Civil Discussion About Religion

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Maybe so, but what is the harm in that?
Do you tell your kids that life sucks? Or do you tell them they are special and they can acheive anything they set their mind to, and guard them from violent images on TV etc?

Well first off, we're not discussion what we tell our kids, we're discussing what adults believe. But no, there is no harm in having faith in something if it makes you feel better (provided you're not organizing against other faiths).

I'm not arguing whether religion makes you feel better. It certainly does. I'm just arguing what is most likely the truth: there is no God. People just believe in him to feel better about their mortality, and all else that they cannot explain.

I do the same thing as GManc. When my grandmom died I tried to think of her as living on in heaven. Or at least living on in my heart and in my memories. Did I believe it was the truth? Hell no. But I told myself that, and it got me through a rough time.

And if religion can do that for you, even if it's bunk, then it's a well-guided thing.

Like I said, I don't think Jesus was the son of God, or even that God exists. But nevertheless, the stories and lessons in the Bible are a great way to live your life. Whether you believe or not, that's not the point. It's a great example, fact or fiction.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Well first off, we're not discussion what we tell our kids, we're discussing what adults believe. But no, there is no harm in having faith in something if it makes you feel better (provided you're not organizing against other faiths).

You made a comment, I responded with a valid arguement, so while we here are not discussing what we tell our kids, it was used as an argument to help you understand my point.

I'm not arguing whether religion makes you feel better. It certainly does. I'm just arguing what is most likely the truth: there is no God. People just believe in him to feel better about their mortality, and all else that they cannot explain.

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. I will just never understand why someone would willingly choose a path that would never ever give them a chance of a positive effect, when the other path at the very least has a 50/50 shot of bringing them a positive effect. It's playing the odds...it's like you flipping a coin and choosing sofa instead of heads or tails. At least I take a shot at heads or tails. Could I be wrong? Yes. But I still have a shot...when you bet sofa, you won't / can't win.

I do the same thing as GManc. When my grandmom died I tried to think of her as living on in heaven. Or at least living on in my heart and in my memories. Did I believe it was the truth? Hell no. But I told myself that, and it got me through a rough time.

If you truly don't beleive in it, then why lie to yourself? Or does your subconscious beleive, it's just your conscious that refuses to let it due to something that happened to you as a youngster. (I realize that sounds rude, and I assure you that is not my intent)

[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.