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cause-and-effect: "cause" require evidence too

We Never Know

No Slack
No. Nothing existed before the BB in the standard model.

In extensions, there are things before the BB, but then the universe existed as well.



No.



No, the BB was simply the start of time and the universe.



Only in a very loose sense.

The south pole is a singularity in the coordinate system of the Earth. There is nothing south of it.



No. The singularity *is* the start. It doesn't 'cause' the start. it isn't a thing; it is a description.



Yes, causality goes from an earlier time to a later time.

"In extensions, there are things before the BB, but then the universe existed as well"

How does that one work. Is that the bounce(and collaspe) theory?

"No, the BB was simply the start of time and the universe"

Yet we cant go back far enough to verify that. What we know breaks down.

"Only in a very loose sense"

Either it did or didnt.

"Yes, causality goes from an earlier time to a later time.

Ok. The universe formed from a big bang, bounce, expansion, singularity, (whatever).

Did that just magically happen and tada the universe?

We have a good idea back to a certain point. Any further back and we draw a blank, we don't know. I can't understand why "we don't know" is so hard for many to say.(that goes both ways).

 
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Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Do you have the same standard for theists? Are they eventually obligated to explain how anything that they believe could be the case, such as how it is possible for a deity to exist uncaused and undesigned, and how it can create universes, or is that just for empiricists?

Dark energy is proposed to account for an observable phenomenon, the acceleration of the rate of universal expansion. What is spiritual energy? What are its features? What does spiritual energy do? How does one detect it or measure its effect? What physical phenomena are accounted for by postulating its existence? I don't see any commonality between the two.

You must use a different definition for religion than I do, one closer to what I would call reason or philosophy. The supernaturalistic religions explain nothing.

And how is that better than being able to experience reality as a subject and an object with an understanding that the subject is part of the object? This concept is repeatedly offered as a worthy goal, but why? Why even be conscious at all if you can't experience

Once again, you might consider offering a reason for doing that. Also, please explain how awareness without thought is desirable or even possible.
The goal of religious practice is to realize non-duality, that means to become one with the source of being, There can be no dualistic explanation for the non-dual mind state, only concepts that comes to mind are God, Nirvana, Tao, Brahman, Holy Spirit, etc..

Spiritual energy, aka Holy Spirit, etc.,is, omnipresent. It can only be realized in a state of non-duality. There is no I present when pure awareness prevails. Pure awareness is free from body self-identification, this is not dualistic awareness, leave your dualistic mind's questions at the door.

Yes of course you use reason, thinking, etc., that is what the dualistic mind does. Nothing wrong with that in the context of expressing the creative process of physical being, but it is limited and unable to realize what and who one really is in the context of absolute existence. The body self can't have the spiritual experience but the immortal soul can and does. Iow, in the dualistic state of mind, you self identify with your body, that is why the concept of spirit seems to be not who you are. But in the non-dual state of mind, there is no thoughts arising in your mind so there is no 'I' present, and the mind's awareness is free to unite with the universal spirit, and a new sense of self arises, the spiritual immortal Self. The spiritual devotee must practice this still mind meditation years, decades to fully realize the extent of their evolutionary potential and know what and who they really are.

So one can realize what and who one really is. It can be realized by ceasing all thought, and transitioning one's self identification from a mortal body to a spiritual immortal body. In terms of the difficulty of the spiritual path, to immortality, VERY, you must give up this mortal life.
 

LIIA

Well-Known Member
No, the effect is the reason we hypothesize a certain cause. We then need to independently verify that cause.

Do you mean the effects (observations) itself are not used to confirm the hypothesis? I’m sorry this is nonsense. Can you verify gravity (as a hypothesized cause) independently without the effects of gravity?

The effect is not only the reason we may initially hypothesize a certain cause but also the reason we accept or reject a hypothesis. The effect is the evidence to support or refute a hypothesis.

This is a double hypothesis

No, it's the mainstream consensus.

From a scientific perspective, what do you think is the most abundant existence in the universe?

Yes, absolutely it does. At this point we have a mathematical description of the accelerating expansion, but no details past that. In essence, dark energy is simply the energy density of the vacuum--no 'substance' is postulated.

