Post: #326

Miles Davis on religion (during the Vietnam war). "Get out of here man, there ain't no God. If there was a God there'd be no cancer wards, there'd be no Vietnam."

Post: #327

(09-08-2013 10:45 PM)soup Wrote:  

Yeah, this is what happens when God is invoked to map and describe the physical universe. What a legendary fool.

Post: #328

Late to the debate but as a standpoint regarding women religion is a boon in my opinion. I much prefer the girls that hold to their beliefs. Do I know why, necessarily? Nope. But I prefer girls that have not rutted around. I have a very subconscious lack of attraction towards the stereotypical hot blondes and their like. However, the quiet, shy church girl who takes a long while to open up, doesn't travel to Cancun, completely rejects attempts to get inside her apartment until the 4th date, etc, is the kind of girl I like.

Since it is the type of girl I want and enjoy, I learn religion to great extents. I'm always unsure where I stand. Very logically minded, I don't make the jumps into faith. But it is a mechanism which gives me access to the types of girls I want to build relationships with - so I'll deal with it as I will. Traditional atheist girls are practically non-existent.

Post: #329

Another side note on the main theme of "religion as red pill". It's interesting that the Bible says that there will be mockers and scoffers in the last days. This serves as a kind of inoculation to the true believers. So, the mockers actually end up strengthening the belief system of the true believer because they validate the predictions of his scriptures. The better the jokes, the deeper his belief becomes. Christianity is actually a sophisticated system that has survived and covers about every conceivable life situation. I remember walking across a bridge in Prague, and there was a plaque on the bridge dedicating it to a bishop who had been drowned in the river there by the King. The Church has gone through ups and downs for over 2000 years and has seen far worse. I can imagine that they are not too worried about Dorkins. But, ironically, religion does seem to validate "survival of the fittest".

Post: #330

(09-08-2013 10:49 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Miles Davis on religion (during the Vietnam war). "Get out of here man, there ain't no God. If there was a God there'd be no cancer wards, there'd be no Vietnam."

Actually, most Christians believe God gives them free will and the ability to do anything they want to.

Post: #331

(09-09-2013 12:03 PM)NY Digital Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 10:49 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Miles Davis on religion (during the Vietnam war). "Get out of here man, there ain't no God. If there was a God there'd be no cancer wards, there'd be no Vietnam."

Actually, most Christians believe God gives them free will and the ability to do anything they want to.

Then how do you account for the prevalence of sin? That's not doing anything you want to do, it's about doing what another man tells you to do.

Religious people will often justify their actions, regardless of whether or not the actions are morally right or wrong, as being the OK because that is what they believe god wanted them to do.

Post: #332

Catholics, the largest group of Christians, do not follow that ideology.

They believe their sins are their own wrongdoing, even if God has a "path" for them.

For the most part, Christians admit that they sin and it's their own fault, not God's.

Post: #333

(09-09-2013 02:04 PM)NY Digital Wrote:  Catholics, the largest group of Christians, do not follow that ideology.

They believe their sins are their own wrongdoing, even if God has a "path" for them.

For the most part, Christians admit that they sin and it's their own fault, not God's.

I agree. I was raised Catholic and at no point in my life did I think that I did not have free will.

In fact I remember free will as an argument as to why the earth is the way that it is.

Post: #334

(09-09-2013 12:03 PM)NY Digital Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 10:49 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Miles Davis on religion (during the Vietnam war). "Get out of here man, there ain't no God. If there was a God there'd be no cancer wards, there'd be no Vietnam."

Actually, most Christians believe God gives them free will and the ability to do anything they want to.

People do some crazy shit when they think God will look after them...

(around 1:10 onwards)

Post: #335

(09-07-2013 12:25 AM)Samseau Wrote:  My opinion remains unchanged. I see a giant universe with an intricate design and my gut instinct is that something designed it.[i.e. "god"--GT ed] Everything works too perfectly together for it to be an accident.

Post: #336

^ His arguments mean nothing... for all we know the way we are is necessary for reasons beyond our comprehension.

Also, Intelligent Design does not presuppose that there are things too complicated for us to explain. It merely posits that the world is no accident.

In fact, that's how humans think. We don't assume accidents, we look for causes and effects, i.e. reasons, because our minds suppose there is some sort of design to the universe.

Post: #337

(09-09-2013 03:35 PM)Architekt Wrote:  Snip

Yeah.

Young males only do crazy things because they believe God.

Post: #338

There might be millions of universes, where some are 'faulty'...its just on such a big scale it's hard to get your head around. If anything, the sheer scale of the universe makes me think the God's we've invented are even more ridiculous. The sheer scale of that, and 'God' is more arsed about you working on a Sunday? Hilarious.

Samseau's 'God' is possible though. I'll say that much. However, a God that far removed from human activity isn't worth praying to etc. 'It' wouldn't care, or perhaps even be aware of our existence. It might even not be around anymore. These are science fiction-type questions and they fascinate me.

Post: #339

(09-09-2013 04:26 PM)Damedius Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 03:35 PM)Architekt Wrote:  Snip

Yeah.

Young males only do crazy things because they believe God.

What passes for logic on these boards is disturbing.

No, but people are more likely to feel justified to behave in ways that to others seem odd/dangerous/violent if they believe they're ordainly divined to behave that way. You think suicide bombers would kill themselves if they just thought they'd prove a political point? No, they martyr themselves because they think God wants them to. It's why Sam Harris calls that level of religious belief a psychological disorder.

