Do you believe in god?

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

but what could be more ridiculous than believing that all the matter in the universe was created in its current form in six days

Believing that nothing exploded and created everything?

hmm... so nobody's gonna try and answer any of my questions?

Didn't see them before, but I'll get on it right now.

As far as I remember, the bible does not mention dinosaurs because people had not yet discovered their fossils at the time when the bible was written. When certain religious people were asked about the fossils we've found and the lack of them ever being mentioned, the response was that the fossils were put here by God to test our faith.

Yeah, we call those certain religious people ignorant tools.  The Bible does mention dinosaurs, though:

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.  Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.  He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.  His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.

Sounds like one of these guys:

For instance... I was told as a young child that God created each and every one of us. We are all his children. He made everything, which includes every human ever to live. He loves all of his children, and he made us the way we are... BUT... then I was told that homosexuals are bad. "God hates slags." Well if God hates slags, why did he create them? If homosexuality is evil, why allow it in the first place? And why should we be punished for something beyond our control? If god made you the way you are, then homosexuality is not a choice, and it's not your fault if you are a homosexual. At the same time, if it is a choice, then he gave you that choice. Why should you be punished based on which one you choose? Why even give the choice in the first place?

I'll answer the second question first.  We're given the choice between good and evil because God wants us to choose to do the right thing, rather than being forced to.  Let's say you win in some sort of competition.  Which means more, someone saying "good job" because they have to, or someone who honestly believes that you did a good job and is happy for you? The second one, of course.  There's no joy in congratulations if they aren't genuine.  In the same way, there's no significance in being good if you're only good because there's no other option.

So why are people born homosexuals? Well, that's like asking why people are born with autism or hemophilia.  It's just something that happens.  Why punish homosexuals for acting in a homosexual manner? Because anything that contradicts God's plan for marriage and sexual relationships is a sin.  It's just as much a sin for two guys to get together as it is for me to look lustfully at a woman.  I'm wired to be attracted to women.  I can't change that.  However, I can choose to not think unclean thoughts, or engage in premarital or extramarital sex.  Despite the fact that those things are "straight" and "natural", they're just as much sins as homosexual relationships.

If god exists, and he wants us to believe in him, why doesn't he show himself?

Because God showing himself is one step away from forcing us to believe in him.  Sure, it sounds like an easy way out ("God can't show himself because then you'd believe in him" <- what?), but it's logical, right? If you saw God, then you'd really have no choice but to accept his authority and do what he says, which completely nullifies the purpose of free will.

Date Posted: August 07, 2008, 10:01:47 am

It's not like evolution is just some believe. It's a scientific theory which is broadly used. You can not only use it for animal breeding and predicting how environment will evolve over years, it's even used in computer science (genetic algorithms).

You can even observe it yourself in nature. People for instance noticed that a bacteria specie has evolved on dumps of synthetic factories which was able to live on synthetic material where their predecessors were not able to survive.

Also it just happens to contradict genesis. It's not like atheists made this up to upset religious people.

Adaptation as we observe it doesn't contradict Genesis in any way.  The assumption that adaptation has been going on for millions of years does.

[nub]

It does because genesis says that god created everything as it is now just by the power of his word. He said and it was.

[Rook_PL]

Hah, dudes, why are you trying to convince each other to his belief or disbelief in god? Are you, believers, afraid of our souls? And you, atheists, are you worried of their wasted time and futile trouble?

[nub]

I guess people argue because they try to find out the truth or how much the truth of someone else sucks.

[Dascoo]

PRETTY DEEP DISCUSSIONS GOING ON HERE

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

Are you, believers, afraid of our souls?

Yes.

And I don't think that anyone's trying to convince anyone of anything.  We're just saying what we believe and why we think it's the best choice.

[Demonic]

Hope this helps...

Yup, you did miss the point completely. Care to try again?

[Flamingo]

all god discussions are about atheists acting cool because they are atheists

[Mittsu]

all god discussions are about atheists acting cool because they are atheists

you are wrong

[excruciator]

So in your mind God(in the sense that he made you, is all powerful, ect.) is only God if he conforms to your standards? You don't see that as a twisted/retarded outlook on it?

