The God Delusion - by Richard Dawkins

[FlyingPig]

Right I am going play some poker...... May your god be with you.......

FYP, in homage to the late Dave Allen

LOL....

I dont mind him being with you all........

[fearisthekey]

The people who cause the problems are the ones with no respect.

Regardless of everything, stripped to the barebones, that is about respect. Regardless of religion you should tolerate and most of all respect and value difference..

It's in human nature, to its very core, to be suspicious of those who are different in matters that are important to us, and for the in-group to be hostile to the outgroup. People will get on, civilization will thrive, and humanity will survive if people learn to celebrate and concentrate on what they have in common. Religion amplifies the differences. As long as religion is around, there will be war and intolerance, hatred and people prepared to blow themselves up in the name of what they believe, to take out the other guy.
Either you take out religion, or you genetically re-engineer the human race not to be prone to tribal conflict. No other way.

[happybhoy]

Ramen to that...

FYP

[CelticGeezeer]

So can any of you prove that your god exists.




 

[happybhoy]

Yes, he scored 173 goals for Celtic

[CelticGeezeer]

hail hail

[madasahatstand]

[Robert HM]

I can't add too much to this thread, so don't expect proof, or otherwise, of a divine being in this post. I just wanted to say how fascinating the thread has been so far. Contributors have proven one thing at least, during the debate encompassing theological and philosophical issues, and that is so many of our members, with some noticeable exceptions, are blessed with a more than adequate ability to reason, argue and discuss difficult issues. Furthermore, it has been carried out in a relatively good spirited manner.

I think I first came across Dawkins in Royal Institute lecture series, many moons ago and he is "blessed", and the word is used advisably, with an innate ability to communicate and deliver his facts in an understandable and fascinating manner. It is not surprising, therefore, that he became the first Professor of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford Uni. Whatever you think of his "teachings" they are remarkably well reasoned.

Personally I don't know, for sure, whether he is right or wrong. I was bought up as Catholic and went through the altar boy stage and then developed full bloodied atheism, time has mellowed me, I hope, now, I am wrong. I still look for proof of "God", whatever that may be. I remain a disbeliever and, for now, accept Marx as being correct when he talks of religion being the "opium of the masses", for  majority of the human race need a way of answering the unanswerable questions and also need the comfort of believing the is more to life than "this". As I spend so much of my life looking at facts, perhaps I need factual proof of a Deity but that is unlikely unless (a) there is a "further" resurrection or (b) I see a damn great father figure after I die who says "I told you so".

[tantrum]

I believe in a God... I choose to do this via Catholicism...

All religions generally believe in the same thing.. A grand architect of the universe....And we practice it via different principles and methods.....

If you were to have a percentage of the people in the world who believe in some form of higher being, I wonder what the percentage would be?? I will guess between 80-90....

Excellent thread,


The problem I have is with people who claim to 'choose' their faith.  Flying Pig, I can guarantee you that if you were born in a non-catholic country - your belief in 'God' would be through the belief system that you were born into, unless of course at some point you would decide to convert into catholicism that your clam of 'choice' would be more valid.

This in itself can be an argument that one's belief in 'God' and the interpretation of the 'God' is pretty arbitrary.  Like language is arbitrary but its meaning not so.

Basically depending where you are born and into what culture will determine your beliefs. There is nothing wrong if one is comfortable and happy in being catholic/muslim/jewish and so on, but i object to saying that the choice is completely free.

[fearisthekey]

I believe in a God... I choose to do this via Catholicism...

All religions generally believe in the same thing.. A grand architect of the universe....And we practice it via different principles and methods.....

If you were to have a percentage of the people in the world who believe in some form of higher being, I wonder what the percentage would be?? I will guess between 80-90....

Excellent thread,


The problem I have is with people who claim to 'choose' their faith.  Flying Pig, I can guarantee you that if you were born in a non-catholic country - your belief in 'God' would be through the belief system that you were born into, unless of course at some point you would decide to convert into catholicism that your clam of 'choice' would be more valid.

This in itself can be an argument that one's belief in 'God' and the interpretation of the 'God' is pretty arbitrary.  Like language is arbitrary but its meaning not so.

Basically depending where you are born and into what culture will determine your beliefs. There is nothing wrong if one is comfortable and happy in being catholic/muslim/jewish and so on, but i object to saying that the choice is completely free.

Are you trying to suggest that God isn't british? Is that what you're really saying?
??

[tantrum]

I believe in a God... I choose to do this via Catholicism...

All religions generally believe in the same thing.. A grand architect of the universe....And we practice it via different principles and methods.....

