Had a lovely clear sky here in Ireland tonight. Stars everywhere. Then the thought hit me. If this was all made for us then why make space ridiculously massive? Surely that would be entirely pointless? My girlfriend suggested it might be because stars are pretty but what about the billions of planets we can't see. Sound like a good plan to you?
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the stars
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Yeah, it's all a massive waste of real estate in that scenario. Each of those stars is more than simply pretty; they're places, equally as real as the room in which you or I are sitting. Then we have the galaxies beyond our own, all with their own stars and planets. Even to entertain the thought that all of this was made for the benefit of one subspecies of upstart ape occupying a fraction of the habitable surface of one miniscule ball of rock lost in the wastes of of one single galactic arm is laughably, arrogantly ridiculous. The same pretty effect could be achieved by putting tiny little specks of light on a much nearer 'firmament' arrangement, say for signs and for seasons, and with infinitely less effort.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
Well didn't you just put that a hell of a lot more eloquently than I did! But I'm glad you agree. When I look at the night sky I'm invariably in awe. Yes i see pretty too, just like my girlfriend, but I think she sees lights. I see stars, another Sun, another solar system and the possible planets therein
 RE: the stars
November 14, 2014 at 9:58 pm
(This post was last modified: November 14, 2014 at 9:59 pm by Simon Moon.)
Over 100 billion galaxies, each with at least 100 billion stars, and most of those with unimaginable number of planets, at least some of them are almost sure to have life.
All created for our entertainment?! Yeah... If some deity wanted to create something that was 'pretty' for our benefit, why not just a giant shell a few million miles past the limits of our solar system with just the images of stars and galaxies displayed on it? Oh wait, that's pretty much what the goat herders that wrote the Bible actually thought... ![[Image: Flammarion%20woodcut%20(resized)_thumb.png?imgmax=800]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=lh4.ggpht.com%2F_gizIEue5rKU%2FSVv1vT5zs3I%2FAAAAAAAAA9M%2FBPLyJJAB4Wc%2FFlammarion%2520woodcut%2520%28resized%29_thumb.png%3Fimgmax%3D800)
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
Totally implausible or what? Why isn't it obvious to everyone though?
That's all why I've only ever seen the Universe, never the heavens. Reality is beautiful enough - at least when you're standing at a relatively safe distance to appreciate it. Yep, a place in which, for all practical intents and purposes, 100% of it is totally inimical and downright lethal to life... positively screams Divine Plan to me.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
Divinity is infinite in its wisdom. If God were a cartoon character he'd be wylie coyote. Only slightly less intelligent
RE: the stars
November 14, 2014 at 10:54 pm
(This post was last modified: November 14, 2014 at 10:54 pm by PerfectRecall17.)
It does seems so egotistical to look up at the stars and think they were made for the benefit of humans.
It's so much more selfless and wonderful to look up at them in awe, and appreciate the fact that we were somehow lucky enough to exist at all. 
'It's very pretty' is hardly sufficient cause to claim the universe was made for people. 'Pretty' exists on scales both bigger and tinier than we can comprehend, at least without artificial help. I'm sure the caves of singing crystals on Capella-5 are a sight to behold, but it seems a bit far-fetched to suspect they were specially created for human appreciation. Closer to home, there are microscopic objects and events that are breathtakingly beautiful, but I don't know of anyone born with microscopic vision, so that's out.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
 
H0ary H0bbit Religious Views: “Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.” - Edgar Allan Poe
I think you're misrepresenting theism by making that out to be egotistical. Appreciating your insignificance and significance are both also respectful to our existence. Is the notion of vastness inspiring to you? It is to me. I don't think any of us could ask for more than that.
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