Faith & why you shouldn't have it

[jerich]

2 - Faith is a belief, despite lack of evidence.

Like I said, with regards to the most important questions in the world, faith is empty and meaningless.

How you believe that there isn't a superior being, is just as much as how religious people believe that there is one. There is not enough evidence to prove whether there is or isn't a god. Thus, you have as much faith that there isn't a god as someone who does. With that being said, your faith is just as empty as theirs. Everyone has faith, whether or not you want to show it.

[Smegma]

When it is genuinely and undeniably self-evident.

Really?!

Yes, I know, but when is that?!

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

How you believe that there isn't a superior being, is just as much as how religious people believe that there is one. There is not enough evidence to prove whether there is or isn't a god. Thus, you have as much faith that there isn't a god as someone who does. With that being said, your faith is just as empty as theirs. Everyone has faith, whether or not you want to show it.

Eh...I wouldn't say that.  It's not faith to say "I haven't seen sufficient evidence to confirm that."  But the flip side of that is that most Christians HAVE seen enough evidence of God to confirm his existence, so arguably, it's not faith for us to believe in God (using Mangled's definition, of course).

[nub]

Can't have faith?  I feel sorry for ya.

That's like saying "Never had heroin? I feel sorry...."

[LtKillroy]

My personal faith has gotten me though some rough spots, far more so for others. Which is more that can be said for science in my experience. Faith has helped great numbers of people through many, many things. Science is also good for man. But why should we not have faith? Makes no sense to me. Doesn't hurt anyone, helps a lot. (Go ahead, site the crusades, the inquisition, etc. but I know you know deep down that they were selfish things using religion as a banner. Faith didn't do that, people did)

[nub]

Faith didn't do that, people did)

People with faith did it.

[Flamingo]

Faith didn't do that, people did)

People with faith did it.

People without faith also did.

[nub]

There were faithless Atheists among the crusaders and inquisitors?

[Blue-ninja]

*Blue-ninja changes topic to 10,000 atheists rioted after a blank paper was found on a cartoonist's desk.

[nub]

How about real headlines?

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2224553,00.html

[Graham]

Faith is a tool used by people to trick lesser minded people into doing their dirty work.

Taking a gun from a killer doesn't stop him from going on another rampage.

[nub]

A rampage without a gun would be less fatal.

[Graham]

And how do you know that? We got along killing each other just fine before gunpowder was invented

And also that wasn't the point, if you thought it was you are just as retarded as our buddy mangled here.

[nub]

And how do you know that? We got along killing each other just fine before gunpowder was invented

Experience.
See, there are only 2 people with no guns in the top 50:
http://www.spreekillers.org/

And also that wasn't the point, if you thought it was you are just as retarded as our buddy mangled here.

Maybe you lack the ability to express yourself clearly, so that others can't actually get your points.

[The Geologist]

Can't have faith?  I feel sorry for ya.

That's like saying "Never had heroin? I feel sorry...."

No, it's not.  And that's probably one of the most foolish chains of thought I've heard of.

I think the problem here is separating the faith of religious base from faith based in previous action.

[Smegma]

Maybe you lack the ability to express yourself clearly, so that others can't actually get your points.

Maybe you lack the ability to understand the points.

[a-4-year-old]

And how do you know that? We got along killing each other just fine before gunpowder was invented

Experience.
See, there are only 2 people with no guns in the top 50:
http://www.spreekillers.org/

Do you not know how to add?
27     13     Zhongmin Guo      02-18-2003     Huludao, China     Knife
32     10     Walter Seifert      06-12-1964     Colonge, Germany     Flame thrower and lance
34    10    Qiu Xinghua    07-14-2006    Ankang, China    Axe
35     10     Danilo Guades      06-02-2007     Calbayog City, Philippines     Bolo knife and club
48    8    Mamoru Takuma    06-08-2001    Osaka Prefecture, Japan    Kitchen knife

Those aren't even the most potentially deadly non-firearms

[tehsnipah]

A rampage without a gun would be less fatal.

...... This is a reason why long time ago, people created a weapon called crossbow/bow, so it can still kill people from distance, and it is as dangerous as a gun, except the range is shorter and power is a little weaker.

[frogboy]

*Blue-ninja changes topic to 10,000 atheists rioted after a blank paper was found on a cartoonist's desk.

for fucks sake, the only semblance of humour that you have is bash quotes which everyone has seen millions of times before. stop posting, or at the very least, stop with the bash quotes.

[nub]

And how do you know that? We got along killing each other just fine before gunpowder was invented

Experience.
See, there are only 2 people with no guns in the top 50:
http://www.spreekillers.org/

Do you not know how to add?
27     13     Zhongmin Guo      02-18-2003     Huludao, China     Knife
32     10     Walter Seifert      06-12-1964     Colonge, Germany     Flame thrower and lance
34    10    Qiu Xinghua    07-14-2006    Ankang, China    Axe
35     10     Danilo Guades      06-02-2007     Calbayog City, Philippines     Bolo knife and club
48    8    Mamoru Takuma    06-08-2001    Osaka Prefecture, Japan    Kitchen knife

Those aren't even the most potentially deadly non-firearms

Uh ok, so I missed 2 (just had a quick look at the list andI wouldn't count that guy with a flamethrower, since he rampaged a school and it's very easy to kill masses of people with a flamethrower, especially if they are children and it's very easy to burn a child to death.)

However this topic isn't about firearms.
If people stop relying on faith and start using their brain, it is less likely they can be instrumentalized for killing others. Like the people who followed Hitler for instance. They weren't using their own brain, got excited by his speeches and fell into the old anti-Semitism which was very common among Christians  at that time and the centuries before (Jews are said to be murderers of Jesus). Hitler didn't need to spread his own ideologies much. He could also refer to such respected men as Martin Luther, the founder of the protestant church, who was an anti-Semite (Luther was criticized by people but still preferred to spread anti-Semitism).