Philosophical question for theists?
338569
When you say 'real' I assume you mean not human? Well I wouldn't include it as a human because it isn't created by God. For the same reason I wouldn't try and convert it because it doesn't have a soul. However, I wouldn't destroy it (why would I?!) but if for some reason I did I would feel guilty because it has emotions and thinks it is alive.\n\nThis isn't a silly question, it's good actually because it has just lead me to the conclusion (probably obvious to others!) that the only difference between artificial intelligence and 'real' intelligence is the fact that they are made by God!
1143395
Sure... Ta for asking.\n\nI have come to this decision based on my upbringing, education, research, and experience.  I have found no evidence to support the claims outlined by any religion (and I have researched most of them), and infact find stacks of evidence that questions the validity and even the source of all the 'divinely inspired' books.  For me  science has plausible, logical & evidenced based answers to how we have developed by impersonal means.\n\nNatural disasters are impersonal, viruses and diseases kill all the time, and of course people kill people and animals.  Nature has many examples of downright evil design like parasitoids or just plain stupid design like the blind spot in our eye.\n\nA study of history shows the development of religion and it is plain to see how it is borne out of fear of the unknown, and for the main religions they have been spread alot by blood.  I also find the concept of god illogical, and find the holy book versions to be mean and sadistic.\n\nI have never ever witnessed anything I can't explain naturally.\n\nSo quite simply I have nothing to suggest a god exists -so to me it is a non concept up there with santa and the tooth fairy, therefore I am atheist.
458998
here's an answer NOT straight from a philosophy book...\nS.E.X.
55265
God. (cheating) This explanation is what everyone eventually resorts to when the other answers fail. Now, before I go any further, I should make clear that I'm not talking about any of the gods defined in various religions. Throughout all of human history, we've been trying to explain existence. But nobody has ever succeeded. And it's likely that nobody ever will. So we create the concept of God, whose only necessary property is being "that which explains existence." \n\nThis doesn't tell us much about god, though. It doesn't mean that any particular religion is correct. It merely defines god as something which answers The Question, because we have not been able to. \nread this: http://www.toykeeper.net/philosophy/knowledge
927627
There is one simple question that you must ask yourself and give yourself an honest answer to: "Do I believe there is a god?"\n\nIf your answer is no, then you are an atheist. If your answer is yes, then you are a theist (regardless of whether you follow an organized religion or not). If you aren't sure, you're agnostic.\n\nBelieve whatever makes the most sense to you. If you aren't sure what that is, read more about science and various religions until you find something that makes sense to you.\n\nI didn't "become" an atheist, I always was one. I have never believed in god, simply because I have never seen any sign of him and have no reason to believe he exist elsewhere than in some people's imagination.
873708
Dear Atheist for Christians Banned:\n\nI find in our Category, here, that the great wealth of ideas and what has been learned is seldom shared. Rather, we shout small bytes at each other when, at least I, would prefer to get deeper into experiences and the lessons contained therein. Exploration about God is appropriate for the Religion/Spirituality Forum. Are we offering each other something of depth and richness to contemplate?  What is available to us - from each other?\n\nYes, I have read many articles on Evolution.  I like to dabble in Physics just enough to "stay up" with the latest information.\n\nAtheism has demanded, recently, that God be proven. They seem to feel that Christians are duped!  Yet, Atheism leads to our not acknowledging there is anything beyond or more than physical matter and human Intellect. Nothing more. No other concepts integrated .  Just Intellect examining a world of physical matter.\n\nScience, however,  has decided God can not be disproved or thrown away, after all. Physics has found itself smack up against Him and is desperate to prove Him. (String theories (all 5) or M-Theory). But I tell you, God will never be a mathematical formula.  It takes the soul or spirit-mind within,  to bring forth its Knowledge of its Creator (which it shares with the divine Presence).  Only soul/spirit can direct the Scientist to proper understanding of the Order of Creation. Science is, after all, inspiration ; inspired first - to learn of it's world and our Self. But, then, at best, you have still a cold calculation from Science - about the Created and it's Creator - with no experience of His divine nature; the ecstasy, the unlimited-ness, the Unopposed force of the Creative Being, of Who we are a part. \n\nThe Intellect is of logic and reasoning. It deduces and judges. God is Knowledge and Knowing. \n\nWe should be open to thoughts that behind the Intellect lies our soul or Spirit: The Seat of all Knowledge. Until we understand soul/spirit - we can not know our Self. \n\nIntellect is a mental exercise. It changes, shifts, and alters its thought processes.  But, Knowledge is unalterable.\n\nThe Evolution of Earth contains the Creator existing along with it.  This is Integration. \n\nBest regards, Lana
696190
Proof is hard. Is there evidence?\nIs it easier to prove presence or absence?\n\nDo athiest have "faith" in a "Void"?
