Originally posted by debbiejo
Does anyone else feel that way?? 🤨Atheist = no optimism for any further existence
Everyone else does, though many are mislead to what it would be.To be skeptic at least gives you a chance to think.
Most Atheists will not even consider it.
You are assuming that a) everyone thinks that no afterlife is a bad thing and b) that people that assume there is no afterlife can not be optimistic? Both are obviously nonsense.
Originally posted by Bardock42I think then that a poll should be taken on this because I think,.......well, you know what I think.
You are assuming that a) everyone thinks that no afterlife is a bad thing and b) that people that assume there is no afterlife can not be optimistic? Both are obviously nonsense.
Originally posted by xmarksthespotChance is something I do not believe in. There may be infinitessimally small likelyhood of something mutating in a specific manner, but if we had a complete understanding of all laws impacting any event termed chance we would find that the chance event was absolutely predictable and occurred due to existing laws. We merely term various events as chance due to our lack of understanding.
A predicate of evolutionary theory is that chance mutation provides the genetic variation for natural selection.
Originally posted by Regret
Chance is something I do not believe in. There may be infinitessimally small likelyhood of something mutating in a specific manner, but if we had a complete understanding of all laws impacting any event termed chance we would find that the chance event was absolutely predictable and occurred due to existing laws. We merely term various events as chance due to our lack of understanding.
Possible.
Since you believe in God, do you think it would be above determination?
Originally posted by RegretA predicate of current evolutionary theory is that chance mutation provides the genetic variation for natural selection.
Chance is something I do not believe in. There may be infinitessimally small likelyhood of something mutating in a specific manner, but if we had a complete understanding of all laws impacting any event termed chance we would find that the chance event was absolutely predictable and occurred due to existing laws. We merely term various events as chance due to our lack of understanding.
Originally posted by Bardock42Would God be predictable?
Possible.Since you believe in God, do you think it would be above determination?
Yes, if a being is held as perfect, that being is by definition predictable. At least, if we had a complete understanding of all the laws governing existence and all the values of all variables existing, God would definitely be predictable.
Originally posted by Regret
Would God be predictable?Yes, if a being is held as perfect, that being is by definition predictable. At least, if we had a complete understanding of all the laws governing existence and all the values of all variables existing, God would definitely be predictable.
A weird view. But possible. Do you also have an opinion about the existence of God? Is it eternal?
Originally posted by Bardock42My opinion, not necessarily my religion's, is that all scriptural reference to eternal and other duration referring terms is relative to our existence. From our perspective, the term eternal is accurate, did God have beginning? Such is probable, but from our position such is an inaccurate statement. For us God is eternal and without beginning or end.
A weird view. But possible. Do you also have an opinion about the existence of God? Is it eternal?
Originally posted by Regret
My opinion, not necessarily my religion's, is that all scriptural reference to eternal and other duration referring terms is relative to our existence. From our perspective, the term eternal is accurate, did God have beginning? Such is probable, but from our position such is an inaccurate statement. For us God is eternal and without beginning or end.
Hmm, I can't imagine such a thing. It is..too abstract to me I have to admit. How do you picture that?
Originally posted by Bardock42I'm not sure that I understand the question posed. How do I picture a God with a beginning? I haven't really ever considered it. Mormons believe man is literally progeny of God, thus man, if he shows to be responsible on a level adequate will allowed to become as God. This perspective allows possible hypothesising as to God prior to the "creation" (a term we view as too general, prefering the alternative translation using the term "organized"😉
Hmm, I can't imagine such a thing. It is..too abstract to me I have to admit. How do you picture that?
Eternal from Man's perspective is easy, Man's existence is and was preceded by God's and God will not end prior to Man, if he ever did end, a concept that I do not believe in.
Originally posted by Regret
I'm not sure that I understand the question posed. How do I picture a God with a beginning? I haven't really ever considered it. Mormons believe man is literally progeny of God, thus man, if he shows to be responsible on a level adequate will allowed to become as God. This perspective allows possible hypothesising as to God prior to the "creation" (a term we view as too general, prefering the alternative translation using the term "organized"😉Eternal from Man's perspective is easy, Man's existence is and was preceded by God's and God will not end prior to Man, if he ever did end, a concept that I do not believe in.
I mean how do you make a difference between something that is eternal to us and something that is eternal to God? I mean, doesn't it either have a beginning or not?
Originally posted by Bardock42This then leads to a very philosophical question. Is infinity real, or is the beginning and end merely beyond our comprehension? If we cannot comprehend the span from the beginning to the end of something, is eternal, or without beginning and end, an accurate statement? I believe such is so. Is something eternal from God's perspective? I do not know, such would definitely be beyond Man's current ability to comprehend. Given the perspective of Man's relation to God as Mormons view it, such is entirely possible though, and is also entirely probable.
I mean how do you make a difference between something that is eternal to us and something that is eternal to God? I mean, doesn't it either have a beginning or not?
Originally posted by Regret
I agree, in that there is no evidence necessitating theism or atheism as a stance. A scientific and rational stance would be silence on the subject though, not a theistic or atheistic stance.
Untrue.
Theism implies something being there.
All Atheism needs to be true is simply the absence of theism being right.
Without anything to prove theism, and indeed its existence being scientifically irrational, the scientific position is atheism, and that indeed is the singular reason why the scientific consensus tends towards the atheistic. Good science is not interested in preconceptions, only the search for the truth. That search has found no evidence of God and this automatically puts Theism in the weaker position; that lack of evidence is effectively evidence in favour of atheism, theism being such an extreme concept as to have to warrant evidence for any serious consideration.
Good science also does not create complications where there do not need to be any. Science, as it stands, has found no requirement for Theism. It would be additional to everything else. A simple use of the ol' Razor there. It is therefore unscientific to adopt theism.
Bottom line- theism is the one that needs evidence. Lacking it, atheism is demonstrated to be correct.