God
Jesus
heaven/hell
afterlife
reincarnation
ghosts
aliens
Bigfoot
Loch Ness Monster
I believe in none of the above
Jim, you're derailing my train of thought. ;-) I have been noticing that a lot of people, kin included, get more religious the older they get. I don't know if they are doing a CYA thingy or what.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
Leave it to me to buck that trend - I'm getting less so.
I think a lot of us just get more reflective as we get older - thinking about life and the ever nearing end of it. That maybe leads some to become more spiritual. It likely is a CYA thing for some people, but come on - I'd have to ask those folks who they think they're fooling.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
One of my cousins, I've been talking to on FB, has done a 180. She use to be a wild party gal and her health has been getting bad and she is posting more and more religious posts. She is about 8 years older than me. I guess I have been wondering about it a lot when my friend was gunned down at work. He was a good man and walked what he talked. I'm tired of losing good people while the bad ones just seem to multiply. I want to believe, somebody, is in charge of this ant farm. It's been a shitte year.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
That's part of what made me rethink it and come down on the other side.
When you look at a lot of what happens in the world assuming that there is an all-powerful, all-loving God; too much just doesn't make sense. If you look at what's happening in the world assuming that everything is just random chance, that there is no bigger meaning or greater purpose and no all-powerful God; then there's no longer any contradiction or incongruity; it all makes sense as just random things that happen - both good and bad.
I look at the stars and the sky and the moon and I contemplate the unending enormity and complexity of it all and wonder where it all came from. It seems like it couldn't just exist without having been created. But then I have to wonder about how that Creator could come to be and the only answer that I can imagine is that He or She was just always there. If the Creator could just be there; then why not the universe?
The Bible has many inconsistences, contradictions and factual flaws; that suggests to me that it could not have been divinely inspired; and if we accept or assume that it was not; then it would logically follow that all of the beliefs of that religion are cast into question.
I don't have much against religion - a lot of people take comfort, find hope or find strength as a result of it - that's a good thing for many. The downside that I see to that is that many people; believing that there is a God in charge of everything; might discredit or discount what I consider the reality of our situation on this earth - we are the shepherds of the earth and everything and everyone on it; and everything and everyone that ever will be on it. We are the only creatures on the planet that can act to make life better or make life worse; or even render our world incapable of sustaining us and those who will come after us if we leave them something that can support them. IMO - our numbers have become so great; and we have so largely inoculated ourselves against so many of the natural things that keep populations in check; that we can now destroy our habitat simply by not actively trying to preserve it.
We are the only living beings who can nurture life, or negate it.
There's nobody but us to do it; we can't afford to leave that to God.
And then, there is all of the hatred and violence perpetrated in the name of religion by people who think they are acting in accordance to divine wishes; and acting against people who also think that they are acting in accordance to divine wishes.
Everybody thinks that their God and their religion is the "one true"; you'd think an all powerful Creator of the Universe could communicate a little more effectively concerning His or Her existence and wishes; yet almost every religion has hundreds or even thousands of sects or variants; and often times the followers of any one of those sects can be in violent opposition to people who believe in a variant of the same religion to which they subscribe.
That makes no sense to me if I assume that there is a single, all-powerful God; it is exactly what I would expect when assuming that there is no single God; just different groups of people believing that there is one and each group assigning different - but very Iron Age human sensibilities - to their God.
That's just part of how I arrived at where I am psychologically or spiritually at this point in life; there is much, much more.
I have always wanted to believe in the Supernatural and the Paranormal; but in my reality there is simply no good reason to believe in those things because there is zero credible evidence to suggest that they exist or that they are at work in our world.
That's just me.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
I've spent a lot of time considering all of this because I think of myself as a relatively intelligent man and don't want my desire for god and heaven to cloud my judgement and lead me down a path of gullibility. The first thing I learned to do was to stop looking at god in the context of how his influence or lack thereof affects the day to day events of this world. We must acknowledge that there are questions that at this point we cannot know the answers to because we don't know what we don't know. It has always been that way. If man knew what lightening was 3000 years ago there would be no reason to think it was Zeus throwing it.
