Stephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story'

reply to post by Laxpla

Quantum Immortality. Do a little reading, it sound like something that may be right up your alley.

Originally posted by DOUGH3914
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

I wanted to just ask a simple question. Are you atheist? Please don't take offense.

Yes, and why would I take offense? its a point of pride
Agnostic-atheist to be exact.

I'm concerned about Hawking talking about this in interviews.

People are going to tend to go along with him because they assume that because he is a scientist that he is familiar with the science in this area.

And obviously he either isn't or is running on his own agenda regarding these matters.

Basically, he's just trying to sell his own "religion" to us. He is free to believe what he wants, but when he says it in an interview it gives these opinions scientific authority. When he dies, I think he will be quite surprised to find out what happens!

reply to post by SaturnFX


Isn't it curious that people tend to have religious experiences that validate their beliefs rather than enlightening people of disparate beliefs of "God's" omnipotent, unifying truth?

reply to post by SaturnFX


No, sir. I emptied my cup and ask God to fill it if He was real and show me which path to walk. I was an atheist, but opened my mind to the possibility there could have been a God. When I said that if He was there to give me an experience so I could believe, He gave me an experience. I meant what I prayed.

Billions are going to hell and there's nothing contradictory there.

reply to post by SaturnFX


I will not watch youtube videos as proof of anything. I cannot view them from this computer anyway, but if I could, I wouldn't.

You just managed to avoid again the burden of proof. Prove that God does not exsist. Or show me where Stephen Hawking or any other person has proof that God does not exsist.

What gives him cause for comment? What's his agenda? Who is he to state such a thing in such categorical terms?

What he says makes a difference only to those who have vested him with absolute credibility. I have not and will reserve comment until I have experience to back up my beliefs one way or another. On the other hand, if I choose to believe in a heaven of whatever description, be it as described by some or other religious doctrine, I will do so.

The point is that we all have our own truth. As soon as you turn that "truth" over to someone else to dictate, you have lost yourself. His experience and belief is his own. Who is he to say what is true for anyone else?

Naturally, this doesn't apply to those who believe there is one Truth. This too is true, but it encompasses all truths.

I'm not religious in the slightest and even I've got to say, this is just lame. While I don't feel too strongly either way regarding the concept of "Heaven", I am much more opinionated when it comes to the idea of an afterlife - any kind of afterlife, I mean. To say that death is the end is to basically say that existence is literally meaningless. Personally, I find that philosophy extremely difficult to swallow.

Now a memo to Mr. Hawking: You do not know everything.

Originally posted by v0ice0freas0n
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

Isn't it curious that people tend to have religious experiences that validate their beliefs rather than enlightening people of disparate beliefs of "God's" omnipotent, unifying truth?

Would be interesting to hear of say, a muslim's NDE or whatnot and deciding he totally got it wrong, and became a fundamentalist christian, or visa versa. heh.

Yes, as John Edwards' once said, "What I recieve is colored by the belief I hold". meaning he recieves only what he has prepared his mind to identify, not the truth

John is a "psychic" btw...I know..I know..but the statement works anyhow...
I think people experience things and form it into what makes sense to them verses what the reality is.
This guy must have either some serious skeletons in his closet he needs to deal with, or alot of hostility to those around him to wish eternal torture on most everyone.

Ego...its one heck of a monster to try and control.

reply to post by 547000


Is your family religious at all? Did you happen to be shown one of the few religions you were previously familiar with, or one of the countless obscure but equally as plausibly ones?

reply to post by v0ice0freas0n


My family is Hindu. I have read about all sorts of religions, and have always thought of Christianity as ridiculous.

reply to post by SaturnFX


Perhaps the fact that he is a "psychic," makes him most qualified to asses that state of the human condition .

reply to post by l_e_cox


How is he going on television and stating his beliefs any different than preachers that go on television and claim to know for certain that their god exists, speak to him and know for certain what lies beyond death? (all those religious channels on television trying to spread their agendas among the masses too, eh?) Why are you choosing to antagonize him alone? Do you feel threatened by what he says?

I suppose you should.

Since it makes more sense than the religious hogwash people try to pass off as reality without ever having to come up with any physical or viable evidence.

reply to post by 547000


Did god show himself to you in the form of the traditional christian diety?

Originally posted by space cadet
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

I will not watch youtube videos as proof of anything. I cannot view them from this computer anyway, but if I could, I wouldn't.

You just managed to avoid again the burden of proof. Prove that God does not exsist. Or show me where Stephen Hawking or any other person has proof that God does not exsist.

Again, nobody has to ever prove a deity or anything else really doesn't exist...same regards that elves, tooth fairys, santa clause, or anything else doesn't need proof to show it doesn't exist....it needs proof to be seen as existing, until then, it is pretty much a nothing...

As far as Steve, he made a fopah. he stated matter of factly they don't exist, or even an afterlife. The way he stated it means he has proof...which is why I (on page 2) rallied against him. His statement was rediculous, and now he needs to either retract it, or show absolute proof to his claims (see, he claimed something...he didn't state his belief, he stated a point of fact...and facts need to be backed up with proof)

Originally posted by v0ice0freas0n
reply to post by 547000

 

Did god show himself to you in the form of the traditional christian diety?

God didn't appear to me, but I experienced the sensations of the crucifixion. I felt the holes, the blood, and a wonderful light. I have also felt my body burning in a terrible fire. And no, nothing to do with fever.

Originally posted by space cadet
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

I will not watch youtube videos as proof of anything. I cannot view them from this computer anyway, but if I could, I wouldn't.

You just managed to avoid again the burden of proof. Prove that God does not exsist. Or show me where Stephen Hawking or any other person has proof that God does not exsist.

What's so difficult about understanding that the burden of proof lies with those that claim their god exists? It's like me telling you that Zeus exists for a fact and that you must attempt to disprove him.

It's really not that hard to get right? I dunnno maybe to believers it is...

I'm not even an atheist and I don't try to pass off my beliefs as fact. They are FAITH BASED...

If you're threatened by his position...then perhaps you're not as grounded with your beliefs as you think you are.

Originally posted by v0ice0freas0n
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

Perhaps the fact that he is a "psychic," makes him most qualified to asses that state of the human condition

.

As far as his claims and the subject matter...sure.

Actually, I like using JE in regards to "psychics" because he actually did get properly measured in a transparent blind study by the university of pheonix with a 75% "hit" ratio (the average is 25%)...so, if there is someone deserving of consideration it is him. He has provided some actual solid evidence conducted in a lab by actual scientists.

I don't believe in psychic phenomona...but I suspect there may be something to it...I would like to see proof of it one day.

reply to post by AngryOne


There's a difference between being open to other possibilities, and claiming for a fact that they exist.
That's the argument.

Cutting edge science - The science of the observer.

If they aren't exploring the expanses of the mind, then whatever they say has no bearing or carries any weight in the new world that we are about to open and explore inside our minds.

The mind has the ability to create experience based upon a few principles of ego and understanding of the self.

Give it a few years and everyone will start realizing that their observations are being interfaced through the brain module that was created by our mind for us to understand ourselves.