Atheist zealots a heavy cross to bear

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by terrazoids

Yeah but my cartoon image is actually what happened (they say...)

Its good if 'Father' Han helps other people, but the other stuff just wasting time. Its not far different than believing in an alien overlord. I mean Scientologists have these 'centers' where they claim they help other people too. Its actually just brainwashing.

And you can show that Christianity is not just brainwashing?

Please provide this evidence.

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by kennyc

This is delusional talk. To question something presupposes that it exists. There is no proof. Maybe's don't count without evidence, fact, logic to back them up. This is the real problem.

Thats just it. In this life we are not given definitive proof of anything. Even a scientist will tell you that scientific truths are only true based on how many times the experiment is repeatable. With God we are not given proof.. we are given choice. and you can infer from the fact that the universe has intelligence, and that it has choice.... that somethings up...

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by kennyc

This post is out of line. Please stop the ridicule and attacks. If you want to support your position, do it with facts, evidence and respect to others.

Don't be so grim.. . If I didn't know better I'd think you were a Christian Fundamentalist...

[TGS]

Originally Posted by kennyc

This post is out of line. Please stop the ridicule and attacks. If you want to support your position, do it with facts, evidence and respect to others.

I couldn't agree more, although in terrazoids' defence, (believe me, I feel as much like defending terrazoids as I feel like having my wisdom teeth out without anesthetic), it is no worse than the ridicule that which he holds to be important has been subjected. But then, on the other hand, let's forget the ecumenical egalitarian liberalism, terrazoids is talking crap.

[sweevo]

Originally Posted by terrazoids

No, its not my claim... its your culture's claim.

You have made a positive claim (claim of existence); the burden of proof is on you.

Recap:

Evidence any gods exist: zero.

Evidence the specific god you were taught to believe in exist: zero.

You don't know that this god exists - you merely believe it. Every single time you misrepresent your beliefs as facts, you are acting dishonestly

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by Graham

What are churches? What are Sunday Schools? How do you justify the time spent praying? How do you justify the time spent singing songs?

My answer to those questions would be that those institutions build a sense of community and the prayer gives time for reflection and gaining an understanding of the correct moral direction to take. The same is true of Buddhist practice and meditation.

Graham

Nonsense... Western Buddhism's just a recent fad. like new age stuff... crystal skull worship and the like.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by terrazoids

Nonsense... Western Buddhism's just a recent fad. like new age stuff... crystal skull worship and the like.

Weren't you just arguing that Christianity was taking hold in the East? Why is that not a fad?

Graham

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by TGS

I couldn't agree more, although in terrazoids' defence, (believe me, I feel as much like defending terrazoids as I feel like having my wisdom teeth out without anesthetic), it is no worse than the ridicule that which he holds to be important has been subjected. But then, on the other hand, let's forget the ecumenical egalitarian liberalism, terrazoids is talking crap.

anesthetic's pretty good for wisdom teeth you know...

I think if you really read carefully into what I'm saying, you'll find that its not crap. I'm not the one in this forum who claims to have the answers, and yet plenty of folks come up talking like they know all about the secrets of the universe. What total arrogance. Most of their knowledge is just hearsay and 'wiki' links from the internet. What does a person really know in this life?

[kennyc]

It is actually quite easy to understand how life originated. Given the vast timeframes involved. 13 Billion years. It's all but unfathomable to try and imagine that length of time. Seems I remember Carl Sagan providing a great example, but it's not coming to me at the moment...but regardless....given the physical laws of the universe (gravity, atomic properties, chemical reactions resulting from them) it is actually quite easy to understand how stars and planets formed, how atoms, molecules and chemical substances came to be based on simple physical properties. Given the vast time-frames involved it is all but inevitable that these atoms, these molecules formed and arranged themselves into larger structures, crystals, strings, cells. It requires nothing more than physical laws of the universe and time and there is plenty of both.

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by Graham

Weren't you just arguing that Christianity was taking hold in the East? Why is that not a fad?

Graham

Because its real... And warriors from Atlantis hiding in Crystal skulls... aint.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by terrazoids

Nonsense... Western Buddhism's just a recent fad. like new age stuff... crystal skull worship and the like.

I had a Christian upbringing and attended a Christian school, but I never had any faith in the religion - it's never meant anything to me.
I've a limited knowledge of Bhuddhism, but I've found it infinitely more profound, wise and compassionate than anything I've experienced in a Christian context (and that would include this thread ).
Bhuddhist teaching enriches what Christianity diminshes imho.

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by kennyc

It is actually quite easy to understand how life originated. Given the vast timeframes involved. 13 Billion years. It's all but unfathomable to try and imagine that length of time. Seems I remember Carl Sagan providing a great example, but it's not coming to me at the moment...but regardless....given the physical laws of the universe (gravity, atomic properties, chemical reactions resulting from them) it is actually quite easy to understand how stars and planets formed, how atoms, molecules and chemical substances came to be based on simple physical properties. Given the vast time-frames involved it is all but inevitable that these atoms, these molecules formed and arranged themselves into larger structures, crystals, strings, cells. It requires nothing more than physical laws of the universe and time and there is plenty of both.

Ah yes... quite easy to understand... my what a big brain you have. I hope your souls as big..

[terrazoids]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I had a Christian upbringing and attended a Christian school, but I never had any faith in the religion - it's never meant anything to me.
I've a limited knowledge of Bhuddhism, but I've found it infinitely more profound, wise and compassionate than anything I've experienced in a Christian context (and that would include this thread ).
Bhuddhist teaching enriches what Christianity diminshes imho.

Its great you had a good upbringing. By all means... explore Buddhism...

[Bittybye]

Just to add my 2 cents in both religious people and atheists are foolish. Blind faith in in either case is foolish.
For religion, either god has a sick sense of humor or just doesn't care about his/her/their children anymore. Any thing(one) that allows people to use his name as a hammer to beat others down or justify murder is not something I would worship.
For atheists, how could you possibly know if something/one as powerful as a god/goddess/gods exist? Science can't measure a lot of things, what makes you think you could measure the divine.

[sweevo]

Originally Posted by terrazoids

Because its real

You forgot to provide evidence for your claim.

Recap:

Evidence any gods exist: zero.

Evidence the specific god you were taught to believe in exists: zero.

You don't know that this god exists - you merely believe it. Every single time you misrepresent your beliefs as facts, you are acting dishonestly