Religion causes otherwise moral people to do and say immoral things.

reply to post by awake_and_aware


well you should probably know that the way i view such things is via the teachings of yeshua. one thing he taught was that it all starts with how firmly you believe in something.

to put it succinctly, it's akin to mind over matter. if you believe firmly in your ability to do something well, you will do that something well. if you're self conscious about it, your lack of confidence in it, may cause you to not be as good as you could be. this is especially true, when you can do something so well, you don't even have to think about it to do it well.

these are very simple lessons in human psychology, but where they shine is you can see such teaching from all the wisest men in history because it's a very important part of how your brain works, so important in fact, that if you don't know about it and realize its power, you're robbing yourself and those you love, of more than you could possibly know. . in the bible, it's called faith. so when yeshua says faith is good, he's not just telling you empty words, or fairy tales, he's giving you really good advice.

and that's where it begins. it's like the kindergarten of "faith." wonder why that is?

btw, what's this matrix you speak of?

reply to post by undo


Faith is the most overrated human virtue. And by faith, i mean blind belief.

Faith in regards to loyalty to a person or cause is different, there is the conviction of evidence to build this faith (E.g faith in a member of family or faith in science) This is because you have evidence to give you that faith.

The matrix which i speak of is just an idea i had - "reality could be an infinite matrix". Of course it's nonsense, and i can't prove it true for the same reason that i can't prove a super deity created everything, and man (or alien) of earth had knowledge of this. I can't prove it, no scientist/historian so far can.

While my matrix theory is nonsense, it could actually be true, that's what an unfalsifiable hypothesis is, I say i can fly when no human is looking, who can prove me wrong? This is the techiques that many religions use, many mediums or fortune tellers use this technique.

I can't argue your points any longer as we have reached stalemate, my time would be spent better elsewhere.

I can't prove my matrix theory the same way that no man can verify claims made in the bible. They are unfalsifiable hypothesis; sprinkle a few metaphysical claims on top like "Heaven" "Eternal Damnation" "Reincarnation" and you'll find that the more gullible person is willing to believe, for fear, or for hope.

Good luck with your studies of ancient scripture and your search for the truth.

Peace

reply to post by awake_and_aware


you mean, after all this time, and regardless of the extreme amounts of research i've hinted at here, that your final conclusion is i'm gullible? do you honestly believe that?

reply to post by undo


No, i didn't even imply that - you may have the evidence you need to warrant your belief in an omnipotent being.

The evidence that founds your belief structure may not be the evidence to convince me, or other Scientists. - Maybe they are the ignorant party though.

If this omnipotent DOES exist, i would still believe it to be malevolent, tyranous and capricious. I won't submit, and i won't respect. Bhudda would sooner get my respect, and even then, reincarnation is a deceptive and evil premise to preach.

As i've stated before, the Andromeda Gallaxy is on a collision course with our own; an omnipotent being with human beings in mind would not have designed this, it would not allow its creations to die out in pain and suffering. It's obvious this being does NOT intervene in human affairs; floods, bacteria, disease are NOT "punishment" for an omnipotent being.

Through my studies of astronomy, logic and the scientific method - i cannot take any of these ancient scriptures seriously, maybe i missing something though, i'm willing to keep an open-mind. I don't know many Atheists who study the history of the bible, and then later convert. It's normally the opposite way around.

Even if i was interested in the scriptures, and i believed them to be credible, i would still be an agnostic atheist. I value the pursuit of truth; i won't make any pressumptions before i have a conclusive conviction. I'll keep an open-mind until i can positively assert a belief structure. No scientist, historian has so far produced any credible evidence pointing towards what you urge in regards to these ancient scriptures.

Like i said, because of the above, i can no longer debate with you, we are travelling in circles. I'm wasting your time.

Good luck