Why I don't believe in God

[ChrisL]

If I understand what you are saying, it's that after we die "spirits" remain behind in the form of the personalities of the deceased and you can hear their voices in your mind. Yes? If you mean thoughts, or memories of what a loved one says or would have said, that makes sense to me. If what you're saying is the deceased are intact as living communicable entities, I would disagree. But I don't think it's harmful for you to believe what you believe.

As a Buddhist, we only think qualities and karma follow you into future lives. NOT fully intact personalities or appearances from this life.

This is complicated to explain to someone who doesn't understand spiritual nature. Personalities are strongly influenced by spirit but that isn't what the spirit is. The spirit is also not a "living communicable entity" because those things are all physical. Thoughts and memory are recalls from our physical brain. Perhaps the best way to describe the spirit is as something like a thought or memory, in that it's not a physical thing, but rather than a product of our brain, is on a different frequency than our physical one... another dimension.

The spiritual exists in a spiritual sense just as the physical exists in a physical sense. There is no physical spirit just as no spirit is physical. Some people make the error of dismissing spiritual nature on the basis of no physical evidence. They demand some kind of physical proof of spiritual nature and if there were ever any physical proof, the spiritual thing would forever cease to be spiritual.

Now, let's loop this back in to physics so you can possibly comprehend the point I'm making... We know that dark matter and dark energy exist because of mathematics. It makes up 96% of our universe, yet we cannot directly interact with it. The only way we know it exists is through mathematics. Would it make sense to claim it doesn't exist because we can't observe, measure or test it? No, because math doesn't lie... it has to be there, regardless of our ability to observe it directly.

Oh, so now it's "nobody would understand" "I'm special." Lol. You have a belief that others may or may not share. That is all.

Why are you dishonestly putting quote marks around things I never said? What is it about this topic that compels you to lie and mislead others If I actually thought no one could understand and I was special, there is no purpose for me to even be in this thread.

That is basically what you are saying here, no? That you had some kind of experience and that allows you to be "spiritual." Puhleese.

No, that was not what I said. Every human has the ability to be spiritually connected. I simply relayed how I personally became spiritually enlightened. I'm sure I am not alone but i made no claim that was the only way or that it was foolproof.

That is nothing but your own belief.

 

[ChrisL]

If I understand what you are saying, it's that after we die "spirits" remain behind in the form of the personalities of the deceased and you can hear their voices in your mind. Yes? If you mean thoughts, or memories of what a loved one says or would have said, that makes sense to me. If what you're saying is the deceased are intact as living communicable entities, I would disagree. But I don't think it's harmful for you to believe what you believe.

As a Buddhist, we only think qualities and karma follow you into future lives. NOT fully intact personalities or appearances from this life.

This is complicated to explain to someone who doesn't understand spiritual nature. Personalities are strongly influenced by spirit but that isn't what the spirit is. The spirit is also not a "living communicable entity" because those things are all physical. Thoughts and memory are recalls from our physical brain. Perhaps the best way to describe the spirit is as something like a thought or memory, in that it's not a physical thing, but rather than a product of our brain, is on a different frequency than our physical one... another dimension.

The spiritual exists in a spiritual sense just as the physical exists in a physical sense. There is no physical spirit just as no spirit is physical. Some people make the error of dismissing spiritual nature on the basis of no physical evidence. They demand some kind of physical proof of spiritual nature and if there were ever any physical proof, the spiritual thing would forever cease to be spiritual.

Now, let's loop this back in to physics so you can possibly comprehend the point I'm making... We know that dark matter and dark energy exist because of mathematics. It makes up 96% of our universe, yet we cannot directly interact with it. The only way we know it exists is through mathematics. Would it make sense to claim it doesn't exist because we can't observe, measure or test it? No, because math doesn't lie... it has to be there, regardless of our ability to observe it directly.

Oh, so now it's "nobody would understand" "I'm special." Lol. You have a belief that others may or may not share. That is all.

Why are you dishonestly putting quote marks around things I never said? What is it about this topic that compels you to lie and mislead others If I actually thought no one could understand and I was special, there is no purpose for me to even be in this thread.

Your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs.

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

 

[Boss]

This is complicated to explain to someone who doesn't understand spiritual nature. Personalities are strongly influenced by spirit but that isn't what the spirit is. The spirit is also not a "living communicable entity" because those things are all physical. Thoughts and memory are recalls from our physical brain. Perhaps the best way to describe the spirit is as something like a thought or memory, in that it's not a physical thing, but rather than a product of our brain, is on a different frequency than our physical one... another dimension.

