World to end May 21st(this Saturday)

[Word]

You should take a comparative religions class. You'll quickly realize that it's all just stories, and the gods are no more real than the Norse, Roman, or Egyptian gods of old.

We had to compare different religions at school and i know about Roman/Greek mythology because it always interested me. Religions aren't all the same just because the differences can't be spotted at the first glance. Where does Hinduism define tolerance as equality (as opposed to connivance, like certain other religions do)?

[Clutch]

This seems like an interesting (yet heated, and confusing (for me) argument).

a double parenthetical! I've only read about these

(almost as rare as the consecutive parenthetical)(I kno rite?)

Well today's your lucky day, for you've witnessed one

[sinewav]

Religions aren't all the same just because the differences can't be spotted at the first glance. Where does Hinduism define tolerance as equality (as opposed to connivance, like certain other religions do)?

Don't know, don't care. Are you saying the subtle differences in Christianity make it superior to other religions (aside from the fact they all have equally unproven supernatural claims)? What is the thing that makes your religion better even though is shares so much with the rest?

[Concord]

surely there's something to 'em. more than half the world's christian or muslim.

[sinewav]

surely there's something to 'em. more than half the world's christian or muslim.

Half the world also has an IQ of 100 or less.

[Concord]

Einstein was religious

[sinewav]

Einstein was religious

Nope. Try again.

[Word]

Are you saying the subtle differences in Christianity make it superior to other religions (aside from the fact they all have equally unproven supernatural claims)?

No, all religions are different. Most supernatural events in the bible have a symbolic character, which I like. And i like the moral values it promotes (tolerance, for example). There's no other (atheist) institution that promoted (and still promotes) these values, which were were never self-evident. So many European scientists, thinkers and discoverers in Christian countries existed and found out more than inventors from other continents in the same amount of time because their religion gave them enough room and motivation to do so (there are scientists like Galilei who lived at a time when everything in the bible was still taken literally, but Galilei is said to have been a deeply religious man as well so it's not really a counter example).


Concerning Einstein:
http://einsteinandreligion.com/

[syllabear]

Einstein was religious

Nope. Try again.

Euler was Christian, and he's one of my favourite people ever!

[chrisd]

Einstein was religious

Nope. Try again.

Too much certainty. Let us listen to Einstein himself.

A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which are only accessible to our reason in their most elementary forms—it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man.

Whether we call this being religious or not depends on ones favorite definition of "religious" and as such is a corner case. Sines strong black-and-white assertion is doing the truth little service.

[sinewav]

Whether we call this being religious or not depends on ones favorite definition of "religious" and as such is a corner case. Sines strong black-and-white assertion is doing the truth little service.

I knew one of you would try to play this failure of a game. Why even try chrisd? This topic is clearly on religion in the popular sense, specifically Christianity. we're not talking about alternative definitions here. Take your red herring and get lost. We can do the quote Einstien thing all day, and you can "interpret" his words however you want. Go ahead and look at the link Word provided. The very first section on "childhood" quotes Einstein's rejection of religion in the context of this discussion.

Also, Word, forgive me, but I can't tell if your last post was supposed to be a joke or not.

[Concord]

the point is that intelligence is completely irrelevant to religious beliefs.

[Word]

Also, Word, forgive me, but I can't tell if your last post was supposed to be a joke or not.

OK, I edited this a lot of times because I didn't think it made a lot of sense...not for the better though

the problem I had with your two questions is that the first one seems to be sort of suggestive while the second one assumes that I answer the first one with yes (which is like saying "can God create a box without knowing its content while he doesn't lose his omniscience?" - "Does God need such a box?").

here's my second try:

Are you saying the subtle differences in Christianity make it superior to other religions (aside from the fact they all have equally unproven supernatural claims)?

1) The differences aren't subtle if you just compare cultures with a different religious background. see previous post.
2) I'm Christian and that's why my religion is more important to me than others. I simply don't care if Christianity is superior or not but/although/because i personally think it is right to be part of it.
3) The question whether these wonders actually took place or not doesn't arise if you believe (apart from the Ascension). They aren't supernatural claims, they are parables (what you read out of it is up to you though).

What is the thing that makes your religion better even though is shares so much with the rest?

see my previous post. this isn't what makes us better but why i'm content. If I'd say "we're better" I could delete the post about tolerance.

[sinewav]

the point is that intelligence is completely irrelevant to religious beliefs.

Totally true, especially since religious disposition might have evolutionary roots and that would effect everyone. I was just giving you crap since your previous statement was argumentum ad populum.

@Word: Thanks for clarifying. Just so you know, once you start talking about Christian morality you can easily open yourself up for a verbal lashing like you can't believe, haha. But you are young, and I remember when I was your age I only cared about guitars and girls, not deep philosophical discussions (unless I could get laid from it). But I'll leave you with this, because it's quite a gem if you care to spend 11m:06s to seriously consider what you believe about God and morality. Sam Harris - Is Christian morality psychopathic?

[chrisd]

I knew one of you would try to play this failure of a game.

/me does not play failure games!!!!!!!!!!!! The games of /me are a great success!!!!!!!!!!

This topic is clearly on religion in the popular sense, specifically Christianity.

A rather funny thing to say. Last time I checked the title of the topic it said "World to end May 21st(this Saturday)". I doubt whether this belief in the end of the world on this specific date has ever been very popular. At best it may have enjoyed some fringe-popularity. If one enjoys the game of keeping the subject of the topic narrow, the whole discussion of the merits or demerits of organized religion in general becomes off-topic.

Take your red herring and get lost.

Sine!!!!!!!!!!! Let us all be friendlier to each other and that way bring about world peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The very first section on "childhood" quotes Einstein's rejection of religion in the context of this discussion.

Well, yes, Einstein is a great example of being clan-free.