Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Asha'man · 02-24-2003, 07:19 PM

The absolute lack of evidence for anything supernatural.

The clear tendency for humans to invent superstitious explanations for things they don't understand.

The fact that the Bible is so full of contradictions and absurdities that it can't possibly be a reliable repository of supernatural knowledge.

JubalsCall · 02-24-2003, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Abacus
I have yet to see any compelling evidence that any gods exist. Until I see such evidence, I will not hold a belief in any gods.

What would you consider "compelling evidence?"

Tibbs

JubalsCall · 02-24-2003, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jamie_L
The stories people tell about their gods don't seem to match reality. Given that their stories are supposed to describe reality, they should mesh with observed reality. Since they don't, I must conclude that the stories aren't true.

What kind of stories don't match up with reality?

Thanks,
Tibbs

JubalsCall · 02-24-2003, 08:19 PM

Sorry, I need to make the question alittle better I see. I wasn't really thinking of just the "Christian/Jewish/Islamic" God. I was jsut wondering about any diety.
Hope that clears up some confusion.

Tibbs

Also sorry if this has already been a thread discussion.

parkdalian · 02-24-2003, 09:31 PM

Christianity never made sense to me. As for all other possible gods, there's simply no evidence, and I'm satisfied that all can be explained naturalistically without invoking mysterious all-powerful father figures.

Jobar · 02-24-2003, 10:19 PM

No one can tell me what God *means*. No two believers have exactly the same understanding of the word. In fact, the differences between their understandings can and do start wars.

This is a logical consequence if there is no referent for the word- that is, no God exists to be defined.

Eric H · 02-25-2003, 02:27 AM

hi Jobar,

I read somewhere that about eighty percent of all wars are influenced by religious beliefs.

There is also a vast army of voluntary workers around the world who care for the sick, elderly and disadvantaged for little or no reward, many of them influenced by religion.

Religion is not all bad.

Having read posts on this forum, it seems that many people who do not believe in a God also have ideas of what this non- existent God is.

It seems we always find the God that we are looking for, if we look for a fictitious God then that is the God we will find.

In many ways this is very much like people who believe, we also find the God we are looking for.

When two sincere people argue over their beliefs, they both see themselves as being right.

Questions about God, and his existence, must be the cause for millions or even billions of sincere people to hold firm and conflicting beliefs.

Peace

Eric

Oxymoron · 02-25-2003, 03:28 AM

One reason?

Well I won't repeat all the "evidence" stuff though that's my number one reason. Let's pick the second: The Holocaust - and other mass slaughters in that vein. Love? Compassion? Kindness? Na....

Jayhawker Soule · 02-25-2003, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jobar
No one can tell me what God *means*.

Is it not your position that God *means* 'The Universe'?

Selsaral · 02-25-2003, 06:31 AM

My major reason is the fact that human beings are by nature superstitious. For instance, people falling for scientology shows that it doesn't take real supernatural phenomena to get people converted to a religion.

02-24-2003, 07:19 PM	#21
Asha'man Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: southeast Posts: 2,526	No Evidence The absolute lack of evidence for anything supernatural. The clear tendency for humans to invent superstitious explanations for things they don't understand. The fact that the Bible is so full of contradictions and absurdities that it can't possibly be a reliable repository of supernatural knowledge.

02-24-2003, 08:19 PM	#24
JubalsCall Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 40	Clearing myself up Sorry, I need to make the question alittle better I see. I wasn't really thinking of just the "Christian/Jewish/Islamic" God. I was jsut wondering about any diety. Hope that clears up some confusion. Tibbs Also sorry if this has already been a thread discussion.

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02-24-2003, 09:31 PM	#25
parkdalian Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nouveau-Brunswick Posts: 507	Christianity never made sense to me. As for all other possible gods, there's simply no evidence, and I'm satisfied that all can be explained naturalistically without invoking mysterious all-powerful father figures.

02-24-2003, 10:19 PM	#26
Jobar Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: secularcafe.org Posts: 9,525	No one can tell me what God means. No two believers have exactly the same understanding of the word. In fact, the differences between their understandings can and do start wars. This is a logical consequence if there is no referent for the word- that is, no God exists to be defined.

02-25-2003, 02:27 AM	#27
Eric H Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Hampshire U.K. Posts: 1,027	hi Jobar, I read somewhere that about eighty percent of all wars are influenced by religious beliefs. There is also a vast army of voluntary workers around the world who care for the sick, elderly and disadvantaged for little or no reward, many of them influenced by religion. Religion is not all bad. Having read posts on this forum, it seems that many people who do not believe in a God also have ideas of what this non- existent God is. It seems we always find the God that we are looking for, if we look for a fictitious God then that is the God we will find. In many ways this is very much like people who believe, we also find the God we are looking for. When two sincere people argue over their beliefs, they both see themselves as being right. Questions about God, and his existence, must be the cause for millions or even billions of sincere people to hold firm and conflicting beliefs. Peace Eric

02-25-2003, 03:28 AM	#28
Oxymoron Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: http://10.0.0.2/ Posts: 6,623	One reason? Well I won't repeat all the "evidence" stuff though that's my number one reason. Let's pick the second: The Holocaust - and other mass slaughters in that vein. Love? Compassion? Kindness? Na....

02-25-2003, 06:31 AM	#30
Selsaral Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 3,095	My major reason is the fact that human beings are by nature superstitious. For instance, people falling for scientology shows that it doesn't take real supernatural phenomena to get people converted to a religion.

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