Why do/don't you believe in a higher power? (Any HP)

[Novo Vaticanus]

Ye bastards are a buncha pasty, wishy washy agnostics, haha. Ily all <3

but fr though Catholic gang roll out, yuh aye prr

Actually, on a serious note, where tf are all of the classical Thomistic thinkers at? The Catholic tradition of scholasticism is so potent and strong, there seriously oughta be more of us here. It's sad to me when people say that there's no evidence for God, or that they don't care enough to pursue Him. If there's even a tiny chance that He exists, then why wouldn't you invest everything into making sure you aren't in the wrong place, spiritually? We papists say it all the time, "the wages of sin is eternal life or death."

Tread lightly my friends, and may the Peace of Christ be with you all <3

[Novo Vaticanus]

Actully, God is genderless. Refering to God with male pronouns is because of a bad mistranslation

lmao nah, it's God the Father for a reason dude.

[Novo Vaticanus]

There is no good argument against the Catholic faith, change my mind

[Salandriagado]

I'd like to point out that even with God, you'd have trouble with the "first mover" problem. Like, who created God? Himself? How is that different from just accepting a universe without first motion, feels like religious folk are just adding an unnecessary step.

The idea is that god always existed and always has.

So why can't the universe have done that?

[Novo Vaticanus]

The idea is that god always existed and always has.

So why can't the universe have done that?

It can't have, because the Universe had a verifiable beginning in time, which was the Big Bang.

[Esternial]

I'm an atheist, but I really like jesus. A agree with a lot of his views on acceptance, love and charity. Less so on his stuff about the kingdom of heaven, and being the son of God, the messaih.

Well if you like him, you can support him on Patreon now.

[Randsidia]

This.

The universe doesn't have to have an origin. All notions of "origin" imply a "beginning", which fit our current understanding of time. But to ask what happened before the big bang is as meaningless a question as to ask how apples tasted before apples existed.

THIS is theism. The only difference is that we believe that one of those things that existed before the Big Bang happened to be sentient. I think that THAT's the key between an educated theist and an educated atheist. We can all agree that there was a bunch of stuff that's always existed, the question is whether or not any of them are sentient

No, because regardless of whether or not they WERE sentient, they most definitely didn't "create" the universe, nor do they still exist to this day.

[The Blaatschapen]

There is no good argument against the Catholic faith, change my mind

Nah, why should I put in the effort for that?

[Salandriagado]

So why can't the universe have done that?

It can't have, because the Universe had a verifiable beginning in time, which was the Big Bang.

No, actually. We have no idea if the big bang was the beginning or not. Or even if time was a thing "prior" to it.

[Novo Vaticanus]

There is no good argument against the Catholic faith, change my mind

Nah, why should I put in the effort for that?

To see whether or not your disbelief holds any water or not, haha.
You always see atheists trying to poke holes in the faith, but the fact that God is a God of truth, means that we Catholics have the fullness of truth on our side, and should therefore never be scared to go on the offensive.

That being said, intellectual sparring is just good ass fun, dontchya think?

[Novo Vaticanus]

It can't have, because the Universe had a verifiable beginning in time, which was the Big Bang.

No, actually. We have no idea if the big bang was the beginning or not. Or even if time was a thing "prior" to it.

If there was nothing before the Big Bang, including time, then there couldn't have been anything to cause it. This can't be true, because, clearly it was caused by some uncaused thing itself.

[The Blaatschapen]

Nah, why should I put in the effort for that?

To see whether or not your disbelief holds any water or not, haha.
You always see atheists trying to poke holes in the faith, but the fact that God is a God of truth, means that we Catholics have the fullness of truth on our side, and should therefore never be scared to go on the offensive.

That being said, intellectual sparring is just good ass fun, dontchya think?

I don't need to poke holes in your faith.

If it gives you strength, go for it. Just don't sell it to me, I'm not buying

[Novo Vaticanus]

To see whether or not your disbelief holds any water or not, haha.
You always see atheists trying to poke holes in the faith, but the fact that God is a God of truth, means that we Catholics have the fullness of truth on our side, and should therefore never be scared to go on the offensive.

That being said, intellectual sparring is just good ass fun, dontchya think?

I don't need to poke holes in your faith.

If it gives you strength, go for it. Just don't sell it to me, I'm not buying

Mmm, but see, that's the thing. Inaction of the spirit is even worse than being purposefully inflammatory. The argument is not just whether or not you should be Catholic; the whole reasoning, at it's core, is that everybody ought to care, because it'll assuredly effect you greatly later on.

[The Blaatschapen]

I don't need to poke holes in your faith.

