Religionists

[nailit]

Are terrified....
of disbelieving....

Are you not?

[drmorgans]

I should have added that scientists can't explain Dark matter (85% of the universe's matter) and Dark energy (70% of the university) which is quite a lot of "stuff" that is unaccounted for, so science doesn't understand much of what is around us.

[drmorgans]

"70% of the university"? UNIVERSE (doh!)

[Theland]

Drmorgansx - Yes, a few of those theories of note are Roger Penrose, Sean Carroll, and Hawking toyed with it as well.
But a cyclical universe still begs the questions of the origins of the original materials, and the physical laws that describe whatever it is such materials obey.
That seems to me to be trying to overcomplicate it in order through desperation to deny God and the spirit world.
Speaking of which, Sean Carroll's theory is the nearest I have come to a description of something like a spiritual dimension, the non specific quantum fields.
Thanks for your input.

[pixie374]

Why would there be a desperation to deny God? A lack of belief isn't even a denial. But how did God manage to create everything from nothing? Where did he get the materials from? B&Q?

[Theland]

Naomi @ 10:58 % 11:11 - you seem to take great pleasure in calling me out to tell me what I don't know objectively.
Fair enough, but the police use exactly the same method when say, they come across a dead body.
Natural causes?
Suicide?
Accident?
Foul play?
If they rule out the first three, they know there is now a miscreant about, but that's all, and then using logic and reason together with whatever clues they can gather, they build up a picture.
I am doing nothing different, but you are trying to jump ahead of me in order to criticise my method.
What would you suggest?

[Theland]

Pixie @ 13:52
Quite simply two ways.
1) God is spirit and being all powerful could materialise whatever He wanted.
(I don't like that theory).
2) Our material world, when broken down into its subatomic constituents defies common sense and to me is the very essence of spirit coalesced into materialistic building blocks, he!d together and sustained by God Himself.
So, very sorry, no B&Q Nectar points for you this time around :-)

[naomi24]

Theland, //I am doing nothing different//

Yes you are. The police have a dead body as evidence. You have nothing.

//what would you suggest?//

I would suggest you acknowledge that you don't know.

[naomi24]

//God is spirit and being all powerful could materialise whatever He wanted. //

Pure conjecture.

[pixie374]

Well thanks theland :-). I'm glad neither of your two options make sense to you either...!

[pixie374]

What you are doing, theland, with both religion and your example there... is presuming you know every single potential possibility. Which, you don't.

[Atheist]

Theland; why do you believe your 'holy book' rather than believe Pixie? Is it because she is young and easily debunked by evangelist 'theologians', or because she is female and easily dismissed by you? How do you choose? Is it just that you believe what you want to believe?

[Theland]

Atheist - As always I follow the evidence.
I am most surprised at your post.
Pixie has my deep respect for her friendship, her intellect, and her grasp of the issues.
Never would I insult her by using your language of dismissal and debunking.
I doubt you meant that, and I'm sure you might wish to rephrase it.

[Theland]

Naomi @ 14:06 & 14:07.
Once again you have amply illustrated your total lack of ability to follow the argument in your haste to project yourself to front and centre.
Never mind.

[Khandro]

//why do you believe your 'holy book' rather than believe Pixie?//

That is an AB gem, ha ha

[Atheist]

Khandro; do you believe a holy book? If so, which one?

[Theland]

Atheist - Have you ever thought about investing the time to actually look at the evidence, rather than simply swat it away with a sneer and a wave of your hand?

[Theland]

Well thanks theland :-). I'm glad neither of your two options make sense to you either...!

Pixie - Once we begin talking about quantum fields be prepared to suspend your expectations of an easily understood theory that fits nicely into your preconceived ideas of reality.
It does not, but that should not prevent further searching.
Don't you agree?

[naomi24]

Theland, //Once again you have amply illustrated your total lack of ability to follow the argument in your haste to project yourself to front and centre.
Never mind.//

And once again you have amply illustrated your total lack of ability to reason, your only recourse, as always, being to attack me. Quite pathetic.

[Atheist]

Theland, Khandro; my question at 18:56 was not meant to be dismissive, it was asked in good faith. I do try not to sneer or be dismissive but I am interested in what leads you to have certain faiths or views. Neither of you seems to be interested in explaining. Asking questions is not meant to be insulting or to entrap you; asking questions is to try to understand the other's point of view.

[Atheist]

Theland, I'm currently reading A History of the Bible by John Barton. It's very interesting.