There is little need for hell nor heaven to explain life after death once you apply some rational skepticism. Likewise, there is no need to explain life before we are born, we decay in to the ground.

To quote the bible itself...

GENESIS: 'You are dust, and to dust you shall return'

If I may, I might also highlight that this is somewhat of a biblical contradiction in itself.

I hope I was able to shed some light on the situation.

(May 15, 2013 at 1:08 pm)Rhythm Wrote: How many kids actually improve their behavior based on the santa myths, I wonder? I'm guessing about as many as who manage to improve their behavior based on the christ myths.

Well, my kid does - between about 12/22 and 12/24.

(May 15, 2013 at 1:08 pm)Rhythm Wrote: On the other hand, the santa camp may have a massive inbuilt handicap - in that the focal point of that mythology doesn't hobble ones efforts to be a decent person.

Then there's that.

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(May 15, 2013 at 3:17 pm)Drich Wrote: Were your watching an old Futurerama episode?

That joke is WAY older than Futureama. I remember hearing it in grade school back in the 70's.

Quote:smax wrote:Richard Dawkins provides a great explanation for the fairly common belief people have in god. Just about everywhere you go, people believe in some kind of god. But it's a different god depending on where you go and what the culture in that area is.

The reason for this is very simple: when we are very young, are minds are still very much in a basic developmental state. At that point, we are almost entirely vulnerable and prepared to believe anything we are taught. This is a necessary state of mind during the intitial development because, without it, we'd likely struggle to effectively learn important things like walking, talking, and basic behavior.

Unfortunately, during this stage of development, when we are willing to accept anything we are taught, many parents or close relatives teach their children to believe in a specific higher power, usually the one most socially acceptable for that particular region.

This explains a lot if you really think about it.

The belief in a higher power is so deeply rooted that many people have sacrificed their lives to preserve and uphold it.

Muslims and Christians have killed each other by the millions, both believing whole heartedly that they were doing so to uphold the values of "The one true god."

Neither side has ever even stopped to think about the irony in all of that.

Not only does it explain a lot, but it makes it damned hard to recover from. The problem is it gets so engrained that it really takes a herculean effort to get over. You doubt yourself. Everyone around you still believes, what is wrong with you that you don't. It still is not completely gone, and I do not think that it ever will be. But at least I got this far.

You fail to consider that man is both body and soul. The body does return to dust, but the soul is eternal. The question is where does your soul go at death? And how did you come to be born in the first place? I guess it was just biology.

(May 15, 2013 at 5:29 pm)Raven Wrote:

Quote:smax wrote:Richard Dawkins provides a great explanation for the fairly common belief people have in god. Just about everywhere you go, people believe in some kind of god. But it's a different god depending on where you go and what the culture in that area is.

The reason for this is very simple: when we are very young, are minds are still very much in a basic developmental state. At that point, we are almost entirely vulnerable and prepared to believe anything we are taught. This is a necessary state of mind during the intitial development because, without it, we'd likely struggle to effectively learn important things like walking, talking, and basic behavior.

Unfortunately, during this stage of development, when we are willing to accept anything we are taught, many parents or close relatives teach their children to believe in a specific higher power, usually the one most socially acceptable for that particular region.

This explains a lot if you really think about it.

The belief in a higher power is so deeply rooted that many people have sacrificed their lives to preserve and uphold it.

Muslims and Christians have killed each other by the millions, both believing whole heartedly that they were doing so to uphold the values of "The one true god."

Neither side has ever even stopped to think about the irony in all of that.

Not only does it explain a lot, but it makes it damned hard to recover from. The problem is it gets so engrained that it really takes a herculean effort to get over. You doubt yourself. Everyone around you still believes, what is wrong with you that you don't. It still is not completely gone, and I do not think that it ever will be. But at least I got this far.

I'm with you 100 percent. Christianity was my life for 25 years. I don't believe a word of it anymore, but like you, I accept that it will forever shape a part of who I am.

Many are exposed to it early and never come out. Others are not exposed to it early and are never really in. Being in and finding your way out, that's a really cool trick.

(May 15, 2013 at 5:33 pm)grandpahuss Wrote: You fail to consider that man is both body and soul. The body does return to dust, but the soul is eternal. The question is where does your soul go at death? And how did you come to be born in the first place? I guess it was just biology.

You fail to demonstrate that man is body and soul. In failing to demonstrate the real-world existence of the soul, you also fail to demonstrate that it is eternal and that it exists, intact, without a physical substrate. You merely assume these statements to be factual and ask loaded questions which mean nothing to anyone who doesn't share your assumptions.

(May 15, 2013 at 5:33 pm)grandpahuss Wrote: You fail to consider that man is both body and soul. The body does return to dust, but the soul is eternal. The question is where does your soul go at death? And how did you come to be born in the first place? I guess it was just biology.

That's right, it was just biology. That's how we all were born, no skydaddy involved.

Now as far as a soul goes, show me the evidence, please. I know of none.

(May 15, 2013 at 5:33 pm)grandpahuss Wrote: You fail to consider that man is both body and soul. The body does return to dust, but the soul is eternal. The question is where does your soul go at death? And how did you come to be born in the first place? I guess it was just biology.

Oh cool! And you have proof of this "soul"???

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Just kidding! I was trying to set you up. i know you don't! There's only one soul. I know because I have it in my pocket. It's the last one left! The guy I bought it from was riding a unicorn, and everyone know that unicorn riders can't lie, or else they'll never get to return to their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (where unicorns obviously come from). Anyway, I traded my last four leaf clover for it! My very own soul! I may put it on eBay or trade it for an iPOD though. It doesn't do much. But, it seems valuable to Christians, and they'll buy anything! I wonder how much I can get for it?

(May 15, 2013 at 6:10 pm)Texas Sailor Wrote: Oh cool! And you have proof of this "soul"???

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dualism/

Google "arguments for dualism" and you'll find plenty of motivations for the idea of a 'soul' or 'immaterial mind' from both religious and secular philosophers. It's a large, respected field of study.

(May 15, 2013 at 7:14 pm)Undeceived Wrote:

(May 15, 2013 at 6:10 pm)Texas Sailor Wrote: Oh cool! And you have proof of this "soul"???

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dualism/

Google "arguments for dualism" and you'll find plenty of motivations for the idea of a 'soul' or 'immaterial mind' from both religious and secular philosophers. It's a large, respected field of study.

He asked for proof.