Religion – your views

[Son of Dark]

I get what you're saying there, things can't always be summed up in one answer, who knows eh? We might never know, even after death...

Well I hope I go to some spiritual world anyway, it'd be nice if it was just this world and the spiritual world, no heaven or hell

Human understanding can't grasp everything, maybe not, perhaps other worlds and all is just too easy to think up, that's why some believe it, the truth may only be known to us through experience, well, who can say?

[Adsolution]

Well I hope I go to some spiritual world anyway, it'd be nice if it was just this world and the spiritual world, no heaven or hell

Curing the aging process & monthly brain-backups ftw.

[spiraldoor]

Curing the aging process & monthly brain-backups ftw.

The second part is a very bad idea. Unless the backups are constantly synchronised with the brain there would be no continuity of consciousness. To the subject, restoration from a month-old backup would be indistinguishable from death and oblivion. We'll have to do better than that.

[Tobbe]

Whenever I go on a real binge, my brain resets to a day-old backup when I wake up, and I have no sense of continuity of consciousness. Come to think of it, it is pretty indistinguishable from death and oblivion. Good point.

[Adsolution]

Hah, that didn't occur to me at 4:30 in the morning. A constant synchronisation/unity does sound like a remedy, but it may be easy to compromise.

[technology4617]

I don't believe in any god, since the whole idea seems farfetched, and there are some inconsitencies with the Christian religion. I believe that all life and matter in the universe were created from the Big Bang and chemical reactions on the Earth, and that evolution is what changed organisms over time, rather than some otherworldly being controlling everything that occurs in this universe while sitting and staring at Hentai. As sad as it is, there is also no afterlife either, and when organisms (including people) die, all that remains are the nutrients that remain from their corpses.

It has also been shown that religion can be dangerous, where wholehearted believers have killed due to people just not agreeing with their belief. I know the majority of religious people are not like this, but to believe in something (especially what many consider to be no more than myth) that strongly is just INSANE.

This is my honest view of religion, and you can agree or disagree with me on this.

[Adsolution]

the whole idea seems farfetched, and there are some inconsitencies with the Christian religion

What an understatement!

[technology4617]

the whole idea seems farfetched, and there are some inconsitencies with the Christian religion

What an understatement!

Exactly.

[Shrooblord]

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/205197
I like this video. I think religion is a subject that, if you do or don't believe in it, can be a great source of humour, either because of reference jokes (for the believers) or poking fun at it (for the anti-believers) - or just for innocent slapstick like in this one. I also think religion is a good last resort for quite a number of people, when they are in dire need of support from somewhere and nothing else seems to want to lend a hand. However, the institution of the Church (whichever one that may be) is usually evil and just as much a profit-driven organisation as any other human project usually turns out to become. Money and greed are evil things but sadly rule a great part of our lives.

Anyway, I don't know how many of you know about this channel, but it's brilliant: http://www.youtube.com/user/DarkMatter2525

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6oXukz_Cc
He has some good ones!

well, we are talking about a very specific flood of course, and it seems it was quite a huge one, like it destroyed not just a city but an entire country.

In the old days, it was very common for cities to be their own countries. Greece had citystates, for example, and there were a few other countries throughout the Feudal Age that kind of consisted of patches of counties which were basically ruled by dukes in their castles with some surrounding farm as their garden.

or maybe it is something we can comprehend, but only after we experience it.

I smell a Space Odyssee peeking through the subtext.

We're special among Earthlings indeed in that we;re able to think about these things.

Now this adresses something that I strongly believe in: how do we know we're the only ones capable of thought, or rational thought? How can we know that because we can't make a cat talk, that a cat can't think? Why does the language barrier also imply an intelligence barrier? This is something I wonder about sometimes and I believe it's an ill-adressed matter in this world.

Language itself is a barrier too - we don't see the 'tree' as its essence anymore, but instead, as that abstract thought we link to the word 'tree'. Being bilingual gives me great insight into the thoughtprocesses of different nations - words in English have a different load and emotional backstory because of their very definition than words in Dutch or words in French, Italian, Chinese, etc.. I don't know exactly how to describe this, but I know it's present. Thoughts are formed differently in different languages because of the words that create them. And the words that create them are again defined by the thoughts and abstracities (?) behind them.

[Adsolution]

We're special among Earthlings indeed in that we're able to think about these things.

