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I have an atheist friend...
Who asked me how I can disbelieve in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny but believe in God... Now the thing is, I kinda do believe in God...but he raised a good point...I've never seen any more evidence of God's existence than I have of the Easter Bunny... Thoughts? Jan 06 06 07:41 am Link ohhhhhhhhh good Christ, here we go again...*puts on flak jacket* Jan 06 06 07:43 am Link My mother is Jewish, My father was raised Christian but studied Wicca for many years, and I am a self-proclaimed Agnostic. I feel blessed (pun intended haha) to have been able to have such religious freedom to where I can learn about all different beliefs without feeling as though I have betrayed anyone I believe in a higher being because...well..... hmmmm..... I think I am going to have to get back to you on that one  Sorry...did that answer your question? Jan 06 06 07:45 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: well, most religions would have you go on faith in lieu of hard evidence...that's how it works. Jan 06 06 07:54 am Link IsabelAurora wrote: You know, that's pretty much exactly how I feel! I do believe in a higher power, but I couldn't tell you why...it just feels right. Jan 06 06 07:54 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: Yes. Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were "invented" for little kids within the last few centuries as a marketing tool to sell toys and stuff. The tooth fairy is just that, a "fairy" tale. God is God. While I believe in evolution, it's just tooo complex for evolution to be random (for certain chemicals to combine to make my memory, or thought). So something had to be behind it, guiding it or planning it and making those chemicals and their interactions possible. The name we give to the power that did just that is God. Jan 06 06 07:55 am Link BCG wrote: *laugh* Hey, I made a New Years resolution to not argue politics on this site, that only leaves religion! Jan 06 06 07:56 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: WHen I was younger, we used to get present for Hannukah and Christmas! Jan 06 06 07:59 am Link Vito wrote: *nod* My friend would argue that God was created within the last few millenium as a marketing tool to keep people in line via their beliefs. Jan 06 06 08:00 am Link Man created God in his own image, in order to have someone to blame for stuff. Jan 06 06 08:08 am Link Vito wrote: Believing in a being sufficiently complex that it can create an entire universe without leaving any physical evidence rather than believing in a much less complex set of random actions seems counter-intuitive--if complexity is the real issue. Jan 06 06 08:09 am Link Vito wrote: too complex from what reference point? you can't judge your own complexity. Jan 06 06 08:12 am Link Vito wrote: Evolution is random as much as Bill Clinton is a sex-crazed, anything-humping gigolo (both are exagerrations stemming from fundamental misunderstandings or intentional biases). Seth Rutledge wrote: Figure out the reasons you wish to believe (or just do believe) in deity X and be honest about them. No respectful atheist will ever (or should ever) put down: "It just feels right for me, and I can accept that there's likely no reliable shred of evidence to support my decision." Jan 06 06 09:05 am Link Lens N Light wrote: LMAO Jan 06 06 10:01 am Link All I know is that my imaginary friend is more real than your imaginary friend!! Jan 06 06 10:07 am Link "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." -Stephen Roberts  Jan 06 06 10:09 am Link why dont you ask yourself who you are...and why you are here...what is the purpose of your existance first instead of trying to disprove a Living God. Jan 06 06 10:12 am Link Well, I'm not going to delve too deeply into this, but I believe in a mix of a LOT of different beliefs. For example, I believe partly in evolution, and partly that a higher power had a hand in STARTING evolution off right. I believe that when I die I will be reincarnated for SOME purpose, not necessarily karma. Etc. Etc. And So forth. As for why I don't believe in Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the tooth fairy? They are invtented so that people can have a damn day offa work. Or an extra dime or candy when needed (yeah, my tooth fairy was cheap...except when I was misssing 5 of my front teeth at the same time, and then I got a dollar).Jan 06 06 10:14 am Link You'll all be surprised when you get up to Heaven and see God. It will be the Easter Bunny. But then he'll take off his bunny costume to reveal his true self... And it'll be a Hare Krishna. Jan 06 06 10:18 am Link I believe in the Holiday Armadillo. Jan 06 06 10:20 am Link Eric S. wrote: i am fucked if the mormons are right. Jan 06 06 10:22 am Link There is no "God..." There is, however, a "You" and that's something you can truly believe in. Jan 06 06 10:31 am Link T H Taylor wrote: can a pathological liar believe in self??? Jan 06 06 10:35 am Link I float between atheisism, being an agnostic and christianity. I really want to believe that there is something after death but its hard to have faith in something that there is no proof of. I guess you can say I have overlaying Christian beliefs beause I live in a Christian country. However as a child my mother converted from Catholocism to being a Jehovah's Witness. My father and I remained (non-practicing)Catholics. This has made me pretty distrustful of religion in general as