I wouldn't say I necessarily have any sort of "motivation" for my beliefs. I never quite thought of it that way. The way I see it, a person doesn't have all that much control over what they do or do not believe. They either just believe something or not I guess.

ChadWooters Wrote:Why is it so important to some atheists to speculate about why believers believe as they do? Does it make you feel better about yourself by insulting them?

Probably the same reason(s) it's so important to some theists to speculate about why nonbelievers don't believe. Theists definitely live in glass houses on this topic, there are books devoted to 'explaining' atheism in a way palatable and reassuring to certain segments of theists.

To be fair, there are plenty of theists and atheists who discuss this kind of stuff to just feel better about themselves.

(September 20, 2016 at 9:48 am)Drich Wrote: I do not follow God because I fear hell or being alone. I follow because I am made whole, and simply do not want to be 1/2 of what I am with Him.

^Right on.

(September 21, 2016 at 10:01 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(September 20, 2016 at 9:48 am)Drich Wrote: I do not follow God because I fear hell or being alone. I follow because I am made whole, and simply do not want to be 1/2 of what I am with Him.

^Right on.

The trouble is, none of you can explain what it is that you gain out of that bargain in any concrete terms. It's all just vague deepities or appeals to how believing makes one feel, which isn't exactly a good reason to believe a thing.

(September 21, 2016 at 10:04 am)Esquilax Wrote:

(September 21, 2016 at 10:01 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: ^Right on.

The trouble is, none of you can explain what it is that you gain out of that bargain in any concrete terms. It's all just vague deepities or appeals to how believing makes one feel, which isn't exactly a good reason to believe a thing.

I don't see why that would be "trouble" for you at all. My beliefs are my business as yours (or lack thereof) are your business.

(September 21, 2016 at 10:09 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(September 21, 2016 at 10:04 am)Esquilax Wrote: The trouble is, none of you can explain what it is that you gain out of that bargain in any concrete terms. It's all just vague deepities or appeals to how believing makes one feel, which isn't exactly a good reason to believe a thing.

I don't see why that would be "trouble" for you at all. My beliefs are my business as yours (or lack thereof) are your business.

It's certainly trouble for your beliefs if they can be properly explained. If you just want to hold them close to protect them from the ravages of investigation, well, that's not my problem, but it's also not going to prevent me from being interested in people, and the epistemological underpinnings of the things they hold as true.

I do find it amusing, how you and a lot of other christians are all too content to cheer each other on and express your beliefs, yet the moment someone who won't necessarily agree pops up to talk about them, suddenly that all retracts and those beliefs, which are so beneficial and powerful and profound, are no longer interesting and you all can't fathom why anyone else would be asking about them. Which is it? Should I be interested in what you think, or not?

Or is the level of acceptable interest something that scales with how likely the interlocutor is to agree with the belief?

I'm willing to answer any genuine question anyone has, in the best way I can. It's just that a lot of the questions seem to be laced with sarcasm and hostility, to the point where I wonder if the person's motivation is to actually want to learn anything. Sometimes I see a thread on here asking a question, and when I take time to answer it the best way I can I just get a sarcastic, non serious reply back. So then I think, ok, if this person isn't actually interested in knowing more about my views, then why do they bother so much with what they are? Such as this thread for example. And MH, no offense to you, you know I love ya. But it just seems like this is one of those threads where the only purpose is to throw shade rather than to actually look for answers out of genuine interest or curiosity. So of course, I'm going to wonder why ya'll care so much. That's why I made the comment I did.

Who is MH?

(September 21, 2016 at 10:38 am)Whateverist Wrote: Who is MH?

OP - mh.brewer