It's the only "religion" that has any logic behind it. How can one set of beliefs be any more or less genuine than any other, how can, say, a Buddhist be more or less correct than a Christian (just an example) Any way you look at it, to be part of an organized religion, or ANY religion one must truly believe they know the purpose behind our existence, how can anyone even imagine knowing such a thing?

I've asked religious friends this and they babble on about faith, etc. Wow, great argument. I have faith that a flying spaghetti monster created the universe, you guys wouldn't understand. Haha, illogical nonsense, such is organized religion

So what?

What does logic bring you? Will logic save you from death? Long after humans are gone, what will logic do for you then?

Never underestimate the power of self delusion.
Some people can convince themselves of pretty much anything with no real logic or reason behind it, despite any incontrovertible proof otherwise. And for those people, "I know I'm right because I know I'm right" is all they need.
Maybe it's a defense mechanism of sorts where if they thought any harder about something maybe their brain would implode in a vortex of cognitive dissonance and self doubt and no one wants to bring that on themselves.
I also want to throw in a disclaimer that I'm not generalizing and saying everyone that's devoutly religious does this. I'm just saying it probably happens sometimes.

So you know logic is the best way?

;)

I believe logic, order and the finite are born out of the illogical, chaotic infinite like constructive interference.

It's the only "religion" that has any logic behind it.

Incorrect. ALL the Abrahamic religions are logical--it is the basic premises which are, IMHO, invalid.

Of course, they are all mutually contradictory--which in no way invalidates the "logic."


Logic is greatly over-rated; intuition is greatly under-rated.

I've asked religious friends this and they babble on about faith, etc. Wow, great argument. I have faith that a flying spaghetti monster created the universe, you guys wouldn't understand. Haha, illogical nonsense, such is organized religion

So I assume you're agnostic about the flying spaghetti monster as well?

agnosticism is a religion?

I have faith that a flying spaghetti monster created the universe

Pastafarianism? :P

Religion is not innately about being right or wrong, or more correct or less correct than another. For the most part, religions are sets of guidelines for accessing and maintaining a relationship with a resource all humans possess, but many are cut off from due to self. Essentially, they are types of guides to cleaning away what blocks the human mind from being whole and free. Frankly, it's no surprise at all that a bunch of fucked up individuals ruled by fear, doubt, rage, and wrath fight over which path is the right one when they haven't even tried walking the one they profess. With assurance, those who follow these guide books passed from generation to generation welcome freely those who use another book...after all, they just had a different set of instructions to get to the same place. We're just glad to see more people show up instead of slaughter each other at the starting line.

Heck, for the fun of it, you can even follow one set of instructions, then another, and another, and another. You come to find out that they're all right, and anybody can pick whichever they feel most comfortable with to start. Seriously, it's an extremely simple system. It is often over complicated. Folks who have not even yet lived the instructions bicker about who is smarter, who is more righteous, who is more favored by a power they haven't even met yet. Had they met this power, they would know that it favors none and that each and every man is tailored to a specific task, none of which is more or less important than any other. Let me say: If you have yet to live a religion, you did not pick it...you were not indoctrinated. You were led to water and you refused to drink. Don't fret, the water's still there. Always will be. Which cup will you use to drink? Christianity? Buddhism? Taoism? Hinduism? Grecian/Roman? Mithraism? Judaism? Islam? You can even use your own hands if you're so rebelliously inclined...but they don't draw as much water.

Agnostics are the diet coke of atheism.

You're fucking fence sitters. Just pick a side and follow it, you can say that you can't disprove the existence of God, but even then you're still going to Hell. According to them.

Agnostics are the diet coke of atheism.

You're fucking fence sitters. Just pick a side and follow it, you can say that you can't disprove the existence of God, but even then you're still going to Hell. According to them.

Chichi, our missing link. Suck it creationists.

But seriously, I agree with Optimus Prime.

Agnostics are the diet coke of atheism.

You're fucking fence sitters. Just pick a side and follow it, you can say that you can't disprove the existence of God, but even then you're still going to Hell. According to them.

Right, because you and all your infinite knowledge of ~30 years experience on earth can tell me the exact truth behind billions of years of existence.

Just pick a side and follow it

I agree with that much. If one constantly pussyfoots through life, there is no way for that individual to make obvious mistakes. How can you learn if you do not recognize your faults?

Agnostics are the diet coke of atheism.

