Comments on: A Point for Religion http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/ What IS the real world? Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:07:59 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Sams http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-252 Sams Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:35:12 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-252 Matt - While Christians cannot see how an atheist can live without God's love, atheists cannot understand how Christians are so blinded. While Christians cannot understand how an atheist live without God's love, atheists cannot understand how Christians can live with "God's" (emphasis on the quotes) love. I'm glad that you and Christians have something to live for and feel that there is hope whatever situation you are in. I simply see the world differently (as, my guess would be, for all atheists). To quote you, "It’s an overpoweringly depressive thought to believe that there is no God, that all good and bad are just by chance, that there is no help". This sentence is exactly why I personally believe all cultures throughout time have created religion. I see religion as an explanation for what people cannot explain (to combat a fear of the unknown) and to provide hope for individuals. I see more and more people who "find" God when they are living a very depressing life...almost as a way to justify living their life for something greater. I have great respect for those who believe differently than I do. Religion can bring people together. However it is wrong for anyone to object to what I believe in. Words cannot explain what I felt being in situation about a year ago when I was rejected because I was not a Christian. This is what is so upsetting about our society today. Matt -

While Christians cannot see how an atheist can live without God’s love, atheists cannot understand how Christians are so blinded. While Christians cannot understand how an atheist live without God’s love, atheists cannot understand how Christians can live with “God’s” (emphasis on the quotes) love. I’m glad that you and Christians have something to live for and feel that there is hope whatever situation you are in. I simply see the world differently (as, my guess would be, for all atheists).

To quote you, “It’s an overpoweringly depressive thought to believe that there is no God, that all good and bad are just by chance, that there is no help”. This sentence is exactly why I personally believe all cultures throughout time have created religion. I see religion as an explanation for what people cannot explain (to combat a fear of the unknown) and to provide hope for individuals. I see more and more people who “find” God when they are living a very depressing life…almost as a way to justify living their life for something greater.

I have great respect for those who believe differently than I do. Religion can bring people together. However it is wrong for anyone to object to what I believe in. Words cannot explain what I felt being in situation about a year ago when I was rejected because I was not a Christian. This is what is so upsetting about our society today.

]]> By: David http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-183 David Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:44:21 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-183 Wow, this is the most asinine thing I have read in my life. The entire argument is based on the purported opinions of an obviously fabricated professor. You see, every point put forth by the professor would NEVER actually be posited. The first thing you learn in thermodynamics is that there is no such thing as cold--cold, as is stated, is only the absence of heat. It is nothing but a human invention, a word, to describe such an absence. All scientists know this, and have this in mind when they use the word. The same can be said for darkness. It is the general population--particularly those who prefer to undermine science--who make these sort of mistakes. Science simply does not argue that these things "exist", as he puts forward, and certainly does NOT take them on faith. In the discussions of evolution, and the professor's brain, the main error is a total misconception of what science is and how it works. Firstly, we have all seen evolution happening, even if you are too much of a dullard to recognize it. There are so many examples of micro-evolution that I could site, but I know the first argument will be toward macro evolution--specifically that of humans. However, in both the case of the professor's brain, and that of hominid evolution, there is overwhelming EVIDENCE for the existence of both. When I say evidence, I am referring to tangible, recordable, easily analyzed data. We are NOT taking the existence of things such as evolution, or the fact that a human has a brain on FAITH. We are acknowledging the overwhelming physical evidence that speaks to their existence. However--and this is important--every theory put forth in science has one special requirement: it must be capable of being proved wrong. If it isn't, it is not scientific. This gets at the heart of science, and indeed, the difference between science and religion. Religion, and the concept of a god, by it's very nature, cannot be proved wrong. Think about it, how could you prove that there is no such thing as God? Even in the midst of overwhelming and indisputable evidence, the religious only has to say, "God put all that evidence there to trick us". Such argument is not logical nor is it reasonable, and it has NO PLACE in science. Science and faith are the exact opposites of each other, and can never merge. I find it disgusting that someone would attempt to skew the reality of the two with a piece like this. It is dishonest and despicable. And to Matt: I find your empathy insulting. I was raised a Christian, and attended Christian school through high school. I, along with a large number of my friends found CHRISTIANITY to be overwhelmingly depressive. A constant struggle against this "sinful nature", a system full of complicated contradictions with total disregard to logic, and no recourse but the exhortation that we "aren't meant" to understand some things. When I was finally FREED from this oppression, it was truly one of the most joyful moments of my life. It felt, ironically, what we were always taught it should feel like when one was "saved". As a physicist, I find the complexity, and yet simplicity of our universe, and the beauty within it infinitely MORE inspiring knowing that it all started with the explosion of a star, and that it continues to develop from this single event. By the way, we are currently able to witness the generation of the very same molecules that first sparked life in current supernovas. Moreover, I find the fact that we are all truly one, all made up of the same matter, incredibly unifying. Wow, this is the most asinine thing I have read in my life. The entire argument is based on the purported opinions of an obviously fabricated professor. You see, every point put forth by the professor would NEVER actually be posited. The first thing you learn in thermodynamics is that there is no such thing as cold–cold, as is stated, is only the absence of heat. It is nothing but a human invention, a word, to describe such an absence. All scientists know this, and have this in mind when they use the word. The same can be said for darkness. It is the general population–particularly those who prefer to undermine science–who make these sort of mistakes. Science simply does not argue that these things “exist”, as he puts forward, and certainly does NOT take them on faith.

