Richard Dawkins sums up religion

V-Spec said:
These discussions are totally crazy,

I'm always interested in these sorts of things, but talking about such stuff on the internet properly is totally impossible, everybody is far too opinionated, watching the way these discussions unfold is actually more interesting than the topic itself...
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They are crazy, and it would be great just to say, I respect your opinion and you respect mine.

However, I have issues with views like this.

koolpc said:
All I believe is that God created everything. He started it all. We, were made in the image of God. Simples
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I actually find it quite offensive that someone can have these views about me, and my life, my origins, my ancestry.

People such as koolpc aren't saying he believes god created him, he's saying god created everything. At that point, his belief is not personal, he's implying things about all of us.

If you're going to make statements like this about me, you better had make sure you've got something to back it up with. It's painfully obvious that those in the religious community don't, so why not keep it to themselves until such time as they find something worth talking about.

You may as well have called me the offspring of a *****, without ever meeting me, knowing anything about me or ever attempting to find out.
 
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Stretch said:
People such as koolpc aren't saying he believes god created him, he's saying god created everything. At that point, his belief is not personal, he's implying things about all of us.
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I agree, but getting wound up over someone else's opinions isn't really worth it - it used to annoy me when people said "GOD CREATED EVERYTHING" because to me it demonstrates the most awful ignorance towards nature and what's really going on, and everything that people have tried to hard to understand.

But at the end of the day - we're part of a big chaotic and scary universe with no apparent "meaning" for why we're here, and they need to invent things to make it not seem so scary like heaven and the virgin mary - so be it, I just always keep in mind that it's their problem not mine, I'm so happy that all of that trash isn't there (as best as I can tell) - I rejoice in the beauty of nature, and utterly reject the nonsense that's comes out of people like creationists, and have done since I was around 11 years old.

You'll never change their minds, because they're not in control of their own mind anyway - if you have to argue that things like evolution are well established and correct, then the whole thing is a fail from the start because you're dealing with someone who isn't interested in the right answer.
 
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koolpc said:
All I believe is that God created everything. He started it all. We, were made in the image of God. Simples
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Have we ever had an acceptable/considered explanation from creationists where God came from?

They state the creation of the universe from nothing is implausible, yet in the same breath suggest the creation of a supreme being from nothing is?
 
V-Spec said:
I agree, but getting wound up over someone else's opinions isn't really worth it - it used to annoy me when people said "GOD CREATED EVERYTHING" because to me it demonstrates the most awful ignorance towards nature and what's really going on, and everything that people have tried to hard to understand.

But at the end of the day - we're part of a big chaotic and scary universe with no apparent "meaning" for why we're here, and they need to invent things to make it not seem so scary like heaven and the virgin mary - so be it, I just always keep in mind that it's their problem not mine, I'm so happy that all of that trash isn't there (as best as I can tell) - I rejoice in the beauty of nature, and utterly reject the nonsense that's comes out of people like creationists, and have done since I was around 11 years old.

You'll never change their minds, because they're not in control of their own mind anyway - if you have to argue that things like evolution are well established and correct, then the whole thing is a fail from the start because you're dealing with someone who isn't interested in the right answer.
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Nicely put. It's a frustrating thing, but ultimately a waste of time to try and convince people otherwise. Spending your energy elsewhere is a far better way to go.
 
Very true. Myself included, I agree it is very hard to persuade someone who has very strong beliefs in God etc otherwise. Faith can be very deep.

What is annoying though is the people who come one here and start name calling those with strong beliefs! No need for that. Obviously they are jealous that someone can have such a strong love of God that is un moveable. They then have to start calling that person names as they can't cope!
 
koolpc said:
Very true. Myself included, I agree it is very hard to persuade someone who has very strong beliefs in God etc otherwise. Faith can be very deep.

What is annoying though is the people who come one here and start name calling those with strong beliefs! No need for that. Obviously they are jealous that someone can have such a strong love of God that is un moveable. They then have to start calling that person names as they can't cope!
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Everybody believes in *something* and holds varying degrees of faith in all manner of things, be it whether they'll win a race or whether something will work or not, etc.

But the sort of faith you demonstrate seems crazy to me, you don't say anything else, "love of god, love of god" "I love god, I love god" over and over, it's almost like it's taken you over - like you can't get by without saying it every time you post anything..

