(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: Anybody can believe what they want to, but I personally think it is reasonable because of the way the world IS. If the world was nice I would believe in a nice God.
But... this was the way we were made. By God. Yahweh is a butcher, a tyrant who appeals not to the better things in people, but genocide when things don't work out. He slaughters Egyptian babies for things that were beyond the influence of even their parents. He slaughters EVERYONE because they aren't to his taste even though he gave them their nature. It wasn't US that made god nasty, god was a nasty, racist, butchering tyrant to start with. Why would you expect us to turn out any better?
Of course, I believe none of that - but for those that bow down to this bastard, I question your motives. I also question this:
(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: The world sucks and we all want something better.
Certain aspects of the world suck, for sure. Not all of it. And we get a million chances every day to make our lives a bit better. We already live far longer, far more secure, far more healthy lives than even our recent ancestors. The one thing that has made our lives better is science and engineering. 1800 years of prayers and hocus-pocus did sod all to life expectancy. Suddenly, with the invention of safe surgery, antibiotics, sanitation and disinfectants, people start living longer across all social stratas. Polio had its blighting ass kicked not by faith, but by medicine. Want something genuinely better? Then stop pretending that talking to an invisible friend will sort everything out and go actually change something that matters.
(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: Faith should help explain reality,
Since when should "belief in things not seen" (the OT's definition of faith, not mine) "explain reality"? Sounds more like pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking. If it DID explain reality, it would be coincidence, nothing else.
(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: and the Bible does explain why life is often so terrible,
Do you have issues with serious depression? Seriously: life can suck sometimes but I don't recognise the picture you are painting. And most of the suckiness could be averted by some omnimax superbeing - but isn't.n If god exists and the world sucks, then it's his doing.
(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: and gives a offer of something better.
No it doesn't. All of eternity spent with a brutal, vain, sulking dictator? Is that the best hope that you have? I'd take my chances downstairs.
(April 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm)wisdom searcher Wrote: I also find it hard to believe that most of the world is brainwashed and only those who put rationalism above theism are not.
Lies spread real easy, especially when - as you so rightly allude - people want to believe they are true.
