Forums → WEPR → Why Follow Religion?

What kind of scientist?

Well, I'd like to study the brain. So I'd probably go a little into neurology. But I'd diffintly hope to have something to do with biology if neuro science doesn't work out.

For the moment all I have is your word on the subject, which is famously bad when people talk about themselves.

Okay... Then I guess you just won't believe me then.

One plus?

I tried to include masturbation, without putting it to the side. That was all I meant.

Please do. What age is it considered OK to have sex in your mind?

Again,(havily biased) but I'd say that if you understand what you're doing and that the relationship you're in is equal, both consent, then you're probably ready to have sex. I don't really see in my head a specfic age limit. Especially because the younger you get, the, more gray area there is.

Sorry, I missed a couple parts.

Do you take the stories of the bible literally?

Not all. The ones that can proved to be real with historic evidence, yes definitely.

Do you let your religion cloud your judgment?

I try not to. My religion is my religion. And I shouldn't base my judgment solely on something I believe, especially since I don't have proof.

Well, I'd like to study the brain. So I'd probably go a little into neurology. But I'd diffintly hope to have something to do with biology if neuro science doesn't work out.

So do you believe that emotions come from the brain, and not some kind of metaphysical insanity?

Okay... Then I guess you just won't believe me then.

I will if I get proof, I will take more stake in your statements about what you believe than about what you do.

I tried to include masturbation, without putting it to the side. That was all I meant.

I had assumed that, though that doesn't fit in with the whole "Consensual" thing.

Again,(havily biased) but I'd say that if you understand what you're doing and that the relationship you're in is equal, both consent, then you're probably ready to have sex. I don't really see in my head a specfic age limit. Especially because the younger you get, the, more gray area there is.

I am looking to see how religion has effected you, which includes attempting to find any heavy biases either way. How do you know if a relationship is equal?

What religion do you believe, exactly, and what parts of it?

Not all. The ones that can proved to be real with historic evidence, yes definitely.

Ah great. Which ones can you prove with historical evidence?

I try not to. My religion is my religion. And I shouldn't base my judgment solely on something I believe, especially since I don't have proof.

So when do you invoke your religion?

So do you believe that emotions come from the brain, and not some kind of metaphysical insanity?

What exactly is the metaphysical insanity you're talking about. But, yes I do believe emotions come from the brain.

How do you know if a relationship is equal?

Well neither person should have more power. They should see each other as the same in way of authority, the relationship involes both people benifiting, neither person is beat, that kind of thing.

What religion do you believe, exactly, and what parts of it?

I'm catholic. Though the church I went to might have been a little more moderate.

What exactly is the metaphysical insanity you're talking about. But, yes I do believe emotions come from the brain.

A soul, at the moment I was typing that I couldn't think how to spell it, so I went with the equivalent. So how do you think people go to the afterlife after they die?

Well neither person should have more power. They should see each other as the same in way of authority, the relationship involes both people benifiting, neither person is beat, that kind of thing.

How is that established?

I'm catholic. Though the church I went to might have been a little more moderate.

So you believe that the pope can be infallible in certain times, correct? Or that Jesus was born from a virgin?

Ah great. Which ones can you prove with historical evidence?

>.> Would you like me to name them? I'm sorry but I'm not really savvy on which biblical stories where proven true. I could look some up though.

So when do you invoke your religion?

Well, every night before I go to bed I pray. If someone happens to start a conversation about my relgion I'll talk about it. But when I start a religious conversation, it's almost always because I'm curious about their religious belives.

A soul, at the moment I was typing that I couldn't think how to spell it, so I went with the equivalent. So how do you think people go to the afterlife after they die?

That I'm not quite sure of. I haven't been to church in a while. Theres memories there that I shouldn't bring up. (It's probably not whatever you're thinking of.)

How is that established?

How is an equal relationship esablished? I would assume, with mutal respect from the beginning.

So you believe that the pope can be infallible in certain times, correct? Or that Jesus was born from a virgin?

Well the pope is human, are humans ever infallible? The whole virgin thing... I'm not quite sure about. It's technically an impossibility at the time with their technology right? So at that point things get confusing.

Entire reason why anyone should follow religion in my opinion is that, it provides comfort in time of need, and if the religion is hindering you more so than helping you then you should convert to something you think is right.

As someone who has dealt with tragedy from both sides of the coin, not really. Any comfort brought by religion is as real as the protection a child gains from hiding under his blanket from the bogeyman.


On this religion and beer thing.
In the sense of comfort, the two are comparable. They are both offering this comfort through false perceptions and pretenses. Some people can drink in moderation while others become hopelessly dependent on it. The comparison get's back yet again to a quote I've used before, now in a more complete version.

"The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous
quality of happiness, and by no means a necessity of life."-George Bernard Shaw

>.> Would you like me to name them? I'm sorry but I'm not really savvy on which biblical stories where proven true. I could look some up though.

Yes. I am actually curios about which ones are proven historically true, I don't remember any of them being so.

Shouldn't you be? Your the one who believes in them. If your god found it so important that he put it in apparently his only book, why haven't you memorized it cover to cover?

