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I submit...Anyone who would compare the question, as to if there is a God, with, if the world is flat...is totally clueless.
A simple metaphor to show how stupid your stance that the existence of a god is proven by the popularity contest. Guess I didn't make it simple enough, or just the typical diversion from something you can't dispute. Because the majority have been duped, doesn't equate to anything other than the majority of people have been duped.
Hmm, after all the ranting about TRUTH and Majority RULLEE!!!!1!! this seems like an abrupt about-face, but that might just be your writing style. Seems that if you are consistently misunderstood by a number of people, the simplest answer is that you're not writing clearly. For example : if you agree that majority rule has nothing to do with determining whether or not a belief is correct, why bother to bring it up in this thread? Seems there's no point in it, other than to distract from the fact that there seems to be a lack of an answer to the question that started this thread.
So anyway, substitute "truth" with "the correct answer" in my response. I know there's a distinction, but not in practical terms in this case. That it leads to contradictions in what you're telling us doesn't mean that people are being dishonest - it means that you're ignoring some pretty basic stuff about how western secular democracies segregate public political life from private religious beliefs.
Coincidently, I'm only misunderstood by the people who have a severe "God Exists" allergy.
And, AGAIN...Majority typically does RULE. In western civilization anyway. And in that way...it "trumps" truth/proof/evidence/etc. That's what's TRUTH...not some idealistic and unrealistic "Way it Should be World" that you guys moan and whine about...that didn't, doesn't, and never will, exist. Oh, and before you get "confused"--I mean that the majority "rules", and trumps evidence/proof, is the truth...not that being the majority makes it become "truth". Sheeeesh...I can't believe, after dozens of posts, explaining it "5 ways to Sunday", you are saying you still don't "get" that.
And where did you come up with, "western secular democracies segregate public political life from private religious beliefs"? Talk about a contradiction! I thought you guys said you put up your tens of thousands of posts to thwart the HUUUUUUUGE threat of private religious beliefs infiltrating public politics? Citing Pres Bush proclaiming God told him to go to war in the Middle East...and the school curriculum's and textbooks being polluted by religious dogma...requiring the "ever vigilance" of the "ATHEIST AVENGERS"!! They are supposed to segregate it...they supposedly try to segregate it...they also fail at that most of the time. Why are we so far behind on embryonic stem-cell research?
If you are looking for a straight-down-the-line answer to the thread--The way you know your religion is the RIGHT religion...is by the fact that YOU hold the belief it is. PERIOD!! That is the way the "Religion/Belief Game" is played. You STILL need to get hip to that.
A simple metaphor to show how stupid your stance that the existence of a god is proven by the popularity contest. Guess I didn't make it simple enough, or just the typical diversion from something you can't dispute. Because the majority have been duped, doesn't equate to anything other than the majority of people have been duped.
Here Dude...let me hip you to what it REALLY means---Because the majority have been "duped"...by virtue of their majority, in a society predicated on "Majority Rules"...they will STILL dominate over the ones who haven't been "duped".
Trouble is...you are, in fact, "duped". Into failing to realize your "not being duped" about the (non)existence of God counts for squat...since you are the teensy minority...regardless of what is, or isn't "actual truth".
AGAIN...I'm not saying it's "right" or "wrong"...I'm not saying it's "truth"...I'm saying it's the way it is.
Here Dude...let me hip you to what it REALLY means---Because the majority have been "duped"...by virtue of their majority, in a society predicated on "Majority Rules"...they will STILL dominate over the ones who haven't been "duped".
Trouble is...you are, in fact, "duped". Into failing to realize your "not being duped" about the (non)existence of God counts for squat...since you are the teensy minority...regardless of what is, or isn't "actual truth".
AGAIN...I'm not saying it's "right" or "wrong"...I'm not saying it's "truth"...I'm saying it's the way it is.
I guess that is the best one could expect from someone that believes in invisible deities, without any evidence, that alone proves logic isn't your strong suit.
I think all Gldn has been saying is that whether there is a god of any kind or not, as long as believers vastly outnumber non-believers, 'we' are generally going to be subject to laws/mores/societal standards set by believers in a lot of instances.
Last edited by old_cold; 08-03-2010 at 10:26 AM..
Reason: changed 'most' to 'a lot'
Here Dude...let me hip you to what it REALLY means---Because the majority have been "duped"...by virtue of their majority, in a society predicated on "Majority Rules"...they will STILL dominate over the ones who haven't been "duped".
FWIW, non-Christians make up nearly 67% of Earth's population. That would make "Christian America" a very loud minority on this planet.
I guess that is the best one could expect from someone that believes in invisible deities, without any evidence, that alone proves logic isn't your strong suit.
IMHO - the entire POINT of having faith is going against all logic and not NEEDING/HAVING proof of any kind, ergo "blind faith".
I think all Gldn has been saying is that whether there is a god of any kind or not, as long as believers vastly outnumber non-believers, 'we' are generally going to be subject to laws/mores/societal standards set by believers in a lot of instances.
While us "believers" may be the majority, I beg to differ that the "non-believers" are subjected much any more to "laws/mores/societal standards set by believers" in todays society. Although I do concede you did add "in a lot of instances". However,
Try saying prayer aloud in a public school!
Try including anything deemed "religious" in your graduation speech!
Try putting up a sign or saying "Merry Christmas" as a government employee!
Try living around some youth who've grown up with nothing to believe in!
Try and say marriage is only between a man and a woman!
and on and on and on.
I say, MY WORLD is going to hell in a handbasket while many others' is going nowhere by their own admission!
While us "believers" may be the majority, I beg to differ that the "non-believers" are subjected much any more to "laws/mores/societal standards set by believers" in todays society. Although I do concede you did add "in a lot of instances". However,
Try saying prayer aloud in a public school!
Try including anything deemed "religious" in your graduation speech!
Try putting up a sign or saying "Merry Christmas" as a government employee!
Try living around some youth who've grown up with nothing to believe in!
Try and say marriage is only between a man and a woman!
and on and on and on.
I say, MY WORLD is going to hell in a handbasket while many others' is going nowhere by their own admission!
No offense, but you are MOST CERTAINLY in "rural Kentucky". Imagine how "Christian" you would be if you grew up in a non-biblebelt-region. It is not faith that "called you" to Jesus. It is simply "local color". "Local color" is responsible for one's accent, food preference, behavior patterns, and religious choices.
With that said, is it fair for me to be subjected to the following:
Prayer being said aloud while I am trying to read.
Studiply being forced to bow my head while accepting my diploma.
Society brainwashing my child to expect gifts (that I can't afford) on an imaginary "savior's" birthday.
Explaining to my child that he and his dad is NOT going to "hell" just because the other brainwashed kids in his class says that we are.
Explaining to my child that our neighbor's lifestyle is NOT the sin that "others" think it is.
I think all Gldn has been saying is that whether there is a god of any kind or not, as long as believers vastly outnumber non-believers, 'we' are generally going to be subject to laws/mores/societal standards set by believers in a lot of instances.
Ah. That makes sense. I wish he'd explained it as well. Yes, in a democracy, the majority will tend to favour what they want and if that coincides with the Bible as interpreted in their locality then that only proves they must be right. And if it doesn't, skip that bit.
However, logic and evidence is not subject to democratic vote and, if the results are that there is not a shred of sound evidence for any of the personal gods, then a truckload of contrary votes will not do a single darn thing to add any evidence whatsoever.
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Imagine how "Christian" you would be if you grew up in a non-biblebelt-region. It is not faith that "called you" to Jesus. It is simply "local color". "Local color" is responsible for one's accent, food preference, behavior patterns, and religious choices.