she did not give up on converting me until I finally left home at 18. Religion created a chasm between my mother and her family. If you can imagine a JW and Catholics living together you'd understand the tension... In this instance religion has become a sore subject for me, although I would be glad to discuss it reasonably with anyone. One thing is for sure though, religion can be good BUT it can also be the most horrrible thing in the world. While it can provide hope for those that have none, it has also led to the deaths of billions throughout history and atrocities that would make Hitler cringe. It would also be nice for people to do a little research in to how the bible and similar texts were assembled... seriously. While it can give the poor something to look forward to, it can also keep those whom are evil in power. I think, in general and in moderation, it provides a social structure for the general public. This is a good thing. Social control or spirituality, you be the judge... -George Diego Jan 06 06 10:40 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: I also feel there's a "higher power" but I don't believe in the biblical God. I honestly can't see how people can not only believe in what's written in the bible but also support it. It's so outdated. Jan 06 06 10:47 am Link Christopher Bush wrote: Too complex from the point that if there was a planet orbiting the sun that happened to be at the right place with the right temperture and the goo of amino acids just happened to connect together at the right time and then that evolved into me or you being able to use a computer to "debate" conscience thoughts and ideas. The reference point I use is that I (we) are more complex than the amino acids in the primordial soup. And the fact that we can contemplate our comlexity, we can judge it against what we know. Jan 06 06 10:56 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: Religion was created in the last few millenium, not God, I'd argue back. Yes, as a way to control (and I mean give guidence on "how to live") the people. Jan 06 06 10:58 am Link Thomas Aquinas had logical postulates about the existence of God in Summa Theologicae. Other people have different logic. Some scientists, such as Einstein, look at the prevailing order in the universe and see a creator of that order. Other scientists, such as Sagan, look at the prevailing order in the universe and see the inherent need for order in that fabric, outside of the need of any creator. Some people feel that abstract thought processes could not occur from material existence without an abstract presence to make it so. Other people feel that it certainly can happen, because it has. Some people look at unexplainable or miraculous events as proof of a spiritual entity that exists outside the laws of material existence. Other people feel that those events do not really occur, or that they are the result of circumstances that we have yet to explain, but we will. Some people feel the presence of the divine in mundane existence, or in inspirational moments. Other people do not feel that presence. The subject matter of this thread could be discussed dispassionately. The fact that it won't is one reason some might not come around much more, but that others are drawn to it. Jan 06 06 10:59 am Link BCG wrote: *chuckle, smirk!* Jan 06 06 11:04 am Link in the end, we will all find the ONE TRUE truth...and you better hope to hell you found it before your time on earth is up. Jan 06 06 11:04 am Link i guess thats why its called faith...... Jan 06 06 11:07 am Link Brian Diaz, you have good reason to believe, for I captured him...lol. There's proof, there is a Holiday Armadillo.  Jan 06 06 11:19 am Link Why can't I ever see the images I link on here? Pretty damn frusterating, cuz I don't know if anyone else can see it or not either. *sigh* I promise it's there. Jan 06 06 11:24 am Link you know, it's funny, I can actually think of the exact moment I lost my faith in god, and it was when I found out there was no santa lol Jan 06 06 11:29 am Link Seth Rutledge wrote: Go look in a mirror. Who else could have created what you see? Jan 06 06 11:39 am Link MEWanoDesigns wrote: I'm getting a "Document not found". Jan 06 06 11:41 am Link Hmmm, I would ask how can you not believe in God? A higher being who created all things. Who has provided prophets to help guide mankind and loved you. Faiths divide us and have caused pain and wars. A loving God does not want this. I have no proof for the existence of God but I do believe. Jan 06 06 11:44 am Link Lens N Light wrote: "God is a concept by which we measure our pain" Jan 06 06 12:09 pm Link If there is a God, he has as much interest in us or our actions/destinies as I would about maggots growing on a lump of my shit that I "passed" in the middle of the woods. Sounds a bit crass but very probable. I wonder if those flies believe in me? Resolve: Sorry to be so negative sounding but... Why even bother believing in an intangible all powerful being (who loves you unconditionally but, will condemn you to an eternity in hell if you don't believe in him... And then, of couse, does not provide any irrefutable proof of his existence)? Sounds to me like the thing humans should focus on is the beterment of themselves sans the burden of walking on religious, Judeo-christian moral eggshells.... But I could be wrong! Jan 06 06 12:24 pm Link The reason I know I am God is that one day when I was praying I realized I was talking to myself Anonymous Jan 06 06 04:05 pm Link |