The spiritual exists in a spiritual sense just as the physical exists in a physical sense. There is no physical spirit just as no spirit is physical. Some people make the error of dismissing spiritual nature on the basis of no physical evidence. They demand some kind of physical proof of spiritual nature and if there were ever any physical proof, the spiritual thing would forever cease to be spiritual.

Now, let's loop this back in to physics so you can possibly comprehend the point I'm making... We know that dark matter and dark energy exist because of mathematics. It makes up 96% of our universe, yet we cannot directly interact with it. The only way we know it exists is through mathematics. Would it make sense to claim it doesn't exist because we can't observe, measure or test it? No, because math doesn't lie... it has to be there, regardless of our ability to observe it directly.

Oh, so now it's "nobody would understand" "I'm special." Lol. You have a belief that others may or may not share. That is all.

Why are you dishonestly putting quote marks around things I never said? What is it about this topic that compels you to lie and mislead others If I actually thought no one could understand and I was special, there is no purpose for me to even be in this thread.

Your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs.

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

 

[ChrisL]

Oh, so now it's "nobody would understand" "I'm special." Lol. You have a belief that others may or may not share. That is all.

Why are you dishonestly putting quote marks around things I never said? What is it about this topic that compels you to lie and mislead others If I actually thought no one could understand and I was special, there is no purpose for me to even be in this thread.

Your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs.

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

And you are obviously not very logical.

 

[ChrisL]

You are extremely emotive and base your beliefs upon your "feelings."

 

[Boss]

Why are you dishonestly putting quote marks around things I never said? What is it about this topic that compels you to lie and mislead others If I actually thought no one could understand and I was special, there is no purpose for me to even be in this thread.

Your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs.

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

And you are obviously not very logical.

I am very logical. For instance, something logically created physical nature. It cannot come into existence otherwise. Obviously, it does exist and logically, couldn't have created itself.

For as far back as we have any evidence of human civilization, humans have been spiritually connected to something greater than self. We even invented a word to describe the benefit of human spirituality... inspiration. Our inspiration separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. That's no fluke.

 

[Boss]

You are extremely emotive and base your beliefs upon your "feelings."

I am not emotive and my beliefs are based on experience.

 

[ChrisL]

You are extremely emotive and base your beliefs upon your "feelings."

I am not emotive and my beliefs are based on experience.

Yes you are, very much so.

 

[ChrisL]

Your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs.

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

And you are obviously not very logical.

I am very logical. For instance, something logically created physical nature. It cannot come into existence otherwise. Obviously, it does exist and logically, couldn't have created itself.

For as far back as we have any evidence of human civilization, humans have been spiritually connected to something greater than self. We even invented a word to describe the benefit of human spirituality... inspiration. Our inspiration separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. That's no fluke.

To explain death which they found very distressing and didn't understand.

 

[Boss]

And your beliefs are nothing more than "your" beliefs... see how that works?

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

And you are obviously not very logical.

I am very logical. For instance, something logically created physical nature. It cannot come into existence otherwise. Obviously, it does exist and logically, couldn't have created itself.

For as far back as we have any evidence of human civilization, humans have been spiritually connected to something greater than self. We even invented a word to describe the benefit of human spirituality... inspiration. Our inspiration separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. That's no fluke.

To explain death which they found very distressing and didn't understand.

We should find similar distress among other upper primates... we don't.
The reason we have distress is because we are aware of something greater than self... something beyond physiology. If we weren't aware of immortality we wouldn't fear mortality.

It has nothing to do with not understanding death. We fully understand death the same as other upper primates who even morn death sometimes. We don't understand what happens to our immortal spirits after death. This is the very thing that prompted man to invent religions.

 

[ChrisL]

My beliefs at least are based on logic and evidence. Your beliefs are based on superstition and "beliefs."

No, your beliefs are not based on logic or evidence. My beliefs are based on my experience.

And you are obviously not very logical.

I am very logical. For instance, something logically created physical nature. It cannot come into existence otherwise. Obviously, it does exist and logically, couldn't have created itself.

For as far back as we have any evidence of human civilization, humans have been spiritually connected to something greater than self. We even invented a word to describe the benefit of human spirituality... inspiration. Our inspiration separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. That's no fluke.

To explain death which they found very distressing and didn't understand.

We should find similar distress among other upper primates... we don't.
The reason we have distress is because we are aware of something greater than self... something beyond physiology. If we weren't aware of immortality we wouldn't fear mortality.

It has nothing to do with not understanding death. We fully understand death the same as other upper primates who even morn death sometimes. We don't understand what happens to our immortal spirits after death. This is the very thing that prompted man to invent religions.

No we should not. They are not nearly as capable as the intellect as people. Spirits and all that are just wishful thinking and sometimes your brain playing tricks on you.

 

[ChrisL]

Apes are not capable of contemplating their OWN deaths. They don't realize they are going to die. When a member of their group dies, they probably feel a little fleeting sadness (maybe even longer than fleeting), but they don't sit around and contemplate death and dying like human beings do. To suggest such is just beyond silly.

 

[hobelim]

Apes are not capable of contemplating their OWN deaths. They don't realize they are going to die. When a member of their group dies, they probably feel a little fleeting sadness (maybe even longer than fleeting), but they don't sit around and contemplate death and dying like human beings do. To suggest such is just beyond silly.

You know what apes think and feel and are incapable of thinking and feeling?

Thats very impressive... LOL....

 

[ChrisL]

Apes are not capable of contemplating their OWN deaths. They don't realize they are going to die. When a member of their group dies, they probably feel a little fleeting sadness (maybe even longer than fleeting), but they don't sit around and contemplate death and dying like human beings do. To suggest such is just beyond silly.

You know what apes think and feel and are incapable of thinking and feeling?

Thats very impressive... LOL....

I know that they are not cognitive like human beings when it comes to things like dying. Do you think they are?

 

[ChrisL]

In fact, human beings are the THE smartest animals. Other animals are not capable of logic and reasoning like human beings. Are you saying that apes are like humans? Lol. Of course they aren't. These are all just excuses you are making for your religious beliefs.

 

[ChrisL]

Go ahead and believe in your gods. What the hell do I care? I'll just go on thinking you are silly and brainwashed.

 

[Boss]

Well no it's not and you haven't proven that with any evidence.

If, as you claim, we are "distressed about death" and we have superior intellect.... things with less superior intellect should be even more distressed because they would understand it even less. But we don't see apes and chimps having nervous breakdowns because they know they will die one day. Your hypothesis is without support.

It's also not "wishful thinking" or it wouldn't exist in a creature of our superior intellect. What fundamental purpose does a wishful thought serve? If there were no intrinsic value we would have discarded the behavior as useless. Any living organism we have ever studied has behavioral attributes for a reason. Trivial and meaningless behavior doesn't exist as a fundamental attribute of anything. So now, this hypothesis of yours, which you've failed to support with logic or science, actually contradicts what we observe in nature.

 

[ChrisL]

http://www.brainfacts.org/About-Neu...uman-brain-differ-from-that-of-other-primates

Humans possess cognitive abilities very different from other creatures, thanks to a number of unusual features of our brains.

For starters, our brains weigh an average of three pounds, which is enormous for an animal of our body size. By comparison, chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, have brains that are one-third the size of our own, although they are very similar to us in body size. Most of this brain-size difference reflects the evolutionary expansion of the association cortex, a group of regions that supports such sophisticated cognitive functions as language, self-awareness, and problem solving.

The size of the human association cortex is only part of what makes this region unusual in humans. In addition to having more neurons in the association cortex, brain imaging studies comparing the brains of humans to other primates show humans have a greater number of fibers connecting the brain regions involved in such human-specialized functions as language, tool making, reasoning, and social cognition. Understanding the evolution of these connections in the human brain is a major focus of my laboratory.

 

[ChrisL]

Well no it's not and you haven't proven that with any evidence.

If, as you claim, we are "distressed about death" and we have superior intellect.... things with less superior intellect should be even more distressed because they would understand it even less. But we don't see apes and chimps having nervous breakdowns because they know they will die one day. Your hypothesis is without support.

It's also not "wishful thinking" or it wouldn't exist in a creature of our superior intellect. What fundamental purpose does a wishful thought serve? If there were no intrinsic value we would have discarded the behavior as useless. Any living organism we have ever studied has behavioral attributes for a reason. Trivial and meaningless behavior doesn't exist as a fundamental attribute of anything. So now, this hypothesis of yours, which you've failed to support with logic or science, actually contradicts what we observe in nature.

My gosh, please tell me you aren't really this dumb and brainwashed. I have to leave this thread before I start being mean. Lol.

 

[Boss]

Go ahead and believe in your gods. What the hell do I care? I'll just go on thinking you are silly and brainwashed.

You obviously care quite a bit, judging by the inordinate amount of time you're spending here on two God threads, arguing as fast as your fingers can type for countless hours, days on end.

It's funny how your reasoning always boils down to people being silly and brainwashed. You can't support your arguments, you can't offer any credible evidence to support your claims, and you just continue to repeat the same shit over and over as you bash and trash those who disagree. You've stopped even trying to pretend to be objective.