Civil Discussion About Religion

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Actually you are not arguing what is "most likely the truth". You are arguing what is "most likely your opinion". Because what is most likely the truth is that there is a higher being of some sort, and science proves that. Like I said before, science goes as far back as it can, then scientists say that something had to have started it all. Everything has a beginning, everything, the only thing (in theory) that doesn't, is a "devine" being. Also, ask a doctor how the human body was made, and he / she will say it's too complex to be by accident. Does this prove the existance of God? Not definitively, no. But it certainly would lean more towards the truth being that there is a God, not that there isn't.
If you want to feel that everything that happened to us and everything around you is just one giant coincidence, that's your choice.

Science proves that there's a divine being? Please provide a link.

Doctors say life is too complex to be made by accident? Please provide a link.

I don't believe a word you're telling me. It makes it very difficult to have a serious debate when someone just makes things up.

If you can substantiate it, then I'll continue this discussion. If you can't, well then you've wasted enough of my time already.

[htownskinfan]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Blah blah blah. Religion is simply something manifested by the human mind to provide comfort and solace when dealing with the unknown. Religion helps give humans the feeling that there is rhyme or reason to the world we live in. Religion provides the sense that there is a purpose to life: to live a good life and get into heaven. It provides comfort regarding the unknowns which humans face, like what happens to me when I die? Do I live on, or is the show over? Religion comforts humans; the presence of a higher power must surely mean that I'm in good hands, even when I'm entering the unknown: death.

People believe it because deep down they don't want to face the alternative: that when you die you go nowhere, your life is simply over. And that your life was not part of some grand scheme; you simply lived and died.

Those alternatives are scary, but they're the truth. Religion is just a crutch humans use to go about their daily lives in false comfort.

I couldnt disagree more,I think most people would be pretty damn happy if they didnt belive in a heaven or hell then they wouldnt have to worry about their actions on earth.It would make me happy as hell to know that once life ended that was it.
I've been going to church all my life but i wouldnt call myself a christian,been more or less forced to go by mom then married a christian and go occasionally for her sake.I feel like I'm a good person bit i'm afraid to die for fear of going to hell because of not doing everything the bible says or for not feeling the holy spirit like my wife and her fellow christians.
truth is I dont know what to believe anymore,I still pray almost everyday and ask God to protect my loved ones and so on,but then i think if there is a God he knows I'm full of shit and that i dont know whether I believe in him or not so the praying is probably for naught{but I'm still going to do it}
But getting back to the original point,it would make me happy to know that when you die that was it,but since we dont know I'm glad people believe in God because I think if they didnt this world would be a lot more fcked up then it is

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by htownskinfan

I couldnt disagree more,I think most people would be pretty damn happy if they didnt belive in a heaven or hell then they wouldnt have to worry about their actions on earth.It would make me happy as hell to know that once life ended that was it.
I've been going to church all my life but i wouldnt call myself a christian,been more or less forced to go by mom then married a christian and go occasionally for her sake.I feel like I'm a good person bit i'm afraid to die for fear of going to hell because of not doing everything the bible says or for not feeling the holy spirit like my wife and her fellow christians.
truth is I dont know what to believe anymore,I still pray almost everyday and ask God to protect my loved ones and so on,but then i think if there is a God he knows I'm full of shit and that i dont know whether I believe in him or not so the praying is probably for naught{but I'm still going to do it}
But getting back to the original point,it would make me happy to know that when you die that was it,but since we dont know I'm glad people believe in God because I think if they didnt this world would be a lot more fcked up then it is

I wouldn't call you religious, you have too many doubts about God's existence, heaven, hell, all that stuff. You are simply afraid of what might happen to you if it turns out there actually is a God.

Also, based on how fearful you are of God, I'm guessing you are either Catholic or Episcopalean?

[htownskinfan]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I wouldn't call you religious, you have too many doubts about God's existence, heaven, hell, all that stuff. You are simply afraid of what might happen to you if it turns out there actually is a God.

Also, based on how fearful you are of God, I'm guessing you are either Catholic or Episcopalean?

haha! I wish i believed in the catholic religion because from what i understand someone like me would go to purgatory and other people could pray you into heaven and i've got a lot of people praying for me!lol
I might be wrong on that but thats what i heard
I was raised in the church of the nazerene,I guess i would call myself a protestant
oh,and I'm not afraid of God,I'm afraid of not meeting him!!!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by htownskinfan

oh,and I'm not afraid of God,I'm afraid of not meeting him!!!

You'll meet him, everyone will on judgement day. Hopefully Grace will save you like everyone else. So will God save Cowboys fans? Cause I can't stand the thought of having those guys around for eternity!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by htownskinfan

I couldnt disagree more,I think most people would be pretty damn happy if they didnt belive in a heaven or hell then they wouldnt have to worry about their actions on earth.It would make me happy as hell to know that once life ended that was it.
I've been going to church all my life but i wouldnt call myself a christian,been more or less forced to go by mom then married a christian and go occasionally for her sake.I feel like I'm a good person bit i'm afraid to die for fear of going to hell because of not doing everything the bible says or for not feeling the holy spirit like my wife and her fellow christians.
truth is I dont know what to believe anymore,I still pray almost everyday and ask God to protect my loved ones and so on,but then i think if there is a God he knows I'm full of shit and that i dont know whether I believe in him or not so the praying is probably for naught{but I'm still going to do it}
But getting back to the original point,it would make me happy to know that when you die that was it,but since we dont know I'm glad people believe in God because I think if they didnt this world would be a lot more fcked up then it is

I agree...if everyone knew that there were no repercussions for their actions, chaos would apply. I truely feel that everyone would be 100% out for themselves. I shouldn't say everyone, some would still have their own sense of right and wrong, but a lot would test the police.