If it gives you strength, go for it. Just don't sell it to me, I'm not buying

Mmm, but see, that's the thing. Inaction of the spirit is even worse than being purposefully inflammatory. The argument is not just whether or not you should be Catholic; the whole reasoning, at it's core, is that everybody ought to care, because it'll assuredly effect you greatly later on.

And that is where proselytizers are not making any friends

It's enormously arrogant to think that others need saving. I'm a functioning adult, if I need help, I'll ask for it

[Novo Vaticanus]

Mmm, but see, that's the thing. Inaction of the spirit is even worse than being purposefully inflammatory. The argument is not just whether or not you should be Catholic; the whole reasoning, at it's core, is that everybody ought to care, because it'll assuredly effect you greatly later on.

And that is where proselytizers are not making any friends

It's enormously arrogant to think that others need saving. I'm a functioning adult, if I need help, I'll ask for it

Mmm, if the evangelization we do was really done out of like, virtue signaling, I would see exactly what you mean. I especially hate when evangelical protestants try and do it, like it's some kind of virtue competition haha.

But, the thing is, the entire reason we do what we do, is that we really feel a deep desire to share in this lasting happiness that's found in the faith, which can't really be found anywhere else. It's not that you're just a dumb heathen in need of saving or something, that's far from it. If that was the only reason we were spreading the faith, I'd want it to end immediately. It's that, you're a dignified human being, and that you really deserve to be a part of the family that God wants us all to be in, you know?

Sorry for the relatively phatass post, it's just an easy thing for me, personally, to get excited and passionate about lmao <3

[The Blaatschapen]

And that is where proselytizers are not making any friends

It's enormously arrogant to think that others need saving. I'm a functioning adult, if I need help, I'll ask for it

Mmm, if the evangelization we do was really done out of like, virtue signaling, I would see exactly what you mean. I especially hate when evangelical protestants try and do it, like it's some kind of virtue competition haha.

But, the thing is, the entire reason we do what we do, is that we really feel a deep desire to share in this lasting happiness that's found in the faith, which can't really be found anywhere else. It's not that you're just a dumb heathen in need of saving or something, that's far from it. If that was the only reason we were spreading the faith, I'd want it to end immediately. It's that, you're a dignified human being, and that you really deserve to be a part of the family that God wants us all to be in, you know?

Sorry for the relatively phatass post, it's just an easy thing for me, personally, to get excited and passionate about lmao <3

Good for you. Use that passion to accomplish something actually good for the world. Feed the poor

See, I disagree that lasting happiness can only be found in 'the' faith. Can you prove that?

Besides that, is happiness really worth pursuing? I'm not an American after all (I'm facetious here, huge hedonist actually)

And indeed, I am a dignified human being

[Novo Vaticanus]

Good for you. Use that passion to accomplish something actually good for the world. Feed the poor

See, I disagree that lasting happiness can only be found in 'the' faith. Can you prove that?

Besides that, is happiness really worth pursuing? I'm not an American after all (I'm facetious here, huge hedonist actually)

And indeed, I am a dignified human being

Well actually, the Catholic Church is the single largest provider of charity on the entire planet. It's very much a part of the mission of the faith to feed the poor, visit the sick, clothe the naked, etc.

Again, it's not to virtue signal, but because it's borne of a true and authentic longing to bring as many people to the table of God as possible, you feel?

And yeah, of course lasting happiness can only be found in the faith man! It's the only thing that satisfies the eudaemonic desire in us to be a part of something much, much bigger than ourselves. Pursuing money, fame, glory, and material gratification are all temporary ways of being satisfied, and they don't really hit that spot in our soul, you know? That's why the people who surround themselves with that stuff are often times the most miserable people on the planet.

On whether or not happiness is worth pursuing, it's gotta be man. God isn't just a God of justice, and truth, and all of that stuff; He's a God of ALL that's good, including happiness. So naturally happiness is worth pursuing, it's the logical end to us being here, on Earth.

[Ifreann]

I was raised Catholic and not only don't believe in God, but I don't think I ever really believed in God. When my parents and teachers and priests told me that there's a God in Heaven and all that I took it as true, like I did when they told me anything else.

All the argument I needed to stop thinking of myself as a Catholic was introduction to the idea of there not being any god or gods.

[Petrolheadia]

There is no good argument against the Catholic faith, change my mind

If God loves us, why do we have such fallible free will that leads to such horrible things, and why did he give us limited natural resources and economic scarcity?

Good for you. Use that passion to accomplish something actually good for the world. Feed the poor

See, I disagree that lasting happiness can only be found in 'the' faith. Can you prove that?

Besides that, is happiness really worth pursuing? I'm not an American after all (I'm facetious here, huge hedonist actually)

And indeed, I am a dignified human being

Well actually, the Catholic Church is the single largest provider of charity on the entire planet. It's very much a part of the mission of the faith to feed the poor, visit the sick, clothe the naked, etc.

