Do you Believe in God?

[Minor Axis]

Nah...

Even if there was enough evidence of his existence the last thing i'd do would be following him... like he deserves it, he just created us to play with us kinda...

Remember he can flip a switch and make you burn for eternity. Second thoughts?

 

[persie]

:mad
I'm deeply shock that people still debate about the existence of god what the hack is wrong with you people

 

[Minor Axis]

:mad
I'm deeply shock that people still debate about the existence of god what the hack is wrong with you people

It's a bit hard to evaluate your statement without knowing on what side of the debate that you stand?

 

[Gijs]

Before you start a debate, know this...

There is no scientific evidence for any diety. So scientifically speaking, you cannot believe.
Some people claim to be blessed with faith evidence that there is a God. Those people believe.

Science or faith. Choose your weapon. No one wins. No one convinces the other side. I hate to tell you, but that's a synopsis of an entire debate on the topic.

I don`t think that it`s as simple as that, science is perfectly compatible with faith.

 

[All Else Failed]

I don`t think that it`s as simple as that, science is perfectly compatible with faith.

Depends. If you're talking about believing all of mankind came from one man and a woman then you're going to run into problems with science.

 

[Gijs]

That`s true, but that is not what Christians, muslims or jews neccesarily believe. Only people who read the holy scriptures litterarly would believe that. But Breath says that since there is no evidence for a diety you cannot believe in God and have an affection for science the same time. He says science or faith, choose your weapon. But you are right it depends on what you believe. But I think there doesn`t have to be a science or faith dilemma. Faith will always be able to exist alongside with sciense (if that`s correct English ) the point of view people take on their faith is the only thing that will change as science progresses.

 

[All Else Failed]

That`s true, but that is not what Christians, muslims or jews neccesarily believe. Only people who read the holy scriptures litterarly would believe that. But Breath says that since there is no evidence for a diety you cannot believe in God and have an affection for science the same time. He says science or faith, choose your weapon. But you are right it depends on what you believe. But I think there doesn`t have to be a science or faith dilemma. Faith will always be able to exist alongside with sciense (if that`s correct English ) the point of view people take on their faith is the only thing that will change as science progresses.

Its....in your holy book...

 

[Minor Axis]

That`s true, but that is not what Christians, muslims or jews neccesarily believe. Only people who read the holy scriptures litterarly would believe that. But Breath says that since there is no evidence for a diety you cannot believe in God and have an affection for science the same time. He says science or faith, choose your weapon. But you are right it depends on what you believe. But I think there doesn`t have to be a science or faith dilemma. Faith will always be able to exist alongside with sciense (if that`s correct English ) the point of view people take on their faith is the only thing that will change as science progresses.

The key to a responsible faith is to update your views as evidence appears to counter traditional views if and when they appear. The problem is when people take a book, such as the Bible and use it as the ultimate truth to the exclusion of all other sources. I've used the "Earth at the center of the universe" example of an outdated religious standard. Adam and Eve as described in the Bible is discredited imo. Although the bible does not address evolution (I don't think) because of the Adam and Eve story a group of devote believers refuse to acknowledge the merits of evolution. And the problem comes from "literal interpretation". What exactly is wrong with having an ape-like hominid in our family trees?

 

[Crackers]

responsible faith

Oxymoron alert.

Faith is by definition irresponsible: it disregards our responsibility to use the common sense we have.

 

[Minor Axis]

Faith is by definition irresponsible: it disregards our responsibility to use the common sense we have.

I view faith as an attempt to bridge what is known with what we want to belief and it can be applied to all religions.

 

[MrKnight]

as a child i was made to go to church evey sunday and attend sunday school and all that stuff, but as i got older i lost faith and hav'nt entertained the thought of god since... untill i met a christian gaming 'clan/guild' online and spent alot of time talking to them, which kinda got me thinking there was something else, hell wouldnt everyone like to think theres something out there bigger than us? that there is a greater good and all that crap?! . some of the things ive done and been through in recent years made me want to find something to get me out of the hole i was in, but it never happened, just had to buck up my ideas and sort myself out.

Cant say ive ever truley believed in god though, prefer my science, cant argue with hard proven facts

Nah...

Even if there was enough evidence of his existence the last thing i'd do would be following him... like he deserves it, he just created us to play with us kinda...

But i really dot bother thinking over it much.

LoL!!! good point!

 

[canidae]

Are Satanists and Atheists the same thing?

 

[Minor Axis]

With regard to those who say that there is no God, they just prove their narrow-mindedness by that statement alone. Where is the evidence that there IS no God? Any person who makes such an assumption is automatically incorrect because there's just no way he could possibly KNOW. Science can explain some things, depending what you choose to believe; Darwin or God, who knows? But even so, science itself is soooo primitive; like Thomas Edison said We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything.

But Blaze we know more about science than we do about God, really nothing first hand about God, (unless you've had a personal conversation), just handed down stories and vivid imaginations, so it sounds like you should be putting more faith in science, at least there is something concrete there.

However don't get me wrong, I am very open minded about the concept of "spirit", i.e. that you as an intelligent entity continue on in some form after physical death. But even that is just wishful thinking on my part.

No, Athiests don't believe in God, but Satanists more or less abhor the Christian religion and they follow the works of Anton Le Vey, who was pretty much the first 'Satanist'.

What good standard does Satanism promote?

Regarding Atheists, my understanding is that they don't believe in God because there is no proof of God. If some proof becomes available they would reconsider (I think).

 

[Minor Axis]

Yet with regard to science, we still know very very little, if you look at it from a wider perspective. How did we get here? What happens after we die? What's the cure for this disease, and that disease, etc etc. There's so much we don't know; put more faith in science? Why on earth should I when science has not found the answers to the questions that I'm asking. In that sense, Religion and Science are both in the same boat, and it comes down to a question of MY faith, and my personal belief, and personally I choose religion; sometimes the mind is powerful enough to be the foundation for your morals, what you choose to do, etc etc, and whether it's religion or science you follow, as I said it won't change anything with how you portray yourself to others as a decent, moralistic human being.

I don't have a problem with that view except there are things that science has (IMO) proven, but instead some hard core religious people choose to believe a book with absolutely no concrete basis for truth because it makes them feel good. A good example is the age of the Earth. If you go with science, you'll say the Earth is about 4 billion years old. If you as some religious scholars have done use the Bible to date the Earth, they come up with an age of around 6000 years, totally, absolutely wrong. So there are cases where science is the better choice unless you feel the need to imagine something better.

Standards? Are you talking about their beliefs and rules? Or are you talking about the way they conduct themselves?

Satanists, for example, reject the Christian church but they are some of the most intelligent, decent human beings you will ever come across; the name implies evil and cruelty but it's not the case.

Your quote- Satanists are decent human beings. I don't know that much about Satanists. What good standards do they promote? What I find interesting is that Satan appears to be part of the Christian belief system created by the Abrahamic religions. So if you believe in what is basically a Christian creation, don't you have to go along with what they say it is? (Satan- a rebellious fallen angel or demon that tempts humans to sin or commit evil deeds.) Hence my question about Satanist standards.

 

[Minor Axis]

Outstanding article- This is your Brain on Religion- USA Today.

Summary of article- if you view God as a forgiving loving entity, it's good for your physical and mental health. If you view God as vengeful and intolerant, it's bad for your physical and mental health. Please note it has nothing to do with if there is a God. It's just about what you think.

 

[sweetpotato]

I believe in God and i believe in science. I will try to explain myself as best as I can.

1. Everything to do with science is so exact and intricate. Lets say that 1 electron was off on an oxygen molecule. We as humans would not be able to survive because we would have no air to breathe. Note that this is just a random example. maybe if oxygen was off like that and humans evolved differently we could survive. However, that doesnt mean that there would be no other problems if oxygen was off by that 1 electron. This leads me to believe that there must be an intelligent design of some kind.

2. My faith has been wavering recently because of personal reasons. I do believe that there is a God and I would like to believe that He is a kind and just God but sometimes its hard to believe. Having said that, faith isnt something you can prove. If you have proved something you cant say that you have faith in it because faith in itself is not knowing for sure but trusting in something. For example, I KNOW that 1+1=2 and I have faith that my friend will pick me up on time (crappy example I know but I couldnt think of anything else)

So overall i have my scientific idea which leads to my belief in God which leads to my having faith in God.

 

[Minor Axis]

With regard to Satanists, rather than worship Satan (because they don't actually worship Satan, and usually laugh if people suggest it) it's more that they believe in the 'realism' of things that they believe the bible and elsewhere tend to promote.

Then they need to come up with a new name for their group. Satanist = belief in and holding Satan up to some kind of a good standard? They don't call themselves Satanists because they hate Satan do they? I realize that the church paints Satan as bad just as they do witches, but Wicca seems to predate Christianity, while Satan is a creation of Christianity. I think there is a difference. I don't consider Wicca inherently bad, but based on the little I know, I do regard Satanists as promoting all the anti-Christian values which most people consider immoral and bad.

 

[Omega]

Well, put it this way. Show me prove that there is NOT a god. Good luck.

I find it a little hard to believe that poof, we all just appeared after some epic explosion that came from... where did this 'big bang' come from??? I'm not saying science is wrong, I just have my own believes. Without faith, life is pretty meaningless...

 

[Omega]

Are Satanists and Atheists the same thing?

Well, they both lead meaningless, pointless lives where apparently everything ceases to exist beyond death, and they have no reason to behave civilized, since apparently they don't believe that stealing is a sin, since to them, there is no sins. Either way... screw em (off the books, don't take offense Satanists... Oh, what the hell, go ahead and take all the offense you'd like! :24: )

 

[Peter Parka]

Well, put it this way. Show me prove that there is NOT a god. Good luck.

Show me proof there is no one eyed yeti of Prague.

Get where I'm coming from?