[Taltarzac725]

Squirrels' Evolutionary Family Tree Reveals Influence of Climate, Geology | Duke Today

Interesting article on the evolution of squirrels. How did they get to North America in the first place and then move to Africa? That is, what evolved into a squirrel and before that what evolved into whatever was before the squirrel? You have a finite regression going back then to however life came out of the muck.

Maybe we cannot grasp how complicated a plan God has for life on earth given how short our lives really are and how much evidence we are missing in the grand scheme of things?

[donb9006]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Would you define atheist as someone who believes there is no God because they cannot prove it logically to their satisfaction?
If so, then I would ask how one can firmly disbelieve something that cannot be proved or disproved? Why take such an illogical position?
It seems as irrational to me to disbelieve as to believe since neither position is subject to empirical proof.

Why believe something until you can be reasonable sure it's real? Do you routinely believe things you have no reason to believe? Why? Belief is a voluntary action. To disbelieve is the natural reaction until a REASON to believe is found.

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

I find comfort in believing in a higher power, and the power of prayer.

Therefore, I would not find any comfort in being an atheists.

People should follow the dictates of their concious, and seek the truth, in what is right for them, Anything else, is folly. IMHO

Yes...people should follow whatever is best for themselves...it IS folly to try to change people.

Originally Posted by capecodbob

The statement "There are no atheists in foxholes" is an aphorism used to argue that in times of extreme stress or fear, such as in war, all people will believe in, or hope for, a higher power.
The origin of the quotation is uncertain. U. S. Military Chaplain William Thomas Cummings may have said it in a field sermon during the Battle of Bataan in 1942.

The above gleaned from Wikipedia.

But atheists are on a mission and what we see here is a "toe in the water" and a very coy way of moving on to more "troubling thoughts" that they have with the believers.
Get prayer out of the schools, bibles out of motels, no crosses anywhere, and minimize any faith.

Sometimes. I'm more agnostic. I have NO idea if there is or isn't a "higher power". But I agree that having to live with some of the religious dogma gets frustrating.

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

How well you illustrate exactly and more to the point than I...
why in all rational thought would one adopt a position against English speaking squirrels?
or equally illogical, against a God who loves you and gave the life of a human-born son out of love?
there is nothing rational about either...perhaps a squirrel talks, or perhaps trillions of believers are wrong.

The only "rational" approach UNTIL you have reason to believe is non-belief. To believe without anything to make you believe is the irrational. It IS irrational to BELIEVE in a talking squirrel. It's not irrational to NOT believe in a talking squirrel because none has ever been found in all the quadrillion squirrels that have existed.

Originally Posted by Villages PL

Well, yes and no. In one way I feel better knowing that we still have some freedom of speech, at least up to this point. A fight takes two or more people who feel like fighting. But should we even call it fighting? Maybe it's arguing or discussing. And no one is compelled to stay on this thread if they don't like what it's about.

Freedom of speech? You believe that? It's an argument to the one whom is losing. It's a discussion to the one winning.

I've been saying it for years...if what they're talking about unnerves you...don't read it!

Originally Posted by BarryRX

You have reversed the premise again. One does not adopt a position against English speaking squirrels, rather, one does not adopt a position for them. There is a world of difference in those statements.

There sire is...why don't people see that?

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Not sure if that analogy is apt. Maybe, better would be ask where the non-speaking squirrel came from let alone the proverbial talking one? Darwin and his followers do not really do it justice as the various species have had to come from somewhere whether or not you believe that a God tinkers with how the species come together.

Again, I have NO idea how it all happened...but the explanation offered by religions...all/any of them, just doesn't cut it for me.

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

Found a good rule to follow when posting. Found this on experience project . Com. I don't think all will accept being corrected even if the are wrong, bul, I will try.

From experienceproject.com


We are all intitled to our opinion and others opinions can be offensive and just plain rude. Some people do this intentionally to get "a rise" out of people especially if they know it upsets you. Don't get mad at all of them but pick your battles. Have your opinion ready and occasionally engage some one on the subject so you don't always feel like people have no idea what they're talking about. Don't argue but genuinely listen to what they're saying and correct them and inlighten them to what just may be the truth. Some people form an opinion based on misinformation and if you can correct they're misunderstanding of a subject you just might make a positive change in someones life.

