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

[Aellex]

I don't really see how the whole burden of proof thing makes no sense to you, but whatever. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah fam, gimme those polls and scientific books about how most of your family prefer red over pink; Imma gonna need them.

I think you mean La culture, c'est comme la confiture, moins on en a, plus on l'étale surely? No?

Qui fait le malin, tombe dans le ravin lmao.

[Aellex]

That's cool, and all, but when you're debating, you should answer arguments with counter arguments. Not simply mocking someone's view by appealing to their beliefs in order to discredit them. That's kinda an ad hominem which is an invalid argument. Plus it makes us theists as a whole look bad.

When debating, I try my best to study the views of other people before engaging them. That's how debates become productive.

Not sure what counter-argument there is to make when someone start bitching about sources and proof when you're making an anecdotal remark, tho. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Andsed]

So me asking for evidence of your massive claim about how atheist are apathetic and only atheist because of society is me being a stereotype? Just admit you made a massive generalization about atheist based on personal experience instead of actual facts instead of your weak attempts to make me look dumb. I am not asking much here just some evidence.

Yeah, you bitching about needing "dem sources 'n prufs" when I'm making an anecdotal remark is quite the stereotype because you don't even pause for two second to try and comprehend what's being said but rather just jump to a Pavlovian response, no matter how inadequate it is to the current situation it is, without even thinking for a second.

Oh joy, you are using words with intermittent caps again in a mocking manner, because you really have no response to a request for evidence. That is very telling.

And yes, that really bad stereotype of daring to ask for evidence when someone makes a claim. So terrible(!)

Well yes I'm not going to bother myself much when someone is bitching about sources in response to an opinion that is said to be anecdotal from the get-go because it deserves nothing more.

Yes, that stereotype of always screeching about having FACTS, SCIENCE and LOGIC on one's side and thus moaning about sourcez 'nz shitz even when it makes no sense whatsoever, it's a rather bad one indeed. As the saying goes, "La culture, c'est comme la confiture, moi on en a, plus on l'étale." :^)

Ah yes, someone who doesn’t just feel but also thinks! Just imagaine what would happen if he accepted, probably wouldn’t last, like me..

wat

So your really not going to do the simple thing of either providing evidence or saying you made a stupid claim and are instead going to double down and make weak attempts to make me look dumb? And you say I’m a stereotype. Dude just admit you made a stupid remark about atheist or provide a source for that claim that’s all I’m asking.

[Aellex]

So your really not going to do the simple thing of either providing evidence or saying you made a stupid claim and are instead going to double down and make weak attempts to make me look dumb? And you say I’m a stereotype. Dude just admit you made a stupid remark about atheist or provide a source for that claim that’s all I’m asking.

Alright mate, since it seems you won't even bother responding even when your shit is kindly pointed out to you twice, do tell me; what kinda proof you want me to give to """support""" an anecdotal remark I made? I'm actually kinda interested because of how little sense it makes so do enlighten me.

[The New California Republic]

I don't really see how the whole burden of proof thing makes no sense to you, but whatever. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah fam, gimme those polls and scientific books about how most of your family prefer red over pink; Imma gonna need them.

Shame we were talking about the existence of god rather than color preferences; unless you think that the existence of god is equivalent to the triviality of color preferences...?

I think you mean La culture, c'est comme la confiture, moins on en a, plus on l'étale surely? No?

Qui fait le malin, tombe dans le ravin lmao.

Not gonna happen, since I tend to sensibly stay away from precipices.

[Alorgaze]

I am personally irreligious. I disbelieve in any deity because I quite simply have no reason to believe in their existence. If there is a deity, I suspect it is not any we have postulated in all of human history, and I believe that their wishes would impart themselves on us all by being rules of the universe’s mechanisms. Humanity has postulated the existence of deities countless times, in countless different ways. To me, this demonstrates a variety of ways to examine the issue- some of which have been proven totally wrong, others of which have been proven wrong to a great extent, forcing interpretations to be altered to satisfy reality. Basically, I see no reason why there would be one, and so, do not believe in one.

This sums up everything.

[Andsed]

So your really not going to do the simple thing of either providing evidence or saying you made a stupid claim and are instead going to double down and make weak attempts to make me look dumb? And you say I’m a stereotype. Dude just admit you made a stupid remark about atheist or provide a source for that claim that’s all I’m asking.

Alright mate, since it seems you won't even bother responding even when your shit is kindly pointed out to you twice, do tell me; what kinda proof you want me to give to """support""" an anecdotal remark I made? I'm actually kinda interested because of how little sense it makes so do enlighten me.

Oh it’s very simple You made the claim that atheists are apathetic and only atheist because of society. I want to see proof for that claim. Stuff like polls that support it should not be to hard to come by if this claim is actually true not just some nonsense you made up.

[Aellex]

Shame we were talking about the existence of god rather than color preferences; unless you think that the existence of god is equivalent to the triviality of color preferences...?

