(April 12, 2017 at 7:46 pm)SteveII Wrote:(April 12, 2017 at 12:05 pm)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote: Thanks for your question, SteveII. Specifically, I’m referring to humanity’s latest, most up to date knowledge and understanding about the various sciences (physics, medicine, biology, chemistry etc.), social/behavioral sciences (psychology, anthropology, sociology, etc.), mathematics, philosophy, literature/story-telling, etc. If humanity possessed this knowledge during the time of Christ, especially the people who accepted the truthfulness of the occurrences quoted above in your post via the accounts of others, then would they have been more skeptical?
Also, is it possible that people accepted the truthfulness of these claims because they needed something new and hopeful to believe in at that time?
I am simply curious about your thoughts on this matter and was asking a question.
With 9 out of 10 people in the world today believing in some variation of the supernatural, I don't think that the time in history (first century) has any bearing on the truthfulness of the claims. Like I said, cripples do not walk on command, leprosy is not cured on command, 5000 people do not get fed from a basket, people never have walked on water, and dead people certainly never came back to life. When these events happened, they had an effect. I cannot think of one advancement in any of the things you mentioned above that would change the perception of the events.
(April 12, 2017 at 9:18 am)mh.brewer Wrote: 1. Wired, maybe. But then quite a few grow up mentally and recognize fantasy for what it is, fantasy. Millions of conversions, maybe. Is that because a fantasy savior/protector/golden ticket holder allows then to deal with life/death easier, probably. Fantasy escapism can be very powerful for some people. How many adults per year raised christian reject christianity? Check our Pew research. Is it because society as a whole is out growing the need for a fantasy?
2. The people that require a made up explanation for every little thing are simply insecure. Most want to search for explanations, that's part of the human condition. However, when an explanation is not immediately forthcoming there is no need to make up and believe in a fantasy, unless you're insecure with "we don't know yet".
3. I didn't ask for a miracle, I asked for god to show up. And it would not be coercive, it would allow me to make a decision on the reality vs fantasy of god. I think your "minor miracles" are yet another example of fantasy, attaching god to whatever suits the fantasy. And I think that if your version of a god is real based on it's book, then it is very concerned that I believe. Otherwise it would have not made it's first 4 commandments addressing that very issue. And my mind searches (not heart) but finds very little satisfaction in a fantasy god.
1. Less than 1 in 10 believe there is no God. Your message is not getting out and you certainly are not anywhere near the mark in your comment about 'outgrowing the need'. Since you mentioned Pew, your message is so uncompelling, it can't even keep up with your projected lower birth rate (a net move of people from any other column to your own): http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/201...opulation/
2. "we don't know yet"? How do you imaging that more time will give us more insight into these metaphysical questions? Science certainly will not.
3. Perhaps God will bring about circumstances in your life that will meet your criteria.
Most humans once believed the world was flat. Some morons still do. Most humans do have some sort of religious club and? If popularity were an argument you are out numbered because most humans are NOT Christians. Humans once literally believed in the Egyptian God Ra and others once literally believed in Thor, others literally believed in Apollo.
Most humans simply get sold the religions of their parents. Most humans don't like the thought of being finite, so even Buddhists and Hindus cling to superstitions like reincarnation to avoid the fact, like you do avoid, the fact you are finite and our 4 billion year old planet and our 13.8 billion year old universe doesn't have the capability of caring about one species on one planet in a giant cosmos.
"Most people believe" only means they believe. Humans are quite capable of believing false things, we also have others who believe in vampires and little green men and conspiracy crap like JFK and 9/11. Humans have a history of being gullible, yep. And it is because SKEPTICS dared to question social norms we no longer have sick crap like slavery or oppression of women in the west. Unfortunately we do still have conservatives still trying to turn back the clock.
