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@BrutalTruth
A person's beliefs are either correct or incorrect. Am I asking for people to explain their beliefs or to explain the reasons behind why they hold those beliefs?
An exceedingly simple question
Posts
Total:
156
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@disgusted
I agree. That's why I said it's contributed to my atheism to theism, that gradual change, not why I chose my religion. I also did state I studied theologies, the history of religions, read the related scriptures, and had personal experiences I recognised wouldn't convert anyone else in relation to the religion itself. It'd be foolish of me to use a "need" or a "want" and declare it as truth as those are completely different things. Needs can, however, be fulfilled by religions. If a lonely person converted and found themselves in a mosque, synagogue, temple, or elsewhere, it can fill up their need for belonging and love. It doesn't mean they're using that need as the foundation to declare that the faith itself is true. Clubs, sports, and elsewhere can fulfill that same need. Becoming homeless and driven into the priesthood can also fix the living situation. Helping others through the faith can also lift esteem. Filling your serving your purpose can help you attain self-actualisation. The other needs can be fulfilled secularly as well. It's still not solving the truth issue, just a personal issue, but personal issues can help solidify your drive. Different issues, but can be related, though.
My point in that semi-essay (before and now) that religion helped me take care of the disorder in my life that made me depressed. The contention on the god is a valid bit, but I sought out other means before ever deciding to become theist and that wasn't out of need alone, but various other problems that accumulated over the years, and that isn't "need" or "want" related. Becoming an agnostic theistic, more specifically deistic, made my outlook open-ended and not particularly limited. Fluctuations led to an adventure, then settled on EOC until, or if, my position changes again.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
You really have no idea do you?
"I believe metal is hard because it looks pretty."
Does that seem logical to you? Of course not. Why? Because it is not reasonable. Why is it not reasonable? Because an opinion cannot justify a belief of a fact. The two concepts are incompatible.
In layman's terms: If the belief is of a matter of fact, then so is the reasoning behind it.
I shouldn't need to explain this to you.
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@BrutalTruth
I think the word you are looking for is 'subjective'.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
lol? Let me get this straight... you believe that a belief pertaining to whether or not something exists is subjective?
"Yeah I believe there is a car parked outside my house. But that's just my opinion. Maybe to you, that car doesn't exist."
I see we have yet another member who doesn't comprehend the parameters of reality and how the human brain interacts with it.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
A definition of "religion" found in merriam-webster's collegiate dictionary is...
"a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith"
So what is your religion and why do you believe it?
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@Mopac
I have previously invited you to make a thread on the topic of what I believe if you actually care to know. That invitation remains open.
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@BrutalTruth
You are the one that was saying the word opinion is synonymous with subjectivity. I simply gave you the word to describe what you were trying to say, that doesn't mean I agree with you.
Let's not clutter the thread needlessly...
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@Discipulus_Didicit
This seems like the appropriate thread.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
Well, you see that's my favorite part about facts: It doesn't matter whether you agree with them or not. They're true regardless. Those who reject facts as falsehoods are what we call delusional people.
As for your debate challenge, I have no interest in participating in such a uselessly trivial argument.
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@BrutalTruth
@Discipulus_Didicit
What is the argument over, exactly?
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@keithprosser
A misunderstanding of how the word 'opinion' works in the English language. One of us is convinced that it is only possible to have opinions on subjective matters such as whether a piece of metal is pretty or the color blue is a pleasant color. It's a conversation that should be moved away from here, hence the [declined] debate challenge in post 38.
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@Mopac
I'm genuinely suprised that you would want to have a conversation about anyones beliefs but your own.
This thread is aimed at the religious but I made a new thread here:
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@Discipulus_Didicit
A misunderstanding of how the word 'opinion' works in the English language. One of us is convinced that it is only possible to have opinions on subjective matters such as whether a piece of metal is pretty or the color blue is a pleasant color. It's a conversation that should be moved away from here, hence the [declined] debate challenge in post 38.
Oh. in that case i believe my opinion is that i believe that I believe opinions are subjective beliefs that people with opinions believe they believe, er, subjectively.
Of course, that's just my opinion - you don't have to believe it.
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@keithprosser
A woodchuck would chuck all the woody wood wuk... wik... wicky...
*sigh* you win.
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@keithprosser
Correct. Opinions are in fact subjective beliefs. However, your belief that opinions are subjective beliefs in fact is not a subjective belief. It's a belief based on a fact, thus opinion, while relevant to the subject matter, has nothing to do with it.
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@BrutalTruth
Any correctness in my previous post was purely accidental!Correct
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@keithprosser
Well, I suppose learning from our mistakes isn't without a sense of irony.
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@EtrnlVw
What do you think of religions or doctrines that say everything about the Creator comes from one source, like the Bible?Why do you believe your religion is right?I prefer to learn from all sources if they make sense. Spirituality is a huge arena, no reason to confine all of the Creator to one source that would be absurd. Religions are the interpretation of what we observe in the Theistic world, albeit a very dynamic one and not everything is accurate, and many things are true. The point of spirituality is to get involved and figure all these things out for the self.I believe there are transcendental (spiritual) experiences because of the abundance of evidence as well as my own observations and encounters. From there it's all about putting the pieces together, getting involved and applying things you would normally not.