All that said, what I try to do is look for evidence of his existence and in my opinion you do not have to look far. And when I say "god", I don't know exactly what that is except to say some sort of intelligent designer. The fact that the world has many religions and the question of who is right is a human dilemma requiring no reconciliation from god. It is what it is whatever it is. We as people interpret that based on upbringing, culture, what we are taught etc...Religion is only the lens through which we view it and depending on which lens you use determines what image you see.
I'm getting ahead of myself so here's what I believe. I believe there is an intelligent design with some purpose. I believe that our history going back to the very beginning has led us to this moment in time with everything structured. From the moon being formed (the perfect size, perfect distance, the collision that created it knocking us into angle that allows for seasons etc..). The beginning of life with a climate that allowed it to explode worldwide leading to dinosaurs. The catastrophic ending of those dinosaurs which set up the vast pools of fossil fools we use to move into the industrial revolution and the advancement of technology. It goes on and on.....
What we do to ourselves here on earth is just part of the motion not requiring or receiving gods intervention.
Interesting points, and food for thought; thanks for sharing.
I've considered the Intelligent Design aspect too, but I keep thinking about how fragile we and life in general are; and how many things there are that can - and do - go so horribly wrong with us. If General Motors sold vehicles as prone to trouble as we are, the world would need a lot more lawyers; and GM doesn't have the "creative license" or resources that the Almighty would have.
I see things too that make me think there must have been a Creator; but I always return to thinking that the forces of nature alone can't be discounted as that creator; and as miraculous as those forces are; they are surely less miraculous than the possibility that there is a Supreme Being behind it all; and in my thinking; the less miraculous the explanation, the more likely it is to be true.
Another thing that I've thought about lately is the proposition that we humans are special - that only we have souls and only we are judged for entry into Heaven. If that were true - at what point in the past did we become "human"; imbued with souls? Were Neanderthals judged? Homo Erectus? If no to the Neanderthals; then what about the offspring of unions between they and "modern" humans? Did the half-and-half children have souls and get judged?
Philosophical questions all; and with no certain answers that we can presently, or likely ever; positively determine.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
Maybe we are a forgotten science project that, place your fav name here, got a c-, and went on to bigger and better things.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
But why would you believe something that can't be demonstrated, seen or measured in any way when there is no proof of existence; but there is evidence for non-existence?
If someone I know who is credible tells me something I would likely have some measure of faith that it is probably true. If someone I know who is credible tells me something that defies reasonable explanation - maybe that there is an invisible, flying dragon that inhabits the Bermuda Triangle and sometimes it eats ships and planes - not only will I have no faith that what they say is true, their credibility in all matters would become questionable.
I've read that the invisible looks a lot like the imaginary; and that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. I didn't always agree with those statements in every respect but I pretty much do now - at least at this point in my life; thus I can longer accept or assume on faith that there is anything supernatural or paranormal existing anywhere in the universe. Such things would defy the laws of nature and we've never see anything that's able to do that.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
It all comes down to how you look at things. You look around and all you see is evidence that god doesn't exist and everything I see suggests that he does. Both viewpoints are valid, just different. Science BTW, is unintentionally getting into the faith game themselves (though they wouldn't describe it that way). Take dark matter for instance. They call it that because you can't see it. Astronomers need it to explain why the speed of the inner-stars of a galaxy spin the way they do in relation to the stars of the outer portion of the galaxy. Believing in something you can't see or measure, hmm.
I'd say that they see an effect and are hypothesizing a cause; and that given enough time and more sophisticated instruments they will eventually be able to either confirm or deny and make the appropriate adjustments to their calculation.
No, it's not that I see evidence everywhere that God doesn't exist - it would be more accurate for me to have said that (IMO) there is no evidence that He does. Take science for instance - it was mankind that figured out how to use penicillin, how to cure a lot of diseases, ease suffering, so on and so forth. I would have thought that the Almighty could have made mention somewhere in the Bible about germs causing diseases and the need to wash your hands and what not; instead of giving instructions on how to cure leprosy via incantations and blood sacrifice - as you do.
