Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Not really. Many things in the universe existed before anyone knew they were there. Just because it is not visible to you yet doesn't mean it isn't there.
Then they are not supernatural. They are simply unknown.
Do all the various world views require faith? Yes.
How does a rationalist point of view require 'faith'? I think you are using your own private definition of the word 'faith'.
The working assumptions behind belief in, and use of, scientific facts and theories are not equivalent at all to faith.
Faith involves a decision to go beyond reason and facts to believe in a dimension of reality that is not subject to natural laws.
For example, to believe in the existences of heaven and hell requires faith. To believe in the immortality of the soul and life after death requires faith.
Tigetmax, I have faith that you will never accept an answer that contradicts what you think, but that does not constitute religion, and you will have very little company with your definition of religion....No definition of the word religion agrees with you, but hey it's your right to call everybody else and all dictionaries wrong if it makes you happy.
[quote] You seem to think I choose to not believe in god/gods. Have I also made a choice to not believe in all the gods that I have never heard of? Do you choose not to believe in Santa? Or do you believe he may exist? Do you choose to believe in gravity? Or do you believe it may not exist?[quote]
More nonsense. I don't know whether or not you believe in God/gods. I merely assert that your choice to believe or not to believe requires faith.
I don't think that I'm being inarticulate or unclear here. You are just either unwilling or unable to pick up what I'm laying down.
[quote] I do not need to choose the material world over the supernatural world. The material world does not require any faith at all, nor does the material world need me to believe in it for it to exist.
The supernatural, on the other hand, would not exist if nobody believed in it.[quote]
I never said anything about belief in the material. I agree with you, the material takes very little to believe in for most of us. So far as I'm aware, Buhdists deny the existence of reality. So, we could say that some apparently lack the faith in to believe in the material world.
[quote]You have the burden of proof to prove the existence of the supernatural.[quote]
No. I have no such burden because I've never asserted the existence of the supernatural nor am I interested in trying to prove whether or not the supernatural exists. I prefer to stay on point if you don't mind.
[quote] I have refuted you point by point. [quote]
I beg to differ. What about it posters, has she refuted me point by point?
[quote]Your premise is built on faulty logic.[quote]
You keep throwing out these off the cuff statements without backing them up. Please EXPLAIN my "faulty" logic.
Tiget, you are arguing just to argue. You are playing by a set of rules known only to you. Please re-read the previous responses to your posts for the answers.
"How does a rationalist point of view require 'faith'? I think you are using your own private definition of the word 'faith'."
Does a rationalist have a view on the existence/non-existence of God, life after death and the supernatural? I presume yes. Whether yes or no, the rationalist places faith in that viewpoint - do you agree?
"The working assumptions behind belief in, and use of, scientific facts and theories are not equivalent at all to faith."
Yes and No. It all depends on what exactly we are talking about - right?
"Faith involves a decision to go beyond reason and facts to believe in a dimension of reality that is not subject to natural laws."
Very good grasshopper. There may indeed be hope for you.
"Tiget, you are arguing just to argue. You are playing by a set of rules known only to you. Please re-read the previous responses to your posts for the answers."
Tiget, you are arguing just to argue. You are playing by a set of rules known only to you. Please re-read the previous responses to your posts for the answers.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