Anything past that does, in fact, need separate evidence (maybe more detailed evidence).

Are you acknowledging dark energy and denying dark matter? It’s not up to you.

Here is a quote from an article published by Harvard & Smithsonian /The Center for Astrophysics:

”Dark matter makes up most of the mass of galaxies and galaxy clusters, and is responsible for the way galaxies are organized on grand scales. Dark energy, meanwhile, is the name we give the mysterious influence driving the accelerated expansion of the universe.” See the link below.

Dark Energy and Dark Matter | Center for Astrophysics (harvard.edu)

Even if you only acknowledge dark energy (which is unjustified), how is that relevant to my argument? the concept doesn’t change.

No, he *defined* gravity as the force that gives the observations and *hypothesized* a formula for that force. That formula definitely required confirmation by further testing.

The observations are what confirm that he got the formula correct (well, until they showed otherwise).

He inferred the existence of the force/cause because of the observed effects. The effects are the evidence for the cause. Without the observed effects, the existence/characteristics of the cause may never be inferred independently.

Causes are hypothesized and need further confirmation.

Again, Do you mean the effects (observations) itself are not used to confirm the hypothesis? If not, what else other than the effects would be used to support the hypothesis?

The process of confirming a hypothesis is always through the observations of the effects. There is no other way. Causes are hypothesized, and then effects/observations either confirm it or refute it. The Effects itself are the evidence.

A Hypothesis makes predictions, effects/observations are either consistent with the predictions, hence it gets accepted as evidence for the hypothesis or contradictory to the predictions, hence it gets accepted as evidence against the hypothesis. In any case, the effects are always the evidence either with or against a hypothesis.
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
There are a great many questions of interest and importance that science simply has no say about. Issues of aesthetics or morality are simply not scientific questions.

The question of 'why we are here' has answers, but often not the answers that satisfy theists.

For example, I am here because my parents had sex.

That your parents conceived you is that the 'answer' as to why the univese exists.
That is being disengenuous.

That's like saying 'The boat sank because it left the harbor.'
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
There are a great many questions of interest and importance that science simply has no say about. Issues of aesthetics or morality are simply not scientific questions.

The question of 'why we are here' has answers, but often not the answers that satisfy theists.

For example, I am here because my parents had sex.

Well, in my culture there are 7 subsets of science and not just your cultural version of natural science.
So back to the purpose of this site, namely to compare different culture and religions you need to not take your own culture for granted. But that is your trick. For the world only your method is effective, because we define away ambiguity.
My answer is to accept ambiguity and then explain, how that works.

So the short difference is that you only accept correct answer sand I try to understand diverse answesr and that my answer is not the correct one, because it is also diverse.
And now one skeptic to another, because you are that and so am I. What if the answer is, that there is no one correct method, because there are no overall order. There are regularities and variations.

So here it is as a joke and as the test for how your system works in practice.
There is only one correct way to do it and that can't be doubted, because that is the correct way to think act towards the world. That is your method in the end.
My answer is: No! That is so, because for the regularity of thinking I use that as also a variation.
And your answer is that only science based on your thinking can provide correct answer, but that is based on your thinking.

So your are correct for how it works for you and I am different as in the end wrong, yet it still works for me. That is the challenge of what we are playing. To describe regularity and variations, but that is absurd for you try to reduce it down if it is not being positive, orderly laws.
So you handle it differently than me in some cases and in other we share a limited amount of regularity,
And which one is the correct one for all of the world: I don't know and I have found no answer in the books or got any other answer from any other human that answers that. It ain't there for over 2400+ years of trying in Western culture and no, you don't have it and neither have I.
I am a skeptic, because the so far correct answer is that even correct has a limit. And yes, you can do it different and so can I. And that is the variant of the world, that your system ignores, because you want regular order.
 

Redemptionsong

Well-Known Member
But the Bible is not evidence for a deity. It is evidence that people believed one existed and wrote that down. To be evidence of a deity it would need to be something that a deity is required for it to exist. And there needs to be a second person to have a personal relationship with someone. You can no more have apersonal relationship with Christ than you can with Euclid or Shakespeare.
I disagree.

