Superstition and religion

[^_^ 5,021]

We're not talking about everything or just anything. We're talking about the ultimate beginning and ending of all existence. But as far the material world or universe, there aren't too many things left that can't be proven. We may not currently have the know-how to prove or disprove, but there is scientific hypothesis for things like black holes and dark matter.

The claim that Satan has a hold on your soul can't be disproven, so I will go ahead and believe it.

[웃 910]

If we locate other intelligent life and can listen to them and decipher what they are saying through satellite/radio signals and they are going to places of worship and praising a God/Allah/Mohammed/Jesus and have a similar religious text then that will be proof that God/Allah is (silently) communicating with His creations.

Until this day comes or God physically or vocally makes Himself known I will say that the only difference between superstition and religion is the spelling.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So is the question of killing the fungus in my right toenail

Science can be used to examine and identify the fungus in your toenail. It can be observed. Even if there is no current medical cure for it, that doesn't equate to the mystery of God. God as mystery refers to the fact that it is unprovable. Whether a natural phenomenon is a mystery to you is irrelevant. God is universally a mystery as no one can or will be able to prove God's existence.

The claim that Satan has a hold on your soul can't be disproven, so I will go ahead and believe it.

Define Satan? God, whether you believe in or not, can be defined as the beginning and ending of all existence.

[^_^ 5,021]

God, whether you believe in or not, can be defined as the beginning and ending of all existence.

A made up construct which can't be proven or disproven can be defined as however you like. That's why it's so idiotic.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A made up construct which can't be proven or disproven can be defined as however you like. That's why it's so idiotic.

Infinity as a mathematical term can be defined but not measured. There's nothing idiotic of defining the beginning and ending of all existence even though we can never quantify it.

Edited December 15, 2010 by 8TBVBN

[Captain Oates 911]

Science can be used to examine and identify the fungus in your toenail. It can be observed. Even if there is no current medical cure for it, that doesn't equate to the mystery of God. God as mystery refers to the fact that it is unprovable. Whether a natural phenomenon is a mystery to you is irrelevant. God is universally a mystery as no one can or will be able to prove God's existence.

Define Satan? God, whether you believe in or not, can be defined as the beginning and ending of all existence.

Although Science can identify my fungus, I can't.

Therefore so long as it remains a mystery to me, I could engage in fanciful theories about it or even bury pieces of meat in the garden on the theory that as it rots, the fungus will disappear

That was my mother's method of curing warts. It appears to work, because by the time one worries about warts, they are about to complete their 2 year life cycle.

This woman in Oregon credits her absence from the house when the tornado struck, as more than coincidence.

How can we say religion has no value when it puts a smile on the face of this newly homeless simpleton ?

In the absence of religion, this would be impossible.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Until this day comes or God physically or vocally makes Himself known I will say that the only difference between superstition and religion is the spelling.

God talks to me all the time. Maybe you are just not hearing Him.

[Captain Oates 911]

God talks to me all the time. Maybe you are just not hearing Him.

When the lady asked Bill Maher if he would change his mind if god spoke to him directly ... he said

"No, I would book myself into bellevue and so should you"

voices

the voices

[chri'stina 190]

The idea that there is a God is devoid of reason. All religion rests on that little nugget of nonsense.

That's only true to you and people who believe the same as you. Many have used reasoning as a means for coming to the belief of a God. When you use reasoning to think about why people do what they do, why people seem to think certain things are unfair or fair in life, and other way too deep thoughts to type out here right now. You will not have answers to those questions that are better than a religious person's answers. Reasoning can lead to different views, not only views that are atheistic. Belief in God or something bigger than us is not at all idiotic.

[Captain Oates 911]

That's only true to you and people who believe the same as you. Many have used reasoning as a means for coming to the belief of a God. When you use reasoning to think about why people do what they do, why people seem to think certain things are unfair or fair in life, and other way too deep thoughts to type out here right now. You will not have answers to those questions that are better than a religious person's answers. Reasoning can lead to different views, not only views that are atheistic. Belief in God or something bigger than us is not at all idiotic.

All believers have one thing in common - they were told about god by another human being. Told about it and given a book.

Babies are not born with belief in god - they are always introduced to it by a mere person

Non belief is the default position at birth and that is changed by indoctrination in precisely the same way as superstition - if you don't throw salt over your shoulder you WILL have 7 years bad luck

It ALL comes from people

Anyway it's not good g should wait 6 million years before he said hello a few thousand ago...

at 6 thousand years since g said hi, that is still 99.1 % of human existence (since some of us split from the apes) before he said hello. We seemed to manage ok for all that 99.1% of our history on our own

of course that won't resonate with dinosaur jockeys

[chri'stina 190]

So then I guess humans were reasoning atheists until they suddenly got dumb enough to believe in spiritual things. That stinks for those who believe there isn't a God, that the original atheists let you down so much.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

One cannot doesn't need to reason that there is no God either.

Fixed. Why would anyone in their right mind want to engage in such fruitless exercise?

Edited December 15, 2010 by Mr. Big Dog

[Captain Oates 911]

So then I guess humans were reasoning atheists until they suddenly got dumb enough to believe in spiritual things. That stinks for those who believe there isn't a God, that the original atheists let you down so much.

You nailed it precisley

Babies are born un believers - some end up as religious people/criminals/walmart people and some are clever but have gullibility problems nevertheless

We who have reasoning do feel sorry for all the ones in the above categories but there is little we can do to help as it's like spilling superglue on a white shirt - it sticks if left too long and cannot be removed by any method. Some forced workers in the gas chambers saw the light and lost their belief - but otherwise it is a stubborn thing to remove.

Reason can get through because a huge percentage of Scandinavians are non believers - closely followed by Germany/France/UK - so it's just a matter of societal development and education and the INTERNET - beware because it is a one way process now but starting from a low base in the USA because of it's isolated geography and history and culture of doing the opposite to what foreigners do

[웃 910]

God talks to me all the time. Maybe you are just not hearing Him.

This is actually what is so ironic about how religion pertains to myself. I asked myself if God/Jesus/Mohammed/Allah appeared in front of EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING on earth at the same time would I change?

**Lets use Christianity as an example**

Jesus appears before everyone in the world at 5pm eastern tomorrow. He says the Bible is real. It is full of truth. I am real. God is real. Christianity is the one true religion.

So I asked myself if I would change A DAMN THING? Would I start to go to church? Would I pray? Would I tithe? The answer is I would probably not change at all. I suppose I would pray (talk inside my head knowing that God can hear my thoughts) but then again what would be the point considering (even if He proved to me He was real) I wouldn't get a verbal response.

Would I go to church? No. I've been a lot of times and it can be like going to class for a lecture. It can be interesting, entertaining, social, a learning experience, something to do, etc., but I wouldn't start going if I knew God was real.

Would I start reading the Bible? No. I find it to be one of the most boring books ever written in history.

Would I be concerned that maybe God will light me on fire for eternity because of the above? Not really. I am a nice person. I don't bother anyone. I mind my own. I help people when I can. I don't lie or cheat or steal. I don't think I deserve to be lit on fire for eternity. And plus I would undoubtedly believe that Jesus was the Son of God so, as per my example, I would go to Heaven.

But of course I don't believe in any of this stuff from 2000 years ago. Get something on video. Have Jesus come down to earth for a few days. Have God speak audibly. THEN I WOULD BELIEVE THE STORIES FROM 2000 YEARS AGO WHEN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE WAS AT A 2000 YEAR LOW

Edited December 15, 2010 by Lord Infamous

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

How can we say religion has no value when it puts a smile on the face of this newly homeless simpleton ?