That's what I TRY to do...just give people another view, whether I agree or not, something opposite to think about.

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

The point of my comment is that God's existence has yet to be empirically proved, and appears to be non-existent in the absence of faith. That does not make God non-existent; it means that He cannot be apprehended by intellect alone.

For an atheist to aver confidently that Spirit does not exist because he has only used mind to seek it, is inadequate reason for rejecting the existence of a realm that cannot be comprehended through reasoning.

It make it HIGHLY improbable, about as probable as the talking squirrel. Do you think there IS a talking squirrel?

[DougB]

Some of the posts on here are squirrely.

[bkcunningham1]

Do you think there is a talking squirrel? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z83q1NYWIyQ]Of Moose and Men: The Rocky & Bullwinkle Story - YouTube[/ame] Yes, donb9006. There is a talking squirrel. donb9006, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, donb9006, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, donb9006, there is a talking squirrel. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no talking squirrels. It would be as dreary as if there were no donb9006's. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in talking squirrels! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on national talking squirrel day to catch the talking squirrel, but even if they did not see a talking squirrel coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees a talking squirrel, but that is no sign that there is no talking squirrel. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, donb9006, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No talking squirrels! Thank God! Rocky lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, donb9006, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

[kittygilchrist]

I'm not quoting that all over again, Don! Your arguments are all correct, if all one knows is how to think. However, if one only believes in the existence of what one already knows and can read about, that would be a small world, would it not?

Maybe some people are engaged in this discussion because the idea of God is intriguing and unfathomable. There was a moment in life, 38 years ago, on Dec. 15, 1974, in which I suspended the notion of figuring out with my mind whether there was a God, and assumed for the moment, against a mental tide of logic, that he might be available to me as "Jesus". I was instantly connected, by what I have come to know was "faith".. with the divine and could never again "not know" if there was a God.

I know how to be rational and gratefully, I also know how to believe in what cannot be seen. If anyone would like to know if there is a God, it might help to stop asking yourself whether there is a God (because you do not really know) and to ask if he is truly there, that he reveal himself to you.
Merry Christmas,
Kitty

[Golfingnut]

I gotta say don makes more sense than many others. Between atheist logic and Christian sarcasm I feel more love coming from the atheist folks. Maybe G is doing me a favor by pointing me in the direction of looking into dropping God for a kinder group of people.

[billethkid]

the mind of a child before contaminated by adult fears, prejudices, likes, dislikes, etc is the best resource for reality.....in my opinion.

Because of their "innocense" they enjoy life much more easily.....they have no pre-conceived prejudices.......there is no such thing as motive or intent.....they believe in Santa Claus.

It is the journey to where we elders are today that change the outlook....not alway for the better.....and thank GOD not all the same (this is the one that seems to bother many the most, for whatever the reason).

btk

[DougB]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

I gotta say don makes more sense than many others. Between atheist logic and Christian sarcasm I feel more love coming from the atheist folks. Maybe G is doing me a favor by pointing me in the direction of looking into dropping God for a kinder group of people.

Is There a God? Written by an atheist.

Does God Exist - Six Reasons to Believe that God is Really There - Is There a God

[kittygilchrist]

God is cool to hide himself from intellectual finding out. The secret, most significant fact of the universe, hidden from the wise of the world and revealed to the "foolish" who believe...

[DouglasMo]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

I gotta say don makes more sense than many others. Between atheist logic and Christian sarcasm I feel more love coming from the atheist folks. Maybe G is doing me a favor by pointing me in the direction of looking into dropping God for a kinder group of people.

I'm beginning to think religious comments or references should not be allowed (including atheist views) on forums as all have strong beliefs and if you're looking for direction, you won't find it here IMHO.

And I disagree -- I think Christians have logic. How do you know the Christians are sarcastic? Did they identify themselves?

My last point--and I'm not reading this thread again-- Out of the Mouth of Babes: A Little girl was busy drawing during art class. Her teacher asked what she was drawing. "God" she answered. Teacher said "no one knows what God looks like". the little girl never looked up and said "They will when I'm finished".