The Bible writers claim to prophesy in God's name. This makes the books of the Bible a prophecy (based on the writer's claims), revealed over time. This expanse of time (about 1500 years) is so great that the alternative claim, that the Bible is a book of lies and deception, becomes untenable. Hence, the Bible is evidence of God. Only God could have inspired such a book.

If you are convinced that the Bible is a book of lies, then demonstrate the inconsistency and error showing that the writers have not spoken the truth. This should not be difficult if it's man's work, since over 40 writers were, apparently, involved in the deception.

Another good little exercise is to take up pen and paper, with the Tanakh in hand, and begin to write your own New Testament. Where would you begin, and end?

Men have studied and analysed the Bible for millennia, and continue to believe that it is of divine origin. The reason for this belief lies not just in the text, but in the Spirit that operates through the written word.

The promise in Christ is a promise that includes receiving the Holy Spirit. I don't think a person can truly receive the Holy Spirit without knowing that it is evidence of God's presence. From my experience, l would say that the working of the Holy Spirit is above and beyond the power of men.
 
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LIIA

Well-Known Member
Well not entirely correct. Energy is described in several hypothetical models. The physical universe as we know it came from something. As we explore the causes and function of the universe in its current state the most likely is all physical phenomenon. There is no religious magic being discussed.

I’m not talking about hypothetical models; I’m talking about the mainstream consensus.

Reigious beliefs and claims are certainly irrelevant to the models.

On what basis? The model itself postulate that whatever beyond the BB is metaphysical/supernatural, hence beyond the typical method of direct observation/experimentation.

Whatever physical understanding we have from within the physical realm doesn’t apply (stops/breaks down). i.e., irrelevant to the cause of the BB.

The BB is a knowledge barrier beyond which it’s not possible to observe further. At the BB threshold where the scientific method of direct observation/experimentation stops, collective human knowledge, Logic, Science, Historiography/Religious accounts are all collectively necessary towards the understanding of the absolute reality.

We cannot apply the wrong/irrelevant methodology in the wrong domain.

Well physical is the only game in town.

No true, maybe “post-BB” not “pre-BB”.

In fact, there is also evidence of the existence of the non-physical post-BB but this can be a separate discussion. See #60 & #66 of the thread "What happens after we die”

What happens after we die | Page 3 | Religious Forums

There are no religious models that have any credibility.

How do you know? What is the basis of your claim other than guess or speculation? What is the extent of your knowledge/understanding of religious models?

Non-physical means what?

It simply means a category of entities of different nature beyond direct observation/experimentation, it may not be directly observed but its existence can be inferred through the study of the effects.

Is there any evidence of a non-physical?

See above (#60 & #66). The existence beyond the BB is non-physical.

No. It only exists in the fallible minds of religious believers.

It’s your wish/limitation. Your relative perceived reality that exists in your mind has nothing to do with the absolute reality.

No rational mind would introduce religious beliefs when discussiong causes of effects in nature.

Why?

I’m sorry, don’t get me wrong but you know nothing about the subject matter.

Misinformation/Misinterpretation of Islam has nothing to do with what Islam is or means for those who know Islam.

The rational minds of Muslim scientists during the “Islamic Golden Age” played a crucial role to establish the basis of modern science as we know it today. Even the numbers that you are using are Arabic numbers. Can you imagine how our world today would look like without it?

Fibonacci’s work made the Arabic numerals known in Europe. European trade, books, and colonialism helped popularize the adoption of Arabic numerals around the world. See the link

Arabic numerals - Wikipedia

The Islamic Civilization was the first Civilization where its citizens were religiously obligated to learn to read, write and disseminate knowledge which led to the Islamic scientific achievement of the “Islamic Golden Age” that established the basis of the modern scientific method.

Professor George Sarton the founder of the discipline of the history of science wrote "Perhaps the main, as well as the least obvious, achievement of the Middle Ages, was the creation of the experimental spirit ... This was primarily due to Muslims down to the end of the twelfth century”

Robert Briffault in his book “The Making of Humanity” wrote “What we call science arose in Europe as a result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs.”

https://ia600905.us.archive.org/5/items/makingofhumanity00brifrich/makingofhumanity00brifrich.pdf

The making of humanity (archive.org)
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I disagree.

