' sort of deals. Kind of like how man has free will, but also has a predetermined destiny. It doesn't compute in a rational brain.

[frostz]

yes but i have my own opinions that may be considered heresy by the mainstream church..

[nugget111]

if i were to put an atheist in the middle of the ocean...upon a boat .. that going to Sink


you will see this atheist looking up and calling to God immediately.

[Jake]

That just further brings on the belief that God is just that, a belief. I could go further into this but to sum it up you basically just said God was a last resort.