And obviously, believers and non-believers all have equally valid points of view. I just think that non-belief requires no extraordinary or supernatural occurrences or explanations; whereas belief does, and I see no evidence to suggest or support the existence of supernatural phenomena.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
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These richer than rich "gurus" bore the shit out of me. Tiresome, boring and just plain idiots. Paltrow leads the pack.. dumbass. Everything I need is right here, sensible people. Real people ! https://www.townandcountrymag.com/so...=pocket-newtab
Today you could be standing next to someone who is trying their best not to fall apart. So whatever you do today, do it with kindness.
Yeah - but then there's the fact that millions of people spend millions (billions?) of dollars per year following their advice or leads, and buying their books and silly products.
If you believe that water has "memory" and thus retains medicinal properties of some additive that has been diluted to the point that no detectable trace remains, you don't understand how that works. If you convince other people of that and get them to buy the water...
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
That is true. I think it's because it's a "celebrity " that people are easily duped. I,for one am not about to spend my hard earned dollars on someones magic beans. A friend's daughter bought Kylie Jenner's eye shadow from her line, and suspected it was no more then a derivative of baby powder mixed with ground chalk. It took some doing but she was able to get back her $25. A lesson learned.
Today you could be standing next to someone who is trying their best not to fall apart. So whatever you do today, do it with kindness.
Social Media "Influencers" are false prophets and a plague on our modern life. I'm too full of my own opinions. Don't need their their's.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
Homeopathic "medicine" is pretty much what I mentioned above - some active ingredient with "medicinal value" is added to water.
It is then diluted to the point where there is no trace of the "medicine", and sold as if it's a real, tested and proven remedy.
Well, a lot of it has been tested and found to have all of the medicinal value of placebo - but Walmart and CVS have this crap sitting on the shelf right next to actual FDA regulated, tested and proven remedies.
The people who make this crap, sell this crap and believe in this crap, like to refer to it with science-like sounding names such as "alternative medicine".
Well, if it was real, it would just be called "medicine".
Alternative facts, anyone?
I should start selling little empty plastic jars of "aura paste" that people can buy and use to patch the holes in their auras.
I need a celebrity spokesman - for some reason, Gary Busey comes to mind.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
Believe as in that it is the inerrant, infallible Word of God and that every word therein is true?
I ask that because I have a friend who would say he believed that, but he wouldn't discuss how that belief might span different translations. In his estimation, only the KJV was real, the others were not worthy of being called a "Holy" Bible.
I ordered a Greek-Hebrew Key Word Study Bible for my DIL for Christmas. It highlights certain key words\terms in the scriptures and gives the meaning of those words at the time they were written. Obviously, over the course of hundreds of years; the meanings of words can change dramatically; which can alter the way we understand or interpret things. It arrived a couple of days ago - I've been looking forward to reading through it before I wrap it for her; the danged thing is shrink wrapped in plastic so I can't read through it first. I need to see if it exists online.
A faulty hypothesis forming:
A German scientist using Iranian physics and French mathematics.
I would love to add to this conversation but then again if I did i'd just be thrown into a mental institution and be burned at the stake.
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I am a witch and follow the craft and I work with a few Goddesses. The Morrigan, Hecate, Cerridwen.
Wicca was a choice for me (the positivity attracted me)but the narrow minded ignorant ppl in my life all but curled up confusing it with black magic in thinking that I would choose that.
In case you cannot tell, I am surrounded by narrow minded control freaks.
Kudos to you sweetie for standing up for your beliefs.
Thanks his I was wiccan, but switched to being a witch, tell them witches don't believe in Satan and black magic that is all a Christian (no disrespect to Christians) belief. Become a secret witch or wiccan, it took me awhile to come out of the broom closet. You can do you book of shadows online, make an hidden altar or sit with those narrow minded people and show them the witch's creed and the witch's commandments and explain to them there is no black magic in wicca or witchcraft , however there are also no white witches either.
Wow, an oldy thread. Still a severely lapsed Southern Baptist.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.