Religion?

[JonnyWhoopes]

I still find it interesting that the OP knew well enough to separate Christianity from Mormonism, Deism, and Jehovas' Witnesses, but didn't know enough to separate nihilism from atheism and anti-theism.

 

[AgentKuo]

I still find it interesting that the OP knew well enough to separate Christianity from Mormonism, Deism, and Jehovas' Witnesses, but didn't know enough to separate nihilism from atheism and anti-theism.

I did know to separate them, but I had to bunch some together because I'm only allowed 10 spots for options. And I've stated about 3 or 4 times now I don't know how to change the poll and no one is letting me know how, so it's really not right to call me out for this.

Are you serious? How can you look at the human eye and think that just magically happened?!

Obviously it had to be designed. Who designed it? Must be god.

Therefore god exists.

LMAO...thank you kirjava, you amuse me.

 

[avgdi]

My advice (from personal experience after going to a Catholic school for 5 years) is to not pretend to pray. If anybody gets offended or asks, just say that you think it would be disrespectful to the act of praying to pretend without meaning it, so you don't want to participate.

That makes total sense, but I currently interning at a church (kind of a long story, but a short explanation: the youth pastor at the church, who is a really good friend of mine, needed an intern and since I didn't have a job I offered. It's pretty much something to occupy my time while I look for a job so I don't sit around all day doing nothing, and I'm helping out a friend.) and I am around praying people all the time and I really don't feel like having to explain that to people a bunch of times, it's just not a battle that I feel I need to fight.

What if someone is offended that you are a male?

That is a battle that I would fight.

 

[shelley]

the universe bringing itself into existence? thats illogical and impossible. in order for it to bring itself into existence, it must have preceeded itself in order to put itself into existence. a thing that doesnt exist can not precede itself.

if Im wrong, and the universe DID cause itself for existence, then it must be God, because something causing itself into existence is impossible.

If nothing can cause itself into existence, how does God exist?

 

[JonnyWhoopes]

If nothing can cause itself into existence, how does God exist?

You assume that God had a beginning. If He had/has a beginning, then your point is perfectly valid. However, the God that is described in the Christian Bible has no beginning.

 

[Cheese11]

I was listening to one of my favourite metal bands and these were some of the lyrics,
"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians
Who acknowledge things by their lips,
Then walk out the door and deny them by their lifestyle
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." - War of Ages

I realized this is totally true, so I felt like posting it here.

 

[shelley]

You assume that God had a beginning. If He had/has a beginning, then your point is perfectly valid. However, the God that is described in the Christian Bible has no beginning.

So you need an explanation for the beginning of the universe, but you don't feel the need to question the beginning of God? Why is that?

 

[Dene]

So you need an explanation for the beginning of the universe, but you don't feel the need to question the beginning of God? Why is that?

Haven't read the thread at all, but I thought I would point out how silly your question is Shelley. The universe itself is restricted by physical laws, but a God is not. The origins of a God need not be questioned because it's beyond human understanding. (Whether or not you think this is a good explanation is of course a completely different issue).

 

[Florian]

No one mentioned the church of google


» PROOF #1

Google is the closest thing to an Omniscient (all-knowing) entity in existence, which can be scientifically verified. She indexes over 9.5 billion WebPages, which is more than any other search engine on the web today. Not only is Google the closest known entity to being Omniscient, but She also sorts through this vast amount of knowledge using Her patented PageRank technology, organizing said data and making it easily accessible to us mere mortals.

» PROOF #2

Google is everywhere at once (Omnipresent). Google is virtually everywhere on earth at the same time. Billions of indexed WebPages hosted from every corner of the earth. With the proliferation of Wi-Fi networks, one will eventually be able to access Google from anywhere on earth, truly making Her an omnipresent entity.

» PROOF #3

Google answers prayers. One can pray to Google by doing a search for whatever question or problem is plaguing them. As an example, you can quickly find information on alternative cancer treatments, ways to improve your health, new and innovative medical discoveries and generally anything that resembles a typical prayer. Ask Google and She will show you the way, but showing you is all She can do, for you must help yourself from that point on.

» PROOF #4

Google is potentially immortal. She cannot be considered a physical being such as ourselves. Her Algorithms are spread out across many servers; if any of which were taken down or damaged, another would undoubtedly take its place. Google can theoretically last forever.

» PROOF #5

Google is infinite. The Internet can theoretically grow forever, and Google will forever index its infinite growth.