If you were to have a percentage of the people in the world who believe in some form of higher being, I wonder what the percentage would be?? I will guess between 80-90....

Excellent thread,


The problem I have is with people who claim to 'choose' their faith.  Flying Pig, I can guarantee you that if you were born in a non-catholic country - your belief in 'God' would be through the belief system that you were born into, unless of course at some point you would decide to convert into catholicism that your clam of 'choice' would be more valid.

This in itself can be an argument that one's belief in 'God' and the interpretation of the 'God' is pretty arbitrary.  Like language is arbitrary but its meaning not so.

Basically depending where you are born and into what culture will determine your beliefs. There is nothing wrong if one is comfortable and happy in being catholic/muslim/jewish and so on, but i object to saying that the choice is completely free.

Are you trying to suggest that God isn't british? Is that what you're really saying?
??

Scholars have long debated the exact ethnicity and nationality of Jesus. Recently, at a theological meeting in Rome, scholars had a heated debate on this subject. One by one, they offered their evidence........

THREE PROOFS THAT JESUS WAS MEXICAN: 1. His first name was Jesus 2. He was bilingual 3. He was always being harassed by the authorities

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS BLACK: 1. He called everybody "brother" 2. He liked Gospel 3. He couldn't get a fair trial

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS JEWISH: 1. He went into His Father's business 2. He lived at home until he was 33 3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin, and his Mother was sure he was God

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS ITALIAN: 1. He talked with his hands 2. He had wine with every meal 3. He used olive oil

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS CALIFORNIAN: 1. He never cut his hair 2. He walked around barefoot 3. He started a new religion

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS IRISH: 1. He never got married 2. He was always telling stories 3. He loved green pastures

But perhaps the most compelling evidence..... THREE PROOFS THAT JESUS WAS A WOMAN: 1. He had to feed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food 2. He kept trying to get the message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it 3. Even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was more work = to do.....

[AndrewT]

*abandons atheism, takes up Tantrumism*

[fearisthekey]

 


Post Of The Week, tantrum.

I've read the Gospels, end to end, with my own eyes. Jesus spoke in English, without exception.

ps. Don't tell George W Bush that he's fighting a holy war on behalf of an Arab-born jew with dark skin, born into a poor single parent family from the Axis of Evil....

[Geo the Sarge]

I believe in a God... I choose to do this via Catholicism...

All religions generally believe in the same thing.. A grand architect of the universe....And we practice it via different principles and methods.....

If you were to have a percentage of the people in the world who believe in some form of higher being, I wonder what the percentage would be?? I will guess between 80-90....

Excellent thread,


The problem I have is with people who claim to 'choose' their faith.  Flying Pig, I can guarantee you that if you were born in a non-catholic country - your belief in 'God' would be through the belief system that you were born into, unless of course at some point you would decide to convert into catholicism that your clam of 'choice' would be more valid.

This in itself can be an argument that one's belief in 'God' and the interpretation of the 'God' is pretty arbitrary.  Like language is arbitrary but its meaning not so.

Basically depending where you are born and into what culture will determine your beliefs. There is nothing wrong if one is comfortable and happy in being catholic/muslim/jewish and so on, but i object to saying that the choice is completely free.

Are you trying to suggest that God isn't british? Is that what you're really saying?
??

Scholars have long debated the exact ethnicity and nationality of Jesus. Recently, at a theological meeting in Rome, scholars had a heated debate on this subject. One by one, they offered their evidence........

THREE PROOFS THAT JESUS WAS MEXICAN: 1. His first name was Jesus 2. He was bilingual 3. He was always being harassed by the authorities

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS BLACK: 1. He called everybody "brother" 2. He liked Gospel 3. He couldn't get a fair trial

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS JEWISH: 1. He went into His Father's business 2. He lived at home until he was 33 3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin, and his Mother was sure he was God

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS ITALIAN: 1. He talked with his hands 2. He had wine with every meal 3. He used olive oil

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS CALIFORNIAN: 1. He never cut his hair 2. He walked around barefoot 3. He started a new religion

But then there were equally good arguments that.... JESUS WAS IRISH: 1. He never got married 2. He was always telling stories 3. He loved green pastures

But perhaps the most compelling evidence..... THREE PROOFS THAT JESUS WAS A WOMAN: 1. He had to feed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food 2. He kept trying to get the message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it 3. Even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was more work = to do.....

Pure brilliance Lady T.

LMAO.

Geo

[tantrum]

Disclaimer- i did not write this btw, but thought I will share with you all.