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| The Devil's/Angel's advocate; - think the other way... | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 18 2009, 02:43 AM (386 Views) | |
| Post #16 Aug 26 2009, 01:28 PM | Huxley |
Whilst it helped to de-convince you, you were working from a basis of reason. You are a one off big guy.  I don't think however, that most theists really do bother themselves with little things like details. My point is that that even if you can convince a Christian that evolution is true, it is not necessarily going to de Christianise them; there are many mainstream biologists who call themselves Christians. Evolution, compartmentalised by the Christian, doesn't necessarily compromise their thoughts - although, I agree, it should.Mind you, if a person came up to me and said, I'm pretty sure I'm on the way to atheism but I cannot figure this bit out....then no problem. But when a Christian/ theist so obviously begins a wilful misconception of evolution - I think you should just give them the bum's rush. |
 
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| Post #17 Aug 27 2009, 03:54 AM | Prometheus |
| I think that feelings/experience is the biggest reason that people are/become religious, so the first step on the way to disbelief is probably because of feelings and experience in the other direction. At least for me, the feeling that God wasn't there led me on the way to atheism. |
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Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil... prayer, fasting, good works and so on. Up until Doom, no one seemed to have thought about the double-barrel shotgun. Eat leaden death, demon... - Terry Pratchett | |
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| Post #18 Aug 27 2009, 05:15 AM | Huxley |
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A good point there but perhaps one should remember that, as Cognitive therapists put it, our thoughts drive our emotions. So in a very true sense we have some control over those feelings. I am fascinated by those who seem to display no control over those feelingas and emotions and give themselves permission to believe what ever they wish. We call it Faith. This of course does not explain how one person has the propensity to take a fairy story to heart and convinces themselves it has some basis in reality. Take for instance the case of Jesus. Nothing important matters about whether he lived or not. His life would be a matter of trivia if it were not for miracles - He would be nothing more than another itinerant magician, one of many floating around in those times. So to all intents and purposes, atheists usually just nod their heads to avoid unnecessary and tedious discussions about His reality. We accept, for the sake of argument, that he was a living person. And that its no big deal that He was. Yet there are those who insist they have emotions for Him; that they have a personal relationship' with this long dead Jew from Galilee. Where, in the name of all that is rational, does that come from? If it is purely emotional then it is without any substance Secondly, I am not so sure that the majority of people 'become' religious. It is a matter of inculcation, brain washing if you will, to accept the unacceptable. Sure there are those who come to religion later in life and even some who change horses in midstream. I would submit that these people have lost what little hold they had on reality anyway. Clinging by the fingernails of reason proves just too much of a distraction; they let go and plummet into ignorance. |
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| Post #19 Aug 31 2009, 02:33 AM | Bonzolee |
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I've been too swamped as of late, but I just had to comment on Cookman showing up in this thread. Classic. Huxley accidentally sent him a PM or something that called on him to add his 2 cents, and Cookman comes walking through the door, waving the letter in the air. That's some hilarious stuff, right there (assuming everyone knows of their history on here). I laughed. |
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"Brain disorders, like madness, are themselves contagious. The frequency of madness among doctors who are specialists for the mad is notorious." – Gustave Le Bon "The fact that audiences would rather go to Wonderland than face Iraq speaks volumes." – Random Youtube Poster | |
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| Post #20 Aug 31 2009, 06:51 PM | Huxley |
| Bonz it was an email I sent to all members to encourage new posters and older members to get stuck in. Unfortunately the software is not sophisticated enough to avoid sending to idiots like Cookman, although to be fair, I don't suppose he thought for one minute I was addressing him. But he just couldn't help himself and took it as an invitation to repeat the same crap he's been regurgitating for ages. |
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4:49 PM Jul 31
