If you mean based on saying that for example that this is a sin without arguments, then never.Never should i do that except with people that share my faith. However, i could explain for others why i and my religion view a certain act to be wrong, and they can decide for themselves. Like saying that theft is wrong for these particular reasons, providing an explanation. But for things i can't provide an explanation, i shouldn't say to others so.
Exactly!
I believe the Quran is the word of God, i just don't have an evidence to make me 100% positive. As for the interpretations, it's not that complicated or hard, most verses are understandable. The difference of opinions doesn't occur in a big part of the Quran.
Well, the differences in opinion seem substantial enough for people to kill each other over, so...I wouldn't say it's not complicated.
Absolutely, i agree. I find skepticism to be a necessity i should apply on all things i've learnt, and even things i concluded on my own. In other words, i also believe i should make sure to rethink about my conclusions from time to time.
Ok, then we agree.
Yes, but that's because we don't know how God makes it work, so if you understand the method, doesn't mean nobody made it.
Of course, but neither do we know how gravitational pixies work. So what? You could have all the evidence in the world that radiation causes cancer - but still, there could actually be something else behind it - when radiation occurs it attracts little radiation pixies that come and give you cancer. There is no use in assuming layers upon layers upon layers, that's why we've got occam's razor.
Of course there are prayers that do work, who said no prayers work? I meant that the reason people conclude that prayers don't work is because it has certain conditions.
Well, I said it - they do not work. Do you know how many people have tried to prove that they do? If you think you can, just do it and collect the millions that have been offered by various foundations for such a discovery. You can give the money to charity if you don't want it for yourself.
The part about the different approaches or views of god, what i meant by it, that even if there is evidence in your opinion that eliminates a certain version of god, doesn't mean there is no god(s).
None of it was ever meant to mean that there is no god. It's simply
evidence against an intervening god. Sure, there are other concepts people come up with, but - so what? God is my cup, therefore god exists? Let's not start with that, we both know what we mean by it.
To know wether or not he wants so, i mean yes he demands so, but why? Does he need it, no. Does he want it, may be, the point is i could speculate about his motives and stuff like that. But i don't know enough about him to make such judgment. Also, i don't know his motives.
Well, but you
have made the judgement...you've made the judgement that
he does want you to worship him. Remember, you first read the Quran, then agreed with everything in it and then concluded it was from god. So - you agreed that a god would demand worship. Well, I'm telling you, that's not congruent with my experience of men of wisdom, is it congruent with yours? I'll bet it isn't...
As for what's at stake, it was the part where i said that if there is a god i'm going to make sure i give him his dues. In other words, it's out of the most importance to me, to decide wether or not i believe in a creator, because if he existed, and i didn't believe in him, the outcome of that is horrible in every way. Not particularly the punishment part, but the very idea that i didn't acknowledge my creator troubles me. Also, i would be missing out on the possibility of spending eternity in heaven for my believe in him, and my good deeds... In other words, it is a big decision. Why couldn't it be possible that we can't find out now, this the part i referred to in the other thread i told you about.
Well, what can I say...I just don't get it - probably because I live in a very different environment then you. I've never had this decision hanging over my head and I've never had the idea of there being a creator pounded into me, so that I would feel troubled by the thought of not acknowledging it. All I can say to you is that this is not a feeling you would have had, had you not been told to have it. It is not somehing you just thought up by yourself, neither the idea of a creator, nor the punishement/reward associated with it.
These things you are refering to, they do not exist - not until they are demonstrated to exist. The consequences you're refering to - do not exist, until they are demonstrated to exist. You have to understand that. Before you make the leap of faith, there are no stakes, no rewards, no punishments, no deity to acknowledge, no god to make angry, sad or happy.
You cannot tell me they are the reasons that you
have to decide on the truth value of there being a god, because these reasons are not valid - they are faith, pure and simple, and faith is not a vaild argument.