In order to preserve a sense of authenticity, religions have to assign divine authority to some sources but not others. Otherwise followers won't know what's right and what's not. This often seems to make a holistic approach to spirituality difficult. At least from what I've seen in western religion.
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@Mopac
I don't have a religion, ergo there is no belief.So what is your religion and why do you believe it?
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@disgusted
What do you think of religions or doctrines that say everything about the Creator comes from one source, like the Bible?
Could you give me an example or passage that I could evaluate? do you study eastern philosophy, not all books or religious texts make such a claim. They are more concerned with interpreting what they are observing. Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism do not carry themselves in that way, it's mainly the snot-nosed flavors of Christianity that do that. Jesus was quite a unique character so in that sense he does stand out in the crowd, but this is what creates a sense of collectivity and culture. These cultures BTW exist outside this realm, and there are many, and many heavens as well. While good Christians may progress to that heavenly abode, a good Hindu or Buddhist gets to join their community of believers in paradise. This is how the created realms operate. God is not so ignorant or confused, people are.
There isn't just one place or two when the soul leaves the body. Karma and reincarnation also play roles in where the soul will journey next.
In order to preserve a sense of authenticity, religions have to assign divine authority to some sources but not others. Otherwise followers won't know what's right and what's not. This often seems to make a holistic approach to spirituality difficult. At least from what I've seen in western religion.
It's not difficult at all people just WANT to make it difficult, of course religions have to have a sort of creed and that is what makes different sources unique, why people believe they are special, all that is irrelevant though. Different flavors, like reading many books with the same conclusions and purpose for the soul even though the story may vary. Most people are either confused or hesitant to understand that creation and Theism are very dynamic and are afraid to look at all of them (sources) as potential knowledge. No one should pin down God to one Source, all souls are capable of relating and experiencing the Divine, not just one group and they all have things to offer humanity to learn from. Having said that, there are many universal truths within many forms of spirituality because like I said, the purpose for the soul remains the same, which is to progress and learn of higher experiences.
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@Castin
Here's a small example, even though religions have different terminology for different expression and concepts the ideas are generally the same/universal. Check out Hinduism's Brahman, keeping in mind that it's just a name for something they are trying to interpret. This term doesn't just apply to one religion, it encompasses all that exists.
"In Hindu philosophy, Brahman (ब्रह्म) is the material, efficient, formal and final cause of all that exists and the highest Universal Principle, the Ultimate Reality in the universe"
"Brahman to be the pervasive, genderless, infinite, eternal truth and bliss which does not change, yet is the cause of all changes.[4][6][7] Brahman as a metaphysical concept is the single binding unity behind diversity in all that exists in the universe."
"Brahman is identical to the Atman, is everywhere and inside each living being, and there is connected spiritual oneness in all existence."
Now, notice how this is a universal concept not just pinned down to one religious source. Let me know if this makes any sense I really want you to grasp what I'm getting at here.
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@EtrnlVw
What do you think of religions or doctrines that say everything about the Creator comes from one source, like the Bible?Could you give me an example or passage that I could evaluate? do you study eastern philosophy, not all books or religious texts make such a claim.
Being internally consistent is different from being correct. Your original answer to the OP mentioned that you have evidence that your beliefs are true, would you mind giving us one or two examples of the strongest evidence you have?
ET
What a pathetic failure.
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@disgusted
Go back to bed.
You can't think what your pathetic failure is and that's hilarious.
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@disgusted
Has it ever come across to you, that you don't belong in a religion forum? being senile is no excuse, go play with your grandkids for God's sake.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
Yes, nice catch. That's exactly what i mean. Bc if you think about it, i don't have to worry about anyone else's belief, nor do you have to worry about anyone else's belief. Bc it is all subjective to what you want, what you work for, what you live for, and what you get. I don't have to go to your paradise, and you don't have to go to mine, or we can both believe the same paradise and go to it... It would explain why there are so many different beliefs. Bc if you ask people one at a time to define paradise... you will start to see a very different picture than only one being true.When you say superior in this context do you mean 'more likely to be true'?
Still don't know. bwuahahahahahahahaha
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@Discipulus_Didicit
What do you mean by religion? and what do you mean by right? And what do you mean by believe?Why do you believe your religion is right?
I ask these questions because I don't think any religion is right. I do think some religions and indeed most worldviews are wrong.
But that always leads to other questions. How can I tell what is right and what is wrong? What is the measuring tool of such value statements?
And moreover, by what measure are you going to use to determine whether my believe is reasonable or not?
Religion is multifaceted and in my opinion is about humanity wanting to please a deity or deities or other humans in order to have a happy life. I would extend religion on this description to communism, atheism, and other non-theistic views of the world. Of course in those cases it is not so much that pleasing a deity is important as it is about pleasing one's boss or even one self. It is primarily towards pleasing oneself - and trying to have a happy life - whatever that may entail that is the focus.
Hence, while many people try to define religion by reference to a God or a deity - many may find it unusual that I actually distance God from religion. I believe in God - but I don't agree with religion; save and except how James defines it in James 1:27. Yet James' description is not the same as the modern view of religion - nor what I am positing above.