Post: #340

I guess Einstein doesn’t get it.

“Scientific research can reduce superstition by encouraging people to think and view things in terms of cause and effect. Certain it is that a conviction, akin to religious feeling, of the rationality and intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a higher order... This firm belief, a belief bound up with a deep feeling, in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience, represents my conception of God. In common parlance this may be described as "pantheistic" (Spinoza).”

Einstein

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_v...in#Beliefs

Post: #341

(09-09-2013 04:32 PM)Teedub Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 04:26 PM)Damedius Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 03:35 PM)Architekt Wrote:  Snip

Yeah.

Young males only do crazy things because they believe God.

What passes for logic on these boards is disturbing.

No, but people are more likely to feel justified to behave in ways that to others seem odd/dangerous/violent if they believe they're ordainly divined to behave that way. You think suicide bombers would kill themselves if they just thought they'd prove a political point? No, they martyr themselves because they think God wants them to. It's why Sam Harris calls that level of religious belief a psychological disorder.

So only people that believe in God kill themselves?

Post: #342

No. If you can't understand what I'm saying then it's your logic that is disturbing. Instead of playing devil's advocate why don't you offer some opinions.

People kill themselves for a variety of reasons, but with suicide bombers, these people aren't depressed, in debt etc - they do it for the simple reason that they are motivated by their religious beliefs and what they think will be gifted to them in death.

Post: #343

Damedius: Quick words of advice: Taking random parts from a statement out of context to pose a completely unrelated idea falls quite within the realm of feminist tactics, and is no way to debate a point

@Samseau: I'm curious, which fields have you studied in? Where do your ideas come from?

Post: #344

(09-09-2013 04:43 PM)Architekt Wrote:  Damedius: Quick words of advice: Taking random parts from a statement out of context to pose a completely unrelated idea falls quite within the realm of feminist tactics, and is no way to debate a point

How do Ad Homs rank?

Post: #345

(09-09-2013 04:43 PM)Architekt Wrote:  @Samseau: I'm curious, which fields have you studied in? Where do your ideas come from?

He studies all my posts. Believe it or not, there is a small cult following of me where people print off all my thoughts and discuss them. Biggest in Japan and India, but there are others like disciple Samseau scattered about.

Post: #346

(09-09-2013 04:29 PM)Teedub Wrote:  There might be millions of universes, where some are 'faulty'...its just on such a big scale it's hard to get your head around. If anything, the sheer scale of the universe makes me think the God's we've invented are even more ridiculous. The sheer scale of that, and 'God' is more arsed about you working on a Sunday? Hilarious.

Samseau's 'God' is possible though. I'll say that much. However, a God that far removed from human activity isn't worth praying to etc. 'It' wouldn't care, or perhaps even be aware of our existence. It might even not be around anymore. These are science fiction-type questions and they fascinate me.

Excellent post, Teedub. I would say that is exactly what I believe. 'God' as a higher being is entirely possible and the science fiction type questions fascinate me as well.

Samseau lost me when he said this:

(09-07-2013 02:17 PM)Samseau Wrote:  God created morality. Thus the most accurate religion of God is the one that has the superior morality.

I am not sure if he is just playing devil's advocate or slightly trolling but I was with him when he said he saw God as a concept of a higher being but saying God created morality and we humans arbitrarily decide the "most accurate religion of God with superior morality" is pretty laughable.

Post: #347

(09-09-2013 04:56 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  He studies all my posts. Believe it or not, there is a small cult following of me where people print off all my thoughts and discuss them. Biggest in Japan and India, but there are others like disciple Samseau scattered about.

The full text now comes standard with Bang. There's even a new version with footnotes and Ali's comments for only $69 more. Recommended by 0/10 feminists, so you know it's good

Post: #348

^ Slayer - Which God? Most of the ones I've read about are more immoral than any character committed to fiction!

Post: #349

(09-09-2013 04:32 PM)Sherman Wrote:  I guess Einstein doesn’t get it.

“Scientific research can reduce superstition by encouraging people to think and view things in terms of cause and effect. Certain it is that a conviction, akin to religious feeling, of the rationality and intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a higher order... This firm belief, a belief bound up with a deep feeling, in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience, represents my conception of God. In common parlance this may be described as "pantheistic" (Spinoza).”

Einstein

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_v...in#Beliefs

Post: #350

(09-09-2013 04:29 PM)Teedub Wrote:  Samseau's 'God' is possible though. I'll say that much. However, a God that far removed from human activity isn't worth praying to etc. 'It' wouldn't care, or perhaps even be aware of our existence. It might even not be around anymore. These are science fiction-type questions and they fascinate me.

How do you know God isn't very involved with human affairs?

(09-09-2013 05:14 PM)TheSlayer Wrote:  Samseau lost me when he said this:

(09-07-2013 02:17 PM)Samseau Wrote:  God created morality. Thus the most accurate religion of God is the one that has the superior morality.

I am not sure if he is just playing devil's advocate or slightly trolling but I was with him when he said he saw God as a concept of a higher being but saying God created morality and we humans arbitrarily decide the "most accurate religion of God with superior morality" is pretty laughable.

Reading comprehension fail. Go back and re-read the post you quoted, and then get back to me.