Collins: Why this scientist believes in God - Page 14

[Rashakil Fol]

do you get many "ethinic minorities" in your countries? - valid opinions only please... . I personally think its good to have a bit of a mix of people

What (TF) is a "valid" opinion?

[sharkey]

do you get many "ethinic minorities" in your countries? - valid opinions only please... . I personally think its good to have a bit of a mix of people

Wait, even though I answered you what does this have to do with God and religion?

[joshSCH]

My 2 cents on religion:

I dont really believe in religion myself. I believe that so long as you can look yourself in the mirror in the morning, you must be doing ok. I am usually very open minded (my mum invited the jahova witnesses in for tea and biscuits once i was like O-M-G) but ive got this evangelical guy in my biology class at college, hes always preaching the ways of jesus at me and it really gets on my nerves. I mean, i believe everyone can believe whatever they want, its thier decision after all, and would have no problem if he just shut up but when someone is constantly telling you about something like that , it makes you very predjudiced against them and others like them.

Do other people find this, also whats your opinion on nuns? i find them really creepy

EDIT: Wow i just became a posting sensai!

hah.. I agree completely. I hate when Christians do that.. they just preach and preach, and try to persuade you to praise jesus.. whats really annoying is when the person preaching is some hypocrite like christina said. And of course not all Christians are like this.. I love debating with my Christian friends, because they never try to convert you lol..

The notion that this may all not be real. In fact, i got reallt creeped out abut that after watching the matrix, makes you think.....

I love the matrix! lol.. it is really creepy to think about.

I am saying, consider consciousness. If you take a bunch of brain matter and put it together, you get a conscious being. At least in humans. Wow! That's just wickedly crazy. You wouldn't expect that, just looking at the physical universe with the five senses.

Yea, it is crazy.. makes you wonder.. interesting that humans are the species with such a complex conscious..

do you get many "ethinic minorities" in your countries? - valid opinions only please... . I personally think its good to have a bit of a mix of people

Here in Texas, we are being overrun by mexicans! lol... I voted for Kinky Friedman to be governor, but he lost.. He wanted to declare martial law on all the boarder cities lol
My hs is probably one of the most diverse in the state! We offer the IB diploma, so we get tons of foreigners and stuff

[christina>you]

Here in Texas, we are being overrun by mexicans! lol... I voted for Kinky Friedman to by governor, but he lost.. He wanted to declare martial law on all the boarder cities lol

Lol we are sooo off topic, but I have been to Austin and San Antonio and they were both like you said, overrun by Mexicans. I'm surprised the primary language isn't Spanish!

[jbennet]

There are different sects of Nihilism just like there are different sects of Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc.

That was what got me thinking about ethnic minorities. I was just thinking about how nowadays we (in britain) have such a multicultural society and was wondering what the situation was like for other people in other counrties and what peoples views were. By valid points only i meant dont go posting anything that may be offensive.

[christina>you]

So there's this one question I've always wanted answered....

What is the difference between agnostics and atheists??

[joshSCH]

Lol we are sooo off topic, but I have been to Austin and San Antonio and they were both like you said, overrun by Mexicans. I'm surprised the primary language isn't Spanish!

yea.. it's really annoying, I hate how the U.S. is enforcing like NONE of its immigration policies. And I hate all those illegal mexican protesters, demanding citizenship and equal rights. I mean, everyone else has to go through years of classes and such to gain citizenship, and these people are demanding to be citizens just b/c they made it past our boarder patrol. And I don't know about any of you, but I think they should just send them all back unless they can speak English.. This is America, and if you want to live here you should at least speak our language.. even though the U.S. has no 'offical' language. We are going to be screwed when the democrats take the presidency next year..

Whoa.. enough about politics and U.S. immigration policy lol.. someone needs to post something to get our discussion about religion going again

[joshSCH]

So there's this one question I've always wanted answered....

What is the difference between agnostics and atheists??

agnostics aren't sure.. They don't really think there is enough evidence, and they are really skeptical... They are more in the middle than anything else. Atheists flat out don't believe in god.

[christina>you]

agnostics aren't sure.. They don't really think there is enough evidence, and they are really skeptical... They are more in the middle than anything else. Atheists flat out don't believe in god.

Ahh.. I see.

[jbennet]

yeah. agnostics are sitting on the fence, so to speak.

[christina>you]

What do atheists believe happens to them after death? Nothing?