No I don't believe he made me. I don't believe that our existence as anything to do with God. But this world is filled with wonders, and perhaps a superior being does exist.
But until he show up, I wouldn't rely on him for anything. Let alone believing him.

Is your only problem with the existence of a God the fact that such a being would have to defy human description and comprehension by definition? If so, what possible justification do you have for saying "Things I can't comprehend can't exist"?

We all here are able to make up some "things I can't comprehend".

Well, this arguement is certainly harder to counter. Church did evolve nicely, instead of telling people how thing it is and telling them "thats just the way it is, and don't question it", nowdays they are pulling "you can't understand it".

Nice example. But that is exactly it! If you can't recreate what you've seen, how do we know you've seen it at all? Just those people who claimed to have achieved "cold fusion", but they can't reproduce the results! I can't deny that they didn't do it, but people wouldn't really wait for them to build a fusion reactor would they?

Leonidas

what are the limits of science excructiator?

We wouldn't know would we? until then, I am going to assume, none.

I don't think we came from comets... Is that even part of evolution?

As for the Bible, well Abraham was probably so bored that he hallucinated this God being. There was nothing to do at that time really, at least from today's prospective.
I don't see any "visionary" popping out of todays world, at least since the invention of cubicles.

I wouldn't believe the 1000 handed stories that were told in here. We don't even accept second hand evidence anymore. let alone 1000th handed ones.

EDIT: Wow lawgamer, after seeing you handling Magus' question like pro, you could be the next prophet. You are answering questions for God itself? that seems awfully out of place, perhaps a nice bolt of electricity would do it.. Ohh wait... That is science now, thunders no longer comes from the heavens...

Seriously, if you really believed that God is incomprehensible, then you wouldn't be able to answer those questions in the first place.

Unless...YOU ARE GOD!

[Dascoo]

If there is no god, how come Banana's are perfectly shaped to fit in ones hand, and perfectly fit to fit in ones mouth?

[mxyzptlk]

I was planning on not responding. I really wanted to not get heated into a discussion.

I have a theory that has had me called insane and a crackpot.
Quite simply, the earth was terraformed by nano-bots.
Alright, it's not simple at all. Basically, though, my theory is that an extraterrestrial race saw the earth as a barren and lifeless rock, and attempted to breath life into it. Mars was a failed attempt at this. This time, though, they managed to cause the first violent upstarts of life on this planet. proteins, Bacteria, then as the planet evolved, the forms of life evolved as well, into lifeforms that lived in extreme environments, eventually into lizards and dinosaurs as the planetary climate relatively settled down.

I admit it's rather far-fetched, but prove me wrong.

[The Geologist]

Yeah, we call those certain religious people ignorant tools.  The Bible does mention dinosaurs, though:

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.  Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.  He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.  His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.

Sounds like one of these guys:

Ha..ahhaahahahhah!

[nub]

Yup, you did miss the point completely. Care to try again?

Yea I guess I missed the point about god being transcendent and what not. Ah and love, how could I forget about it? But I still wonder why I need a god to be able to love anyone else.

[Demonic]

I whole heartedly suggest you read Paul's letters. You know, just sit down, make some tea or coffee, whatever. It'll explain stuff better than I can.

[LtKillroy]

I whole heartedly suggest you read Paul's letters. You know, just sit down, make some tea or coffee, whatever. It'll explain stuff better than I can.

Disclaimer on Paul's letters, I highly suggest you get some kind of study Bible if you are actually going to do this because it can be extremely confusing. Also read Acts.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

(description of a dinosaur, followed by the image of a dinosaur)

Ha..ahhaahahahhah!

Well, what does the description sound like to you? What other animal has a tail that "moves like a cedar"? The chapter goes on to say that the behemoth can drink a whole river and calls it the "chief of the ways of God."  Whatever this thing is is big.

[nub]

I whole heartedly suggest you read Paul's letters. You know, just sit down, make some tea or coffee, whatever. It'll explain stuff better than I can.

No thanks, I prefer Tolstoy.

[Flamingo]

Hope this helps...

Hope this helps...

[nub]

You should look up atheism in the dictionary.