When did you start believing in your Religion?

[harvey19]

One of the things continually put forward about religion is that 'it has caused more wars' than anything else. It is not religion that does this, but the beliefs of a few fanatics that use religion, as well as colour, and wealth as a means to incite others to war.

I'm not sure if there are figures available that tell the numbers of those people involved in wars who are doing it because of their own beliefs. Most wars are started by a minority who control.

 

I do not understand the inability of some to accept the possibility of there being a god. This is not the same as accepting there is a god.

 

we have been over the science versus faith debate again and again, and they never resolve anything. But there is not a line drawn between those who accept faith and those who accept science. Many scientists have faith and many who have faith are scientists.

 

Another sensible post.

[finoni9]

One of the things continually put forward about religion is that 'it has caused more wars' than anything else. It is not religion that does this, but the beliefs of a few fanatics that use religion, as well as colour, and wealth as a means to incite others to war.

I'm not sure if there are figures available that tell the numbers of those people involved in wars who are doing it because of their own beliefs. Most wars are started by a minority who control.

 

I do not understand the inability of some to accept the possibility of there being a god. This is not the same as accepting there is a god.

 

we have been over the science versus faith debate again and again, and they never resolve anything. But there is not a line drawn between those who accept faith and those who accept science. Many scientists have faith and many who have faith are scientists.

 

Well put DragonofAna!

[harvey19]

This is a 4 yr old thread that Bloomdildo has resurrected!

 

I attended Methodist Sunday school as a child, eventually becoming a Sunday school teacher myself, later progessing to become a church youth club leader.

 

At 16 I committed myself to Jesus, and later became a confirmed member of the Methodist church. At 20, I began investigating becoming a lay preacher.

 

I then suffered a family crisis and found no answer to my prayers from my god. I began to lose my faith.

 

For the next 30+ years I remained an agnostic. I now have no faith or belief in any god, and am a convinced atheist.

 

I ensured that my two children never attended Sunday school or even the local CofE school, preferring them to make up their own minds on the question of religious belief without being indoctrinated from early childhood.

 

I respect your views and reasons for them.

[Treatment]

Religion is a load of balls. When you die you go to City Road.

[BettyBooHoo!]

Religion is a load of balls. When you die you go to City Road.

 

.......or Shiregreen!

[Bloomdido]

anyone who is gullible enough to believe that these ere cloud/heaven/sky living beasts exist ought to be in adjoining rooms ... rampton would be a good place ..... heavenly bodies ????

 

do you seriosly expect folk in this day & age to believe that miles & miles above the earth there is a bloke (maybe a bird) sat there looking down on us all ... occasionally popping down on a celestial escalator & uttering "bless you my child" ... i'd rather believe that norman wisdom will be the next queen of lebanon !!

 

Anyone who believes in invisible magic friends has been indoctrinated or hasn't read the bible or is indeed a little cranially challenged or perhaps is employed in a role where they have to 'show' that they believe.

 

Nice concept but not a shred of evidence to support faith

 

 

at all

 

 

anywhere.

[flamingjimmy]

I do not understand the inability of some to accept the possibility of there being a god. This is not the same as accepting there is a god.

 

I do except the possibility that there is a god, as do the vast majority of the atheists I know, I just don't see it as a possibility worth considering until there's any evidence for it. In much the same way as I accept the possibility that North Korea might win the world cup, however I'm not going to accept that they will until they're 3-0 up in the final because it is just so improbable. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

 

Also, I made a post earlier in this thread in response to some things you and harvey said and I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to respond to it. I think I quite successfully refuted your assertions that we atheists rely on faith just as much as you do and I was wondering if you had any comments on that.

[flamingjimmy]

Simple, it's the fear of death. Believers need to be reassured that death of the body isn't the the complete end, and that there is somewhere else our souls go. They also want to think that this place is a happy place. Most religions are based on this.

 

Many preachers then claim to have the 'authority' to promise you that this will happen if you follow their doctrines. Cue fanaticism and bigotry .

 

Throughout history many tyrants have claimed that their actions were 'the will of God'. Oliver Cromwell is a prime example.

 

I agree entirely, in my view being religious is just an overly complicated and illogical way of saying 'I fear death'.

[harvey19]

I do except the possibility that there is a god, as do the vast majority of the atheists I know, I just don't see it as a possibility worth considering until there's any evidence for it. In much the same way as I accept the possibility that North Korea might win the world cup, however I'm not going to accept that they will until they're 3-0 up in the final because it is just so improbable. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

 

Also, I made a post earlier in this thread in response to some things you and harvey said and I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to respond to it. I think I quite successfully refuted your assertions that we atheists rely on faith just as much as you do and I was wondering if you had any comments on that.

 

I was responding to post 37...........beleive in science.

[DragonofAna]

Also, I made a post earlier in this thread in response to some things you and harvey said and I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to respond to it. I think I quite successfully refuted your assertions that we atheists rely on faith just as much as you do and I was wondering if you had any comments on that.

 

Actually science does rely on faith - faith that the rules are correct - which works fine until someone comes along and proves they are incorrect, and then it is faith that relies on the new rules being correct ...

 

And if you ask me what caused the big bang - I would respond with "Have not got a clue".

 

My deity has nothing at all to do with any big bang or creation theory. It is unimportant to me how things came to be. What is important is where things are going.