Are your religious beliefs a choice?

[Korhal IVV]

It is basically “shut up, for I have been there before and I see no need to return to that miserable middle state that offers no satisfaction in life whatsoever”

I was more just making a spaceship joke

Well, it seems you have to know my way of thinking better.

[The New California Republic]

It's usually something that spurs one to make a choice, like choosing whether to let a new piece of evidence etc affect one's beliefs, simply ignoring it, or actively fighting against it.

But is how one responds to evidence not a reaction rather than a choice? We are all reacting all the time. But just like how some people will try a drug and like it and some will try a drug and freak out, that's a reaction but not really a choice.

It could be argued that free will makes something a choice and not mere reaction. Now, proving that free will exists is a whole different thing entirely...

[Internationalist Bastard]

What made you decide to become an atheist? I became one after being told of, and ultimately reading some lines in the bible that were ridiculous.

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21)

[Teshin Est]

It is basically “shut up, for I have been there before and I see no need to return to that miserable middle state that offers no satisfaction in life whatsoever”

I was more just making a spaceship joke

Do you not know that your actions have consequences

[Page]

But is how one responds to evidence not a reaction rather than a choice? We are all reacting all the time. But just like how some people will try a drug and like it and some will try a drug and freak out, that's a reaction but not really a choice.

It could be argued that free will makes something a choice and not mere reaction. Now, proving that free will exists is a whole different thing entirely...

Even if free will exists, there are still things that are unarguably reactions rather than choices.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I was more just making a spaceship joke

Do you not know that your actions have consequences

Vines

[The New California Republic]

Oh so Scientology

It is basically “shut up, for I have been there before and I see no need to return to that miserable middle state that offers no satisfaction in life whatsoever”

You must have been looking in the wrong places.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I should probably clarify I’m a theistic Buddhist

[Teshin Est]

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21)

dude don't read the kjv it is a really bad translation

[The New California Republic]

It could be argued that free will makes something a choice and not mere reaction. Now, proving that free will exists is a whole different thing entirely...

Even if free will exists, there are still things that are unarguably reactions rather than choices.

Being presented with evidence that contradicts one's religion does posit a choice though.

[Internationalist Bastard]

"But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21)

dude don't read the kjv it is a really bad translation

So I’m not supposed to stone woman?

[Ifreann]

If religious beliefs are a choice, I would invite the people in this thread to change their beliefs. Start believing in Santa again. Don't just say you believe in him, really believe, believe with the same conviction that you believe that your hand will grasp the handle of a door when you reach for it and not phase through like so many ghost movies.

It's usually something that spurs one to make a choice, like choosing whether to let a new piece of evidence etc affect one's beliefs, simply ignoring it, or actively fighting against it.

That doesn't really sound like choosing your beliefs. That sounds like your beliefs are a function of your life experiences and the most you can do is try to keep yourself from processing experiences that might challenge your beliefs.

[The Galactic Liberal Democracy]

Recently I’ve been thinking about my beliefs. I used to be a liberal, but Trump is doing great. Threr are religious groups following him and I think I might do the same. Trump is a very respectable man and there is nothing wrong with saluting him. Maybe we could make a religion out of him?

[LiberNovusAmericae]

What made you decide to become an atheist? I became one after being told of, and ultimately reading some lines in the bible that were ridiculous.

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

[Pax Nerdvana]

I grew up Southern Baptist, and I've made the choice to identify as one. I believe it is a choice.

[The New California Republic]

It's usually something that spurs one to make a choice, like choosing whether to let a new piece of evidence etc affect one's beliefs, simply ignoring it, or actively fighting against it.

That doesn't really sound like choosing your beliefs. That sounds like your beliefs are a function of your life experiences and the most you can do is try to keep yourself from processing experiences that might challenge your beliefs.

I suppose the choice of belief comes beforehand. Maintenance of belief, which is what I was alluding to, also involves choosing to react to it in a certain way.

[Internationalist Bastard]

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

You took my second one

[The New California Republic]

What made you decide to become an atheist? I became one after being told of, and ultimately reading some lines in the bible that were ridiculous.

Cite one ridiculous line if you will.

Ezekiel 23:20.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

You took my second one

I didn't notice. I didn't refresh the page before replying.

[Teshin Est]

dude don't read the kjv it is a really bad translation

So I’m not supposed to stone woman?

20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

[Internationalist Bastard]

You took my second one

I didn't notice. I didn't refresh the page before replying.

I didn’t post it I was gonna use it next lol

[Internationalist Bastard]

So I’m not supposed to stone woman?

20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

Ah so yeah you do kill her

[Teshin Est]

You took my second one

I didn't notice. I didn't refresh the page before replying.

18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I didn't notice. I didn't refresh the page before replying.

18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.

Posting different translations that still look bad doesn’t actually help

[Teshin Est]

now too that you have to take more of a look into the world back then because there imperfect human body. The hevanly body will be better and then you see the lord