Post
Topic
Board Politics & Society
Re: Do you believe in god?
by
af_newbie
on 19/01/2017, 20:20:16 UTC

Every time I comment on this thread the first person to respond to me thinks that I'm talking about Christianity and the god that they recognize, and it pisses me off. I'm not talking about Christianity, Islam, or fucking Hinduism. I'm talking about the idea of some sort of higher power/being or "god", and the absolute fact that you cannot say for certain as you proclaim there is a god or there is no god.

Please, please, please read this. Stop right now and take away all of your preconceptions about me, religion and agnosticism. Please just read this devoid of emotion and tell me if it doesn't make sense.
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Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle. That principle is of great antiquity; it is as old as Socrates; as old as the writer who said, 'Try all things, hold fast by that which is good'; it is the foundation of the Reformation, which simply illustrated the axiom that every man should be able to give a reason for the faith that is in him, it is the great principle of Descartes; it is the fundamental axiom of modern science. Positively the principle may be expressed: In matters of the intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take you, without regard to any other consideration. And negatively: In matters of the intellect, do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic position, which if a man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face, whatever the future may have in store for him.

The results of the working out of the agnostic principle will vary according to individual knowledge and capacity, and according to the general condition of science. That which is unproved today may be proved, by the help of new discoveries, tomorrow. The only negative fixed points will be those negations which flow from the demonstrable limitation of our faculties. And the only obligation accepted is to have the mind always open to conviction.

That it is wrong for a man to say he is certain of the objective truth of a proposition unless he can provide evidence which logically justifies that certainty. This is what agnosticism asserts and in my opinion, is all that is essential to agnosticism.”

― Thomas Henry Huxley

My beliefs are solely based off the logic that is explained in this quote. Please don't call yourself an atheist (as I'm assuming you do) and instead take to the agnostic position, as any logical person would have to do.

It's a beautiful philosophy to live by:
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In matters of the intellect, do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic position, which if a man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face, whatever the future may have in store for him.


Do not twist the issue.  There is absolutely no evidence that any supernatural being exists or ever existed.  All the religious dogmas are just pure, utter nonsense.

If you want to have an honest, philosophical discussion about 'higher power/force', ok, fine here is one thing you have to remember:
  
There is no time for 'God' to exist in before the Big Bang.  So rest assured there is no God before the Big Bang.

And nobody ever detected any 'God/higher power' in this reality, so whatever you are basing your 'agnostic' position on is based on your dreams and wishful thinking.


You didn't acknowledge what I said. Please read again.
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In matters of the intellect, do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable.

Just because it's never been detected doesn't mean no one ever will. That's just common sense, right? Nothing is ever discovered until it's... discovered, no? Also, your assumption about the big bang being the very beginning is only that... an assumption. Others have made assumptions too that go against that theory.

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/september/13-starting-point

And you think I rejected the 'God' existence just like that?  The intricacy of the world, the evolution of the universe, galaxies, the violent
creation and destruction that has been going on for billions of years, leads me to believe that there is absolutely no design behind the universe we live in.  The life on Earth is not special, there is probably life elsewhere in the universe.

Looks like we have quite a few billions of years to go in this universe, so rest assured there is or will be life elsewhere.

The universe started with a violent explosion and it will probably end with a violent crunch.  And the cycle will start again with a different set of physical constants.

Of course there is probability that 'higher power' might exist.   The odds are about the same as the odds of winged horses or unicorns to exist.