Theists, why do you believe?

[flairon]

Were you brought into the religion by your parents/grandparents? Did you pick it up on your own? Why do you continue to have faith.

being totally serious, i'd like to know.

[CXC3000]

Were you brought into the religion by your parents/grandparents? Did you pick it up on your own? Why do you continue to have faith.

being totally serious, i'd like to know.

Was brought on religion then left to my own devices. I went away then came back (on the True Path)

[PhenoTerminate]

Were you brought into the religion by your parents/grandparents? Did you pick it up on your own? Why do you continue to have faith.

being totally serious, i'd like to know.

The more you learn about the world, the less the explanations of "the only possible random that could produce us" just happens to exist.

[Harbinger]

The more you learn about the world, the less the explanations of "the only possible random that could produce us" just happens to exist.

Can anybody translate this into English?

[spak10]

Was brought on religion then left to my own devices. I went away then came back (on the True Path)

So you were normal once upon a time?

[TranceNRG]

"It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion."

- Francis Bacon

[MinisterOfLust]

Can anybody translate this into English?

lol

[Meatros]

The more you learn about the world, the less the explanations of "the only possible random that could produce us" just happens to exist.

[mferrandi]

because seeing the whole greatness of it all, it becomes basically foolish to believe everything came to exist out of nothing

[Harbinger]

because seeing the whole greatness of it all, it becomes basically foolish to believe everything came to exist out of nothing

This one always cracks me up.

[PhenoTerminate]

Can anybody translate this into English?

As you gather information of this realm, you realize that we didn't "just happen" to exist. When people try to explain without a creator, they use arguments similar to, "Even though everything is ordered, it's still random, we could not exist as we are in any other way, if we happened to be flying bubbles with many prehensile appendages coming out of our heads, we would ponder just as much about how amazing it is that we are so well developed". These arguments are used as explanations without explaining and all the order is devalued as a chain of chance events. It seems rational for living cells to use that argument, however it fails to explain anything else since there is no selection pressure for the elements.

[Keseff]

Zyzzianity, picked it on my own. Our last prophet Zyzz (pbuh) inspires me everyday. Seeing all the aesthetics it the world, it becomes basically foolish to believe everything came to exist out of nothing.

[Deathstroke]

I believe that whatever doesn't kill us, simply makes us................................................ .............................................





























































































































STRANGER

jokergrin.gif

[Meatros]

As you gather information of this realm, you realize that we didn't "just happen" to exist.

Realm?

Are we in The Forgotten Realms now?

When people try to explain without a creator, they use arguments similar to, "Even though everything is ordered, it's still random, we could not exist as we are in any other way, if we happened to be flying bubbles with many prehensile appendages coming out of our heads, we would ponder just as much about how amazing it is that we are so well developed".

First, this is an impressively long run-on.

Second, not everything is 'ordered'. Third, you can't say everything is ordered, yet still random - I realize that you are strawmanning the opposition, but come on, you aren't even trying to be intellectually charitable here.

These arguments are used as explanations without explaining and all the order is devalued as a chain of chance events. It seems rational for living cells to use that argument, however it fails to explain anything else since there is no selection pressure for the elements.

I've never heard anyone use those arguments. I think you are mischaracterizing them either deliberately or because you don't understand what your interlocutor is saying.

What elements? Your last sentence seems to vaguely reference the Theory of Evolution, yet the sentence before that would directly contradict this.

TLR - you aren't making sense.

[Tounx]

how can anyone say we are God's greatest creation when we can't even fly?

[Deathstroke]

how can anyone say we are God's greatest creation when we can't even fly?

Well not yet, but someday.....we'll all have perfect wangs, I mean wings. Some of us like myself, already got a perfect wang. Big Devil's Horn lol.

[Keseff]

how can anyone say we are God's greatest creation when we can't even fly?

(pbuh)

[Harbinger]

how can anyone say we are God's greatest creation when we can't even fly?

Not to mention that if we're the best god can do, god sucks.

[homicidal_misc]

logic

[whatisbro]

I chose to remain because it's the only thing that makes sense.

[CXC3000]

Was brought on religion then left to my own devices. I went away then came back (on the True Path)

So you were normal once upon a time?

Lol !

[Tephroo]

I was not indoctrinated into any religious system. I still don't believe in any true religion, and will probably never respect any theologies used to define God.

My reasons for believing in God are mostly emotional ones. I feel a deep personal connection and friendship to a higher power. Such a relationship is empowering. Moral virtuousness and a relationship with such a higher power is all I need in this life. Everything else is vanity.

I could list plenty of logical reasons for believing in God, but I don't feel like listening to the typical atheist rhetoric employed to dismiss these reasons. At the end of the day, the atheological arguments used to necessitate God as impossible/implausible are far less convincing, and dare I say absurd, in comparison to the ones used to necessitate God as possible/plausible.

[GreatOldOne]

I was not indoctrinated into any religious system. I still don't believe in any true religion, and will probably never respect any theologies used to define God.

My reasons for believing in God are mostly emotional ones. I feel a deep personal connection and friendship to a higher power. Such a relationship is empowering. Moral virtuousness and a relationship with such a higher power is all I need in this life. Everything else is vanity.

I could list plenty of logical reasons for believing in God, but I don't feel like listening to the typical atheist rhetoric employed to dismiss these reasons. At the end of the day, the atheological arguments used to necessitate God as impossible/implausible are far less convincing, and dare I say absurd, in comparison to the ones used to necessitate God as possible/plausible.

It depends on what you mean by God. If by God you mean 'somebody' with 'a plan' and 'personal tastes'...then this 'God' is not very plausible at all unless you think his tastes run contrary to natural human desire and recognition of good. The fleeting nature of good things indicates that if good things have a 'divine purpose' it could be to torment humanity who will not accept the end of a good thing being another good.

If you mean 'God' as in 'the great whatever'...sure. I don't think anybody has a problem with 'the great whatever'. Or, 'the other great whatever'. What imo is actually important is to consider who are you, and what is your relationship to other people?

[PhenoTerminate]

First, this is an impressively long run-on.
Second, not everything is 'ordered'. Third, you can't say everything is ordered, yet still random - I realize that you are strawmanning the opposition, but come on, you aren't even trying to be intellectually charitable here.

You've never heard anyone use the argument that we would ponder, no matter what possible universe we inhabited, how it is so ordered that we exist? I am not responsible for your level of education.

[access1denied]

Bananas fit perfectly into my hand Opie, it's like they were designed for me to eat them. You can't explain that Opie, you CAN'T!

[lasher]

everything has a cause and the universe is a thing so it has a cause and that cause is Jesus.

[Harbinger]

everything has a cause and the universe is a thing so it has a cause and that cause is Jesus.

you left out dont touch yer peepee

[GregariousWolf]

The Great Whatever

[Tamorlane]

"It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion."

- Francis Bacon

nice quote

[GreatOldOne]

everything has a cause and the universe is a thing so it has a cause and that cause is Jesus.

Is Jesus part of everything?