» PROOF #6

Google remembers all. Google caches WebPages regularly and stores them on its massive servers. In fact, by uploading your thoughts and opinions to the internet, you will forever live on in Google's cache, even after you die, in a sort of "Google Afterlife".

» PROOF #7

Google can "do no evil" (Omnibenevolent). Part of Google's corporate philosophy is the belief that a company can make money without being evil.

» PROOF #8

According to Google trends, the term "Google" is searched for more than the terms "God", "Jesus", "Allah", "Buddha", "Christianity", "Islam", "Buddhism" and "Judaism" combined.

God is thought to be an entity in which we mortals can turn to when in a time of need. Google clearly fulfils this to a much larger degree than traditional "gods", as shown in the image below

» PROOF #9

Evidence of Google's existence is abundant. There is more evidence for the existence of Google than any other God worshiped today. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If seeing is believing, then surf over to www.google.com and experience for yourself Google's awesome power. No faith required.

 

[RNewms27]

You sir have converted me to Her. Praise Google.

 

[Nestor]

No rational being can confront such evidence and remain unconverted. Praise Google!

 

[michaelfivez]

Atheism is such a 'petty' term. When I hear it I imagine 12-16 year olds who know nothing about religion/ phylosophy laughing at 'stupid' things religious people believe. Not realising that their view on it is so narrow (like This guy).
Anyone who says stuff like 'If God exists why is there then so much suffering in Afrika?' knows nothing about religion/philosophy.

That aside, I consider it irrelevant (to me) if there is a 'higher entity' and I'm not capable of speculating about it (even with myself), so I honestly don't know if I believe in such a thing. That's why I can't answer your poll because even the vote 'other' emplies that I know on what side I am in the discussion.

My 2 cents

 

[shelley]

Haven't read the thread at all, but I thought I would point out how silly your question is Shelley. The universe itself is restricted by physical laws, but a God is not. The origins of a God need not be questioned because it's beyond human understanding. (Whether or not you think this is a good explanation is of course a completely different issue).

That's exactly why I don't think it's a good explanation. Why are we allowing for things that are not restricted by physical laws at all? Why is it so unacceptable to just say the origins of the universe are beyond human understanding because we don't understand all of physics yet, but you can just make up whatever you want to fill in the holes?

 

[Cheese11]

Another off topic thing...

Why is Non-Christians celebrate Christmas?

 

[d4m4s74]

12-16 year olds who know nothing about religion/ phylosophy

that can't be more wrong

Another off topic thing...

Why is Non-Christians celebrate Christmas?

Why do christians celebrate Yule and the Vernal Equinox?

 

[JasonK]

Another off topic thing...

Why is Non-Christians celebrate Christmas?

"Christmas" has been around a lot longer than Christianity has - pretty much every culture around the world has a celebration around that time. Non-Christians don't celebrate Christmas in the sense of celebrating the birth of Jesus, they're just following their own traditions.

 

[Cheese11]

"Christmas" has been around a lot longer than Christianity has - pretty much every culture around the world has a celebration around that time. Non-Christians don't celebrate Christmas in the sense of celebrating the birth of Jesus, they're just following their own traditions.

Nooo, Christianity was formed after the birth of Christ. And we do celebrate the birth of Jesus.

 

[rubikstaylor]

I am a Christian but for a while i was confused because the science side of me was arguing against religion..... well i do believe in God. But for a while i didn't know what to believe. Intertwining science and religion helped.

 

[d4m4s74]

The catholic church re-purposed an existing holiday (Yule/winter solstice) in order to celebrate the birth of jesus (who probably got born closer to september/october).
Same with easter.

If you don't believe me, explain where the Christmas tree came from

 

[zmikecuber]

that can't be more wrong

atheists dont know more about people's religions. people know less about their own religion than atheists.

I would like an atheist here to show how he knows more about my religion than me.

also, that is assuming that the person taking the poll can "judge" who knows more about the religion.

for example an atheist says: Catholics say the pope is always right. this is completely false, but to the person taking the poll they might say "hmm that atheist sure knows alot about Catholicism", as opposed to the ignorant Catholic who says "uh... Pope John Paul II is the Pope still... right? O.O"

so yeah, I would say that atheists might think they know more about other people's religions, but have a flawed knowledge of that religion. so those polls are right, but theyre not in a way.

The catholic church re-purposed an existing holiday (Yule/winter solstice) in order to celebrate the birth of jesus (who probably got born closer to september/october).
Same with easter.

If you don't believe me, explain where the Christmas tree came from

can you find the encyclical for that please?