how many atheists here ?

[woei]

You mean it isn't scientifically replicable? Surely it just points to something beyond our understanding? Given that it was predicted to happen for over 1,000 years, the God explanation seems most likely to me. I actually find the alternative explanations even more unbelievable.

Well the alternative explanation is that it isn't true, that Jezus did not came back to life. IMHO not so unbelievable, rather the most evident explanation. But do you believe that Mohammed is true?

I'm not sure if I'm a true atheist though. Some things are not explainable. I hope that they will be explained some day, but for now I can't give a higher power the credits for that. To say when something can't be explained it must be the work of a higher power is a good way not to learn. Knowledge is much more important. Asking why and researching is important. If you automatic explain things you don't comprehend to a higher power (like lightning in the past people did not understand so it was an act of God) than as a civilization you won't evolve. But this might be slightly offtopic

 

[Jon W]

If you believe those accounts then do you also believe in the Book of Mormon? If not, is there some specific reasons you accept the earlier gospels as true without modern proof but no not accept the account of Joseph Smith?

I don't claim to know much about Joseph Smith or any of these others.

As I mentioned before, the coming of Jesus was predicted for over 1,000 years in what Christians call the Old Testament. If what Jesus says is true (which I believe it is), then there will be no other prophets. Jesus has fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies for now until he comes again for a second time, which is what he has prophesied.

Some things are not explainable. I hope that they will be explained some day, but for now I can't give a higher power the credits for that. To say when something can't be explained it must be the work of a higher power is a good way not to learn.

I said that it is beyond our (current) understanding. There is an explanation in the Bible, but it is not a scientific explanation since we are unable to replicate it, except in the spiritual sense of being born again (since none of us are the son of God) -- that is until Jesus comes again. I completely agree with investigating things scientifically and it is a fantastic gift from God that we live in a universe that has order so that science actually works. For me, that in itself points to a higher power who wants us to want to learn about the world we live in and be excited about it.

 

[BirdOPrey5]

I don't claim to know much about Joseph Smith or any of these others.

As I mentioned before, the coming of Jesus was predicted for over 1,000 years in what Christians call the Old Testament. If what Jesus says is true (which I believe it is), then there will be no other prophets. Jesus has fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies for now until he comes again for a second time, which is what he has prophesied.

How will you know the 2nd coming has occurred? Will you believe someone who told you they are Jesus reborn?

 

[AdamD]

Religions in general just confuse the heck out of me, of the small parts of the bible I did read, it was like reading a weird fantasy science fiction story.

I'm sure some of it is accurate...but most of it just seemed like rambling nonsense.

So I don't belong to a religion at all, I do however believe in god. heh

 

[Jon W]

How will you know the 2nd coming has occurred? Will you believe someone who told you they are Jesus reborn?

Matthew 24:30-31 NIV

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

We will know.

 

[Jon W]

Religions in general just confuse the heck out of me, of the small parts of the bible I did read, it was like reading a weird fantasy science fiction story.

I'm sure some of it is accurate...but most of it just seemed like rambling nonsense.

So I don't belong to a religion at all, I do however believe in god. heh

One of the gospels (first four books of the new testament) would be a good place to start for Christianity. Books like Revelation are based on a style of writing that doesn't really exist these days, so will be confusing.

 

[DRE]

It turned out that, without knowing it, guys found the women with slightly larger pupils much more attractive...even though guys don't and didn't know that that was a sign of ovulation. Free will? Hah! Electrical impulses....yeah, makes sense. They connected.

Wish I knew this before... too late now.

 

[BirdOPrey5]

Matthew 24:30-31 NIV


We will know.

You seem to take the Bible quite literally- how do you determine which verses should be accepted as fact, which are metaphors and which should just be ignored?

 

[dutchbb]

There are so many misconceptions about atheism. Like for example you have to claim that you are absolutely sure there is no god (or anything similar) before you can call yourself an atheist. While in reality the word 'atheism' in general just means 'lack of belief'. If you do not believe in any religion, you can call yourself an atheist. There's also implicit and explicit, weak and strong atheism. Then there's agnostic atheism, i.e. you do not believe, but you understand it's impossible to know.

Religious people often want people to believe that atheism itself is a religion, which is a straw man.

 

[Paul]

I think on the last UK census i did, my religion was officially registered as "Jedi"...