The Bible writers claim to prophesy in God's name. This makes the books of the Bible a prophecy from God revealed over time. This expanse of time (about 1500 years) is so great that the alternative claim, that the Bible is a book of lies and deception, becomes untenable. Hence, the Bible is evidence of God. Only God could have inspired such a book.

If you are convinced that the Bible is a book of lies, then demonstrate the inconsistency and error which shows that the writers have not spoken the truth. This should not be difficult if it's man's work, since over 40 writers were, supposedly, involved in the deception.

Another good little exercise is to take up pen and paper, with the Tanakh in hand, and begin to write your own New Testament. Where would you begin, and end?

Men have studied and analysed the Bible for millennia, and continue to believe that it is of divine origin. The reason for this belief lies not just in the text, but in the Spirit that operates through the written word.

The promise in Christ is a promise that includes receiving the Holy Spirit. I don't think a person can truly receive the Holy Spirit without knowing that it is evidence of God's presence. From my experience, l would say that the working of the Holy Spirit is above and beyond the power of men.

The Bible is:
- The Truth
- The Lie
- A part of the answer, but not the only one.

So I take the 3rd one and you only operate with the first 2 ones.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
"In extensions, there are things before the BB, but then the universe existed as well"

How does that one work. Is that the bounce(and collaspe) theory?

There are many models. The bounce theory is one, but there are also theories where 'Big Bangs' bud off from an overall expansion.

"No, the BB was simply the start of time and the universe"

Yet we cant go back far enough to verify that. What we know breaks down.

According to the mathematics of the standard theory, the BB is the start of time and the universe. To go beyond that requires quantum gravity.

[QUOTE]
"Only in a very loose sense"

Either it did or didnt.[/QUOTE]

The singularity is a *description*, not a thing. It describes the fact that time cannot be extended backward past that point.

So, no, the singularity did NOT exist 'before the Big Bang'. It was the *start* of the Big Bang, t=0. the universe 'came out of the singularity' in the sense that it started then. But, no, there was no 'before'.

"Yes, causality goes from an earlier time to a later time.
Ok. The universe formed from a big bang, bounce, expansion, singularity, (whatever).

Did that just magically happen and tada the universe?

Again, that suggests a time aspect to this that is simply not the case.

Does the Earth 'come out of' the South pole? Does the south pole just 'magically happen' to produce latitude?


We have a good idea back to a certain point. Any further back and we draw a blank, we don't know. I can't understand why "we don't know" is so hard for many to say.(that goes both ways).

We don't know back past the point of inflation (where the expansion was very, very fast). When you talk about the BB, that is already before what we know about.

So, yes, *anything* before that is speculation. But it can be speculation based on the general physical laws that we know about right now and their likely extensions.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
I’m not talking about hypothetical models; I’m talking about the mainstream consensus.

The mainstream consensus is that we don't know enough about quantum gravity to say anything about the universe prior to the inflationary stage.

On what basis? The model itself postulate that whatever beyond the BB is metaphysical/supernatural, hence beyond the typical method of direct observation/experimentation.

Which means it is absolutely useless for explaining anything. It cannot be tested, it can make no predictions about future observations, and is postulates an unobservable, untestable realm that we can only know about via 'faith'.

Sorry, that makes it a useless model.

Whatever physical understanding we have from within the physical realm doesn’t apply (stops/breaks down). i.e., irrelevant to the cause of the BB.

That is yet to be determined. It is even yet to be determined whether the BB has a cause at all. To say a cause existed is pure speculation that goes against the best scientific models.

The BB is a knowledge barrier beyond which it’s not possible to observe further. At the BB threshold where the scientific method of direct observation/experimentation stops, collective human knowledge, Logic, Science, Historiography/Religious accounts are all collectively necessary towards the understanding of the absolute reality.

Nope. Only science. Whatever can be tested and makes valid predictions. That is what determined reality.

We cannot apply the wrong/irrelevant methodology in the wrong domain.

And metaphysics is *always* the wrong method. It has, historically, *never* given correct answers.

No true, maybe “post-BB” not “pre-BB”.

