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Why do people continue to believe in god?
#11
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
The same reasons some women vote Republican or claim to be Christians, despite being clearly discriminated against half of the time. They don't know any better and don't bother questioning anything that may go against what has already been beaten into their minds.
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#12
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
They like the ribs?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#13
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
(July 2, 2014 at 3:59 pm)blackout94 Wrote: With all the available evidence, information, knowledge, why do people still have theistic beliefs, even when all their arguments are successfully countered and debunked? Why do people believe even after realizing there is no inductive or deductive evidence or proof that god exists? Is it merely wishful thinking?

Because for some people it still serves a purpose.

I've said this before recently, dumb ideas do not last for thousands of years unless they serve some useful purpose for humanity, whether it be social or personal (and recent studies suggest a bit of both).

It seems extraordinary to me that what scientific method clearly demonstrates is that while there is no proof for the existence of deities there is equally no evidence for their non-existence. Which means at best because the existence of deities is not falsifiable it is not a scientific theory - so what? Theists are not claiming it is.

We also have to look at our own atheist history, atheism can be traced back to the protestant movement in the middle ages, Atheism was certainly in existence in Elizabethan England (mid to late 1500s), but these atheists did not have the scientific evidence and theory we have now, their assertion was as much a leap of faith as any other theistic position. It's easy to look back with the knowledge we now have but atheism's origins are just as irrational as theism in light of the information we have today. It seems convenient to forget this for many atheists.


MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci

"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
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#14
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
It's tradition.
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#15
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
How about moving the goal line ??

Noting folks that are ignoring (pick one) 50.01%, 66 2/3% or 75% of their 'Holy' Scriptures are de facto atheist.


Or atheist lite, if you will.


Tongue
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#16
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
Early training. Tradition. Family ties. Community. Feeling lost just at the moment that Campus Crusades knock on the dorm room door.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god.  If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
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#17
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
There is no evidence to either prove or disprove the existence of God. All that exists is opinion at this point.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
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#18
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
(July 2, 2014 at 11:59 pm)Polaris Wrote: There is no evidence to either prove or disprove the existence of God. All that exists is opinion at this point.

One could say the same about leprechauns but nobody does because billions of people aren't wasting valuable time and energy chasing the ends of rainbows.
He who loves God cannot endeavour that God should love him in return - Baruch Spinoza
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#19
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
(July 2, 2014 at 11:59 pm)Polaris Wrote: There is no evidence to either prove or disprove the existence of God. All that exists is opinion at this point.

Not relevant to the happiness issue, but since you mention it, the evidence for and against god, puts him right up there with unicorns and fairies, but rather behind Nessy and Sasquatch. It's not 50/50 proposition. More like

99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 % against (more nines might be necessary, but I haven't the patience)

If there were a god, we'd expect there to be some (any) evidence demonstrating his existence beyond inner feeling and illogical old books.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god.  If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
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#20
RE: Why do people continue to believe in god?
For me it was all about giving in to what is becoming a norm. I like being the rebel and atheism will eventually become a norm and even as an atheist I am not a normal one. I come off quite religious or theistically inclined at times.

It all comes down to hope and the power of thought. People like myself who deluded themselves into believing there is a god or possibility of one do so because of hope and I do not mean the sparkly heaven type hope I mean hope for cognitive impossibilities. When there is no god a lot of wonder and awe is taken form the world, or so it seems from the theistic mind. I believed this to. I constantly tried redefining god and try to make god a possible entity until I realized I was only able to conceive of a philosophical and symbolic god not an external definable being. I knew of the fact that science did not support the conclusion that god exists and it did not bother me the slightest because I tried shoving god into the equation somehow to make it feasible. Alas it was hopeless.

Theism is primarily an emotional attachment and one thing I advice to atheists is that atheism should not become an enemy of theism but instead it should be blunt and treat theism in a non harsh manner except for when need be. Because even though there is no evidence to support a god people will cling to theism out of the dread of atheists. Whenever I debated atheist as a theist they were usually snobbish arrogant asses and ignorance on theistic matters was very strong.
Treating religion like a disease is the wrong way to go about things and anti-theism wins nobody.
[Image: tumblr_n8f4c0zuQE1twxzjco1_1280.png]
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