In the discussions of evolution, and the professor’s brain, the main error is a total misconception of what science is and how it works. Firstly, we have all seen evolution happening, even if you are too much of a dullard to recognize it. There are so many examples of micro-evolution that I could site, but I know the first argument will be toward macro evolution–specifically that of humans. However, in both the case of the professor’s brain, and that of hominid evolution, there is overwhelming EVIDENCE for the existence of both. When I say evidence, I am referring to tangible, recordable, easily analyzed data. We are NOT taking the existence of things such as evolution, or the fact that a human has a brain on FAITH. We are acknowledging the overwhelming physical evidence that speaks to their existence. However–and this is important–every theory put forth in science has one special requirement: it must be capable of being proved wrong. If it isn’t, it is not scientific. This gets at the heart of science, and indeed, the difference between science and religion. Religion, and the concept of a god, by it’s very nature, cannot be proved wrong. Think about it, how could you prove that there is no such thing as God? Even in the midst of overwhelming and indisputable evidence, the religious only has to say, “God put all that evidence there to trick us”. Such argument is not logical nor is it reasonable, and it has NO PLACE in science. Science and faith are the exact opposites of each other, and can never merge. I find it disgusting that someone would attempt to skew the reality of the two with a piece like this. It is dishonest and despicable.

And to Matt:
I find your empathy insulting. I was raised a Christian, and attended Christian school through high school. I, along with a large number of my friends found CHRISTIANITY to be overwhelmingly depressive. A constant struggle against this “sinful nature”, a system full of complicated contradictions with total disregard to logic, and no recourse but the exhortation that we “aren’t meant” to understand some things. When I was finally FREED from this oppression, it was truly one of the most joyful moments of my life. It felt, ironically, what we were always taught it should feel like when one was “saved”. As a physicist, I find the complexity, and yet simplicity of our universe, and the beauty within it infinitely MORE inspiring knowing that it all started with the explosion of a star, and that it continues to develop from this single event. By the way, we are currently able to witness the generation of the very same molecules that first sparked life in current supernovas. Moreover, I find the fact that we are all truly one, all made up of the same matter, incredibly unifying.

