Atheists.

[i seen hippos]

very nice defense of your beliefs hippos.

go back to gambling......


wow, maybe you are one of those guys

I'm not religious.

When I think of people who are hypocrits and constantly let it be known how awful religion, I think of gay, snobbish, Starbucks drinking *****.

I can't stand hill billy throw a bible in your face Pat Robertson types equally.

Basically, I can't stand anyone who can't see that they're doing exactly what they get angry at the other side for doing. Of course people against religion will say "They started it"....but like your mom told when you were a kid, two wrongs don't make a right.

[miller-time]

I'm not religious.

When I think of people who hypocrits who constantly let it be known how awful religion, I think of gay, snobbish, Starbucks drinking *****.

I can't stand hill billy throw a bible in your face Pat Robertson types equally.

Basically, I can't stand anyone who can't see that they're doing exactly what they get angry at the other side for doing. Of course people against religion will say "They started it"....but like your mom told when you were a kid, two wrongs don't make a right.

you can see it like that, or you can see it like every other debate about politics or philosophy. why is religion untouchable for debate?

im all for everyone believing what they want. what im not for is for those views in to impact on anyone but themselves.

[The Answer]

The question you repeated about evil, I already answered.

Sorry, when I saw your "I've already answered this" response I assumed you were answering the question I posed to you in post 198.

As to "if God can be infinite, why can't the universe?". We'll the universe can be infinite, I suppose, but it seems like you'd have to contradict the laws of science to accept that. Would that explanation work in any other area of science? If someone asked how something existed (say, a drop of water), would a scientifically-valid answer be "It just is"? No. The universe is bound by the laws of science, God is not.

Incidentally, according to the theory of relativity, there really was no time before the Big Bang since time didn't exist (I think that's true- according to the theory), but that avoids the main point that something existed for no reason.

Science does not yet fully understand the origins of the universe. As one who is not particularly well versed in the Big Bang Theory and other related subjects, I do not feel comfortable in breaking it all down for you, but I do believe time existed before the big bang. Perhaps another, who is more capable, will be willing to step in and offer a better, more satisfying rebuttal.

[The Answer]

Who was that post intended for, i seen hippos?

[i seen hippos]

Who was that post intended for, i seen hippos?

Chalkmaze and Boozehound were the only ones to respond to my previous post so them.

[i seen hippos]

you can see it like that, or you can see it like every other debate about politics or philosophy. why is religion untouchable for debate?

im all for everyone believing what they want. what im not for is for those views in to impact on anyone but themselves.

Let's first establish that it's impossible to not be impacted by other peoples' views.

Religion isn't untouchable. It's just that people go about denouncing religion in a way very similar to how they accuse religious people of going about promoting it.

[dnyk1337]

Please man... Religion is the base for so much war in our history that it's not even funny. Roman Empire... They basically believed everyone was a barbarian and that they had to conquer them and "share" their religion and views with them. They needed to be conquered and led towards salvation.

Even the war for the holy land. Everyone seriously believed that THEIR religion had the right to own the land for some retarded reason. Under what pretenses does a person believe this? How is it possible? You must truly be retarded or blinded by the fake light from your story book.

[gb8]

Please man... Religion is the base for so much war in our history that it's not even funny. Roman Empire... They basically believed everyone was a barbarian and that they had to conquer them and "share" their religion and views with them. They needed to be conquered and led towards salvation.

Even the war for the holy land. Everyone seriously believed that THEIR religion had the right to own the land for some retarded reason. Under what pretenses does a person believe this? How is it possible? You must truly be retarded or blinded by the fake light from your story book.

While I wholeheartedly and vocally support your sentiment in regards to the grand scale misery religion has caused in the context of the Geo political affairs as well as obviously personal misery by the abuse of power by individuals within religious institutions I think it would be naive to discount religion or spirituality as a completely negative force.

People beliefs and faith( as misplaced as I may deem it to be) does comfort and help them cope with the many traumas we all go through. For instance I recently had distant relative pass away abruptly and at a fairly young age 40 years old. He had just been promoted and had started working for deutsche bank after previously working for merrill lynch. Anyway, at the funeral I found it pretty staggering the amount of hope the widow was garnering from her beliefs. Like it was actually fuelling her and helping her cope and move forward.

Similarly seeing the single mother whose only son at 10 years old is diagnosed with cancer and has to go through chemotherapy and what not is able to keep her sanity and keep hope and functions through her beliefs. If her beliefs somehow allow her to feel in control even for a minute of the day when she is praying for her son getting better is that not feeling she gets that minute good?
I THINK its all too easy to say oh religion bad non religion GOOD. There is plenty of grey in this world and these grey areas become more and more apparent through age and experiences. The human experience is not just experienced through the rationale but for better or worse we have the need for betterment and comfort both physical emotional and mental. One should not demonize something that clearly gives comfort, hope and meaning to billions, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Black, White, Brown, Yellow and everything in between included.

