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I don't think that is what people believe to be honest. I still practice my faith, but it's more the case of some sort of intelligent consciousness that lit the fuse so to speak. I find it equally mind boggling that so many devout atheists (and I understand the irony of that term) seem so sure that it's not possible for there to be a God. Anybody who claims anything they don't know to be absolute truth is arrogant regardless of their belief. Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3178 - 03/12/2024 10:18:33 2582155 Link 7 |
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"Give us one miracle and we (scientists) will explain the rest" :-)
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 03/12/2024 10:26:12 2582157 Link 0 |
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It's actually fairly easy to understand how they evolved, and it's no coincidence that similar belief systems in a higher being evolved independently among so many different cultures across the world, long before organised religion. The need to understand how things came into being, the comfort it can provide people when dealing with hardships in life, as well as the concept of an afterlife to help people deal with death. They're just some of the obvious reasons I can think of, and I'm sure there are many more. There are scientific studies which link a strong faith with a greater ability to deal with traumatic experiences. You can see how it would have been beneficial to individuals and communities and how belief systems evolved. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2195 - 03/12/2024 10:29:05 2582158 Link 0 |
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I have clearly touched a nerve here. Not trying to insult everyone and I am not claiming to have all the answers. But if there is a powerful god looking down on us he has created some mess. TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8174 - 03/12/2024 11:03:00 2582162 Link 1 |
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"The more you know, the more you know you don't know." Harry Stottle.
dolfos (Longford) - Posts: 125 - 03/12/2024 11:29:12 2582164 Link 1 |
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Not a nerve in my case. Your point wasn't insulting at all. I was just pointing out that the reasons for belief systems having evolved are fairly clear, and have been well studied at this stage. There are many benefits to having faith in a higher being, things which have helped humans deal with life's challenges for thousands of years. When I see what my grandparents and people of their generation had to deal with and how strong their faith was, it can be incredibly powerful, no doubt. I've seen it anecdotally and there are academic studies supporting it. Whether people believe or not isn't a concern of mine. I would never mock anyone for having such faith, but likewise I have no issue with anyone who thinks it's all nonsense. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2195 - 03/12/2024 11:40:15 2582165 Link 0 |
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I don't believe in a God, per se. . .but it would be completely remiss of us to determine with absolute certainty that none exists in any form. Imagine a petri dish with billions upon billions of micro-organisms in it. You're looking at these through a very advanced microscope but none of those organisms are aware for sure that you exist. Some claim you must do, and all have different (somewhat very different) ideas as to what form you may take. Now just scale that up. cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5200 - 03/12/2024 12:11:43 2582170 Link 0 |
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No not entirely, - we created the mess.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3074 - 03/12/2024 12:28:35 2582172 Link 3 |
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People thank god for good things but also think he has no power over bad things. Win win.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8174 - 03/12/2024 14:08:24 2582192 Link 0 |
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A quote from the late George Carlin. "Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money! Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 254 - 03/12/2024 14:36:40 2582202 Link 2 |
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One of the greatest comedians of all time. He had such a sharp mind and brilliant delivery. I still watch back his stand-up shows from time to time, and they're as relevant as they ever were. His father was a Donegal man out of interest. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2195 - 03/12/2024 16:12:33 2582215 Link 1 |
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How would you touch a nerve? You have not addressed the question at al!! Other than like 13 year old wondering "Why does God allow bad things :-( " Fact is that there is no scientific explanation for the origin of the Universe. The theories of how nothing created the universe is pretty implausible and there is hardly a credible attempt in physics, quantum or otherwise, to explain how that might be. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3187 - 03/12/2024 16:27:31 2582218 Link 2 |
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You think it's not a valid question? Don't know why i am debating with you anyway to be honest after your previous daft comments on education and immigration.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8174 - 03/12/2024 17:19:36 2582226 Link 0 |
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I love George Carlin's work, but he is confusing God and religion there. God doesn't want money.
Rebel2020 (Cork) - Posts: 92 - 03/12/2024 17:47:43 2582231 Link 0 |
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I take it that you won't be celebrating Christmas.
tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 348 - 03/12/2024 18:01:27 2582232 Link 0 |
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I assume you have an explanation and evidence of there being a God and that he had a son that rose from the dead and walked on water then? You can't really call out science while taking a seriously big leap of faith on stories that wouldn't look out of place in a J K Rowling novel.
SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2508 - 03/12/2024 18:36:09 2582240 Link 0 |
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"I find it equally mind boggling that so many devout atheists (and I understand the irony of that term) seem so sure that it's not possible for there to be a God." No. It's not that it's not possible, it's that there is no evidence to support the existence of a 'God'. "Anybody who claims anything they don't know to be absolute truth is arrogant regardless of their belief." So, if I told you there is a green teapot orbiting Mars, and there are fairies living at the bottom of my garden; you would find that credible? Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2659 - 03/12/2024 18:39:58 2582242 Link 0 |
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Fact is there's loads of #### we humans know nothing about. Some humans speculate and prey on a natural human instinct, namely fear of death, for motives varying from power and influence over others, to plain old greed for money, but noone really knows.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14008 - 03/12/2024 18:50:57 2582245 Link 0 |
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What is God without religion and what is religion without a God?
Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3500 - 03/12/2024 20:01:15 2582252 Link 0 |
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That's an extremely interesting point. The teaching, although you don't subscribe to it is that what God created was perfect. We ruined it. It's now our job to restore it, and we're doing a really bad job of that. Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3178 - 03/12/2024 20:11:42 2582255 Link 0 |