]]> By: Matt http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-182 Matt Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:58:23 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-182 To Sams, I respect your let people believe what they want philosophy but as a christian I think it's not so much that we argue so we can be right, it's more like we can't imagine a life without God's love. Too many christians, outspoken ones primarily, argue to be right, pretty much fighting anyone who doesn't believe. However, I think the majority of christians are mostly empathetic towards unbelievers. It's an overpoweringly depressive thought to believe that there is no God, that all good and bad are just by chance, that there is no help. There is so much evidence for a God, and that his son Jesus came to die for our sins, that there is hope. If you're not in awe of the amazing miracles that occur, or how beautiful, colorful, and fascinating our world is or how spectacularly complex our universe was created, isn't the fact that a life with hope, that a world with hope, is much better than a life, a world, without it enough to make a believer out of you? To Sams, I respect your let people believe what they want philosophy but as a christian I think it’s not so much that we argue so we can be right, it’s more like we can’t imagine a life without God’s love. Too many christians, outspoken ones primarily, argue to be right, pretty much fighting anyone who doesn’t believe. However, I think the majority of christians are mostly empathetic towards unbelievers. It’s an overpoweringly depressive thought to believe that there is no God, that all good and bad are just by chance, that there is no help. There is so much evidence for a God, and that his son Jesus came to die for our sins, that there is hope. If you’re not in awe of the amazing miracles that occur, or how beautiful, colorful, and fascinating our world is or how spectacularly complex our universe was created, isn’t the fact that a life with hope, that a world with hope, is much better than a life, a world, without it enough to make a believer out of you?

]]> By: Sams http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-181 Sams Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:34:34 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-181 This is simply ridiculous - I think it is fairly apparent that this story was made up. Can someone explain to me why it is necessary for an "all-loving/all-accepting" Christian to try to argue their point of view? As an atheist, I accept those with a religious viewpoint and will not try to convince others of my point of view. Believe in what you want to believe, but don't try to convince me that I am wrong. Why don't Christians accept atheist? Why is it necessary for those devoted to a religion to tell me what I believe is wrong? Stories such as these that try to portray atheists as wrong have no place in our society. This is simply ridiculous –

I think it is fairly apparent that this story was made up.

Can someone explain to me why it is necessary for an “all-loving/all-accepting” Christian to try to argue their point of view? As an atheist, I accept those with a religious viewpoint and will not try to convince others of my point of view. Believe in what you want to believe, but don’t try to convince me that I am wrong. Why don’t Christians accept atheist?

Why is it necessary for those devoted to a religion to tell me what I believe is wrong?

Stories such as these that try to portray atheists as wrong have no place in our society.

]]> By: inportb » Blog Archive » God vs. Science http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-179 inportb » Blog Archive » God vs. Science Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:44:47 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-179 [...] busy, that’s all. Here’s a little something for everyone who likes brain food. (from http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/) A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, “Let me explain [...] [...] busy, that’s all. Here’s a little something for everyone who likes brain food. (from http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/) A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, “Let me explain [...]

]]> By: Sarika http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-164 Sarika Tue, 18 Sep 2007 05:25:05 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-164 Half-way through, I was going to comment with the whole "evil is the lack of goodness" argument, then realized you had posted the same story I was thinking of. That was all I remembered from it, and I've remembered that for a really long time ^_^ Half-way through, I was going to comment with the whole “evil is the lack of goodness” argument, then realized you had posted the same story I was thinking of. That was all I remembered from it, and I’ve remembered that for a really long time ^_^

]]> By: greenflower http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-163 greenflower Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:36:36 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-163 love it! love it!

]]> By: Dawn http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-162 Dawn Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:26:05 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-162 Second last paragraph pretty much murders any hope of there being a plausible argument. Second last paragraph pretty much murders any hope of there being a plausible argument.

]]> By: flyingjuno http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-161 flyingjuno Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:24:59 +0000 http://sweetsong.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/a-point-for-religion/#comment-161 Okay, I have a penis, and that means that vaginas don't exist because they're merely the absence of a penis. Okay, I have a penis, and that means that vaginas don’t exist because they’re merely the absence of a penis.

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