That I'm not quite sure of. I haven't been to church in a while. Theres memories there that I shouldn't bring up. (It's probably not whatever you're thinking of.)

A Catholic church and a 14 year old boy who hasn't been to church in a while and has bad memories? I could understand not wanting to talk about it. So you believe in a heaven, but you are not at all curios on how you get there?

Well the pope is human, are humans ever infallible?

According to Catholics, the pope can have direct contact with their god, where anything he says is supposed to be infallible.

And wasn't Jesus human? And Mary? Are they not infallible according to your views?

The whole virgin thing... I'm not quite sure about. It's technically an impossibility at the time with their technology right? So at that point things get confusing.

Yes, it was impossible, which is why I asked. So do you believe in it or not?

What exactly do you believe of your religion?

Yes. I am actually curios about which ones are proven historically true, I don't remember any of them being so.

I remember watching a link from an atheist radio show, where the hosts gave evidence that a war did happen at the same time that the war was happening in the bible. (not a prediction of a war).

So you believe in a heaven, but you are not at all curios on how you get there?

No.

If your god found it so important that he put it in apparently his only book, why haven't you memorized it cover to cover?

Because it's impossible? Unless I have this.

So do you believe in it or not?
What exactly do you believe of your religion?

Well, Jesus is the son of God.
God loves me.
God exists.
I also agree with many of Jesus's teachings, parables.

Yes. I am actually curios about which ones are proven historically true, I don't remember any of them being so.

This episode of The Atheist Experience touches on one of them. (It's right at the beginning in the first three minutes they get into it.)

Faith vs. Evidence - The Atheist Experience #716

On this religion and beer thing.

How have I not stated "Religion is the opium of the people" yet?

No.

Very ambiguous. You don't believe in heaven or are not seeking knowledge on how you would get there?

I remember watching a link from an atheist radio show, where the hosts gave evidence that a war did happen at the same time that the war was happening in the bible. (not a prediction of a war).

Really, is that the best you have? You can't even take this seriously. The people writing it basically wrote about a war they remember, or where in. Its like robot Hitler, WWII happened but roboHitler never existed.

Because it's impossible? Unless I have this.

So memorizing five thousand pages on how the brain works is something you want to do in the future, but memorizing even a few chapters of something a deity wants you to know is to difficult?

Well, Jesus is the son of God.
God loves me.
God exists.
I also agree with many of Jesus's teachings, parables.

So you believe in a god and a Jesus. Which of Jesus' teachings do you like, exactly? And what about the third part of the trinity, the holly spirit?

So you just believe in Yawheh and Jesus? Hardly a Catholic, then, are you?

Really, is that the best you have? You can't even take this seriously. The people writing it basically wrote about a war they remember, or where in. Its like robot Hitler, WWII happened but roboHitler never existed.

I am, Mage gave the link. I just didn't have it.

So memorizing five thousand pages on how the brain works is something you want to do in the future, but memorizing even a few chapters of something a deity wants you to know is to difficult?

A few? And I think we have different ideas of what memerization is.

Very ambiguous. You don't believe in heaven or are not seeking knowledge on how you would get there?

Well, no. I belive in heaven, I'm just not at all concerned as to how I get there.

So you believe in a god and a Jesus. Which of Jesus' teachings do you like, exactly? And what about the third part of the trinity, the holly spirit?

I also believe in the holy spirt. I'll have to get back to you tommorow though. It's sleep time.

A soul, at the moment I was typing that I couldn't think how to spell it, so I went with the equivalent. So how do you think people go to the afterlife after they die?

First of all, thank you for turning down the heat in your posts.

Jews don't necessarily believe in a Heaven or a Hell, but we believe that God will take care of your soul, and that there is no eternal punishment, because that would imply that God is merciless. Also, most of us reject the Christian version of Hell because of specific Torah passages:

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to
the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return
unto God who gave it.

This implies that it is your soul which moves on into the afterlife, and if any Christian version of Hell is physical, and there is no physical aspect, how does that work?

(Would like an explanation on this)

Respect? Their beliefs are completely groundless and harmful.

They believe in their holy scriptures, which to them is not groundless. Whether or not those holy scriptures is true is another thing, but you haven't dis-proven their holy scriptures so you can't just call them groundless either. That would be like saying "I'm right because I'm right".
Second of all, anything is harmless if taken to extremes, I believe I've said that before. But on a day-to-day, normal basis in the present, religion seems to be more helpful to people than harmful.

Why should I have any respect for them? They have done nothing to earn my respect, why should I just give it to these moronic beliefs? Humans, of course, diverse a certain amount of respect as humans, but beliefs must actually earn the respect, and these beliefs deserve none.

Well, since you jumped on Dair for misspelling "beliefs", since when has "diverse" been the same as "deserve"? I could say that the fact that you are atheist has rendered you incapable of spelling correctly as well as making you incapable of seeing from another's point of view, but I think that in this case it's a coincidence. Moving on.
So what do beliefs have to do to earn respect, in your opinion?