possible answer to why you should believe

[vorlon13]

Yeah, just the fucking mormons, in less than 200 years have had well over 100 schisms.

What the fuck is wrong with these idiots ?

[jeroenymo]

Yeah, just the fucking mormons, in less than 200 years have had well over 100 schisms.

What the fuck is wrong with these idiots ?

they are not idiots, it's in human nature to form groups, the believe is what binds them together, though they are not any different than for example gaming groups: a group of kids that play WoW, WoW is what binds them and they all praise WoW because they like being part of that group.

It takes a strong and open minded person to overcome this nature that inheritly is part of him.

[Chad32]

I'm not sure how you can divide into 100 groups in 200 years. That means there were so many divisions within the lifetime of the people who started the religion.

[Clueless Morgan]

Both viewpoints in my oppinion are perfectly valid, what i dont find valid however is that one viewpoint, namely the one of the theists, repulses anyone who has the other viewpoint. Each indiviual should have the choice, parents who kick out children because they dont believe, those parents should burn in hell.

[my bolding]

So you've spoken to every single atheist on the planet and they've all definitively said that theism repulses them? Cause I don't remember you coming to talk to me about it.

Shucks, now I'm feeling left out.



I also kind of wonder at whether your own existence refutes your conclusion that all atheists are repulsed by the viewpoint of theists. I don't know whether you are an atheist, but if you are and, as an apatheist, you are not repulsed by the theist viewpoint, than you're absolutist statement is just plain false. If you're not an atheist, the existence of any apathetic atheist would refute your claim.

[vorlon13]

I'm not sure how you can divide into 100 groups in 200 years. That means there were so many divisions within the lifetime of the people who started the religion.

Joe Smith himself showed several dissenters the door.

And some walked off on their own. With Smith's death, the 'main' church discovered/realized Smith had totally munged up the issue of the churches continuation upon his demise, and things got very complicated.

Additionally, many of the schisms have schismed. (Just my 2 cents, but if someone is going to the bother of schisming, wouldn't the first thing you do afterwards is announce a revelation prohibiting schisms ??)

If we get the idea Smith and his multitude of successors were just making shit up as they went along, it would be understandable.

[DramaQueen]

Just like Muhammad

[Thumpalumpacus]

There's no compelling reason for faith.

[pocaracas]

Human beliefs are complex.
It is safe to say that most people who believe in the existence of a deity do so out of indoctrination.
But "most" is not "all".

Fear plays a role after the belief takes root.... the fear of what would happen in the person leaves the faith... which then can extend to fear for those who don't believe.... which can then extend to fear OF those who don't believe.

[jeroenymo]

Human beliefs are complex.
It is safe to say that most people who believe in the existence of a deity do so out of indoctrination.
But "most" is not "all".

Fear plays a role after the belief takes root.... the fear of what would happen in the person leaves the faith... which then can extend to fear for those who don't believe.... which can then extend to fear OF those who don't believe.

I think you worded that nicely. Atheists who then claim those people are too close minded are too bold with that statement. The fear is well grounded, more so than fear for rats imho. You dont simply convince a theist that he is wrong. You can only hope that indoctrination is slowly declining due to the revolution of hypercommunication that is going on, allowing everyone to see both sides of the coin.

Indoctrination is wrong, not only in religion, also in politics and, yes, even science. Certain more advanced parts of science still rely on theories that havent been directly physically been proven (i.e. im thinking of the 4 major forces: gravity, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, weak nuclear). Though students are educated this way and simply see it as truth.
Religion however, is not wrong.

[Chad32]

You think gravity isn't true? How do you think that hasn't been physically proven? Have you walked recently? Walking is just repeatedly falling forward and catching yourself with your feet.