Now this adresses something that I strongly believe in: how do we know we're the only ones capable of thought, or rational thought? How can we know that because we can't make a cat talk, that a cat can't think? Why does the language barrier also imply an intelligence barrier? This is something I wonder about sometimes and I believe it's an ill-adressed matter in this world.

Even with a language barrier between different nations, we're able to communicate socially, and there are certain things that almost unanimously cover all animals, such as gentle contact being a sign of comfort and affection. If the cat were so intelligent as to have developed a frontal lobe with a size comparable to that of a human's, why would its species not have advanced anywhere at all? Abstract thinking and social structure (a result from the former) are the things humans excell at the most, far more than any other animal, and the fact that these abilities have trumped our natural instinct when it comes to decision-making is why our species has advanced; nature happened to pogress in such a way so that we gained hands that can work and create, and as we create, our minds evolved to accommodate this, allowing us to create more and more.

Our ability to think about these things is essentially due to our physical form. Social interaction, a result of thinking, allows us to share and develop even grander concepts, such as religion and a god. Religion is a thing that is the result of abstract thinking, atheism is faux, zero, trivial; atheism isn't the result of abstract thinking. Unless other animals have it ingrained in their DNA to believe in a creator (I can't think of any scientific reason as to why), Then I don't see how they would have fabricated the concept. Even if it were ingrained in their DNA, once again due to a lack of abstract social interaction, they wouldn't be able to stop believing in it.

I'm not saying it's impossible for other animals to ponder these things, but it almost undoubtedly would have to be more of a random neurological occurrence than any kind of rational sequence of thoughts that lead up to the ponderance of an idea much more expansive than what their instincts already aid them in.

I don't think it's a very ill-addressed matter. Given the extreme complexity of human nature relative to other animals I'd say that it's infinitely more important we discover how we work, because along the way, we'll garner the ability to understand how all animals work simultaneously.

[Dart]

Religion, its such a fun topic. in all honesty I don't care if what you're religion is, be it jewish or buddist or islammic, as long as you have one. while my god may differ from yours it gives us hope that death isn't the end. beliefs have caused both wonder and ruin.
if you do or don't have my religion im not just going to FORCE my beliefs onto you, but I expect you represent your order the best you can, be it agnostic or christian. and to the non-beleivers out there, please, don't rub your opinions in an obnoxious manner all over the internet, most of us know what an athiest is, so please just politly dissagree.

[Keane]

Neither religious or non religious people are in any way kinder. I've seen people be nothing but dicks because someone is religious but there's just as much out there that tells you how you are a creation of Satan and whatever other bullshit their philosophical mood spits out. I try to be respectful to other people on the subject but many make it hard for me to do so.

[Dart]

Neither religious or non religious people are in any way kinder. I've seen people be nothing but dicks because someone is religious but there's just as much out there that tells you how you are a creation of Satan and whatever other bullshit their philosophical mood spits out. I try to be respectful to other people on the subject but many make it hard for me to do so.

I know how you feel ign's comments section is a cruel place.

[Adsolution]

as long as you have one.

So, we're all exempt from discrimination so long as we aren't atheists? Unless you meant something else, which I hope you did.

[Dart]

as long as you have one.

So, we're all exempt from discrimination so long as we aren't atheists? Unless you meant something else, which I hope you did.

word something wrong as usual! allow me to re-phrase that with"if you are at true peace with the decision you've made." that sounds better I think... where's my english teachers when i need them

[Bradandez]

I haven't replied to this topic, skimmed through it, see there's a bunch of atheists here, doesn't mind. I like to state I am a Catholic and my faith is pretty stable...most of the time.

[Dark Lum Lord]

Well, I might as well come out and say that I'm an atheist leaning more on the "non-theist" side. That's all I have to say, because I'd rather not spend an hour typing up twenty paragraphs on this subject. I remember back in elementary I was shamed by some peers for being an atheist, just goes to show how open-minded and accepting some of those "hardcore" religious types can be. Not trying to offend anyone on here how's religious because that statement was not directed at any of you.

[Bradandez]

I really don't mind. Everyone has their beliefs and some don't, as long as we don't try to convert one another.

[Dark Lum Lord]

I really don't mind. Everyone has their beliefs and some don't, as long as we don't try to convert one another.

Agreed highly. Now if only everyone could think this way. Imagine how greater our planet would have been in the dark ages if every human being on the planet had that same mindset of "we all have our opinions, it doesn't matter as long as you don't shove yours into my cavernous ass".

[Bradandez]

Less arguments, more peace I say.