In fact, there is also evidence of the existence of the non-physical post-BB but this can be a separate discussion. See #60 & #66 of the thread "What happens after we die”

What happens after we die | Page 3 | Religious Forums

How do you jump from NDEs to post-BB?


How do you know? What is the basis of your claim other than guess or speculation? What is the extent of your knowledge/understanding of religious models?

Do any religious models include testability, prediction of new phenomena in detail, and skepticism as the basis for learning new things?

If not, they are not credible models.


It simply means a category of entities of different nature beyond direct observation/experimentation, it may not be directly observed but its existence can be inferred through the study of the effects.

Then please set up a model that allows these ideas to be tested *in detail*. Get anything even close to the level of testing for, say, dark matter.

See above (#60 & #66). The existence beyond the BB is non-physical.

Nonsense.

It’s your wish/limitation. Your relative perceived reality that exists in your mind has nothing to do with the absolute reality.

Such is your claim. Now provide evidence that proves your position. The NDE evidence is so weak it doesn't even prove the limited claims it makes, let alone anything about cosmology.


Why?

I’m sorry, don’t get me wrong but you know nothing about the subject matter.

Misinformation/Misinterpretation of Islam has nothing to do with what Islam is or means for those who know Islam.

The rational minds of Muslim scientists during the “Islamic Golden Age” played a crucial role to establish the basis of modern science as we know it today. Even the numbers that you are using are Arabic numbers. Can you imagine how our world today would look like without it?

Fibonacci’s work made the Arabic numerals known in Europe. European trade, books, and colonialism helped popularize the adoption of Arabic numerals around the world. See the link

Arabic numerals - Wikipedia

The Islamic Civilization was the first Civilization where its citizens were religiously obligated to learn to read, write and disseminate knowledge which led to the Islamic scientific achievement of the “Islamic Golden Age” that established the basis of the modern scientific method.

Professor George Sarton the founder of the discipline of the history of science wrote "Perhaps the main, as well as the least obvious, achievement of the Middle Ages, was the creation of the experimental spirit ... This was primarily due to Muslims down to the end of the twelfth century”

Robert Briffault in his book “The Making of Humanity” wrote “What we call science arose in Europe as a result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs.”

https://ia600905.us.archive.org/5/items/makingofhumanity00brifrich/makingofhumanity00brifrich.pdf

The making of humanity (archive.org)

All the great achievements of the Arabic expansion of knowledge occurred early and were closed off when the religious authorities shut the gates of ijtihad.

Yes, the Arabic mathematicians and scientists did great work, both as transmitters of the ancient Greek knowledge and as innovators themselves.

But the religion had very little to do with their advances. The Islamic conquests lead to a mixing of different peoples and ideas and that is what lead to the advances of the Arab middle ages. But, when the religious authorities asserted themselves more strongly, this efflorescence of investigation started to decline, leading to the poor state of science in Arabic and Islamic countries today.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
...

Nope. Only science. Whatever can be tested and makes valid predictions. That is what determined reality.

...

No! Now the joke is that this No! for its meaning is not in reality and thus it is not on your screen. Stop do metaphysics yourself. And thus you can't understand its meaning because it is not in reality.
 

Redemptionsong

Well-Known Member
The Bible is:
- The Truth
- The Lie
- A part of the answer, but not the only one.

So I take the 3rd one and you only operate with the first 2 ones.
I have always found that a mixture of truth and lies is the worse of all deceptions.

Which part of the Bible do you believe is deception? The miraculous bits? The foretelling of events?

What would be left of the Bible if the miracles and foretelling were extracted, do you think?
 

It Aint Necessarily So

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The goal of religious practice is to realize non-duality, that means to become one with the source of being, There can be no dualistic explanation for the non-dual mind state, only concepts that comes to mind are God, Nirvana, Tao, Brahman, Holy Spirit, etc.. Spiritual energy, aka Holy Spirit, etc.,is, omnipresent. It can only be realized in a state of non-duality. There is no I present when pure awareness prevails. Pure awareness is free from body self-identification, this is not dualistic awareness, leave your dualistic mind's questions at the door. Yes of course you use reason, thinking, etc., that is what the dualistic mind does. Nothing wrong with that in the context of expressing the creative process of physical being, but it is limited and unable to realize what and who one really is in the context of absolute existence. The body self can't have the spiritual experience but the immortal soul can and does. Iow, in the dualistic state of mind, you self identify with your body, that is why the concept of spirit seems to be not who you are. But in the non-dual state of mind, there is no thoughts arising in your mind so there is no 'I' present, and the mind's awareness is free to unite with the universal spirit, and a new sense of self arises, the spiritual immortal Self. The spiritual devotee must practice this still mind meditation years, decades to fully realize the extent of their evolutionary potential and know what and who they really are.