I may not have articulated these very well as am a bit hung over so pardon me for the slightly disjointed thought process.

[Take Your Lumps]

While I wholeheartedly and vocally support your sentiment in regards to the grand scale misery religion has caused in the context of the Geo political affairs as well as obviously personal misery by the abuse of power by individuals within religious institutions I think it would be naive to discount religion or spirituality as a completely negative force.

People beliefs and faith( as misplaced as I may deem it to be) does comfort and help them cope with the many traumas we all go through. For instance I recently had distant relative pass away abruptly and at a fairly young age 40 years old. He had just been promoted and had started working for deutsche bank after previously working for merrill lynch. Anyway, at the funeral I found it pretty staggering the amount of hope the widow was garnering from her beliefs. Like it was actually fuelling her and helping her cope and move forward.

Similarly seeing the single mother whose only son at 10 years old is diagnosed with cancer and has to go through chemotherapy and what not is able to keep her sanity and keep hope and functions through her beliefs. If her beliefs somehow allow her to feel in control even for a minute of the day when she is praying for her son getting better is that not feeling she gets that minute good?
I THINK its all too easy to say oh religion bad non religion GOOD. There is plenty of grey in this world and these grey areas become more and more apparent through age and experiences. The human experience is not just experienced through the rationale but for better or worse we have the need for betterment and comfort both physical emotional and mental. One should not demonize something that clearly gives comfort, hope and meaning to billions, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Black, White, Brown, Yellow and everything in between included.

I may not have articulated these very well as am a bit hung over so pardon me for the slightly disjointed thought process.

I don't think anyone can discount the potential positive nature of religion in a PERSONAL sense. I have family members who swear by the bible and are great people.

The problem with Christianity and Islam is that it's pretty much required of them to go out and recruit or "save" as many as possible and then it gets perverted through politics, etc...

Out of the three Abramahic religions, I have the most respect for Judaism. At least they don't come knocking on my door on the weekends, go around blabbering nonsense along downtown streets, or fly planes into buildings to prove a point.

Judaism works for them and they keep it to themselves (in America anyway.)

[Doomsday Dallas]

The problem with Christianity and Islam is that it's pretty much required of them to go out and recruit or "save" as many as possible and then it gets perverted through politics, etc...

If a person is a Christian in America...

The best way for someone to recruit another is to live as an example. You can't be constantly sinning (smoking, drinking, screwing, use foul language, etc... etc...) but instead show the community that you
are repenting for your sins. This is why I feel like it's pointless for me to witness what God has done for me, because I have not yet lived the way a Christian should.

It would be hypocritical if I told people to turn to Jesus... yet I'm still getting drunk.

So right now... I'm just trying to seek God, and build my relationship with him.

Politics have destoyed both religions,... So I feel the best way to go to church is to have some good Christian friends in your life that can help remind you that God loves you from time to time. Otherwise you to caught up in the world and live for the flesh. I need to put more effort into living for the spirit.



But religion aside... The way we should all live is what I like to call the "Groundhog day" law.

If you have seen the movie Groundhog Day,... understand he went through so many days trying to make himself happy.... He could never get the day right. Once he started making others happy... He was able to move on to the next day.... make any sense?

I just woke up, So I might not be thinking very clearly.

[Take Your Lumps]

I hear you clear as day, Doomsday. Well said.

[Doomsday Dallas]

I hear you clear as day, Doomsday. Well said.

Thanks... but I got something even better!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yzsm...eature=related (1:35)

EVERYBODY WATCH THIS!!!

[i seen hippos]

Please man... Religion is the base for so much war in our history that it's not even funny. Roman Empire... They basically believed everyone was a barbarian and that they had to conquer them and "share" their religion and views with them. They needed to be conquered and led towards salvation.

Even the war for the holy land. Everyone seriously believed that THEIR religion had the right to own the land for some retarded reason. Under what pretenses does a person believe this? How is it possible? You must truly be retarded or blinded by the fake light from your story book.

I said I wasn't religious...so I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren't taking about the Bible.:)

[MadeFromDust]

I live my life the way i know I'm supposed to live my life, by helping others when they need it and doing what i can to make the world a better place. No I don't do it because i'll be rewarded with a better afterlife, i do it because it's the right thing to do. If that makes me evil in your eyes then i guess I'm evil and going to hell, but in my opinion I'm a much better person for doing good for the benefit of others as opposed you doing good for your own eternal benefit.

I am in need of $10,000 dolla billz yo! If you don't send it to me you are a liar and an evil person because you already broke yur own damned rule that yur gonna do whatever's right. Oh, en yur headed str8 fur hell unless u repent

[CMANsonDaRipper]

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