Well, with its teaching and size, it better be.

Also, how much of that is like the tyrannical Irish "homes" for unweed mothers, how much of this creates a charity dependence vs actual change, how much of this disappears along the way?

Again, it's not to virtue signal, but because it's borne of a true and authentic longing to bring as many people to the table of God as possible, you feel?

There is a difference between sharing experiences and wasting your time nagging.

I think Lynyrd Skynyrd has a long list of underrated songs, but I don't go telling about them to most of the people I know, because they aren't interested in classic rock at all.

And yeah, of course lasting happiness can only be found in the faith man! It's the only thing that satisfies the eudaemonic desire in us to be a part of something much, much bigger than ourselves.

The faith community is not the only one out there.

Pursuing money, fame, glory, and material gratification are all temporary ways of being satisfied, and they don't really hit that spot in our soul, you know? That's why the people who surround themselves with that stuff are often times the most miserable people on the planet.

I feel more satisfied not having to waste an hour every Sunday.

On whether or not happiness is worth pursuing, it's gotta be man. God isn't just a God of justice, and truth, and all of that stuff; He's a God of ALL that's good, including happiness. So naturally happiness is worth pursuing, it's the logical end to us being here, on Earth.

Yes, which is why I find it in other things.

It wouldn't be much of an overstatement if I said that my playthrough of Mafia III was more fullfilling than all the years of contact with Christianity.

Ye bastards are a buncha pasty, wishy washy agnostics, haha. Ily all <3

but fr though Catholic gang roll out, yuh aye prr

Actually, on a serious note, where tf are all of the classical Thomistic thinkers at? The Catholic tradition of scholasticism is so potent and strong, there seriously oughta be more of us here. It's sad to me when people say that there's no evidence for God, or that they don't care enough to pursue Him. If there's even a tiny chance that He exists, then why wouldn't you invest everything into making sure you aren't in the wrong place, spiritually? We papists say it all the time, "the wages of sin is eternal life or death."

Tread lightly my friends, and may the Peace of Christ be with you all <3

Some twisted asshole might fly a plane over somebody and drop nails, but do we all wear hard hats?

[Salandriagado]

I don't need to poke holes in your faith.

If it gives you strength, go for it. Just don't sell it to me, I'm not buying

Mmm, but see, that's the thing. Inaction of the spirit is even worse than being purposefully inflammatory. The argument is not just whether or not you should be Catholic; the whole reasoning, at it's core, is that everybody ought to care, because it'll assuredly effect you greatly later on.

That's easy, then: even ignoring all of the evidence against Catholicism's specific claims, it's vanishing unlikely that it's right, just by the shear vastness of the other, at least equally plausible, possibilities. The probability that the Catholic church is right on the matter of what happens after death is close enough to zero as to be functionally indistinguishable from it.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Nah, why should I put in the effort for that?

To see whether or not your disbelief holds any water or not, haha.
You always see atheists trying to poke holes in the faith, but the fact that God is a God of truth, means that we Catholics have the fullness of truth on our side, and should therefore never be scared to go on the offensive.

That being said, intellectual sparring is just good ass fun, dontchya think?

Have you not realised that the person saying that X is true has the burden of proof?

[Thermodolia]

On the contrary, it seems that many people who have difficult lives turn to religion as a source of solace, while people who are materially wealthy and have things handed to them on a silver platter are more likely to be religiously apathetic. Of course, such trends do not hold true for all individuals.

If God didn't exist, life would be easier. Now I have the fear of hell hanging over my head

Kinda of a shit reason to believe in god yo

[Thermodolia]

If God didn't exist, life would be easier. Now I have the fear of hell hanging over my head

If God doesn't exist, neither would Hell.

Unless there's some sort of blimp floating around named The Fear of Hell, and it just sorta hovered over you.

Depends on the religion as some religions don’t believe in hell let alone an afterlife

[Thermodolia]

Ye bastards are a buncha pasty, wishy washy agnostics, haha. Ily all <3

but fr though Catholic gang roll out, yuh aye prr

Actually, on a serious note, where tf are all of the classical Thomistic thinkers at? The Catholic tradition of scholasticism is so potent and strong, there seriously oughta be more of us here. It's sad to me when people say that there's no evidence for God, or that they don't care enough to pursue Him. If there's even a tiny chance that He exists, then why wouldn't you invest everything into making sure you aren't in the wrong place, spiritually? We papists say it all the time, "the wages of sin is eternal life or death."

Tread lightly my friends, and may the Peace of Christ be with you all <3

I’m quite sure I’m in the right place.

[Thermodolia]

There is no good argument against the Catholic faith, change my mind

It’s a Jewish hearsy.