Your argument seems to be that there is a years-long process one should go through that makes some kind of change in one's mode of thinking from the dualistic standard mode in which conscious experience is that of a subject experiencing an object into something else that merges those two.

You say a new sense of self arises. You say that in this state with a stilled mind, one can unite with a universal spirit and discover his true self. Let's stipulate that there is some process that one can go through that make such changes in conscious experience. Why should one do that?

I've had psychedelic experiences, which also alter the structure of conscious experience. They were interesting, fun, and I felt insightful at the time. Alcohol also changes how one processes and thus experiences information, and it can be pleasant as well, but nothing more. I've had altered mental states produced by prolonged fasting (ketoacidosis), and that was also very pleasant and fun, but so what? I still don't see what the benefit of your pursuit would be, or why I should want to alter my consciousness except that the experience is pleasant as described above, and that doesn't seem like a good way to spend my contemplative time. Maybe you can explain how this other mode of thinking has benefited your life.

Incidentally, I do not self-identify as my body. I don't even self-identify with the parade of conscious phenomena comprising the theater of consciousness, nor with my memories, which are about my life but are not me. These are the objects of the mind, not the self. It is with that observer that I self-identify. It's the constant part of experience - the self, stripped of all mind and matter, known through the mind, which presents a stage of self and other to the conscious observer set in time and space. Why would I want to obliterate that? What use is the mind after that?

So one can realize what and who one really is. It can be realized by ceasing all thought, and transitioning one's self identification from a mortal body to a spiritual immortal body. In terms of the difficulty of the spiritual path, to immortality, VERY, you must give up this mortal life.

This is too vague - who I really am. Why should I think that that way of seeing myself would show me who I really am, especially a method intended to erase the self from self-awareness? What does that mean - who I really am? I still don't see a benefit there.

The spiritual path to immortality? Sorry, but none of that resonates as more than poetry. Yes, I expect to die. At that time, dual thought will cease forever in this mind, and the self will no longer exist to be self-aware. However the matter and energy of my brain and mind were arranged will be lost forever, but not those elements, since they are neither created nor destroyed. The new arrangement will finally no longer experience itself as a subject apprehending an object. That seems to be the state you're looking for now.

Let me explain: I think most of what I read of this nature, whether it be from people calling themselves searchers or spiritual pilgrims is people trying to add magic to their lives with phrases that facilitate that. It gives them satisfaction to believe that there is arcane knowledge and a higher plane of existence accessible to a chosen few, and that they are or might be among them. So, I routinely ask them what they have discovered, and it's always poetry - words with no definite meaning that inspire rather than inform. There's never any there there. What need that others but not I seem to have is being fulfilled? Is life too mundane for some, not magical enough? If I have this all wrong, then perhaps you can show me the value of this kind of thinking to somebody who doesn't see it. More vague, flowery text won't do that. It needs to be concrete and specific. Are you now free from grief or anxiety? Has your reading comprehension increased? What would be lost to you if you reverted to your old dualistic state and lived life as a subject experiencing an object again?

Is this like an ADHD thing to have to have all your replies in one post? I quit reading after the second or third different poster you were responding to all in one post. Too long of a post

You can't read through an entire post or even just the part addressed to you, yet you think I'M the one with an attention deficit? Just to close this out, this is what you would have read had you made the effort:

"Existence outside of space and time is an incoherent concept, as is the supernatural. Whatever exists is part of nature, and it is all in spacetime. It is incoherent to postulate an undetectable realm of reality outside of time and space that is able to affect the rest of reality. Causality cannot be one-way. To be real is to exist in space and time and to be able to interact with other real objects and processes. Anything that can do that is detectable. To be nonexistent is to have none of those qualities."

Your response wasn't required. The statement is correct.
 

It Aint Necessarily So

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The Bible writers claim to prophesy in God's name. This makes the books of the Bible a prophecy (based on the writer's claims), revealed over time. This expanse of time (about 1500 years) is so great that the alternative claim, that the Bible is a book of lies and deception, becomes untenable. Hence, the Bible is evidence of God. Only God could have inspired such a book.

My claim about the Bible is not that it is a book of lies and deceptions, but one of errors typical of humanity. The persistence of the Bible as a holy book or a cultural influence is not evidence of a god. It is evidence that a religion can persist through millennia, which doesn't need a god to exist to be the case. Men could easily have written such a book. What part of it do you think you couldn't have written? Biblical prophecy helps to confirm the human origin of the prophecies. The predictions would need to be a lot more specific and unexpected to begin to think that they could not have come from the minds of men. How often do we read the apologist say that the Bible foretold this or that perfectly predictable phenomenon such as that the adherents of a religion would be disliked for their beliefs, or that there would be earthquakes and wars and world unrest? No disrespect intended, but if you read that in a Chinese fortune cookie or a horoscope, would you think that a human being couldn't have written it, or that the fortune must have come from God? Probably not, even if an earthquake came that night.

If you are convinced that the Bible is a book of lies, then demonstrate the inconsistency and error showing that the writers have not spoken the truth. This should not be difficult if it's man's work, since over 40 writers were, apparently, involved in the deception.

It is impossible to show a man what he is has a stake in not seeing. Faith creates a confirmation bias to defend what has been believed by faith, filtering out evidence that contradicts what is believed by faith. There is no burden of proof when this is the case, because such a burden only exist with a person willing and able to evaluate evidence and arguments for soundness of conclusion, and be convinced by a compelling argument. How do I know that's probably you? You still seem unaware of all of the internal contradictions and errors of science and history already identified.

If you care to, find a web site that enumerates these problem and rebut a few of the claims there on this thread, and I'll be glad to discuss them with you. My experience from the past is that the apologist isn't really interested in learning and won't look at much less respond to links provided, so I don't do any work until I see evidence of a sincere desire to learn. And when they do look and answer, we see motivated reasoning - linguistic gymnastics to explain why up is actually down and good bad, why save by works and saved by faith alone actually mean the same thing, the meek really means humble, and why turn the other cheek doesn't mean to do that, either. Unbelievers don't do that. They have no reason to, but believers are motivated to make the words of divine origin, and therefore, to remove errors with specious argumentation.

On a related note, elsewhere and recently, somebody challenged somebody else's contention that Trump had committed crimes. He wanted to see the evidence and hear the argument. Why bother, right? Unless he's just a kid, if he hasn't seen evidence of likely criminality there yet, it's because he believes Trump innocent by faith, and cannot see the evidence and understand its implications. That's what a faith-based confirmation bias does to the faith-based thinker. One cannot show this person what he is committed to not see. I learned that on RF.

But, there's the chance that I am dealing with a sincere young person that can be taught, so I keep the door open with an invitation like the one I offered you. The sincere seeker will welcome the help and make the necessary effort. The motivated reasoner will not. It saves a lot of time wasted in the past.

Another good little exercise is to take up pen and paper, with the Tanakh in hand, and begin to write your own New Testament. Where would you begin, and end?

I did write out a "religion," but didn't use any existing holy texts. It wasn't hard, and I had fun doing it. It contains no gods or supernaturalism, and no prophecy. Perhaps you recall the bayou song called Aiko Aiko (or Iko Iko):

Definitions:
AIKO – a belief system
FEENO – the creation
JOCKOMO – the source of the creation FEENO
SPYBOY – the faculty that reveals the mystery and awesomeness of the creation FEENO
AYE-NA-NAY – the intuition of the mysterious and divine
FEE-NA-NAY – the gratitude experienced for being included in the creation
FIYO – the experience of awe

This is a personal belief system called AIKO*, which is meant to represent the gratitude that (this) one feels to be included in existence. The creation, FEENO, is a stunning and awesome thing, remarkable not only for its beauty, complexity and potential for beneficence, but remarkable just that it can and does exist and is apparent to us.

