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Logic / Reason / Evidence
Don't you think Spock gets a bad rap for being logical? Don't let anyone tell you rationalism is bad! If you become very ill do you simply pray for a cure or see a doctor? Emotions have a place but they aren't helpful if you want to separate fact from fantasy. Being a 'seeker of truth' I attempt to strip away all assumptions & wishful thinking before forming an opinion & test my OWN beliefs to destruction if possible. Faith is NEVER enough. Why should it be? If you answer one of my questions without providing me with sound logic, reason or evidence you're gonna get a thumbs down. Especially 'hippy dippy' stuff which sounds profound until you ask the inevitable question: BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? So often one hears 'It's obvious' or 'because it must be' but IF this is true I need to know WHY! "I believe that only 2 things are infinite: the universe & human stupidity & I'm not sure about the universe' (Einstein)
SPOCK IS DEAD -would Spock be punished or rewarded in the afterlife for pointing out it is illogical to believe in God?
Because there's no independently verifiable evidence for any deity.
MY LAST EVER POST. GOODBYE. LIVE LONG & PROSPER.
7 AnswersReligion & Spirituality6 years agoThe problem with Christianity is identical with the one with Islam so how can either be believed?
Christians will tell you that the Bible tells us that 100s of people witnessed the risen Christ therefore we should believe it's true. However the Koran tells us that 100s of people witnessed Mohamed fly to paradise on a winged horse & therefore we can know the Koran is true - & it denies that Christ was the son of God. They can't both be right but they can both be wrong so why believe either claim on the basis that the others 100s of witness are not to be believed.
8 AnswersReligion & Spirituality6 years agoWhy did God harden Pharaoh's heart & to what specific end did he take this action?
Please give the full scenario historically & what result did God attain? Chapter & verse references would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
11 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoWould you take the challenge? Not the Ice Bucket one, the one God gave to Abraham - to gut your own kid?
This is how you do it: You tie your beloved down to a sacrificial alter, raise your dagger, shut your eyes & slam your dagger down over your child's throat as fast as possible.
Oh & what if an angel stepped in to restrain your arm & it turned out to be the angel who fell to earth: Satan? What then?
7 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoDid Jesus ever explicitly say humans are mortal beings? e.g. One day our hearts will cease to pump or we will take a last breath?
If he never said it explicitly, did God ever make this statement or a similar one? i.e.. Life on earth always ends?
7 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoDon't you think that a real metaphysical creator would provide independently verifiable evidence of it's existence for us?
Rather than demand faith when all FICTIONAL gods require faith to be believed as well? Only independently verifiable evidence could make a real god distinguishable from an imaginary one.
11 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoIs my definition of free will plausible or utter bunkum? Does it even exist anyway? Can you do better?
Free will is an ability of an agency to appreciate the impact it has on the world & / or itself & act (or cease acting) in a way which could change a situation (or leave it as it is) in some way which rightly or wrongly is judged to be desirable. Strictly speaking this ability may not be truly 'free' as such because at the deepest level of functionality what we call 'choice' is actually driven by brain chemistry & the physics of electrical impulses within a uniquely evolved brain BUT this is irrelevant whenever an agent (i.e. a sane adult rather than an immature or deluded individual) understands realistic connotations of an action & takes this action without being under duress e.g. a gun to the head. There may be levels of free will (very easy > very difficult) where ever genuine capability exceeds degree of adversity however it still exists because we are (usually) free to exert ourselves to any degree of effort if we understand that we can but often we don't because we believe we cannot. i.e. If you believe free will exists it does. If you don't it doesn't.
I know this is a contradiction the mind doesn't like but perhaps the universe is arranged in ways our minds cannot grasp. Or free will either does / doesn't actually exist in some form?
Q1. How do you define free will? (be very precise here -don't fall into the trap of just saying 'Doing what you want to do' -isn't everything that?)
Q2. Does it / can it really exist & how?
2 AnswersPhilosophy7 years agoIf there are 2 types of person, either 'A Person of Faith' OR 'of Doubt' how could either 1 discover is they're mistaken using each attitude?
i.e. The essential adherence to faith OR doubt in one's OWN judgements.
Could the person of faith discover the philosophy of faith is unjustified if it WAS unjustified?
Could the person of doubt discover the philosophy of doubting was unjustified if it actually WAS unjustified?
What does this essentially say about faith & doubt & HOW CAN YOU BE SURE?
5 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoHow can I become totally 'god free'?
i.e. Free of all gods?
16 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoAre there any well known quotes from the Koran which explain how you can know Allah through FAITH?
Please give chapter & verse details as well as the quote.
3 AnswersRamadan7 years agoTheists usually try to get atheists to believe in God & atheist usually try to encourage doubt. Are they more similar that they appreciate?
Never mind who's right & who's wrong, what is the underlying psychology inherent in BOTH parties? They are clearly both very 'driven'.
11 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoIf the existence of God is really SO obvious, why has even the Arch Bishop of Canterbury voicing doubts now?
He says he has doubts for many reasons & addresses God by starting off saying 'If you are really there...' Why would he do that if there really were good reasons to assume God is really there? I mean he is supposed to be the highest authority in the Protestant church & even HE has serious doubts! (Well Mother Teresa voiced similar doubts too towards the end of her life so major Catholics doubt too).
10 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years agoThe Pope told Stephen Hawking he should not examine the cause of the Big Bang. What short response should RH have given him in return?
I'm after a funny one liner not an expletive. Remember the Catholic Church was responsible for threatening Galileo with torture if he wouldn't retract his discovery that the earth goes around the sun not visa-versa as the Bible clearly states in numerous places.
4 AnswersReligion & Spirituality7 years ago