[joshSCH]

uh idk.. I think some atheists may believe differently about an afterlife.

You know what I believe.. what is everyone else's view on an afterlife (of the atheists)

[WaltP]

Another way to define agnostic: I doubt there is a God, but I'm just not sure enough to completely disbelieve, just in case I'm wrong. They don't really want to burn that bridge ;)

In addition to Josh's definition, an agnostic may believe that there is a God, but not as defined in the Bible -- or other religions. There has to be some creative force, but the Biblical/religious definition(s) makes no sense.

See this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic
and this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheist

[christina>you]

WaltP - what is your belief? - are you atheist also?

[Sturm]

o there's this one question I've always wanted answered....
What is the difference between agnostics and atheists??

I see thre being basically three different levels of "atheism"
Agnostic: Do not know if they believe in god or not (lots of scientists are agnostic so they can be scientifically fair)
Atheist: A person who does not beleive in god.
Anti-theist: a person who has a direct oppositiion to god and religion(I am one).

What do atheists believe happens to them after death? Nothing?

Yes absolutely nothing. I ,like josh, am a nihilist. What evidence is there of life after death? The bible? Hardely. Can someone give me some evidence that there is life after death? Do christians believe that animals go to heaven to? How bout space aliens?

Um whats with the crappy smilies?:|

[joshSCH]

yup, I believe completely in what you just said.. especially about the crappy smilies lol

Any1 else have anything to say about their ideas of an after life?

[christina>you]

Yes absolutely nothing. I ,like josh, am a nihilist. What evidence is there of life after death? The bible? Hardely. Can someone give me some evidence that there is life after death? Do christians believe that animals go to heaven to? How bout space aliens?

Um whats with the crappy smilies?:|

Again, Christianity isn't about evidence or proof, even though there is evidence out there, it's about faith. And.. people who have no assurance of their salvation, fear death. If there is no God, then death would be merely a ceasing of existence, with nothing to fear. However, if Christianity is true, then those who do not believe should fear death, since the fate of believers and non-believers is quite different. But then again, I guess some people are not troubled by that idea of ceasing to exist.

But there is one question I'd like to ask....
Do you not fear never seeing your lost loved ones again?

[jbennet]

However, if Christianity is true, then those who do not believe should fear death, since the fate of believers and non-believers is quite different. But then again, I guess some people are not troubled by that idea of ceasing to exist.

But there is one question I'd like to ask....
Do you not fear never seeing your lost loved ones again?

im not afraid of death. Like the bumper sticker says, life is terminal - just live with it. For me, if it turns out theres no afterlife then its not a problem as its what ive been expecting but if it turns out there is then hehey! id consider that a bonus

[christina>you]

I know I've said this like a thousand times, but I find so much more peace and hope in God. I have peace because I know that death isn't the end for me.. and I have hope because I will finally meet my Savior face to face.. along with all my other lost loved ones who believed in Him. It's a good feeling to know.

[jbennet]

yeah, thats a good point.

[joshSCH]

Again, Christianity isn't about evidence or proof, even though there is evidence out there, it's about faith. And.. people who have no assurance of their salvation, fear death. If there is no God, then death would be merely a ceasing of existence, with nothing to fear. However, if Christianity is true, then those who do not believe should fear death, since the fate of believers and non-believers is quite different. But then again, I guess some people are not troubled by that idea of ceasing to exist.

But there is one question I'd like to ask....
Do you not fear never seeing your lost loved ones again?

I wouldn't really say that ceasing to exist is nothing to fear. It's very strange to think about it.. simply not existing.. I think about it often, and I am fearful of it. I fear death above all things..

For me, if it turns out theres no afterlife then its not a problem as its what ive been expecting but if it turns out there is then hehey! id consider that a bonus

Exactly. I don't think there is an after life. But if there is, be it heaven or hell, that’s better than NOTHING!

I know I've said this like a thousand times, but I find so much more peace and hope in God. I have peace because I know that death isn't the end for me.. and I have hope because I will finally meet my Savior face to face.. along with all my other lost loved ones who believed in Him. It's a good feeling to know.