Seems like I was overestimating your ability to understand analogies a little bit so maybe putting it in plain term will make it easier for you to understand :
"Asking for sources when someone is making an anecdotal remark is stupid because of the whole "anecdotal" bit, don't do it because it makes no sense."

Qui fait le malin, tombe dans le ravin lmao.

Not gonna happen, since I tend to sensibly stay away from precipices.

I was talking about myself pélo, lol.

[Aellex]

Alright mate, since it seems you won't even bother responding even when your shit is kindly pointed out to you twice, do tell me; what kinda proof you want me to give to """support""" an anecdotal remark I made? I'm actually kinda interested because of how little sense it makes so do enlighten me.

Oh it’s very simple You made the claim that atheists are apathetic and only atheist because of society. I want to see proof for that claim. Stuff like polls that support it should not be to hard to come by if this claim is actually true not just some nonsense you made up.

So you actually are of your own confirming my initial argument? Lmao fam, at that point I'm not even sure what to respond to you but it's really just sad.

[The New California Republic]

Shame we were talking about the existence of god rather than color preferences; unless you think that the existence of god is equivalent to the triviality of color preferences...?

Seems like I was overestimating your ability to understand analogies a little bit so maybe putting it in plain term will make it easier for you to understand :
"Asking for sources when someone is making an anecdotal remark is stupid because of the whole "anecdotal" bit, don't do it because it makes no sense."

What you said could have easily been interpreted either way actually. You probably needed to tighten up your analogy a little bit to ensure that doesn't happen.

[The Free Panama Commune]

Dude, Kali dances the world to death.

The Bible is bland.

The Bible is hardly bland! The Vedas and Rigvedas are interesting, I'll give you that, but have you read the part where Samuel tells Saul he needs to wipe out an entire race of people? I wouldn't call that boring.

I think I've started religious controversy. This may have been a mistake.

[Olthar]

I tried that once, but then I got a nasty rash.

That is the wrong kind of salve used.

If Jesus can't save me from sunburn, then what is he good for?

[Kowani]

That is the wrong kind of salve used.

If Jesus can't save me from sunburn, then what is he good for?

Toast.

[Absolem Isles]

Why i dont believe in god?

Well, let me start by saying that i consider myself to be an agnostic universalist. By that, i mean that i am not fully convinced of the existence of any deity-but that if such a deity were to exist, then i sure as hell wouldnt believe that there was only one of them. I'll start with christianity, i suppose, since that is the one in which i was born and raised. I was indoctrinated very young, and was taught to believe that there is only one true god-in 3 parts. (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.) And the only way to be saved was to gain the Father's forgiveness by accepting the Son and being filled with the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues. (Yes, i was a holy roller/Pentecostal.) I was taught that this God was pure and perfect. Omnicsient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and that above all, God is love.

I believed it for nearly 2 decades. I doubted for a while. Because i saw the evil in the world, and couldnt help but to wonder, if god loves all of his creation, then why do some suffer? Is he powerless to stop it? No? Then he allows it to happen? My mind was spinning for years. I was torn between the loving father that i was told he was, amd the vengeful god portrayed in scripture. Surely a loving father wouldnt drown the world? Surely there had to have been innocent babies and children? The whole world couldnt have been evil. But he killed them all? That's when i started hating god. I was a misotheist for a while. But then i started looking to history and archeology. There is no evidence of a worldwide flood. We wouldnt have fresh water of there was. There is evidence of a flood in the area in which the scriptures were set. Maybe the men who wrote the scriptures werent aware that more of the world existed? But why would an all knowing god tell noah he was going to flood the earth and then only flood a small portion of it?

This was only the beginning of my struggle. And can i just say, cognitive dissonance is a b*tch! I continued searching for a couple of years. Eventually came to terms with not totally believing in the christian god. I decided that *if* he does exist, then the bible cannot possibly be an accurate representation of him. And he definitely isnt the only one. So, i kept searching. I studied many world religions, but my favorite would have to be the beliefs that fall under the umbrella term of paganism. I particularly am drawn to wicca. I love the wiccan rede. Especially the part that says "and it harm none, do what thy will." I studied the pagan gods. Greek, roman, norse, hindu, you name it! I tend to like the roman ones most. But they are all interesting. All so unique while still being so similar.

I eventually came to the understanding that these are all faces of some energy force that everyone seems to have felt at some point. Something they didnt fully understand and tried to make sense of it in their own way. I dont know what it is. I dont know what i would call it. I know i do believe that there is something out there that science hasnt explained yet. Maybe it will, maybe it wont. I dont know. Maybe it's all in the heads of "the spiritual" people. I dont know.

What i do know is that im tired of the warmongering and the backbiting. None of us have any proof for any of the deities that we look to. Why cant we just live and let live? Harm none, do what you will.

Anyway, that's my thoughts.. Blessed be!

[Olthar]

If Jesus can't save me from sunburn, then what is he good for?

Toast.

I prefer butter on my toast.

[Andsed]

Oh it’s very simple You made the claim that atheists are apathetic and only atheist because of society. I want to see proof for that claim. Stuff like polls that support it should not be to hard to come by if this claim is actually true not just some nonsense you made up.

