[quote]pookie wrote:
bald eagle wrote:
You have to wonder if there is a God - don’t you???
Of course.
Just as most have probably wondered about the reality of ghosts, psychics powers, telepathy, remote viewing, astrology, etc.
At some point, you accept or refuse to accept each of those things based on (hopefully) evidence; or on personal feelings and belief.
As for God, I feel that there are more indications of there being no God than there are that one actually exists. The problem of evil is particularly hard to reconcile with the typical image of an all-loving God. While it’s not the only thing that has me seriously doubting his existence, it’s probably the most damning.
[/quote]
The problem of evil…I had a feeling that was the big problem for you…Don’t misunderstand, It challenges my belief at times as well. When bad thing happen, particularly to kids (and guinea pigs) it really bothers me.
[quote]pat wrote:
pookie wrote:
bald eagle wrote:
You have to wonder if there is a God - don’t you???
Of course.
Just as most have probably wondered about the reality of ghosts, psychics powers, telepathy, remote viewing, astrology, etc.
At some point, you accept or refuse to accept each of those things based on (hopefully) evidence; or on personal feelings and belief.
As for God, I feel that there are more indications of there being no God than there are that one actually exists. The problem of evil is particularly hard to reconcile with the typical image of an all-loving God. While it’s not the only thing that has me seriously doubting his existence, it’s probably the most damning.
The problem of evil…I had a feeling that was the big problem for you…Don’t misunderstand, It challenges my belief at times as well. When bad thing happen, particularly to kids (and guinea pigs) it really bothers me.[/quote]
Hey pookie,
As far as evile in this world is concerned that is a rather lengthy discussion. Once you have come to the conclusion that there must be a Creator of this universe then it is not so hard to accept the rest of the Bible. One thing I know for sure is that we will never fully understand God. As I said before it is rather mind blowing to think that God has always been. However, evolution and all the random things that would have to happen out of nothing is just too implausible. There are too many things that are down to the nats rear end for it to have just happened by chance.
I am glad to discuss anything you wish if for no other reason than being curious why people believe the way I do.
Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic or critically as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life; nor perhaps to human affairs.
“a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion and even a stronger disinclination to care about other people’s”. [2]
this pretty much sums up my feelings towards almost anything that doesn’t effect me personally. I’ve read a lot about it, seen a lot of struggle and meaningless arguing, and finally realized I don’t care at all.
[quote]actionjeff wrote:
Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic or critically as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life; nor perhaps to human affairs.
“a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion and even a stronger disinclination to care about other people’s”. [2]
this pretty much sums up my feelings towards almost anything that doesn’t effect me personally. I’ve read a lot about it, seen a lot of struggle and meaningless arguing, and finally realized I don’t care at all. [/quote]
[quote]actionjeff wrote:
Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic or critically as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life; nor perhaps to human affairs.
“a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion and even a stronger disinclination to care about other people’s”. [2]
this pretty much sums up my feelings towards almost anything that doesn’t effect me personally. I’ve read a lot about it, seen a lot of struggle and meaningless arguing, and finally realized I don’t care at all. [/quote]
Sounds like you have put an awful lot of thought and effort into something you don’t care about.
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
[quote]pat wrote:
actionjeff wrote:
wikipedia: Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic or critically as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life; nor perhaps to human affairs.
“a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion and even a stronger disinclination to care about other people’s”. [2]
this pretty much sums up my feelings towards almost anything that doesn’t effect me personally. I’ve read a lot about it, seen a lot of struggle and meaningless arguing, and finally realized I don’t care at all.
Sounds like you have put an awful lot of thought and effort into something you don’t care about.
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
[/quote]
that’s a quote from wikipedia.
I was interested in the religious question and for a Iong time was strictly non-believing in a god in the traditional sense. But after many years of science education and interest in theoretical physics I became much more open towards the god-concept although never religion. I would say I am a spiritual person. However at some point I realized I didn’t care anymore about theoretical scenarios and only about life and have been happier since. Interestingly this was right before I took up lifting.
I didn’t know there was a word to broadly describe such a belief system until I saw it in a friends facebook. Although I found it hilarious there was a link to a church so maybe there is a bit of a joke in any system that generalizes as such. Religion of the self and spirituality is something all people have even if they believe in nothing imo- Getty Lee’s bad lyrics aside =P I hate that song!
[quote]actionjeff wrote:
pat wrote:
actionjeff wrote:
wikipedia: Apatheism (a portmanteau of apathy and theism/atheism), also known as pragmatic or critically as practical atheism, is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief, or lack of belief in a deity. Apatheism describes the manner of acting towards a belief or lack of a belief in a deity; so applies to both theism and atheism. An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life; nor perhaps to human affairs.
“a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion and even a stronger disinclination to care about other people’s”. [2]
this pretty much sums up my feelings towards almost anything that doesn’t effect me personally. I’ve read a lot about it, seen a lot of struggle and meaningless arguing, and finally realized I don’t care at all.
Sounds like you have put an awful lot of thought and effort into something you don’t care about.
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
that’s a quote from wikipedia.
I was interested in the religious question and for a Iong time was strictly non-believing in a god in the traditional sense. But after many years of science education and interest in theoretical physics I became much more open towards the god-concept although never religion. I would say I am a spiritual person. However at some point I realized I didn’t care anymore about theoretical scenarios and only about life and have been happier since. Interestingly this was right before I took up lifting.
I didn’t know there was a word to broadly describe such a belief system until I saw it in a friends facebook. Although I found it hilarious there was a link to a church so maybe there is a bit of a joke in any system that generalizes as such. Religion of the self and spirituality is something all people have even if they believe in nothing imo- Getty Lee’s bad lyrics aside =P I hate that song![/quote]
They are Neil Peart’s lyrics, and I love that song…Of course I love almost all Rush songs…
So you had to simplify, well if it works for you… Still sounds like you care though
My personal feeling is this…First off God is real in the sense that ideas are real so if God is an idea then it must be real. Now that doesnt really prove anything im just saying thats a good arguement to use against someone who says God cant exist. Secondly we all have to be honest with ourselves and admit that no matter how intelligent you are there is no possible way you could even begin to grasp what a “higher being” consists of.
Whether one exists or not is not the point, the point is we try to pretend we know what it is and how it works and that is just completely rediculous. Not to offend anyone here who is religious but you have to admit that every religions idea of a God is like an imaginary friend that is just keeping an eye out for you and is apparently a vigilante who intervenes to provide justice when necessary.
So having said that I take the angle that I do not believe or disbelieve in a God but since I have no possible way of knowing how it operates im not going to live my life according to rules and ideas that are placed upon me by other human beings that have just as good an idea how things work as I do.
“Thank god for 9/11”
Another classic that shows how beautiful christianity is if you simply choose to take the scripture and it’s rules literally (-you know, the way it’s intended?).
“How dare you fail to obey the commendments of the lord your god!?”
