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Ch. 16: Is Religion Child Abuse?

#64: Mar. - May 2009 (Non-Fiction)
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Interbane

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Suzanne: "Where you do not accept a concept without proof, I do not accept a concept riddled with contradictions."

I'm don't believe that it's possible to prove concepts, be careful with assuming to know what I believe. I accept concepts based on evidence and reasoning. I don't accept concepts riddled with contradictions, the same as yourself.

Did you see something in those quotes that comes across as contradictory to you? If so, you'll have to spell it out clearly for me since I'm missing it.


"The evidence of God will prove the invalidity of God."

No, the evidence would potentially validate his existence, but it must be evidence and not wishful thinking.

"To seek evidence of God will prove to be fruitless unless you are faithful."

This assumes a definition of evidence that relies too heavily on subjective perception and inference. Even that which the faithful call evidence falls apart under critical analysis.

"To be faithful, you must submit to that which has no evidence."

Which type of faith are you talking about? The blind dogmatic faith of religion? All of us have faith in things of which there is only a small amount(yet still sufficient) of evidence. To be 'blindly faithful' is to submit to that which has no evidence, and that is irrational.

"If evidence is required, you have no faith."

How much evidence? Are you envisioning a dichotomy of no evidence vs full evidence? Reality isn't so accomodating. There should be sufficient evidence and reasoning for your beliefs. Sufficient doesn't mean complete, and some things are taken with a modicum of faith. There isn't sufficient evidence or reasoning to believe in a god.

"Without faith, God does not exist."

Actually, he doesn't exist with or without faith, but with faith people believe all the same.
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Suzanne

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Concept

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Suzanne wrote:
"Without faith, God does not exist."
Interbane wrote:
Actually, he doesn't exist with or without faith, but with faith people believe all the same.
Actually, he doesn't exist, because he is man made, and to find truth I must look inside myself and have faith in myself which enables me to choose how I live without written scripture or a structured religion and I do not blindly follow because I question everything.

This is a summary of my recent statements in one sentance. I do not assume to know how you feel, or what you believe. I am sorry if I gave that impression. You are correct, a concept can not be proved. But I must say that I am dissapointed, and I boldly make the assumption that my words have not been comprehended.

To conclude and to avoid any further assumptions, it is my belief that if a "something" other than ourselves has the sufficient evidence and reasoning to support belief, that "something" would be named specie not god.
If God does not exist, you can not claim to believe
You missed this one.
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Interbane

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Suzanne: "But I must say that I am dissapointed, and I boldly make the assumption that my words have not been comprehended."

Wouldn't the proper thing be to explain? Your words were meant to be taken in context, as a whole? Sorry if commenting on each sentence in turn missed your point, but the whole is not good if the parts are faulty. Why not get at what you're trying to get at without being cryptic? :razz2:

Suzanne: "...it is my belief that if a "something" other than ourselves has the sufficient evidence and reasoning to support belief, that "something" would be named specie not god."

When you say "the sufficient evidence and reasoning to support belief", do you mean this in the sense of an entity leaving the residue of his existence as "evidence" that he exists, or as the agent of discovery? At first I thought you were talking of money, but then you'd be guilty of being truly cryptic! Belief can buy money, but can money buy belief?

Suzanne: "If God does not exist, you can not claim to believe."

Yes, sorry. The contingency the "if" rests on is currently insoluble. But if I were to play along, I'd say you can still believe. Just because a concept is false doesn't mean people stop claiming in it's truthfulness.
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Frank 013
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The following quotes are often used by the religious to validate their position by making blind faith seem like a virtue. I will address them one by one as Interbane did.

The evidence of God will prove the invalidity of God.


As Interbane said actual evidence would only validate a god’s existence, but since the churches know that there is no evidence they make it sound like looking for evidence is a bad thing.

On the other hand the empirical evidence uncovered so far has done a good job of invalidating god. But that is not evidence of god, it is our better understanding of nature.
To seek evidence of God will prove to be fruitless unless you are faithful.


Again you must have that blind faith first or no evidence is attainable… in other words unless you already believe, the things that the faithful say are evidence of god are simply easily explainable random events. Only the faithful see them as the “miracles” that they are. :no:
To be faithful, you must submit to that which has no evidence.
This means exactly what it says, but is it a good idea… is it even possible for someone who already has a sense of the workings of the world? I could no more believe in the Christian god than I could believe that there was a full grown rouge elephant in the trunk of my car, I need evidence. That’s why it’s so important that the church indoctrinates the very young, before they gain critical analytical thinking skills.
If evidence is required, you have no faith.
Assuming that this means religious faith that is somewhat true, but some people have faith but need a little support, that’s why the minor “miracles” claimed by believers are so popular… they reinforce the delusion and is the evidence needed to keep the faith alive... even if it is bogus nonsense.

