How many here are believers?

[Adam]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

[eris]

I dont think everyone has "faith" that god does not exist. I don't, I just find it useless to consider. Most people in their hearts are confused about it I think.

[Adam]

I dont claim to know there is no god. Technically if you get down to it, I am agnostic. But I wouldn't seriously call myself agnostic in the same way I wouldn't seriously call myself agnostic about the flying spaghetti monster or santa

[Semicolon]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

Santa Claus is a cultural construct, and it is socially expected that adults will disbelieve the existence of Santa. Santa is not an appropriate analogy, because actions are attributed to Santa that were clearly done by normal humans (such as delivering presents). However, there is still as much evidence for the existence of an abstract Santa Claus as there is against the existence of an abstract Santa Claus.

['andersom']

Technically yes. But if I told you there was an invisible naked woman orbiting the moon would you be "agnostic" about that? Sure, TECHNICALLY you have to be, but seriously?

If you told me that, while being that naked invisible woman, orbiting the moon, I would not worship you if it had no meaning. Even if I was sure you existed. 

If it had meaning for me that this naked invisible woman, orbiting the moon, had spoken to me, I would get locked up, or at least be put on medication. Whether you existed or not.

[Callaway]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

Santa Claus is a cultural construct, and it is socially expected that adults will disbelieve the existence of Santa. Santa is not an appropriate analogy, because actions are attributed to Santa that were clearly done by normal humans (such as delivering presents). However, there is still as much evidence for the existence of an abstract Santa Claus as there is against the existence of an abstract Santa Claus.

My husband and I told our daughter about Santa Claus some time ago.

We have a dairy here that delivers milk to an insulated box on our front porch every week and our daughter said, "There's no such thing as a milkman.  I have never seen the milkman.  Come on, admit that you and dad really buy the milk and sneak outside at night to put it in that box for me."

Does her lack of belief in the milkman imply that he doesn't really exist?

[Adam]

[bodie]

My perspective is a little odd, but i have always looked at it like this:


Say you are a bit of a gambler,  and down at your local bookies the regulars are taking  bets on which religion is right, and what God (if any) exists?

the odds  -  oh man they are not favourable!!
 

 
this is a very simplified chart of the major ones.  but there are hundreds, maybe thousands of religions.

so what are the odds of you being correct??  how likely is your religion to be the one representing God??

how much would you like to bet???  -  well not fookin much!

moving on... just say you placed your bet and kiss my fat ass you were right!!! the bookies got the confirmation -
your god is admitting he is a protestant/catholic/jew etc   great 

Can you then ask him please (first Q for God) what is the crack with all this praying, and going to a place of worship every day? 
it seems a bit odd to me...  the 'almighty' put us here to spend huge parts of our lives worshipping him in one way or another   one word
comes to mind 'ego'

its a bit like me saying to you i am going to send you on an all expenses paid holiday to the maldives,  here is some sun cream, a knotted hankie for your
head...flip flops......oh..but...by the way...the catch is i want you to phone me every hour just to thank me!  and if you could spare a few words at the
dinner table...and just before bed...not to mention the ten rules i am about to send

I think in the unlikely event that there is a god,  is he going to be concerned if i prayed every day, or if i went to a certain building to worship him in - if he is
concerned then there is going to be a hell of a big queue at the gates of hell.  Because a hell of a lot of people will have got it wrong. 
 

If he does exist,  what is he thinking when he looks down at us,  all these different 'religions'  all the wars, bloodshed, murder,
all the hate, torture and vile acts in his name - all going on for years and years - all over religion...hmmm is he going to be pleased? ? ?
methinks not.     

Ask him also please (second Q for God) why doesn't he do something to stop it!! ?  could it be he is powerless, the almighty
has used all his strength impregnating josephs wife at long distance (yay an admirable feat)....
...so he has either lost his mojo, or he doesn't give a fuck!!!   

Iif i was consumed with alcohol,  or smoked off my face i might think like this

- he does exist and all those religious people are going to hell for associating with evil religious institutions,  while little old me
who has just lived without the membership, but lived a relatively decent life, trying not to harm others,  well little old me is waiting
in the smaller queue for the stairway to heaven!!!  Ha!!

Well i am not consumed with anything.  Just a straight head.  The theory abovee seems no more ridiculous to me than all those religions...
...at times i really have tried to believe,  'to have faith'  but it just never worked on me. 
I hate a lot of religions, but that doesnt mean i hate religous people - i envy them at times....
at bad times....it must be a comfort to believe in God.

All i can do is just live my life,  and make the most of it,  and try to do this without affecting others too much.  I will take my chances on my theory
above,  and if there is 'something after' and i am refused entry because i neglected to get the right 'membership' then ...hey life is a bummer!!!


"

I SURE HOPE THEY FUCK IN HELL

"

["couldbecousin"]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

Hey, don't knock it. I'm getting awesome presents again this Christmas, what are YOU getting?   

[midlifeaspie]

 

That post was perfection.  I may come back in an hour and  you again

[P7PSP]

but religious people ARE idiots/wrong/dumb (take your pick)  

It takes the same level of faith to conclude that God does not exist as it does to conclude that God does exist.

It takes no more faith on my part to conclude there is no Yahweh/Allah/Mazda Ahura et al than it does for me to conclude that Pegasus, Cerberus, the River Styx and the Ferryman don't exist. I perceive no evidence what so ever to indicate that the Earth was built in 6 days, that the Earth had a giant flood that drowned all but less than a dozen people before Yahweh pulled the bathtub drain plug or that people used to routinely live over 800 years. The fact that millions, or billions, choose to share a common delusion does not give that delusion credibility IMO. I really like Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of The Mabinogin for entertainment but I don't believe for one minute that Rhiannon talked to the birds and directed them to bring her brothers over to avenge her honor. The idea that all stories/theories are equally credible doesn't fly with me.

[bodie]

That post was perfection.  I may come back in an hour and  you again

...so you didn't then  :lol:

[ῦ]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

Santa Claus is a cultural construct, and it is socially expected that adults will disbelieve the existence of Santa. Santa is not an appropriate analogy, because actions are attributed to Santa that were clearly done by normal humans (such as delivering presents). However, there is still as much evidence for the existence of an abstract Santa Claus as there is against the existence of an abstract Santa Claus.

Religion is an equally cultural construct.

[Semicolon]

Obviously no one can technically PROVE there is no god. But would you take someone seriously if they believed in Santa when they were 45?

Santa Claus is a cultural construct, and it is socially expected that adults will disbelieve the existence of Santa. Santa is not an appropriate analogy, because actions are attributed to Santa that were clearly done by normal humans (such as delivering presents). However, there is still as much evidence for the existence of an abstract Santa Claus as there is against the existence of an abstract Santa Claus.

Religion is an equally cultural construct.

Santa Claus is often credited with events that were clearly performed by other humans (such as delivering presents). If you remove all events attributed to Santa that were actually performed by normal humans, then the abstract entity that is left has (approximately) the same amount of evidence for and against its existence.

[midlifeaspie]

That post was perfection.  I may come back in an hour and  you again

...so you didn't then  :lol: