Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148282)

Correction.......BLIND faith.

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2147901)

Why do you need to assume that someone provided something for us? Do the animals wonder about why the pond is there to drink for them?
We did not ask to be born, why are we suppose to regret it?
Personally, of course I believe in the Creator, but all this guilt stuff baffles me.

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2148173)

My tombstone will read, " He came and went!"

Originally Posted by Byte1 (Post 2148283)

What's GOD have to do with cancer? How do you know that cancer is not caused by man? According to some on here, natural(?) disasters are caused by man caused climate change. Interesting how there are many folks in the world that wish to blame GOD for anything that happens to them, yet insist that man has caused all of the naturally occurring changes. Some folks need to make up their minds.

Originally Posted by Byte1 (Post 2148285)

Isn't that part of the definition of "faith?" Faith is the belief in something without the requirement of evidence, right?

Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148290)

Paleontology proves differently. At least the theory of evolution has evidence one can SEE.

Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148282)

Correction.......BLIND faith.

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2148304)

Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton???

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725 (Post 2148299)

The theory of evolution has a lot of holes in it.

Holes in the Theory - How Evolution Works | HowStuffWorks

Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148334)

Fascinating and compelling reading. Thank you for posting.

I remember several years ago, paleontologists were over the moon when a "missing link" was discovered somewhere in the world. It was earth shattering for the paleontology community. The community finally had real hard evidence to support the theory of evolution. Hard evidence, not fairy tales that involves super natural beings.

Originally Posted by Ptmckiou (Post 2147455)

For me, I combine spirituality (not structured religion) and science because they support each other. Physics states energy cannot be created, or destroyed, but only change molecular structure.

Energy is all that is…all matter in the universe is made from energy. Energy has always been, and will always be. Energy can’t be destroyed. Energy can’t die. Thereby, since I am made of matter (atoms, molecules, quarks etc), then when mu body stops functioning, the energy that made me is still there. I see collectively, all that is, as….God. God being an intelligent energy. The soul, is a small aspect of God, that collective divine intelligent energy that has always been, and will always be….because “energy cannot be created or destroyed…”

To answer your question my consciousness (also energy) will continue past the demise of the vessel it’s temporarily housed in.

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com (Post 2147478)

I hope wherever I go , I can get a great slice of pizza

Originally Posted by Jerry101 (Post 2147492)

… some say ‘don’t talk religion’. By my faith I am commanded to by the Lord Jesus, and I do it boldly!

Matthew 28: 19-20

[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

… I honestly pray that God open the hearts & minds of people!

Originally Posted by Blackbird45 (Post 2147508)

I'm not religious, but I feel sorry for God. He is the scapegoat for whatever followers of whatever religion want to promote. Just once I would love to see after a hurricane a reported interviewing a survivor the person says, thank God he spared my life, but look what he did to my house I'm homeless. Please, whatever you do don't tell me he's testing us. If he is powerful to cause a hurricane, he should be able to go to Staples and print out some type of written exams.

Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148297)

I was taught in Catholic catechism as a child........
God is good.
God is all loving.
God is all knowing.
God is all powerful.

Yet, there is childhood disease that kills children, there are natural disasters that cause death and devastation and so forth. What I was taught in catechism can not possibly be accurate about a God that allows the incomprehensible to occur.

As a young teenager, I never reached the agnostic stage. I dove right into the atheist stage when I realized everything I was taught as a child was just not logical.

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2148337)

The Creator does not have to be an old man, to me, it is more like a force, electro-magnetic, or gravity - but different as this “force” emanates goodness and holiness. We were made in His image the good books say, not the other way around ie. that He is created in our image. Therefore, there are probably some human properties in this “force”. Paleontology is quite compatible with my understanding. I suspect that our human definition of “good” is quite different from what the Creator means by it. We tend to look at “good” in terms of, is it good for us (as humans?)

Originally Posted by chrissy2231 (Post 2148354)

Originally Posted by chrissy2231 (Post 2148345)

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2148372)

And in this whole universe why is good for mankind soooo important? It is possible that mankind like the dinosaurs is a temporary aberration? Their selfishness seems to know no bounds….

Originally Posted by PersonOfInterest (Post 2148393)

Atheism is NOT a belief. It is quite the opposite. Those who DO NOT believe cannot have a belief.

Originally Posted by Byte1 (Post 2148285)

Isn't that part of the definition of "faith?" Faith is the belief in something without the requirement of evidence, right?

Originally Posted by coffeebean (Post 2148290)

Paleontology proves differently. At least the theory of evolution has evidence one can SEE.

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725 (Post 2148336)

But chaos just continues as chaos unless some force pushed things together. Big Bang Theory and all that.

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2148173)

My tombstone will read, " He came and went!"

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2148232)

Yes, turnabout is fair play. And I was just joking about the, "hunter's lives matter".

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2147973)

Taxes, in general, are MERELY designed to provide revenue for various governments. "Fairness" isn't attempted because it would be impossible to please everyone. Too many people look for logic and "fairness" in the tax system. The system is created by lawmakers that are available and imperfect. Better to just accept taxes as part of modern life.

Estate taxes, the so-called death taxes, are not actually unfair as most would think - but actually in keeping with the VERY American ideal that each generation and each individual should be required to earn THEIR own wealth........not get their wealth HANDED to them on a platter from their parents. The basic HISTORIC principle is that without estate taxes the US would evolve FROM a Democracy into a KINGDOM, like the Old England that the Colonists ran (or sailed) away from. So, Estate or death taxes are basically a good thing that helps INNOVATION and helps the average man keep the KINGS away. There are and have been many schemes implemented by large estates to avoid paying estate taxes. These are all to the benefit of individual families, but to the detriment of American SOCIETY.

Therefore, after you die, if your estate has paid its FAIR share of estate taxes, you can float around in the clouds of heaven playing a harp and feeling GOOD that you left the world a better place.

Originally Posted by ex34449 (Post 2147991)

Having been dead and not at all religious... it was quite peaceful. Never saw any supreme being either good or bad. Just an indescribable peace and understanding of everything. It took me months to relive what I had experienced in as many seconds. Still haven't completed the job as I've started to forget many of the finer details of the trip.
If and when it happens again, I Do Not want to come back.

Originally Posted by ex34449 (Post 2147991)

Having been dead and not at all religious... it was quite peaceful. Never saw any supreme being either good or bad. Just an indescribable peace and understanding of everything. It took me months to relive what I had experienced in as many seconds. Still haven't completed the job as I've started to forget many of the finer details of the trip.
If and when it happens again, I Do Not want to come back.

Originally Posted by tvbound (Post 2148593)

A big problem I have with those who 'claim' to be Christians (including other religious factions), is the rank hypocrisy so often shown by a lot of them. I know all too many who don't bother to even try to follow the tenets of their religion, when it comes to the way others are treated. I'm also tired of hearing, after their hypocrisy is pointed out and they make it plain that they don't plan on changing a thing, their refrain/excuse of..."I'm not perfect, just forgiven." As if that should excuse their disgusting/abhorrent actions (or support of those who take those actions) toward others now - while still expecting some kind of everlasting utopia. At the same time, I truly admire those who actually 'walk the talk.'

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2148606)

Yes, but can I say that some people may intend to be good, do good, be unselfish, but find themselves, like an addict giving in to temptations. I speak from personal experience.

Originally Posted by tvbound (Post 2148593)

A big problem I have with those who 'claim' to be Christians (including other religious factions), is the rank hypocrisy so often shown by a lot of them. I know all too many who don't bother to even try to follow the tenets of their religion, when it comes to the way others are treated. I'm also tired of hearing, after their hypocrisy is pointed out and they make it plain that they don't plan on changing a thing, their refrain/excuse of..."I'm not perfect, just forgiven." As if that should excuse their disgusting/abhorrent actions (or support of those who take those actions) toward others now - while still expecting some kind of everlasting utopia. At the same time, I truly admire those who actually 'walk the talk.'

Originally Posted by chrissy2231 (Post 2148583)

Originally Posted by tvbound (Post 2148596)

The latest episode of 'The Good Doctor' examines this exact subject. A very interesting and thought-provoking episode, that looks at things from all perspectives - and I highly recommend it.