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You accept the historical existance of Jesus? "Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."
"To sense that behind anything that can be experienced there is something that our minds cannot grast, whose beauty and sublimity reaches us only indirectly: this is religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I am a devoutly religious man."
For me, I have to disagree with Einsteins rejection of free will (although certain new studies of the brain, I believe, would contradict me).. I think that free will perfectly explains the presence of evil in this world
Hypocrisy: The myth of pure evil
This distortion – hypocrisy in its most destructive form – is characterized by the belief that (1) evil is the intentional and gratuitous infliction of harm for its own sake, (2) perpetrated by villains who are malevolent to the core, (3) inflicted on victims who are innocent and good. Psychologists call this a myth because believing in this fiction often blinds one to the reality that evil is in fact perpetrated mainly by ordinary people, who respond to perceived harms, including “provocations” by their victims, in ways they feel are reasonable and just. Evil is not rare – it is commonplace, banal. And all humans are capable of evil acts. Psychologists like Jonathan Haidt and Steven Pinker maintain that most if not all the major atrocities in human history were carried out by ordinary people who believed that they were good, that they were innocent victims – that they had God on their side – and that their enemies were pure evil.
Do you believe in immortality? "No. And one life is enough for me."
Life after death looks like people walking away after a graveside service. The walking people are alive even after the dead are buried.
What exactly do you mean by this below? I could assume what you mean and misunderstand so please clarify for me if you will. TIA
originally posted by: windword
a reply to: zosimov
The compassion that you see is called altruism, and is a vital part of evolution. We all have to live together, lean on each other, use each other. Life devours life, in order for life to persist. It's an eternal cycle, that is neither good nor evil.
I find it quite interesting that life (in the form of humans) has developed the capability of destroying itself entirely.
Then it goes to others.
A life splits up and gets distributed.
originally posted by: EdwardDrake
So, Freewill, but with a predetermined outcome might be possible.
originally posted by: MamaJ
Love Einstein and of course all free thinkers.
originally posted by: MamaJ
a reply to: EdwardDrake
If we are supposedly made in "his image" this means we are creators. We can see all we have created abroad and within... we see the proof of such ..... so that idea is true.. we are creators.
I'd only ask why most humans agree (generally) upon what is good and what is evil?
Where does said life distribute to?
You mean they live no more and are just obsolete. Done/Gone/Over?
originally posted by: MamaJ
a reply to: EdwardDrake
The only problem I have with that idea is this.... with each and every choice no matter how big or little the outcome can change drastically with one little choice that was made not on said CD which in turn creates an entirely new cd.
If we are supposedly made in "his image" this means we are creators. We can see all we have created abroad and within... we see the proof of such ..... so that idea is true.. we are creators.
What if we create our own cd as we go however the cd we are hoping for and counting on to be made is such every little itsy bitsy choice has to be precise. Otherwise.... how many times would someone have to intervene before the cd is actually the way it's supposed to be without any errors?
I have heard of "spirit guides" but even with a guide o guides... could you imagine having that job? lol
originally posted by: Tucket
originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: zosimov
Einstein didn't believe in free will either. He was a deterministic, meaning that the hidden hand that wrote this virtual reality has written like a movie, all things are determined and we are merely riders on meat puppet buses. We observe, we learn, but we have no control.
Cheers - Dave
Sounds like someone didnt read the OP
..hopefully the ats scientists/atheists can chime in with their thoughts.. without downplaying the relevance of this great thinker..
The wind, the grass, the trees, the bees, and little girls with skinned up knees.