958449
I think that's a really good question. If I accept the premise that God cannot ask us to do anything that is not moral, then that implies there is a morality independent of Him. On the other hand, if I accept the position that I must do whatever God wants me to do, then I have no way to ascertain whether God is asking me to do right or wrong - I must simply do what He says.
1050923
short answer:\n\nthere are troll atheists and troll theists and im sick of all the trolls\n\ni try and not troll
390868
What sin, may I ask, does one commit by being an atheist?  I ask because I am an atheist and I feel that my position doesn't harm anyone (beside myself, I suppose), and that I came to this position based on a rational choice, not out of hatred or denial.\n\nI would hope that if there was an all-knowing, loving God, he would understand why I am in the position I am in--it made the most sense, rationally, to me--and judge accordingly.
1153626
This point is terrific.\n\nIt's why intelligent design is ridiculous and absurd.\n\nWhen I hear people say they believe in theistic evolution I have to say to them grow balls pick one.
648952
Imagine if Mary never opened the tomb.\n\nWe would stand outside the tomb today, and argue with EQUAL PROBABILITY whether or not God exists.\n\nNow THAT would be a religious debate worth having.
1178258
Don't try and use logic on a Theist! They have Faith! Which is impervious to logic, science, evidence, facts, reason et. al.\n\nI really don't understand why Theists even get into arguments about science. They end up making the same lame excuses. Evolution is a theory, macroevolution blah blah. Carbon 14 is faulty, The earth is flat......\n\nThey should stay away from scientific arguments all together...
711247
I think they're referring to agnostic theists, those who think there is no way to know absolutely if there is a god, but believe in one anyway.\n\nAccording to Theism, the opinion that gods or deities exist, and Agnosticism is that existence unknown or inherently unknowable. Belief is defined as a conviction of the truth of a proposition without its verification. Agnosticism does not violate this, and this definition of theism does not violate agnosticism.\n\nThey can act upon their belief as though it is true but again, without verification.  They believe while admitting that it cannot be absolutely PROVEN that what they believe in is true.  Hey, I never said it was logical.\n\nBelief: to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.  I pulled that directly from the dictionary.  So you're right in that they might as well be called theists since theists would possess the same belief... but to get unnecessarily technical, most theists would insist that they DO have "absolute proof", so those who admit to being without "absolute proof" or at least incapable of attaining such would be "agnostic" in that regard.
545881
I think you should try posting in the philosophy section or spirituality next time.\n\nHow big is the soul.\n\nWell, hopefully bigger than the body and more durable. But it seems like the universe "the container" for all matter, and the soul, the container for everything spiritual would be of a different quality. \n\nI think the soul is bigger.  Imagine being condemned to live forever without a soul? It's hard enough trying to get through a Sunday afternoon.
166603
If seems that if God was required to create a complex world, than it would require an even more complex being to have created the complexity of God.  Would this be God's God?\n\nI do not see that using God as an explanation for the inherent complexity of the world resolves the issue at all; it simply seems to remove the question to a level where people feel more comfortable admiting that they do not know.  It is much more difficult to admit one does not understand why the natural universe, which they can see and feel and touch, exists, but much easier to admit that they don't know how God came to exist.\n\nSo the question is very good both philosophically, theologically and psychologically.\n\nAnother question you may wish to ask is: If God created heaven, where was He before such a creation?
1030882
Theism is defined as "a belief in a god or gods". There is nothing there about knowledge. Similarly Atheism is simply a "lack of belief in gods".  In neither case is any knowledge required.  Now I often ask myself why would someone hold a belief without credible evidence or reason to support it, but beliefs do not need to be rational, and often they are the result of heavy indoctrination at a very young age. \n\nI think most people misunderstand the original meaning of agnosticism.  Agnosticism has nothing at all to do with belief. And an agnostic is not a fence sitter. Rather an agnostic is a person who claims that fundamental knowledge about reality is impossible or unobtainable. An agnostic can be, an indeed must be either a theist or an atheist. Everyone must be either a theist or an atheist. Either you have a belief in gods or you do not.\n\nPersonally I am an atheist as I lack a god belief. I do not call myself an agnostic, because I have no idea if fundamental knowledge is impossible or not, so I make no such claims.