(August 13, 2016 at 12:48 am)Whateverist Wrote:

(August 12, 2016 at 11:48 pm)Bella Morte Wrote: I think they believe in a form of reincarnation, because I've seen it mentioned before somewhere that they think L Ron Hubbard will return and lead them again. Also, to join the Sea Org, you have to sign a contract which makes you promise to serve them for a billion years.

But isn't it true you can change those prizes in for cash in this lifetime if you want?

Pfft, nonsense.

Now bow down to our alien overlord Xenu!

(August 12, 2016 at 11:18 pm)SteveII Wrote: I didn't assert anything and your assertion is just a theory. In what possible way could you prove any of that? Even if there is no God, there may very well be another reason why we are predisposed to the supernatural.

You didn't assert anything? Do you want to link the many, many, many unsupportable assertions you've made in this thread?

The difference between my speculation about superstitious behavior is that it's a connection of very basic principles: animals want to live, they have instincts, and the instincts cause behaviors. I'm not bothered by the possibility that it may be wrong, so long as in the meantime I'm making sensible inferences.

The same is easily observed in humans. Humans have ALL KINDS of superstitious beliefs, only some of which are Christian religious. But their beliefs are a response to how they feel, i.e. their instincts. You yourself have said that among the many benefits of the Christian religion are how it makes you feel: deep peace, etc. and that Christianity is therefore a special snowflake, since no other religion makes people feel the way the Christian religion does. This is an ASSERTION, by the way.

At any rate, fine, you have feelings. How do you go from "I have feelings" to "the feelings are about God," if you cannot establish that God exists except BY your feelings? Where's that point of convergence that lets you bridge from one to the other?

You might want to look up a picture of a circle, and then ask yourself if your circular path is likely to lead to forward progress in your thinking.

(August 13, 2016 at 4:50 am)downbeatplumb Wrote:

(August 12, 2016 at 2:26 pm)SteveII Wrote: The Bible teaches in many places that God has written on the hearts of men/women things like morality, knowledge of God, etc.

Well if that's the case why has he not provided any evidence for his existence? in the myths based on him he is able to do almost anything, so proof would be easy, but no, the best way is to give some people a vague unsupported notion that there must be something more and leave it at that, apparently.

Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

(August 13, 2016 at 8:08 am)SteveII Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 4:50 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: Well if that's the case why has he not provided any evidence for his existence? in the myths based on him he is able to do almost anything, so proof would be easy, but no, the best way is to give some people a vague unsupported notion that there must be something more and leave it at that, apparently.

Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

And you believe this because your favorite book tells you so. That book alone is just another claim and not actual evidence for the claim.

Give us something we can actually rely on. Your god is supposed to do anything, but he's unable to convince us. If he's all-powerful, he'd know exactly what it would take to convince us.

(August 13, 2016 at 8:08 am)SteveII Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 4:50 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: Well if that's the case why has he not provided any evidence for his existence? in the myths based on him he is able to do almost anything, so proof would be easy, but no, the best way is to give some people a vague unsupported notion that there must be something more and leave it at that, apparently.

Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

Not sure if trolling.

(August 13, 2016 at 8:33 am)bennyboy Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 8:08 am)SteveII Wrote: Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

Not sure if trolling.

. . . or being willfully stupid.

Third option: Pentecostal.

(August 13, 2016 at 8:50 am)Crossless1 Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 8:33 am)bennyboy Wrote: Not sure if trolling.

. . . or being willfully stupid.

Third option: Pentecostal.

Is this like that "trinity" thing where they are each of those things, and somehow magically all of them?

(August 12, 2016 at 11:20 pm)Bella Morte Wrote: Guys, guys...Scientology is the real religion.

Understand?

All hail Xenu.

Please remove your thetan from my ass.

(August 13, 2016 at 8:08 am)SteveII Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 4:50 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: Well if that's the case why has he not provided any evidence for his existence? in the myths based on him he is able to do almost anything, so proof would be easy, but no, the best way is to give some people a vague unsupported notion that there must be something more and leave it at that, apparently.

Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

Didn't do shit for 30 of those 33 years. Not much of a god.

(August 13, 2016 at 9:57 am)mh.brewer Wrote:

(August 13, 2016 at 8:08 am)SteveII Wrote: Actually coming to earth and spending 33 years is one obvious answer to your question.

Didn't do shit for 30 of those 33 years. Not much of a god.

Now, now . . . of course a god-man would bide his time before starting a short-lived public ministry by piggy-backing off the ministry of John the Baptist.