You're fucking fence sitters. Just pick a side and follow it, you can say that you can't disprove the existence of God, but even then you're still going to Hell. According to them.

Sitting on the fence, presumambly raised above ground level, might give one a fuller view of what is happening on either side of the fence, so that one may see that all sides have their faults, and a perfectionist, and I assume most fence-sitters are perfectionists (or they simply don't care), may not want to join an imperfect thing, or a thing that cares.

Agnostics are the diet coke of atheism.

You're fucking fence sitters. Just pick a side and follow it, you can say that you can't disprove the existence of God, but even then you're still going to Hell. According to them.

That's right, agnostics are pussies.

Right, because you and all your infinite knowledge of ~30 years experience on earth can tell me the exact truth behind billions of years of existence.

Well said


I think it makes a lot more sense to admit that one cannot KNOW anything along the lines of religion rather than to pick one among thousands and say "This one sounds right!" What makes a buddhist any more or less sensable than an atheist or a hindu? It seems like most people just follow what they were raised on, like oh I've been Catholic my whole life so I better STAY catholic or I'll go to an evil place for all eternity after I die, o noez!

No one can prove God exists, seems there is not even agreement on what God is, and to prove he does not exist one would need all the knowledge of the universe. What does that leave? Maybe God does exist meaybe he doesn't - agnosticsim:) It's not fence sitting it's simply saying one does not see enough evidence either way! For myself I believe a higher power probably exists, because of personal experiences and they are ... personal. I do not expect anyone else to believe on that basis, and even so I could not describe that higher power, or prove it, or define it. Is that not what agnosticism is? An honest answer?

Sitting on the fence, presumambly raised above ground level, might give one a fuller view of what is happening on either side of the fence, so that one may see that all sides have their faults

That is the coolest fucking metaphor I've read in awhile.

That is the coolest fucking metaphor I've read in awhile.


For sure

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Religion_distribution.png

You'll notice how religion is mainly consistent to geographical area.

So basically, the religion your rasied with,(parents, ect.) is generally the one you align yourself with.

The concept of a god is MADE UP! There's no reason to weigh it over any other disproven theory besides that its nice to think about and get involved with; and its easy, because everything can be twisted and contorted at will given that it's a book which is today completely alien!

Agnosticism is built on a foundation of doubt. To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation

Agnosticism is built on a foundation of doubt. To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation
au contraire':
ag·nos·ti·cism
n.
1.The doctrine that certainty about first principles or absolute truth is unattainable and that only perceptual phenomena are objects of exact knowledge.
2.The belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist.

Where's the doubt?

Darwin’s great ally Thomas Henry Huxley gave the following classic definition of agnosticism: “Agnosticism simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that for which he has no grounds for professing to believe.” Agnosticism was also Darwin’s own preferred position.

Agnosticism is built on a foundation of doubt. To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation

Umm... Modern science is built on doubt, Philosophy often deals with doubt and certainty. Ignoring something is doubtful does not mean that it is no longer doubtful. And finally, doubt is not immobility, but mobility, it doesn't stay with one single view because it doubts; If anything absolute certainty is immobility.

The concept of a god is MADE UP! There's no reason to weigh it over any other disproven theory besides that its nice to think about and get involved with; and its easy, because everything can be twisted and contorted at will given that it's a book which is today completely alien!

God is a theory not a concept, your bias is evident.

Umm... Modern science is built on doubt, Philosophy often deals with doubt and certainty. Ignoring something is doubtful does not mean that it is no longer doubtful. And finally, doubt is not immobility, but mobility, it doesn't stay with one single view because it doubts; If anything absolute certainty is immobility.

Doubt to me is the opposite of faith, it can be just as blind.

Doubt to me is the opposite of faith, it can be just as blind.


Would faith be justified without some level of doubt? If there were no doubt to be had, faith wouldn't be necessary, because then there would be certainty; no need for faith.

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith! It's an element of faith.

Paul Tillich said it first ^

Would faith be justified without some level of doubt? If there were no doubt to be had, faith wouldn't be necessary, because then there would be certainty; no need for faith.

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith! It's an element of faith.

Paul Tillich said it first ^

I was only speculating.

People who are pessimistic have doubt, people who are optimistic have faith.

So people who see the spiritual knowledge for God and have doubt are pessimistic and vice versa.

This is my reasoning.