Former pastor: I don't think God exists

[PoppingTom]

Why cant there be a God? What harm is there in believing in God? Its what people do with their beliefs that is the problem.

But that's what every religion is about.

Religion is not "I believe in god", it is "I do especially this because I believe in God". If god doesn't exist, all things believers do in general seems to be stupid, and nobody wants to be called like that. It's easier to doubt the evidence regarding this.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Faith has nothing to do with science. Faith by its very nature is a belief in something that is unknown and cannot be proven. If there was evidence, no faith would be required.

Why is faith "required"? Faith, sir, is a vice, not a virtue. All faith is a form of wishful thinking. Wishful thinking is not always wrong, but it is always suspect, and you don't need to be a lawyer or a philosopher to see why.

 

[Que]

Why is faith "required"? Faith, sir, is a vice, not a virtue. All faith is a form of wishful thinking. Wishful thinking is not always wrong, but it is always suspect, and you don't need to be a lawyer or a philosopher to see why.

Faith is not "required" of anyone. It is a choice some people make.

When I said faith is not required in the case of something that can be proven it meant no such thing as I am sure you can read.

There is nothing about wishful thinking that is "always suspect." Why would that be? One can wish for likely or unlikely things.

Faith is a vice? Really? What an unenlightened point of view. That is a distinctly minority opinion, historically or on a current, world-wide basis.

Say. You lurk around hospitals I have a virtuous idea for you. Why don't you suggest to the hospital that they remove the non-denominational chapels and discourage the vice of clergy visits. Wishful thinking is so harmful and all.

 

[AZMotherLover]

Since there is no proof, why isn't their claims as equally extraordinary?

This is one of the dumbest things I've ever seen on the internet, and that's saying something.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Isaac Newton said his best days were nothing more than strolling along the beach that borders the great ocean of truth, and picking up a few shells that washed ashore.

Every atheist devoutly believes they are the great ocean of truth.

 

[unregistered]

 

[unregistered]

 

[PoppingTom]

Every atheist devoutly believes they are the great ocean of truth.

And every believer thinks God understands him.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

And every believer thinks God understands him.

Like I said, your team believes youre God.

 

[PoppingTom]

Like I said, your team believes youre God.

Well, to be honest, it feels much much better.

 

[Que]

Well, to be honest, it feels much much better.

Feelings of grandiosity always do. That is why people have them.

 

[PoppingTom]

Feelings of grandiosity always do.

It's not only grandiosity.

It's more.....independence!

 

[Curmudgeonly]

It's not only grandiosity.

It's more.....independence!

It doesn't get much more grandiose...than: being God...which was what you were saying. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

There is something to be said for owning your destiny...and your actions.

 

[FGB]

Atheist have faith and plenty of it and work it everyday.


They have faith that God doesn't exist despite millions of people over thousands of years testifying that God does exist.

How many millions have died and a goodly number under torture rather than deny God? All they had to do was denounce him.

Heck even St. Peter claimed he didn't know him under pressure... Three times.

Atheist certainly have faith in gravity else they cold not function.

 

[Kitty]

This type of shit isn't news to a true believer.

It's long been presaged that there will be false prophets

from within the church

who have ulterior motives.

Need not entertain the devil's lies, for the devil is a lie himself.


*yawns* Next.

 

[JawnKarTurr]

Why is this news? I mean one's spiritual path is there own to follow or not. Seems though the media loves when someone stops believing in god. When it changes their life for the better, well that isn't anything special.

 

[phrodeau]

Atheist have faith and plenty of it and work it everyday.


They have faith that God doesn't exist despite millions of people over thousands of years testifying that God does exist.

How many millions have died and a goodly number under torture rather than deny God? All they had to do was denounce him.

Heck even St. Peter claimed he didn't know him under pressure... Three times.

Atheist certainly have faith in gravity else they cold not function.

I don't need faith in the nonexistence of God to be an atheist. I just don't bother believing in God.

How about the Egyptian gods? Greek gods, Roman gods, Norse gods, and so on. People lived and died devoted to them and devout in their belief. They were all wrong, every one.

 

[PoppingTom]

There is something to be said for owning your destiny...and your actions.

And that's it.

For me, it's easier to believe in existing humanity than in a non-existent god, as I'm a part of it, my actions are related to them and their actions got an effect on me and my life.

If I can't talk to a human anymore, I really got a problem. If I really hate humanity, I begin to do inhuman things.

 

[PoppingTom]

How about the Egyptian gods? Greek gods, Roman gods, Norse gods, and so on. People lived and died devoted to them and devout in their belief. They were all wrong, every one.

Wrong in their belief? Or their religion ?

 

[phrodeau]

Wrong in their belief? Or their religion ?

Yes.

Romans thought the Jews were atheists, because they only believed in one god instead of a few dozen.

 

[PoppingTom]

Yes.

Well, don't get me wrong, but being wrong seems to have done a lot of good things.

 

[phrodeau]

Well, don't get me wrong, but being wrong seems to have done a lot of good things.

By what measure? Longevity? Quality of life? Justice? I think you'll find that there have been more advances in all of these areas in the last 80 years than there was in the prior 800.

 

[Kitty]

By what measure? Longevity? Quality of life? Justice? I think you'll find that there have been more advances in all of these areas in the last 80 years than there was in the prior 800.

I laughed. But if this wasn't a joke, I apologize.

 

[PoppingTom]

By what measure? Longevity? Quality of life? Justice? I think you'll find that there have been more advances in all of these areas in the last 80 years than there was in the prior 800.

What about survival, cultural influence, moral advance?

People were united by faith, not by not-faith. Some of the most impressive buildings and artworks are done out of faith and religion. Personal moral codices always are a thing of religions.

Atheism is just a counter movement to the overexaggerated bigotry in faith in the last millenium. Off course, it's no religion. I never heard of an atheist monastery. (But i know the term "neo-liberal monastery", and yes, liberalism is a religion....)

 

[FGB]

I know of no other God that interacts with their subjects.

I can see where some of mankind and might need signs and wonders to believe, I might well have been one of them too.

My problem is I did what was required and I have been shown signs and wonders to reinforce the Biblical teachings, some I asked for and some caught me totally off guard.

The trouble you have with Christians is the same as the Romans had.

We serve a LIVING GOD.