Besides the alternative is irrational belief without evidence and I don’t see that as a good thing and neither do most other people, it only seems acceptable to accept such claims with religion... in most other walks of life it is a bad idea to put that much belief into something without supporting evidence.
Without faith, God does not exist.


This is only true if your definition of god is the man made idea. If an actual god exists that being is independent of any one person’s faith or lack thereof.

I don’t think there is a god, but if there is it would exist regardless of my lack of belief.
If God does not exist, you can not claim to believe.
Many people have believed in things that were or are not true. The world being flat is one example… Vampires Witches and gods are some others.

A person can believe in non-real entities and anyone can claim anything.

Later
That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.
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I don’t think there is a god, but if there is it would exist regardless of my lack of belief.
Exactly. Belief in something doesn't make it exist. Lack of belief doesn't make it not exist.
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Suzanne

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around the block again

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Interbane wrote:
Wouldn't the proper thing be to explain? Your words were meant to be taken in context, as a whole? Sorry if commenting on each sentence in turn missed your point, but the whole is not good if the parts are faulty. Why not get at what you're trying to get at without being cryptic?
Suzanne wrote:
Actually, he doesn't exist, because he is man made, and to find truth I must look inside myself and have faith in myself which enables me to choose how I live without written scripture or a structured religion and I do not blindly follow because I question everything.
I thought I was being pretty straight forward here

Frank013 wrote:
I don’t think there is a god, but if there is it would exist regardless of my lack of belief.
Frank, are you an attorney? :laugh:

I am of the opinion that god is man made. I believe god is a by product of creativity and curiousity that emerged through evolution. However, for me, god is a synonym of love, tollerance, sympathy and empathy, and I do have faith that these qualities live inside of me. And if you need to look for evidence, you need to look within yourself. And if that evidence is lacking, you do not have faith in yourself. And if you do not have faith in yourself, god does not exist. And if god does not exist, you can not believe to have love, tollerance, sympathy and empathy.

Interbane, is this more clear?

Maybe it's not, I fear my plain and simple language may be hard for Interbane to understand. :laugh:

I must say, I have never expressed my feelings so openly before. And I thank you Frank, and Interbane for the opportunity to discuss such a delicate subject. My god of understanding has been working overtime these last few days.
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Interbane

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Suzanne: "Interbane, is this more clear?"

Yes, thank you. What seems simply put to you may change if you let the writing sit for a few days. You've clarified your position though it may not seem like it to you.

Suzanne: "And if you need to look for evidence, you need to look within yourself. "

That evidence you speak of, it is only evidence of human emotion and characteristics. Whatever more you think they infer is because you have certain beliefs. I'd question if those human characteristics you mention are evidence of anything at all, aside from use in an evolutionary perspective.

Suzanne: "And if that evidence is lacking, you do not have faith in yourself."

I see this evidence within myself, but I disagree that it is evidence of anything metaphysical. I do have faith in myself also, but the blues clues of my insides lead me to a different conclusion of what they mean and why they're there.

Suzanne: "And if god does not exist, you can not believe to have love, tollerance, sympathy and empathy."

God does not exist, and I still believe in and have these characteristics. So, your reasoning must be wrong I'm afraid. I think the problem lies in your interpretation of the evidence. Thanks for discussing this and sorry if I come across brash, I'm simply stating what I think.
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Suzanne

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Interbane likes to argue

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:laugh:
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Interbane

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It's better to debate and improve your mind than to equivocate and stagnate.
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I am of the opinion that god is man made. I believe god is a by product of creativity and curiousity that emerged through evolution. However, for me, god is a synonym of love, tollerance, sympathy and empathy, and I do have faith that these qualities live inside of me. And if you need to look for evidence, you need to look within yourself. And if that evidence is lacking, you do not have faith in yourself. And if you do not have faith in yourself, god does not exist. And if god does not exist, you can not believe to have love, tollerance, sympathy and empathy.

God is man-made. Agreed.

I believe you are speaking about a different thing than what we commonly mean atheists refuse to believe. You are speaking of "god as love" not the literal interpretation espoused by religious thought.

I wonder what purpose it serves for you to include god in your statement? You are really talking about a set of empirically verifiable emotional states that require no mysticism to function.

Confusion enters the picture when you use the term god to refer to states of mind. It seems from this paragraph that you say if we can agree that we feel love, tolerance, sympathy and empathy then we are experiencing god in some way.

I dont think Frank or Interbane are saying that they do not have these qualities, or fear that they lack them as a result of disbelief.

I personally can assert that Interbane certainly has confidence in himself, and i think he would say the same of me and these states of self-confidence were reached with no god in sight. A refusal to believe in god does not equate, in any way, to a lack of compassion or empathy for others.

Love and compassion do exist without god (they always have, since there never was a god) and by forcing god into this equation you mystify what is, as i said, an empirically verifiable set of emotional responses.
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