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So we both agree not to worry about the next life, albeit for different reasons. Seems fair to me.
Yes, because everyone is free to make their own choices as to what they believe.
Well, you are free to do so, but science is constantly changing and discarding what it once said was absolutely true, so I will not be putting my faith in science.
That's the whole point of science!
Making new discoveries and improving our understanding of the world is how it works and is science's greatest strength. Nothing is science is sacred, nothing is dogma - everything can be challenged if you have the evidence.
I really don't understand why people have a problem with this. If you want to go back to a medieval way of life, be my guest.
Also, nothing is ever 'absolutely true' in science. Every theory can be changed and adjusted as new discoveries are made and new evidence comes to light. Science wouldn't work if it just held onto ancient dogmatic ideas and claimed they were absolute truth despite what discoveries about reality might say - that's religion.
I can respect science for what it is, but my faith is much more precious to me. I am interested in learning more about the world, what I meant was, it will not take the place of my faith. I don't actually think science and religion need to be mutually exclusive as they are often treated. Science points me even more to God as the Creator of everything that is studied.
No, it is an honest question we should all be willing to ask ourselves.
Well, you are free to do so, but science is constantly changing and discarding what it once said was absolutely true, so I will not be putting my faith in science.
Also, many things are outside of the realm of science, this doesn't mean they are not real. Not all truth can be found in a science experiment.
As I said truth is truth, regardless of a person's perceptions. Our perceptions are often very limited.
Perhaps you should be grateful that God has called so many to change their bad behaviors. God doesn't call many high and mighty folks, mostly just us bums. Ann Landers once observed that "the church is a hospital for sinners, not an edifice for Saints." You and other atheists clearly have no spiritual needs, thus God hasn't called you to repentance.
I could just as easily refer you to the Bible and say please read it and never use your arguments again. I won't though, because that would be inappropriate and disrespectful.So why don't you worship the god that has the worst hell, so you can avoid the worst punishment?
There is so much wrong with Pascal's wager that I can't go into it here, for risk of taking the thread off topic. But you can read about the flaws in it at the following links. Kindly read them, understand why Pascal's wager is no good, and never use it again.
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Pascal's_wager
https://whistlinginthewind.org/2012/05/06/the-flaws-of-pascals-wager/
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pascal-wager/
If you get diabetes, will you seek medical attention, or will you pray to God to control it?
If you want to speak to someone that is not near you, do you pick up a telephone, or do you pray to God that the other person will gain the knowledge of what you want to say?
You put your faith in science all the time, so please don't be hypocritical. You couldn't go a day without using something that works according to science.
There is no objective truth that can be discovered without using science.
If you disagree, please give me an example of one.
So you dismiss science on the basis of something you can't perceive?
All religions suffer from the Santa syndrome, which is:
If you stop reinforcing a belief then children will eventually stop believing it.
I could just as easily refer you to the Bible and say please read it and never use your arguments again. I won't though, because that would be inappropriate and disrespectful.
It's not dogma, as a Christian parts of our brain function that does not function for non christians. There is evidence for that when they scan the brain. Without religion mankind would all die off. Non religious people have a reprobate brain, they have not advanced and developed a regenerated brain the way people do that learn how to function in a loving, caring religious community.
It would also make absolutely no sense.
This is really quite a silly thought. If we stopped teaching kids anything they would cease believing. If we stopped teaching evolution the kids would stop believing in it. If we stopped teaching kids that cigarettes were bad for you kids would start smoking again.
Teaching is how we adults get our points across to our kids about right and wrong and whatever else we want kids to know. God understood this. That's why he told us to teach our kids about him from the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed. He knew how important teaching our kids is.
Religion has been among human beings for as far back as we can trace humanity. Man has always had a belief in God in some way or some fashion. It's one of those things that resides within the human soul. A need to believe that something exists beyond ourselves and our world.
And these adults pass this down to their children. Its not something that is ever going to,go,away. Even in the last days of this planet men will be worshipping the "beast".
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So, how do you account for those who become Christians later in life, who have had absolutely no family connection or instruction in it at all?
Not all Christians were raised in Christian homes, and not all of those who were raised in Christian homes choose to be Christians. (Even within the same family)
To suggest that Christianity only survives because children are told they should believe it is far too simplistic an assessment.
Neither do the links you provided in your response. If we never ask ourselves whether we might be wrong in life, how will we ever learn anything?
I would rather not simply believe I am right about everything. That leads only to arrogance in my opinion.
What if you're wrong? What if there is a God? Can science really disprove God's existence?
Even when it comes to the natural world we live in, we don't have all the answers. We are always learning. Back when mankind thought the earth was flat, it was still round. Truth is truth, regardless of what you believe.
And I disagree that reality is the same for everyone. People can have very different ideas about what they think is real or not.
Truth on the other hand IS the same for everyone. Truth is truth, it doesn't matter if no one believes something. If it is the truth, nothing anyone says or does can change that.
Yes indeed. And the evidence abounds.
Why do most religions insist upon indoctrinating at a very young age? ("Give me the boy and I'll give you the man")
Why is it that the vast majority of religious people around the world have adopted the religion of their parents?
Why do we find that children who grow up in secular, non-believing households usually do not take up a religious belief?
You refer to a small minority here.
What if you're RIGHT, but you've chosen the wrong god to worship!?
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