Truth_Faith13
Well-Known Member
The difference there being living on what you can't afford causes problems. Hoping for heaven is merely a dream. It doesn't impact this reality,
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Reasons to not believe in God? Discuss....
- Thread starter Truth_Faith13
- Start date
The difference there being living on what you can't afford causes problems. Hoping for heaven is merely a dream. It doesn't impact this reality,
Ouroboros
Coincidentia oppositorum
Atheism doesn't say neither.
Honestly, I can't say for sure if we have free will or not. My stance is that the term "free" and "will" somehow contradict each other.
By the way, do all religions say that we have free will or is it something more specific to Christianity or special versions of Christianity? I'm thinking of Calvinism or Buddhism etc.
When it comes to experiences and such, we are for sure products of our biology and environment. Perhaps we have some small freedom in there, but I can't say. I know that many things about me comes from who I am and where I come from more than what I currently can freely choose. When I think I freely choose something, isn't it based on some kind of preferences? For instance, if I pick chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla, is it because of conditioning or that I actually at that moment don't have any preconception guiding me? If I can just choose whichever, isn't it just random?
Yes, it's your choice!
Kiddin'. Your reaction is probably because of your history, experiences, upbringing, etc, and biological preconditions too of course. But do you choose to feel that way?
Anyway, when it comes to choice, sometimes I think of it that we have a choice that we make now, even if it's based on our experience, our choice now will affect our current experience which will direct our choices in the future. It's like we're on a boat going down a wild river and we can only watch the landscape go by but we can't steer the boat.
(I'm blabbering again.
)
I believe it's characteristic of Christianity and its offshoot, Humanism, but all it really requires is a strong sense of worth (individualism).
Thief
Rogue Theologian
This^...reminds me of the parable...the Sower of Seed....
The Left-Hand Path, most of the occult and some forms of Paganism believe in free will, too.
Ouroboros
Coincidentia oppositorum
I'm the weed?
Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Atheists as a whole are uninterested in which god is most likely truthful they just dislike the concept of god and often fulfill absolutes like religion with science. Ironically the only intellectually free individuals in this case are non religious theists but that is another story I guess
ametist
Active Member
Not to have had an experience of death yet and to have had a forgetfulness of birth. We are given a life of free choice to find our way to back where we belong. Because we have so much time, forgetting and remembering that love over and again all we do. Death and birth is great divine lock openning the door to ourselves.
Thief
Rogue Theologian
Naw....your belief took root.....but withered.
Not to worry.
I doubt that all of the life is gone.
You make a lot of presumptions about others.
Thief
Rogue Theologian
Back track and read his post.
I read it first. Did you expect it to change my perception? I am disappointed if so.
Thief
Rogue Theologian
Then you didn't get it.
By his own admission.....he HAD faith.....
You know the parable?....right?
McBell
Unbound
Atheists as a whole are uninterested in which god is most likely truthful they just dislike the concept of god and often fulfill absolutes like religion with science. Ironically the only intellectually free individuals in this case are non religious theists but that is another story I guess
Absolutes?
:biglaugh:
It impacts this reality all the time. It's very common for people to make decisions in this life based on what they think will happen in the next one. Take Mother Teresa: she had her hospital leave many patients in pain without painkillers because she believed that their suffering would earn them reward in Heaven. Countless people experienced real suffering because of her "hope".
In my experience, it's very rare for someone's religious beliefs to have no impact on what they do in their lives. And if I ever encountered someone who this was actually true for, I would want to ask him what posessed him to devote so much of his life to such an irrelevant faith.
Thief
Rogue Theologian
If I understand the 'question'.....
You do see that religion has effect in the lives of people....
but should you meet someone who DOES believe...but has no 'manifestation'...
this would be the puzzle?
Yes. Do you think you understand it better than me?
Well, yes. If someone is putting something forward as the highest principle in their life but it doesn't affect any aspect of their life, then I would question how high they actually hold it... or whether it's a principle for them at all.
I don't understand how a person's religion can have no impact on their life. At the very least, the faith of an observant Christian (for instance) affects his availability for other things on Sunday morning.
Indeed, the point of religious beliefs is to impact their lives.
Although there is certainly some of people choosing their beliefs so that they do not impact their lives too much...
Thief
Rogue Theologian
Are you moving to the word hypocrisy?.....
Quite common actually.
Spot something contrary to a faith and ask the perpetrator.....
'Don't you know better?'