In England and Wales 390,127 people (almost 0.8%) stated their religion as Jedi on their 2001 Census forms, surpassing Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism, and making it the fourth largest reported religion in the country.[24] In the 2001 Census, 2.6% of the population of Brighton claimed to be Jedi. The percentages of religious affiliations were:

• Christian: 70.0%
• No religion: 14.7%
• Chose not to respond: 7.8%
• Muslim: 3.1%
• Hindu: 2.1%
• Jedi: 0.7%

It was confirmed prior to the census that citizens were not liable for a fine in relation to question 10 (on religion).[25] This was based on section 1(2) of the Census (Amendment) Act 2000,[26] which amended section 8 of the Census Act 2000 to state that "no person shall be liable to a penalty under subsection (1) for refusing or neglecting to state any particulars in respect of religion". The change in the law was implemented by The Census (Amendment) Order 2000[27] and The Census (Amendment) Regulations 2000.[28]

Jedi was assigned its own code in the United Kingdom for census processing, the number 896.[29] Officials from the Office for National Statistics pointed out that this merely means that it has been registered as a common answer to the "religion" question and that this does not confer on it the status of official recognition. John Pullinger, Director of Reporting and Analysis for the Census, noted that many people who would otherwise not have completed a Census form did so solely to record themselves as Jedi, so this joke helped to improve the quality of the Census. The Office for National Statistics revealed the total figure in a press release entitled "390,000 Jedis there are".[30]

I was happy to see that even some bureaucracy has a sense of humour

 

[craigiri]

The old books are exactly as much "proof" as a internet photograph or video is today. There is some great vid of an airliner landing on a highway and then the nose sitting on the top of a car....

Ask any scientist about memory. It's false. We don't even remember things that happened to us after a short period of time - sometimes right afterwards. The very idea that tablets, scrolls, etc. written by others (most 2nd or 3rd hand and most hundreds of years after the events) are "proof" of anything is fantastic. However, anyone has the right to believe them if they like....

It's like the Stones said "we all need...someone....we can lean on.....
Religion is/was needed because of the very meaning of the word re-legion. People coming together again. Whether the Elks Club, the Rotary, Mormons or any other groups...we are social animals and usually drawn to hierarchies of control. We may claim they are not so.....but most of the things people do, they do to be accepted by others.

 

[woei]

Is this religion also an option: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

 

[Sheratan]

I think on the last UK census i did, my religion was officially registered as "Jedi"...



I was happy to see that even some bureaucracy has a sense of humour

The Force is strong with them.

 

[Jon W]

You seem to take the Bible quite literally- how do you determine which verses should be accepted as fact, which are metaphors and which should just be ignored?

Some books are easier than others to interpret. My quote is from the book of Matthew. If you take a look at the first chapter it includes a genealogy and a bit later a statement that "this is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about". It seems clear just from this that this book is a historical account of events that happened at that time. The actual bible verse I quoted is something Jesus said, and since this is from a book that seems to be a historical account, we can be confident that this is something that Jesus actually said (rather than some other explanation). A similar account of Jesus saying this also appears in the book of Mark. How we then interpret exactly what Jesus said is a different matter, since Jesus often talks in parables and when he talks about his second coming he often uses all sorts of imagery to explain it. That being said, I think the overriding message is clear though that when he comes it will be in spectacular fashion and "all the peoples of the earth" will be well aware of it. This was the point I was trying to make.

I would not agree that there is anything in the bible that should just be ignored.

The old books are exactly as much "proof" as a internet photograph or video is today. There is some great vid of an airliner landing on a highway and then the nose sitting on the top of a car....

The books of the bible are evidence, not proof. The world around us is evidence. That we have a desire for there to be a God is evidence. There is other evidence that there appears to have been some massive event that took place around the time of Jesus that had a huge effect on society. Various miracles that happen every day are evidence. It is up to us to examine the evidence. If there is a God, you could even ask him for help in examining this evidence.

Ask any scientist about memory. It's false. We don't even remember things that happened to us after a short period of time - sometimes right afterwards. The very idea that tablets, scrolls, etc. written by others (most 2nd or 3rd hand and most hundreds of years after the events) are "proof" of anything is fantastic. However, anyone has the right to believe them if they like....

Archeological and other evidence (such as what is actually written) seems to point to most of the New Testament being written before the end of the 1st century BC during the period when people who may have witnessed the miracles, death and resurrection were still alive and could, therefore, scrutinise what has been written.

 

[Razasharp]

I'd be interested to know more about what these idiotic people said to you. Would be more than happy to join in if you would like to discuss elsewhere. I have no interest in starting a massive debate here.

Religious debate almost always ends in animosity because things get taken personally - the reason why I don't really get into it these days. You have your beliefs and having them taken apart - no matter how justified or logically correct the argument - isn't a pleasant experience if it's not something you are used to. Hence I feel sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Regardless of whether a person is religious or not, being a decent human being is what counts. Just remember, the choices you make reflect on you - it's irrelevant where they stem from, whether that's from a god, or not.

 

[Claudio]

I'm curious so I'm atheists.

 

[HannahP]

Books like Revelation are based on a style of writing that doesn't really exist these days, so will be confusing.

So it's just like Dianetics then? Cool.

 

[garry420]

I am back now ...i never expected so many replies...now you can ask anything on religion, dharma and atheism here

 

[whynot]

now you can ask anything on religion, dharma and atheism here

Are you an atheist, Garry?

 

[Null]

I don't believe in God.