So you actually are of your own confirming my initial argument? Lmao fam, at that point I'm not even sure what to respond to you but it's really just sad.

Okay since you don’t seem to want to respond to my very easy and clear request and because of that I assume you can’t answer or swallow your pride and admit you made a nonsense generalization of atheists. I think any further arguing would be pointless as you clearly don’t want to or can’t support your arguments so this is my last post on the subject.

[Aellex]

So you actually are of your own confirming my initial argument? Lmao fam, at that point I'm not even sure what to respond to you but it's really just sad.

Okay since you don’t seem to want to respond to my very easy and clear request and because of that I assume you can’t answer or swallow your pride and admit you made a nonsense generalization of atheists. I think any further arguing would be pointless as you clearly don’t want to or can’t support your arguments so this is my last post on the subject.

>literally say in the original post that I'm making an anecdotal remark
>repeat it in every further post just in case you missed it somehow
>"BuT wHy WoN't YoU aDmIt yOu'Re MaKiNg An AnEcDoTaL?!?!???!"

I really do my best to not assume the worst of people but I gotta ask, are you actually for fucking real with that retarded shit or are you just fucking with me?
I won't lie, at this point, I'd honestly prefer the later.

[Jolthig]

Well, the above was the most productive debate I've ever seen on NSG. I'm very impressed. I learned a lot today from it.

Now seriously, let's do better.

[Kowani]

Well, the above was the most productive debate I've ever seen on NSG. I'm very impressed. I learned a lot today from it.

Now seriously, let's do better.

Self improvement? On NSG? This isn’t a therapy board.

[Jolthig]

Well, the above was the most productive debate I've ever seen on NSG. I'm very impressed. I learned a lot today from it.

Now seriously, let's do better.

Self improvement? On NSG? This isn’t a therapy board.

No, but I can still criticize argument styles as much as I would like to.

[Kowani]

Self improvement? On NSG? This isn’t a therapy board.

No, but I can still criticize argument styles as much as I would like to.

Fair.

[Thuzbekistan]

That's cool, and all, but when you're debating, you should answer arguments with counter arguments. Not simply mocking someone's view by appealing to their beliefs in order to discredit them. That's kinda an ad hominem which is an invalid argument. Plus it makes us theists as a whole look bad.

When debating, I try my best to study the views of other people before engaging them. That's how debates become productive.

Not sure what counter-argument there is to make when someone start bitching about sources and proof when you're making an anecdotal remark, tho. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You didnt make an anecdotal claim. Such things usually start with "in my experience..." not "most atheists do this cuz x"

[Aellex]

Not sure what counter-argument there is to make when someone start bitching about sources and proof when you're making an anecdotal remark, tho. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You didnt make an anecdotal claim. Such things usually start with "in my experience..." not "most atheists do this cuz x"

Literally the first post you yourself responded to :

It's not so much because they haven't heard of God than because they've bought what our zealotly secularist and materialist society say about religion.
A lot of Atheists or Agnostic are so by apathy more than genuine conviction and only need a little exposure to the Word to change themselves and become ready to listen, or so I've found from experience at least.

[Thuzbekistan]

You didnt make an anecdotal claim. Such things usually start with "in my experience..." not "most atheists do this cuz x"

Literally the first post you yourself responded to :

It's not so much because they haven't heard of God than because they've bought what our zealotly secularist and materialist society say about religion.
A lot of Atheists or Agnostic are so by apathy more than genuine conviction and only need a little exposure to the Word to change themselves and become ready to listen, or so I've found from experience at least.

Lolz I was dumb there.

[United New England]

What if all of those many deities are flawed interpretations of different aspects, facets, or roles of an infinite god that is not fully comprehensible to the human mind? We can’t even fully understand ourselves, so I highly doubt that anyone has ever fully comprehended any deity that may exist.

In that case, if all our interpretations are flawed, then there’s no point in believing because you’d be wrong all the time.

(Also, incomprehensible to the human mind is a cheap cop-out.

Our interpretations of a number of topics are flawed due to our limited capabilities, but that doesn’t mean we don’t believe in anything.

What kind of silly god would be fully comprehensible to the human mind?

What if all of those many deities are flawed interpretations of different aspects, facets, or roles of an infinite god that is not fully comprehensible to the human mind? We can’t even fully understand ourselves, so I highly doubt that anyone has ever fully comprehended any deity that may exist.

The thing is though, when we're dealing with things like that - things that are real, but difficult to understand - then despite the inherent difficulty of these topics, over time experts begin to converge on consensus. Quantum mechanics is tricky and counter-intuitive, but vitally nobody who studies particles these days really disputes that, "this - apparently - is the way particles behave."

That's the opposite of what happens when it comes to God or religion. The "experts" only diverge. If they were all studying the same thing from different angles, they'd converge towards similar conclusions. But they don't.

Actually, many religions around the world share important ideas about morality and spirituality. Mystics in particular tend to demonstrate similarities regardless of culture. Of course they sometimes disagree, but people aren’t perfect.