I don't have any issues with religious faith, but when someone is totally consumed by it, to the point where they can't say anything else - it can't be very good for the mind.
 
Religion is for weak minded people who are scared that their life is completely meaningless and once your dead that's it.

Get over it, the only reason we are here is to eat drink root and die and you've only got ONE go at it so instead of wasting your life preying to whatever you think is holding all the cards go out and live YOUR life the way YOU want to.

Only thing that sucks is you need lots of cash for the best experience so I'd better get back to work!
 
V-Spec said:
Everybody believes in *something* and holds varying degrees of faith in all manner of things, be it whether they'll win a race or whether something will work or not, etc.

But the sort of faith you demonstrate seems crazy to me, you don't say anything else, "love of god, love of god" "I love god, I love god" over and over, it's almost like it's taken you over - like you can't get by without saying it every time you post anything..

I don't have any issues with religious faith, but when someone is totally consumed by it, to the point where they can't say anything else - it can't be very good for the mind.
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When you believe in God like I do then love of a God is very important. He is a massive part of my life. I have mentioned my love of God many times, yes. This is to emphasise to the atheist on here that believing in God really does mean so much to a believer like myself.

As for being consumed by God, then as a believer in God, it is a wonderful thing to have God so much in ones life! It is so special. Something you will find impossible! It is alien to you I know. But, strong faith in God has to be lived to understand what effect it has on you. All for the good I may add.
 
Elrein said:
Religion is for weak minded people who are scared that their life is completely meaningless and once your dead that's it.

Get over it, the only reason we are here is to eat drink root and die and you've only got ONE go at it so instead of wasting your life preying to whatever you think is holding all the cards go out and live YOUR life the way YOU want to.

Only thing that sucks is you need lots of cash for the best experience so I'd better get back to work!
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Believing in God is not a waste of time. It is wonderful and such a great experience! I am far from weak minded.

As for 'preying' as you put it, I only do that while hovering over the steak and chips!

I do live my life the way I want to and me and my family enjoy it to the full. Believing in God adds to the experience. It completes it.
 
koolpc said:
But, strong faith in God has to be lived to understand what effect it has on you. All for the good I may add.
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To be honest, it probably does feel pretty good... It must be comforting to think a cosmic super being not only is aware of you, but actually cares about you as an individual, and he's created this entire massive universe just for you to enjoy because you're so special and awesome. Death isn't a problem, in fact, the experience just gets better. There's nothing to worry about!

It can seem quite childish and silly to people who require reasonable evidence for outrageous claims like those, but if it makes you feel better, fair enough.
 
Like I said, those that don't want to believe will find it absurd. It's only when you fully accept God into your life that you realise the wonder of your faith and Love.
 
koolpc said:
Like I said, those that don't want to believe will find it absurd. It's only when you fully accept God into your life that you realise the wonder of your faith and Love.
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It's really got nothing to do with what people want to believe. Even if I want to, I cannot make myself just believe something without some kind of reasonable evidence. You might tell me to believe in God, another person might tell me to believe the Cookie Monster lives inside the moon. I can't just make myself believe those things without some reasonable evidence to suggest what they're saying is true (I imagine you would also reject the idea of the Cookie Monster living inside of the moon).

Clearly, some people require more evidence, some people require almost none... But what people want to believe doesn't even come into it.
 
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zenf said:
It's really got nothing to do with what people WANT to believe. Even if I want to, I cannot make myself just believe something without some kind of reasonable evidence. You might tell me to believe in God, another person might tell me to believe the Cookie Monster lives inside the moon.
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Exactly.

Philosophically minded people will call this comparison stupid - and it is in some ways a silly comparison, but I can't get away from it because there's no real difference between god, or the cookie monster in real terms, as far as I can tell. It's perhaps arguable that one example is more stupid than the other, but then again - who defines whether something is stupid or not?

Ghosts - Stupid?
The holy spirit - Stupid?
The cookie monster - Stupid?
Psychics - Stupid?
Flying Saucers - Stupid?
Heaven - Stupid?

I see them all as being equally silly in real terms, some come with a lot more "information" than others, but that makes no difference as to whether any of them are there or not, and all of them seem like silly ideas invented solely by humans to me.
 
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koolpc said:
Like I said, those that don't want to believe will find it absurd. It's only when you fully accept God into your life that you realise the wonder of your faith and Love.
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Lol

Oops spelt praying wrong in that last post, lol there goes my credibility.
 
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