8 hours ago, BeastOfBodmin said:

So you're down to believing in only one God, which is only on more than me. Keep working on it.

This is where I'll stay. No need for any work. 

1 hour ago, jvs said:

Did you come up with that old one all buy yourself?

Well done,you must be so proud!

 

I knew you would be impressed.  
 

by not buy

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Nothing can come from nothing

That is your view. That is not the view of particle physicists.

 

You are the modern day equivalent of Flat Earthers, as in "The Earth has to be flat; otherwise we'd all fall off."

 

Long ago no one could conceptualize gravity. Then it was proven to exist. Discoveries in particle physics and quantum fields show that "things" come into and go out of existence continually. It will likely either take AI or another century to fully explain it, but there will be a time "nothing can come from nothing' will cause smiles just as "the Earth must be flat" causes smiles.

 

The present Universe, or maybe it's latest iteration, is at least 13.8 billion years old. What was this so-called deity or deities doing from time immemorial until 13.8 billions years ago? Getting bored? Decided it need woefully primitive creatures to say "thanks for the cheeseburger" and "please help my daughter pass her spelling test'?

 

So this deity/deities "created" around 2,000,000,000,000 galaxies, each with an average of 500,000,000,000 stars, just so in one galaxy, around one very average star, a 4.5 billion year process of evolution would be set into motion so that eventually there would be sentient beings who would be thankful for the cheeseburger? Seems these deities are rather inefficient.

 

Also, somewhere along the line humans decided that this deity must be "pure love", when said deity is also responsible for tsunamis, earthquakes, childhood cancer, etc. These maladies are justified as "tests", as in, said deity created a child as a prop to suffer unbelievable pain just so those around the suffering child would have their "faith" tested....and then say, "Well, my child has gone to a better place".

 

And what's with all the virgins? Personally, I don't even like virgins, but I guess that means I'm not close to godly. A number of religions have the Virgin Myth at their core. In Christianity, a deity knocked up the 14 year old girlfriend of an old guy named Joey, and then played deadbeat dad for 33 years. Besides being the quintessential example of sexual abuse/pedophilia/abuse of authority, the deity didn't even spring for a hotel room. The birth sounds more like an alibi that went viral..."Joey, I swear! God did it". And that whole myth is supposedly part of some grand initiation into a country club in the sky for folks who buy the 14 year old's alibi and praise the deadbeat dad.

 

This "soul" thing is also kind of weird, considering how we make humans. Two people could be committed to each other and get naked and he slips Tab A into Slot B, like an IKEA purchase absent the direction sheet. Or a couple of folks could just be horny and do it. Maybe a guy picked up a woman in a bar and gets lucky. Maybe a bad guy grabs a woman and rapes her. Maybe a father engages in incest. No matter the process, some deity then pulls a "soul" off the shelf and inserts it at some point into the zygote, and that soul then exists for all eternity, and if the soul's owners follows some rules, it gets an eternity relaxing on some clouds sipping sweet nectar.

 

Then there's the ultimate bogeyman---the devil---the entity causing such things as stealing and lying and cheating. That entity is pure evil, while the entity that causes tsunamis, earthquakes and childhood cancer is "pure love". In a relative sense, the devil is far more morally superior. The biggest "leap of faith" is not believing in deities; it's believing any deity is good. The facts argue just the opposite.

 

If there is a deity or deities, I have to believe they are nasty and rather enjoy inflicting pain and suffering, yet all the while demanding endless praise and compliments and thanks. That sounds much more like, for example, the Aztec gods. In fact, I can see why the Aztecs and others thought human sacrifice was being pious, because their god quite obviously enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering on its little creations, so the Aztecs were just putting on a show for Quetzacoatl or whomever. "We know you really enjoy pain and suffering in your humans, so watch us rip out this kid's heart...just for you!" Now please make our crops grow.

 

I don't mind not playing Pascal's Wager, because it's not a yes/no choice, it's multiple choice, so the odds of picking the right deity or deities...from Zeus to Thor to Yahweh to Buddha to Quetzacoatl to Shiva to Allah to the thousands of other manufactured fantasies...makes it worth about as much as buying a Powerball ticket.

Atheist but the last question should have N/A, so no vote.

 

 

Raëlism ...

 

 

... "Raëlians engage in daily meditation, hope for physical immortality through human cloning, and promote a liberal ethical system with a strong emphasis on sexual experimentation." ... 

 

                                                       

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raëlism

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

How would matter exist without being created? If man exists, he had to be created from some of that matter, along with everything else.

And your God. I'm fact it's even worse because although we don't know how matter came into being we know it exists. With your God we don't know how it came into being and we don't know whether it exists or not. It's just exists as a thought with no tangible evidence. 

 

If God is just nature, the Pantheistic view  then we know what created matter but not how. With God we know neither.

14 hours ago, connda said:

 

What I find amazing are that those who would check "Atheism" or "None" put more energy into proselytizing and rationalizing their un-religiousness then do Evangelical Christians proselytizing and rationalizing the existence of Christ and The Holy Trinity.  Now there is a paradox, 'eh?

I don't proselytize Buddhism. But then again, I don't actually consider it to be a religion.  Jing jing!  You either believe or you don't.  If you don't believe, meditate.  If you don't believe, don't meditate. Up to you.  Over the course of enough eons you'll figure it out.

 "There is no such thing as reincarnation!!!  When you die, that's it. Non-existence!"

 Really?  Fantastic! 

Again - what I find fantastic is that within this thread you don't see the religious pushing their religions (i.e., proselytizing), although a few make a case for a creator.  The majority of the opinions are from atheists, agnostics, and those who checked "None" (whatever they call themselves) arguing that there is not creator god, or any gods at all (i.e., proselytizing their non-religion).  Not surprising as 66% of those claim to be Atheists or have no religion at all.  

 

4 minutes ago, connda said:

Again - what I find fantastic is that within this thread you don't see the religious pushing their religions (i.e., proselytizing), although a few make a case for a creator.  The majority of the opinions are from atheists, agnostics, and those who checked "None" (whatever they call themselves) arguing that there is not creator god, or any gods at all (i.e., proselytizing their non-religion).  Not surprising as 66% of those claim to be Atheists or have no religion at all.  

 

 

 

Obviously where the phrase "holier than thou" comes from.

2 hours ago, Wingate said:

You are the modern day equivalent of Flat Earthers, as in "The Earth has to be flat; otherwise we'd all fall off."

I present scientific evidence that the Earth is not flat.

25 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Raëlism ...

 

 

... "Raëlians engage in daily meditation, hope for physical immortality through human cloning, and promote a liberal ethical system with a strong emphasis on sexual experimentation." ... 

 

                                                       

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raëlism

 

 

 

 

Hell, sign me.

"OH GOD, OH GOD, OH GOD..."  I bet it could be a religious experience. 

17 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

This is where I'll stay. No need for any work. 

 

Are you a Bible guy?

 

The Bible needs to be banned. Maybe 10% in there is useful at most.

The rest is dangerous.

 

The wars in the Middle East follows Biblical scripture.

 

If Jesus really existed and had sth valuable to say, separate his teachings out of the Bible and create a new book that has nothing to do with geopolitics and we'll take it from there. 

 

Maybe David Bowie was into Wicca?

 

Good luck deciphering what this song is about. 

 

In the center of it all ... in the center of it all ... 

 

 

<>

 

Women.

i was going to say im buddhst cause im bent on being reborn so i can be with my ex gf again,

but i take Raëlian as backup, still gonna be reborn tho

1 hour ago, mordothailand said:

i was going to say im buddhst cause im bent on being reborn so i can be with my ex gf again,

but i take Raëlian as backup, still gonna be reborn tho

So contrary to the wish to ascend to a higher form, you wish to return to a lower version of one's self   

 

Raëlian obviously the better choice, as you can enjoy her now ... 

 

... "The Raëlists reject both enforced monogamy and marriage, regarding these as institutions that have been enforced to enslave women and suppress sexual expression. The religion discourages its members from marrying." ...

 

 

 

 

 

14 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Nothing can come from nothing

including a "god" presumably

12 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

including a "god" presumably

 

Actually, it's really scary when you think about God too much.