If you pray to God, you do beleive in Him. Sure you have questions and doubt, but most everyone does. I don't pray to Mary, because I do not beleive her to be devine, or even there to listen. To me, she's just a dead person...a popular person in history, but a person none the less. I don't pray to her because I have absolutely no beleif in her...if I did, then I would. (this is in no way a slur on Catholics, just making a point). So obviously you do beleive in God somewhat. I would wager you just have difficulty understanding what MAN has taught you to this point. Even a little misguided because the bible can be overwhelming to understand.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

I am not scared of death. In fact, I look forward to it, in a way, because I am SO curious -- and completely fed up with the world.

I once read that humans are best at destruction. That seems pretty accurate to me. With that in mind, I don't see any positive outcome to the human race, and civilization at large.

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

I am not scared of death. In fact, I look forward to it, in a way, because I am SO curious -- and completely fed up with the world.

I once read that humans are best at destruction. That seems pretty accurate to me. With that in mind, I don't see any positive outcome to the human race, and civilization at large.

I recommend the movie "The Fountain" to you...

It's directed by the same guy that did "Requium for a dream", so it's kinda trippy, but interesting.

It talks alot about how humans try and treat death like it's a disease. Finding a cure for this and that, but in the end we can't escape our fate.

It's not a bad movie, but some people don't have the patience for it. I think about half the theatre walked out cause they didn't know what was going on when I saw it.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I recommend the movie "The Fountain" to you...

It's directed by the same guy that did "Requium for a dream", so it's kinda trippy, but interesting.

It talks alot about how humans try and treat death like it's a disease. Finding a cure for this and that, but in the end we can't escape our fate.

It's not a bad movie, but some people don't have the patience for it. I think about half the theatre walked out cause they didn't know what was going on when I saw it.

I'm pretty bad when it comes to movies. There are SO many classics that I haven't seen, and many more that I have and can't remember. It kinda sucks, but I get a kick out of it. My cousin, and old roommate, is a pretty big movie buff and he would always refer to movies in conversation and I could never relate. He would get so frustrated.

Anyways, everyone always tells me about a movie I should see and I basically say, "Oh, I might have seen it already -- I don't know -- but I'll check it out." However, I never actually DO watch the movie because I really only watch movies based on circumstance -- and not desire. I have a DVD from a co-worker which I've had for about 8 months. He wanted me to watch it, but I could never commit. Then he told me to just keep it.

I don't know what it is. There are many movies that I LOVE, but I just don't focus on watching movies much. In a way I'm somewhat disappointed in myself, because movies are a HUGE part of modern history and culture.

Sorry for the long and stupid post. I gotta good buzz right now. Why else would I post at 3 am?

[mooby]

I'm a nonbeliever. My mother is a Scientologist and my dad is a Christian, although he doesn't go to church. I was raised around Scientology in my younger years, but I grew out of it, because it wasn't helping me make my life any better. I'm still not sure of whether or not God exists, simply because if he does exist, why does he just sit around and watch all the time instead of helping people. If people think, hey i just saw a sign from God that showed me to believe in him, how do they just know it wasn't some random occurence? Religion is too deep for me, and I do think organized religion is just a money-making industry. If a person chooses to believe in God, that's their choice, if believing in God makes them a better person, so be it. But it's not my choice.

[dmek25]

to say that you have NEVER lost in roulette, either you have only played a handful of times, or are full of it. because sooner or later, its always about the money

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by dmek25

to say that you have NEVER lost in roulette, either you have only played a handful of times, or are full of it. because sooner or later, its always about the money

If you read my entire post, you will see that I say you will lose if you stay too long. I have lost small battles, but have always won the war...in other words, I have always walked away from my time at playing (sometimes a 4 or 5 times a day, for 5 straight days) with money in my pocket. Does that help you understand what I meant?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

If you read my entire post, you will see that I say you will lose if you stay too long. I have lost small battles, but have always won the war...in other words, I have always walked away from my time at playing (sometimes a 4 or 5 times a day, for 5 straight days) with money in my pocket. Does that help you understand what I meant?

No. It actually makes no mathematical sense. The more you play, the more you lose. It's a basic law of averages.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

No. It actually makes no mathematical sense. The more you play, the more you lose. It's a basic law of averages.

Do me a favor, and just try my basic thoughts (that I posted in a previous post) on that website. Let me know how much you win.
If you lost, you either didn't follow what I said, or didn't understand my instructions.

[saden1]

Losing in the context of gambling is not equivalent to losing 1 single game. Losing is simply a matter of coming out with less money than you went in with. Like with everything else in life you can mitigate risk. I mean, If you drink too much you're chance of liver/kidney problems are higher. The less you do anything the more you stand a chance of coming out on top. jsarno has said he only plays for 5 min which mitigates the chance of losing tremendously. Take a look at the game of poker. That game requires discipline, patience and the ability to know when to quit.

In the long run though you will lose...everyone loses.