I said, "the statement 'nothing exists' breaks the law of noncontradiction"

Guess what else does... The statement, "I lack belief".

Don't you know that that is just mathematical concept? YHWH - the number four - and all the zeroes in the world trying to get everybody else to worship a number. Here's my 4 - "I love my Gwynnies" - that Gwyneth Paltrow created my universe; all there is to it. But it is a love story, it's not a hate story. Does it make any sense to tell people their lives have no meaning without Gwyneth just because it works for me? Silliness.

And if you want the mathematics, three points on a plane define the triangle. The fourth point introduces the tetrahedron, the beginning of volume. The creation of the universe.

Hey hoc you know I like the way you think.

If I say the meaning of reality is love, (which is what I believe) Do you have anything for me?

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Did you concede Shell? Is, "I must have said something stupid" all you have left? I gave you a plethora to rip me for, and I answered all your questions.

Reminds me of the other day when we got through 2 questions and you quit on me.

Satisfying in the sense that you obviously have nothing to offer which I don't already understand.
Undatisfying because you persist in your ignorance, and sad because of the reason stated above.

It's what you get when you call me stupid.

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Few too many drinks I suppose. Sorry shell, don't mean to be rude. My humanity is showing.

(January 8, 2012 at 9:52 pm)Chuck Wrote: I can't believe you guys are still talking to this amkerman moron as if anything he said in return can possibly be more than the white noise of mind that lacks all function except self-importance.

Gotta do something to kill the time. Besides, I don't ask him questions because I want to hear his answer. I ask him questions to get him to really think about his beliefs and what he is saying. I know it's futile and quite idealistic, but somebody's got to do the dirty work.

(January 8, 2012 at 11:31 pm)Faith No More Wrote:

(January 8, 2012 at 9:52 pm)Chuck Wrote: I can't believe you guys are still talking to this amkerman moron as if anything he said in return can possibly be more than the white noise of mind that lacks all function except self-importance.

Gotta do something to kill the time. Besides, I don't ask him questions because I want to hear his answer. I ask him questions to get him to really think about his beliefs and what he is saying. I know it's futile and quite idealistic, but somebody's got to do the dirty work.

Are we certain this dude comes from USA??

(January 8, 2012 at 11:31 pm)Faith No More Wrote: Gotta do something to kill the time. Besides, I don't ask him questions because I want to hear his answer. I ask him questions to get him to really think about his beliefs and what he is saying. I know it's futile and quite idealistic, but somebody's got to do the dirty work.

What an unfortunate waste of both of your time. A discussion is precious, but simply shooting questions which you have no intention of listening to is quite disheartening.

There are always multiple perspectives - perhaps the discussion would be of much further use if everyone involved did as you say:

Quote:I ask him questions to get him to really think about his beliefs and what he is saying.

(January 8, 2012 at 9:54 pm)amkerman Wrote: I said, "the statement 'nothing exists' breaks the law of noncontradiction"

Guess what else does... The statement, "I lack belief".

True.

However the statement" I lack belief in a god or gods" doesn't.

Quote:What an unfortunate waste of both of your time. A discussion is precious, but simply shooting questions which you have no intention of listening to is quite disheartening.

then you should feel the same way about Socrates, because that is EXACTLY how the socratic method was devised. Its all about questions so that it doesnt seem as if you are pushing a belief on someone. You know the answer to the question, but you ask the other person to let THEM figure it out.

(January 5, 2012 at 12:11 pm)amkerman Wrote: Can life have meaning w/o God? I mean I understand how we could perceive it to be have meaninb w/o God, but that perception is just illusory isn't it? Without God aren't life and death ultimately meaningless?

It seems so. I find a lot of stuff meaningless, not just life, but everything any theist ever said, too.

Quote:As far as I can understand EITHER life has real meaning and there must be something real which we call "God" or "meaning" OR any "meaning" in life is illusory and people choose to believe in the illusion of God to give their life meaning.

Waffle. WHY does life have to have meaning, and WHY must there be god?

Quote:Believing that meaning is real but that "God" is illusory doesn't make any sense. It's exactly the same belief. It would just be another unverifiable belief for which the word "God" has been replaced with the word "meaning".

Who said meaning is "real"? It's a concept. I might say something along the lines of "I conclude that life and death is meaningless in the scheme of things, however I give my own life meaning" However what I'm really saying is that I'm doing stuff that satisfies me...

When I die, any meaning I ascribed to my life, dies with me.

Quote:If someone could explain how life has real meaning without "God" I am all ears. Honestly I'm not trying to get into an argument I just want to hear the rationalization.

Depends on your definition of meaning, it's nothing more than a concept anyway. For me, the universe is meaningless.

Quote:If you believe it can't and it doesn't that's fine, it's just a difference of opinion. I AM NOT ATTACKING ANYONE's BELIEFS.

Furthermore, since all of our understanding of reality is based upon our perceptions, isn't the belief in the validity of human "perception" exactly the same as a belief in "God"? They are both ultimately beliefs in the unverifiable.

Why would god be unverifiable? I see no good reason why that should be the case.

Nice response Norfolk.

if God is verifiable how do we test for God