I wouldn't normally disclose this information on the internet just in case there are .... nevermind. At this moment in time I know my faith but that doesn't mean I practise it how I 'should' (How you would put it)
Yes, that kind of thing we can all do without but there is a certain amount of wisdom to be found in all faiths if you ignore all the contradictions. I go to Mass every Sunday and get odd looks from people if I wear a sports top or an ACDC t shirt but I do it for me as my faith is a personal thing and I take from religion what is relevant to me.
but they are amongst the most fair minded and reasonable people you know right? You are such a monumental ****.
science has destroyed models of religion/god but science can never destroy religion/god even athiesm is a 'religion' athiesm exists because of god and not despite god 'belief' is inherent in man, it is part of mans nature its like the woman who has 'no desire' to have kids, but has 2 cats that she treats like kids or the homosexual who has no interest in women, and believes it is in his nature failing to realise that the need for sex is 'nature' homo or hetro is another issue personally i feel science affirms that god exists its people views of what is god, that is the problem a man in white robes/beard - NO. Thats what trying to rationalise does. In the end simplifying igt to the point that you just cant believe in it an entity that is responsible for creating the universe and all thats in it, beyond our comprehension - YES
now i disagree with that statement entirely, all that science has ever done is prove otherwise. i think people require a belief in a higher being or a higher power because in all honesty they are weak and need something to blame for things, or alternatively something to turn to when things are not going too well. I also disagree with the statement of athiesm is a religion unless believing in the laws of physics is a religion. Also this 'reading between the lines' thing is also trying to justify the bible as well. If you read it for its words and not what you are trying to take from it, no offense intended but its very stupid. Anyway thats the way i see it
No, it's not. That's just an assertion that religious people come out with in order to bring it down to their own level. Atheism is a simple lack of belief in god(s). It does not have any other rules or guidelines (like every religion does). It does not give a philosophy by which an individual should lead their life (as does every religion), it does not give a 'a higher reason for life' (like every religion does). It does not attempt to explain our existence. etc etc etc
I have no problem with people following religion. Each to their own. I wonder if you will still have the same beliefs when you are close to death? My aunt was diagnosed with breast and lung cancer about 4 years ago and given only months to live. She went through chemo and the doctors told her that they could try another course of it to stop the spreading but the first course had little effect. She was always religious but through her ordeal she started attending church on a near daily basis and helping out with charities even when she was really unwell. She decided not to go through another round of chemo and that if it was her time, so be it. Each week her local minister sat and prayed with her personally after each service. She went back for tests to find out how far it had spread. The doctors told her that the cancer had stopped. It was still there but it had not grown. She asked for an explanation and they couldn't give one. And that was 4 years ago and she hasn't had any growth since. I can't explain it myself, neither can she but she believes her faith played a strong part.
Agnosticism is where people don't know whether there is a god or not because there is no evidence for or against. Or, Agnosticism is for those who really don't give a **** and would rather just live their lives without having to wonder about any sort of higher power. I belong to this category.
I saw Led Zeppelin live at Knebworth. As my head was full of magic mushrooms I did feel quite close to God, not to mention that other bloke that lives in a dark hole. Every civilisation since the dawn of time has had religeon, so it can't all be b*ll*cks. I believe that life has 3 aspects, mental, physical and spiritual, and finding a balance between them all is the key to our wellbeing. But it may be fair to say that most religeous people are just mental. As for medicine, science etc, it's all in it's infancy.
The statement 'religions start wars' is total bull**** tbh. There were wars before religion, however before Science the wars weren't so destructive. If people who claimed to be 'religious' actually were then there would be fewer wars. Hunger for power/land is what causes war, religion is just the excuse. As to science healing, you rarely see a sick buddhist monk, but there are plenty of sick doctors. I'm not anti-science, but as science has pretty much proved the existence of other universes, who'se to say what operates on higher/lower/aleternate planes of existence, and whether or not it's possible to interact with them on a deeply spiritual level? No one can disprove the existence of God the same as no one can ascertain the nature of God. IF everyone followed the 10 commandments there would be no war, no theft, no murder, no idle gossip, no cheating, no lying. they can be all rolled up into one simple sententece, don't do something that could upset someone else.