Yes, it is more peaceful to believe in a God and afterlife. That's the point of religion. If you can't deal with the fact that you will cease to exist after death, and that all the people you loved (parents, friends...) will die and never see you EVER again.. then people turn to religion as a defense mechanism. Atheism isn't something people want to believe in (I would like a god to exist; I would like to believe in something that offers me hope after death), but it's something that people realize as the truth. Hey, the truth hurts..:-/

[Sturm]

I know I've said this like a thousand times, but I find so much more peace and hope in God. I have peace because I know that death isn't the end for me.. and I have hope because I will finally meet my Savior face to face.. along with all my other lost loved ones who believed in Him. It's a good feeling to know.

Im sure it is a good feeling. It is very hard being a atheist. People say that ignorence is bliss. At school I am usaully the most active person in experiments, discussions, etc. One day I decided not to be that active or involved. Not caring has a very nice feeling, not participating has a very nice feeling, not KNOWING has a very nice feeling. Ignorence is bliss. But ignorence is also a stiffling cushion that chokes and steals. AI

The funny thing is that christians try to convert me very often. But the thing is I could never believe in god. I just could not do it.

But there is one question I'd like to ask....
Do you not fear never seeing your lost loved ones again?

Do you fear falling asleep?

wouldn't really say that ceasing to exist is nothing to fear. It's very strange to think about it.. simply not existing.. I think about it often, and I am fearful of it. I fear death above all things..

I agree with josh: I fear death. I also think about it death _alot_. What is the difference between reality and fantasy? Are we in the Matrix (lol)? How can there be nothing? How could the universe be created out of nothing? (since it would violate the law of conversation) There is another law that says that all cells come from other cells. (how could this be?). These are all questions that will most likely never be explained.

I have a question:
Why did "god" create us?

[jbennet]

I have a question:
Why did "god" create us?

many people say evolution is crap as someone had to start it all off and to that i reply:

a: but who started that person off?
b: why does there have to be someone to start the universe off? - why?, maybe its just something we just cant comprehend - the fact that maybe something CAN just exist of its own accord.

[Sturm]

Where did "god" come from?

[christina>you]

Im sure it is a good feeling. It is very hard being a atheist. People say that ignorence is bliss. At school I am usaully the most active person in experiments, discussions, etc. One day I decided not to be that active or involved. Not caring has a very nice feeling, not participating has a very nice feeling, not KNOWING has a very nice feeling. Ignorence is bliss. But ignorence is also a stiffling cushion that chokes and steals. AI

The funny thing is that christians try to convert me very often. But the thing is I could never believe in god. I just could not do it.

My pastor used to be atheist/agnostic... but then he said he realized everything he was missing.

Do you fear falling asleep?

No... but death is not simply sleeping. It's the end of everything... at least for you guys.

[christina>you]

Where did "god" come from?

Christianity answers the question of who created God in the very first verse of the very first book, Genesis:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1)
This verse tells us that God was acting before time when He created the universe. Many other verses from the New Testament tells us that God was acting before time began, and so, He created time, along with the other dimensions of our universe:

• No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. (1 Corinthians 2:7)
• This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. (2 Timothy 1:9)
• The hope of eternal life, which God... promised before the beginning of time. (Titus 1:2)
• To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:25)

God has no need to have been created, since He exists either outside time (where cause and effect do not operate) or within multiple dimensions of time (such that there is no beginning of a plane of time). Hence God is eternal, having never been created. Although it is possible that the universe itself is eternal, eliminating the need for its creation, observational evidence contradicts this hypothesis, since the universe began to exist only ~13.7 billion years ago. The only possible escape for the atheist is the invention of a kind of super universe, which can never be confirmed experimentally (hence it is metaphysical in nature, and not scientific).

[Sturm]

God has no need to have been created, since He exists either outside time (where cause and effect do not operate) or within multiple dimensions of time (such that there is no beginning of a plane of time). Hence God is eternal, having never been created. Although it is possible that the universe itself is eternal, eliminating the need for its creation, observational evidence contradicts this hypothesis, since the universe began to exist only ~13.7 billion years ago. The only possible escape for the atheist is the invention of a kind of super universe, which can never be confirmed experimentally (hence it is metaphysical in nature, and not scientific).

Why did "god" create the universe?

[Sturm]

Christina do you believe in evolution?

['Stein]

Sturm, I'd advise looking at the first 5-10 pages of this thread.

*walks back out*

[christina>you]

Why did "god" create the universe?

Hmm.. I don't know.. I really don't understand God's ways... or his mind. But if I find the answers, I'll be sure to tell you.