That anything at all exists is itself the most fundamental and awe-inspiring mystery (AYE-NA-NAY), one which is a continual source of awe (FIYO), and for which we are deeply grateful (FEE-NA-NAY). That existence should be as rich and robust as we find it is infinitely more remarkable. That we were included in it as conscious beings to experience it even more so, and that that conscious experience includes a faint intuition of divinity that is accompanied by an experience of mystery, of awe and of graitude.

To experience FEENO is the greatest gift. My gratitude that all of this is so is called AIKO, and it is expressed as an affinity for the creation FEENO, and by implication, its source JOCKOMO, whether that be person-like, purposeless and accidental forces, or any other ontogenic entity or entities.

Nothing can be said or known about the creative source of FEENO, an entity termed JOCKOMO. All that can be ascertained about the reality of JOCKOMO is that which is faintly intuited by the mystery faculty called SPYBOY (the faculty of the brain that intuitively produces the experience of mystery or divinity to us), and whatever little bit that the reasoning faculty can add to that.

JOCKOMO may be existent, may have been formerly existent, or something else altogether. It may be substantial (material) or transcendent. It may be plural or singular, finite or immortal, conscious or insentient; we cannot know. Whatever the case, we love it and identify with it through its creation, FEENO by which we intuit JOCKOMO faintly and indirectly.

We do not know if JOCKOMO knows us or can know us. It is not necessary. We are astounded and grateful nevertheless. We are indebted to JOCKOMO for being included in the creation FEENO and being blessed with the faculty of conscious mind, including SPYBOY that generates our intuition of the mysterious and divine, called AYE-NAH-NAY. The awe we feel is called FIYO, and the gratitude that results naturally from these is FEE-NAH-NAY.

Men have studied and analysed the Bible for millennia, and continue to believe that it is of divine origin. The reason for this belief lies not just in the text, but in the Spirit that operates through the written word.

I have a different explanation for the persistence of the Bible as a cultural phenomenon and Christianity as a religion. What you call the Spirit is human nature to me. Humans create religions and humans accept them from their parents and teach them to their children. It's human nature.

And it doesn't matter to me what others believe, just what they can demonstrate to be correct. I'm a humanist, and my epistemology is empirical. I need their compelling evidence and argument before believing them, not their head count.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I have always found that a mixture of truth and lies is the worse of all deceptions.

Which part of the Bible do you believe is deception? The miraculous bits? The foretelling of events?

What would be left of the Bible if the miracles and foretelling were extracted, do you think?

It is a book of rules and the law, morality and poetry, as I have been told. I mean I read other books about the Bible and have a general understanding of that is about how to have life. Of course some that are religion, but even if you remove then there some general rules. How good they are is another matter.
As for deception. Religion has an element of psychology, it is a way of coping, So if you fool yourself, but it works, then it works. :)
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
A cause of an event B is a previous situation that, through the action of natural laws, gives the result B.
Ok but my point still stands

It doesn't matter if the big bang
1 was caused by God
2 by something else (like previos universe)
3 or by nothing


You will have to invoke something without evidence in ether case
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
I think it might be very difficult, especially on a new planet where it isn't clear what sorts of things can be naturally produced.
Narural laws are universal we know for example that iron doest naturally transforms itself gears
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
How does God win as an option when there are no gods known to exist, and a supernatural not observed as real? Your claims seem driven by desperation as a believer.



It's more relevant than believers bringing up their gods. To explain reality we need real and serious causes, and gods are irrelevant. This is why the many religious arguments, like Kalam, fail. They all fail because at the core of the argumenst they have to assume a god exists. There isn't any evidence of any gods, so we throw out this assumption.
Again your hypothesis is known to be impossible and absurd.

You dont know if God is impossible

Therefore God wins



The fact that you are desesperatly trying to change the topic shows that I am correct
 

F1fan

Veteran Member
Again your hypothesis is known to be impossible and absurd.

You dont know if God is impossible

Therefore God wins
There are no gods known to exist. There’s no logical or factual basis to assume any exist.


The fact that you are desesperatly trying to change the topic shows that I am correct
How ironic.
 
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