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Reasons 11 - 20
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Post new topic   Reply to topic    BookTalk.org Forum Index -> Archived Book Discussions 2008 -> 50 reasons people give for believing in a god - by Guy P. Harrison
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reasons 11 - 20 Reply with quote
Reasons 11 - 20

Please use this thread for discussing Reasons 11 - 20:

11. Better safe than sorry.

12. A sacred book proves my god is real.

13. Divine justice proves my god is real.

14. My god answers prayers.

15. I would rather worship my god than the devil.

16. My god heals sick people.

17. Anything is better than being an atheist.

18. My god made the human body.

19. My god sacrificed his only son for me.

20. Atheists are jerks who think they know everything.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
11. Better safe than sorry.

An obnoxious philosophy - honouring 'God' with lips but hearts far from seeking the truth/enlightenment.

12. A sacred book proves my god is real.

The sacred books - cause most of the problems!!! A book is always only about men's thoughts....

13. Divine justice proves my god is real.

There doesn't seem to be any justice so that can't prove anything

14. My god answers prayers.

My prayers seem to be heard and answered.....but not always with the answer I want....often with the answer I need.

15. I would rather worship my god than the devil.

This assumes that there is a Good Being and a Bad Being and that either of them would be small-minded enough to want to be worshipped. A feeble assumption.

16. My god heals sick people.

If he did, he would heal them all, not just some. Prayer can help a person to cope with pain and suffering....ones own or anothers. This is true because it can be witnessed. Also prayer/meditation/contemplation can relax a person so that the body can be helped in, for instance, a neurological condition.

17. Anything is better than being an atheist.

It is OK to be an atheist - so long as you don't wish to exterminate all the ones who are agnostic or just merely hopeful that we are not merely just flesh and blood. Anything is better than a person who wants to kill another because he doesn't perceive life in the same way.

18. My god made the human body.

The human body evolved to house the soul......and not all that efficiently either!!!!

19. My god sacrificed his only son for me.

No....because the Christian faith, which gives this message also says that the son is still alive.....so not sacrificed as in exterminated.

20. Atheists are jerks who think they know everything.

Some people call themselves atheists because they cannot be bothered to think about spirituality, because it doesn't seem important to them. They shouldn't be angry with those of us who think that spirituality is the most important thing of all. Some are angry at all the troubles that 'the sacred books' have caused. Most, call themselves atheists when they are really agnostics. Because, really, no one can absolutely certain.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Penelope, you almost sound like an atheist with some of your comments. Shocked

Quote:
Some people call themselves atheists because they cannot be bothered to think about spirituality, because it doesn't seem important to them.


I've never met an atheist that feels this way.

Quote:
They shouldn't be angry with those of us who think that spirituality is the most important thing of all.


I've again never met such an atheist.

Quote:
Some are angry at all the troubles that 'the sacred books' have caused.


I guess I'm one of these people, but my anger is not really with the sacred books, but more with the people that believe the books are sacred. And "anger" is probably not the best choice of words. There are many people that I love dearly that have foolish irrational beliefs. I'm more saddened and frustrated with their inability to think clearly, but I don't feel "angry" with them. Likewise, I don't get angry when a crippled man cannot walk as fast as me.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
In Chapter 11 page 88 Harrison asks a brilliant question:

Quote:
What about Islam? Shouldn't we all be Muslims? Better safe than sorry.


The above quote needs to be taken in context of the rest of the chapter to be understood.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/mathew/sn-definitions.html
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:19 pm    Post subject: Chris: Reply with quote
Am I allowed to redefine "car" or "mattress" according to my own whimsy?
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I might be wrong - but I think Hegel and Chris - are arguing here about the difference between - Knowledge and Wisdom.

You both, obviously, have a great amount of Knowledge between you.

But Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.

Now, Chris......I am really talking 'fruit salad'. xxxx
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Penelope wrote:
I might be wrong - but I think Hegel and Chris - are arguing here about the difference between - Knowledge and Wisdom.

You both, obviously, have a great amount of Knowledge between you.

But Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.

Now, Chris......I am really talking 'fruit salad'. xxxx


But how would the wisdom of not putting a tomato in a fruit salad come about without the knowledge of how it tastes, how it reacts with other "Gods"...I mean chemicals...and interacts with other flavors?
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.


Another pearl of wisdom. May I quote you on these? LOL
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Actually, I'm much wiser than I am intelligent.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:54 pm    Post subject: Penelope: Reply with quote
You need to work your wisdom/knowledge difference into a poem or sometihng. Better yet, a lyric.

"There once was a man from Nantucket..."
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There once was a man from Nantucket
Who got his head stuck in a Bucket
He was clever and wise
But not very nice
So Everyone said...'Oh......let's just leave him like that'.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sort of an unorthodox rhyming structure for a lyric, but nevertheless charming. :)
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:30 pm    Post subject: Tomatoes: Reply with quote
Actually, tomatoes aren't fruit at all. They're berries.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And you're not really Poetaster, you're hegel1066.
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