 

Like how did God get "created" ??

 

Scary stuff man. 

 

But "nothing exists" is equally scary. 

 

Sorry I have not read all comments; God created One man and One women, ok so far, they had Two sons.. still ok, ah but then Cain slew Able and went to the land of 'Nod' and then the interesting point comes up where he begat himself a wife ????  now hang on awhile, there was only his mum and dad on the planet, so either we are alien descendants or incest took place......

8 minutes ago, brian69 said:

God created One man and One women, ok so far, they had Two sons.. 

load of poppycock.

11 minutes ago, brian69 said:

Sorry I have not read all comments; God created One man and One women, ok so far, they had Two sons.. still ok, ah but then Cain slew Able and went to the land of 'Nod' and then the interesting point comes up where he begat himself a wife ????  now hang on awhile, there was only his mum and dad on the planet, so either we are alien descendants or incest took place......

 

 

It is a bit like the Harry Potter and Yesterday movies - you have to embrace the story.

Just now, Ralf001 said:

load of poppycock.

Oh sorry he created poppycock too, my bad.....

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

It is a bit like the Harry Potter movies - you have to embrace the story.

Oh magic was involved, thanks who created magic ?

On 11/2/2025 at 8:37 AM, fredwiggy said:

But what if God is real and we took away all the other false religions and deities, thinking and fighting over it? Wouldn't there be more peace in the world? Yes, the devil surely exists, and it's in some people. It is hard to understand why a God would allow so many bad things to happen, but what if he is real and this is just a test? 

The main religions do in fact have a very good message. The problem is that the followers don't actually follow the teachings 

On 11/3/2025 at 7:32 PM, save the frogs said:

 

Actually, it's really scary when you think about God too much.

 

Like how did God get "created" ??

 

Scary stuff man. 

 

But "nothing exists" is equally scary. 

 

In reality in Buddhist cosmology there is no beginning - but there is an end.  One of my teachers recommends contemplating a mountain, like Mount Rainier, comprised of nothing but bones.  Now there is the quantitative result of past lives.
A mountain of bones. 
The exercise is to get you to let go of identifying your present body as "self" and to twist you out of identifying with this 70 or 80 years of existence in your present body. Lay down and really contemplate that.  This life in and of itself is insignificant outside of the ability to act morally and meditate which are the keys to the end of suffering within dualistic existence.

 

On 11/3/2025 at 10:31 PM, Joe Farang said:

The main religions do in fact have a very good message. The problem is that the followers don't actually follow the teachings 

Good Christians maintain morality.  Morality is good and is the foundation of finding a path out of the suffering of this existence.  I can even except that good Christian attain "heaven."  Christianity fits within Buddhist cosmology. Where we part ways is that neither an existence in "heaven" or "hell" nor all points in-between are not "for ever and ever."  And highly moral people don't get tossed into everlasting Hell for not uttering, "Jesus is the only God."

12 hours ago, connda said:

In reality in Buddhist cosmology there is no beginning - but there is an end.

 

Yeah, Smashing Pumpkins had a song about that, I think. 

 

 

On 11/2/2025 at 11:06 PM, fredwiggy said:

Believing in God is common sense. Religions are man made. Thinking the universe and everything in it just happened without a creator is foolish.That's also a learned behavior.

It's a form of mental illness

 

I used to be a pasterfarian, but my indoctrination, as a child, brought up vegetarian, meant I could not accept  the idea of meatballs. In despair I turned to the invisible, pink unicorn. I know that it is invisible as no one has ever seen it, but it is a matter of faith that it is pink. Faith can be used to accept any idea, no matter how ridiculous, even when there is no evidence, or logic behind it.

20 hours ago, connda said:

Good Christians maintain morality.  Morality is good and is the foundation of finding a path out of the suffering of this existence.  I can even except that good Christian attain "heaven."  Christianity fits within Buddhist cosmology. Where we part ways is that neither an existence in "heaven" or "hell" nor all points in-between are not "for ever and ever."  And highly moral people don't get tossed into everlasting Hell for not uttering, "Jesus is the only God."

Define moral.