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God: No magic required
#1
God: No magic required
Certitude is poison.

Human consciousness is simply organized bioelectrical energy, contained in a mass of mush the size of a loaf of bread. The universe is mostly dark energy and dark matter. String theory posits 11 dimensions, of which we can perceive only 4. Our own universe may be simply one in a trillion (or infinite) number of universes in the multiverse. Other universes may have different physical laws, with different physical constants, not allowing the formation of matter, but allowing for the formation of exotic forms of energy.

If the bioelectric energy of the human brain can organize itself into consciousness, then how can we be certain that the dark energy of our universe and/or the exotic energy of other universes cannot do so, also? Imagine the power of the energy (dark or otherwise) of an entire universe, organized into sentience. It's staggering.

Why think in this way? Good peer review medical research shows that spiritual and religious people are happier and actually live longer than atheists -- an average of two years longer, which would be the population effect of curing all forms of cancer.

How could prayer work, assuming, just for sake of argument, that a universal sentience (let's call it "God") really does exist? Pretty simple; you've seen the MRI images of the human brain, when it is thinking different types of thoughts. One day, I'm sure that we'll have a machine which can translate MRI (and externally monitored EEG and who knows what other sorts of imaging) signals into language. A sentient dark energy, permeating every atom of the universe, would have no trouble doing far more.

Does "God" answer prayers? The evidence is, of course, inconclusive. God may not grant world peace or even cure medical illnesses (much less help Olympic athletes win medals), but virtually every believer has enough personal evidence to convince said believer that "God" helps in the areas of personal courage, comfort, resilience, conviction, morality, and so on.

Religion, like a 9 mm semi-automatic firearm or an SUV or even an iPad can certainly be misused. But a "good" religion, properly "applied" is an unambiguous blessing to those so blessed. This need have nothing at all to do with the Bible, heaven, hell, Satan, Mary, Muhammed, or Jesus. Religion basically comes down to rejecting smug certitude in favor of personal curiosity and finding, for oneself, whether it's possible to believe in God and to find a way to communicate with God, which is meaningful to the individual in question.

- Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach CA
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#2
RE: God: No magic required
Quote:If the bioelectric energy of the human brain can organize itself into consciousness, then how can we be certain that the dark energy of our universe and/or the exotic energy of other universes cannot do so, also?


Evidence that it has?
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#3
RE: God: No magic required
U cant just post this crap? (Good peer review medical research shows that spiritual and religious people are happier and actually live longer than atheists -- an average of two years longer, which would be the population effect of curing all forms of cancer.) Like Minimalist said evidence?? Where did I find that published paper?

Specially that part about atheist!!!
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#4
RE: God: No magic required
(January 16, 2014 at 9:47 pm)lweisenthal Wrote: Good peer review medical research shows that spiritual and religious people are happier

Ignorance is bliss?
John Adams Wrote:The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.
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#5
RE: God: No magic required
(January 16, 2014 at 9:47 pm)lweisenthal Wrote: Why think in this way? Good peer review medical research shows that spiritual and religious people are happier and actually live longer than atheists

Citation needed.

Quote:The evidence is, of course, inconclusive.

I beg to differ. It's quite conclusive. Prayer has no effect whatsoever. Flipping a coin is actually simpler and gives you precisely the same outcome, either you get what you pray for, or you don't.

Quote:but virtually every believer has enough personal evidence to convince said believer that "God" helps in the areas of personal courage, comfort, resilience, conviction, morality, and so on.

Oh wow, really? Deluded people thinking that their god is listening and that they can draw some power from it? This is news to me!

Quote: But a "good" religion, properly "applied" is an unambiguous blessing to those so blessed. This need have nothing at all to do with the Bible, heaven, hell, Satan, Mary, Muhammed, or Jesus.

So I guess you consider yourself to be a True BelieverTM. Take a number, there's a line.

Quote:Religion basically comes down to rejecting smug certitude in favor of personal curiosity and finding, for oneself, whether it's possible to believe in God and to find a way to communicate with God, which is meaningful to the individual in question.

As always, people are free to believe in whatever horsehockey they want, just don't go thinking that having extreme delusions are a sign of a curious mind.

Quote:- Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach CA

I suggest you read up on personal security on the internet..
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura

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#6
RE: God: No magic required
Personal promotion? Advertising? Easily googled
"The Universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest." G'Kar-B5
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#7
RE: God: No magic required
My paper shredder doesnt shred as much as ur thread is gonna!!
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#8
RE: God: No magic required
(January 16, 2014 at 9:47 pm)lweisenthal Wrote: Religion basically comes down to rejecting smug certitude in favor of personal curiosity...

Well, then, I guess 99% of all religious people are doing it wrong.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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#9
RE: God: No magic required
(January 16, 2014 at 9:47 pm)lweisenthal Wrote: Good peer review medical research shows that spiritual and religious people are happier and actually live longer than atheists -- an average of two years longer, which would be the population effect of curing all forms of cancer.


Hardly "good" peer review.

The only thing that is clear about this statement is your own bias. Yes, in some countries, atheists live statistically shorter lives, but in MANY countries religious people live significantly shorter lives.


Nigel Barber, Ph.D. Wrote:Much of the relevant research was conducted in the U.S. where larger advantages in longevity were reported for religious people in some studies, but little, or no, advantage was found in others.

Countries with very low life expectancy are mostly very religious. The nations of sub-Saharan Africa are a good example. There plagues of malaria, parasites, dengue fever, cholera, diarrheal diseases, HIV/AIDS, etc., lop decades off life expectancy that is below 60 years for most of these countries. The presence of many serious chronic illnesses, and the expectation of an early death, predicts universal belief in God and the importance of religion (1).

Link

I'd say your half-truths have certainly garnered you far less credibility on this site.
[Image: Evolution.png]

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#10
RE: God: No magic required
From the very beginning, it's self-refuting and get's worse. Are you certain that "certitude is a poison"? If not, why not? If so, nice contradiction.

Better things to do than go through the rest of that nonsense. I'm already dealing with Drich's, I can't handle 2 crazies from amongst theists in one day.
"The reason things will never get better is because people keep electing these rich cocksuckers who don't give a shit about you."
-George Carlin
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