Reasons you believe God/don't believe God?

BloodFoxTK · 04-17-2015, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerspaceboy

I call myself a rational skeptic / being of reason / man of science / seeker of knowledge, and any other title indicative of my preference for a quantifiable, evidence-based understanding of the world.

I have a great appreciation for the scientific method. While I uphold reasonable, peer-reviewed conclusions today, I remain flexible to consider and evaluate new information to refine my understanding with each new day that passes. This is the difference between blind and unshakable faith and objective and informed reason.

“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” - Benjamin Franklin

I enjoyed Ingersoll’s Some Mistakes of Moses and surfed The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, Quran, and Book of Mormon, but over time it’s become difficult to find amusement in their self-contradictory texts.

The man-made concept of a higher being simply fails to stand when examined logically. The image of god, held by many of the world’s believers, was classically refuted by Epicurus (c. 341-270 BCE) who so famously postulated:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

In the last two millennia, not one man of faith has presented a reason for me change my position.

your quote pretty much sums up my stance.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 04-17-2015, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerspaceboy

I call myself a rational skeptic / being of reason / man of science / seeker of knowledge, and any other title indicative of my preference for a quantifiable, evidence-based understanding of the world.

I have a great appreciation for the scientific method. While I uphold reasonable, peer-reviewed conclusions today, I remain flexible to consider and evaluate new information to refine my understanding with each new day that passes. This is the difference between blind and unshakable faith and objective and informed reason.

“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” - Benjamin Franklin

I enjoyed Ingersoll’s Some Mistakes of Moses and surfed The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, Quran, and Book of Mormon, but over time it’s become difficult to find amusement in their self-contradictory texts.

The man-made concept of a higher being simply fails to stand when examined logically. The image of god, held by many of the world’s believers, was classically refuted by Epicurus (c. 341-270 BCE) who so famously postulated:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

In the last two millennia, not one man of faith has presented a reason for me change my position.

hm.. not bad. try it again, but a little more pretentious this time.

Thelonious Monkey · 04-17-2015, 10:43 PM

I don't believe in God. If he does exist, he sounds like one hardcore motherfucker. I do believe in A god though. I don't know why though. Just sounds nice I guess.

Guybrush · 04-18-2015, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Violet_

Just sounds nice I guess.

So you accept anything that sounds nice as truth? Shouldn't you rather base your world views on what you actually think could be true?

RoxyRollah · 04-18-2015, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

So you accept anything that sounds nice as truth? Shouldn't you rather base your world views on what you actually think could be true?

That's just crazy talk.

Guybrush · 04-18-2015, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoxyRollah

That's just crazy talk.

There does seem to be a tendency that people pick and choose what they believe these days because, after all, whatever you believe in comes true for you anyway.

.. Which is probably only true to whatever extent you manage to deceive yourself.

RoxyRollah · 04-18-2015, 12:52 AM

You don't think its always been that way tho? I mean like , people always sorta pick n choose what they believe in etc.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 04-18-2015, 03:42 AM

i saw some study that was talking about how delusion & a happy relationship sorta go hand in hand

it's this relatively new obsession with skepticism and scientific naturalism that leaves us feeling uneasy about the prospect of being deluded in any way imo

Chula Vista · 04-18-2015, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoxyRollah

I mean like , people always sorta pick n choose what they believe in etc.

Even those who sleep with a bible under their pillow pick and choose which parts of it to believe/follow.

RoxyRollah · 04-18-2015, 09:07 AM

Well, my point was more this, that, since the dawn of time people pick and choose which guru they are going to follow, and it's just a matter of how many others agree with what you are into. Really. I mean religions are born everyday and die everyday, and people are fickle, and have short memories so it's only natural that they pick n choose things they can relate to at that particular point in their lives.

04-17-2015, 10:43 PM	#213 (permalink)
Thelonious Monkey Caesar is home. Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	I don't believe in God. If he does exist, he sounds like one hardcore motherfucker. I do believe in A god though. I don't know why though. Just sounds nice I guess.

04-18-2015, 03:42 AM	#218 (permalink)
~~John Wilkes Booth~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 2,235	i saw some study that was talking about how delusion & a happy relationship sorta go hand in hand it's this relatively new obsession with skepticism and scientific naturalism that leaves us feeling uneasy about the prospect of being deluded in any way imo