[Macfury]

This question assumes that there is some purpose, and that we simply need to find it. I much prefer to start with the null hypothesis, that there is no purpose to existence, as this leaves us free to create whatever purpose and meaning we want out of our existence.

...as long as we don't listen to our high school guidance counselors!

 

[Macfury]

Your belief that a supernatural entity created the earth a few thousand years ago is easily falsified by empirical evidence.

bryanc: you won't get anywhere with that line of reasoning. You'll get told that the speed of light was--at one point--different from what it is today, or that dinosaur bones were created with all of the attributes of an object millions of years old to test you.

...Indeed, postulating supernatural causes is essentially admitting defeat with respect to developing a meaningful understanding of the universe.

It isn't admitting defeat if it happens to be true. It also assumes that science will be able to collect enough data to "understand the meaning of the universe." At one point, everybody--those who believe in God and those who don't--may find themselves in a position where no additional useful information exists.

 

[Macfury]

I want a link that shows a legitimate and recognized study proving empirically that religion is an infection that alters the mind.

They may be confusing it with liberalism.

 

[Macfury]

... my distaste is strictly for the religion, and not for the religious).

See, he hates the sin, not the sinner...

 

[Macfury]

Even gambling has a rational structure to the actions and results.

Like the guy who is afraid to miss a lotto purchase, but will run through a lightning storm to buy the ticket?

 

[Macfury]

zoziw: bryanc will want to filter out the religious aspects of what your church offers, then distill the benefits into a super-concentrated atheist formula.

 

[Macfury]

They put their faith in God and prayed for a number. God gave them $349900. The price was $344000.

They would have accidentally set fire to the house, killing themselves. Their lives were spared in this fashion.

 

[Macfury]

I always laugh at the idea that we are "developing as a species." Thin veneer and all that, then canines at the ready.

 

[Macfury]

Made in His image, your humanity would be a reflection of God's nature, not the reverse.

Sometimes I wonder if we got God wrong but humanizing Him/Her too much. If God were considered to be a force like magnetism or electricity or gravity, He/She might be more believable even though just as tricky to grasp. It's all the human qualities that we ascribe to God that make Him/Her unbelievable to me. I can buy a world that came into existence through evolution as opposed to a Supreme Being who plays favourites.

 

[Macfury]

If you believe men created God, then I guess he doesn't exist for you.

 

[Macfury]

Oh all-seeing, all-knowing Freddie — you're respondiing to a SPAM account.

 

[Macfury]

I think if we regarded ourselves as gods we might become more and more narcissistic. People find all sorts of reasons to do horrible things, them thinking they are gods will not somehow give them idealistic notions of being good.

But it certainly inspires excessive preening in people like Freddie.

 

[Macfury]

They will respect themselves because Freddie has convinced that they are gods? Srtick with Trump and MacFury--we can craft a better plan than that!

 

[Macfury]

Freddie, your modus is to allow the discussion to go on until your tissue-thin arguments dissolve — then you say you're "bored" and leave.

You and "Facebook Spy" seemed to be having a rollicking discussion, so I suggest taking it up there — a couple of gods shooting the breeze!

 

[Macfury]

From time to time there's an interesting post. Doesn't mean I engage with everyone on every topic.

So why do you even join a thread when you have nothing to contribute? The question is Does God Exist? I guess for you He doesn’t. And that’s fine. But at least try to stay on topic.