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[W:843] How religious thinking works

Since you've apparently never noticed, I don't engage in discussions such as this.

Discussions are one thing, Nota...I've had many good ones with unbelievers, as well as those of different faiths, but as usual, convos such as this with most atheists soon turn into mockery, belittling, and browbeating...nothing short of verbal abuse so nothing good ever comes from them...
 
Discussions are one thing, Nota...I've had many good ones with unbelievers, as well as those of different faiths, but as usual, convos such as this with most atheists soon turn into mockery, belittling, and browbeating...nothing short of verbal abuse so nothing good ever comes from them...

I read over here but will not participate for the reasons you stated above. I used to but now I realize it's just one big circle jerk.
You have nothing to prove to unbelievers just as they have nothing to prove to you.

Let it go...

ETA: my only post on this thread. I won't be replying. :peace
 
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I read over here but will not participate for the reasons you stated above. I used to but now I realize it's just one big circle jerk.
You have nothing to prove to unbelievers just as they have nothing to prove to you.

Let it go...

Except truth.

Believers don't seek it - scientists do.
 
YEt, you brought the shroud up, and every single one of the shrouds have been positively shown to be forgeries. I wonder why that is?

Oh, my, there are multiple shrouds? I did not know that. :lol:
 
I read over here but will not participate for the reasons you stated above. I used to but now I realize it's just one big circle jerk.
You have nothing to prove to unbelievers just as they have nothing to prove to you.

Let it go...

ETA: my only post on this thread. I won't be replying. :peace

Unless of course you're the one who's doin' the jerkin'...let's say I've learned from the best of 'em since I've been postin' here...:2razz:...no response necessary...:peace
 
How convenient for you.

Pearl-casting is a waste of time, and I decided long before you joined this board, zyzygy, that there is too little hope of respectful engagement to have a productive discussion. Sorry if in the five years since you joined you haven't noticed this. But yes, it's very convenient, especially for my blood pressure. Exercises in futility set me off.
 
Discussions are one thing, Nota...I've had many good ones with unbelievers, as well as those of different faiths, but as usual, convos such as this with most atheists soon turn into mockery, belittling, and browbeating...nothing short of verbal abuse so nothing good ever comes from them...

That's exactly right, Elvira. I've had good, thoughtful discussions with those of no faith at all and those of other faiths many times, discussions in which I've learned and, I hope, others have learned from me, at least about not stereotyping.

Rarely here, though. Mocking and belittling people of faith is very satisfying for some. This is their little outlet in life. ;)
 
That's exactly right, Elvira. I've had good, thoughtful discussions with those of no faith at all and those of other faiths many times, discussions in which I've learned and, I hope, others have learned from me, at least about not stereotyping.

Rarely here, though. Mocking and belittling people of faith is very satisfying for some. This is their little outlet in life. ;)

Flat Earthists probably have good discussions with other flat Earthists....
 
Pearl-casting is a waste of time, and I decided long before you joined this board, zyzygy, that there is too little hope of respectful engagement to have a productive discussion. Sorry if in the five years since you joined you haven't noticed this. But yes, it's very convenient, especially for my blood pressure. Exercises in futility set me off.

I was only asking if you believe that the Old Testament stories are history. I don't see why you are getting so worked up. I believe that they are fiction, what do you say?
 
That's exactly right, Elvira. I've had good, thoughtful discussions with those of no faith at all and those of other faiths many times, discussions in which I've learned and, I hope, others have learned from me, at least about not stereotyping.

Rarely here, though. Mocking and belittling people of faith is very satisfying for some. This is their little outlet in life. ;)

Asking you if you believe the stories is mocking you? Please quote a post of mine in which I have mocked you.
 
Moderator's Warning:
Knock off the personal comments and discuss the topic, which is not each other.
 
Here is an interesting read about the psychology of religion.

A reason to believe

In 2009, Grafman published an fMRI study showing that religious thoughts activate the area of the brain involved in deciphering other people’s emotions and intentions — the ability known as theory of mind. In the study of 40 people, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Vol. 106, No. 12), Grafman and his colleagues found that when they heard phrases such as “God’s will guides my acts” and “God protects one’s life,” areas of the brain involved in theory of mind lit up. In a study published in 2009 in Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience (Vol. 4, No. 2), a Danish team saw the same brain areas activate when religious participants prayed.

These results suggest that when people think about God, it’s similar to thinking about any special authority figure, such as one’s mother or father, says Grafman. In addition, he says, contemplation is not limited to religious thought, although certain traditions like prayer or meditation may require selective kinds of thinking processes. In general, he believes, the brain uses the same circuits to think about and experience religion as it does to think about and handle any other thoughts or beliefs.
 
Here is an interesting read about the psychology of religion.

A reason to believe

In 2009, Grafman published an fMRI study showing that religious thoughts activate the area of the brain involved in deciphering other people’s emotions and intentions — the ability known as theory of mind. In the study of 40 people, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Vol. 106, No. 12), Grafman and his colleagues found that when they heard phrases such as “God’s will guides my acts” and “God protects one’s life,” areas of the brain involved in theory of mind lit up. In a study published in 2009 in Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience (Vol. 4, No. 2), a Danish team saw the same brain areas activate when religious participants prayed.

These results suggest that when people think about God, it’s similar to thinking about any special authority figure, such as one’s mother or father, says Grafman. In addition, he says, contemplation is not limited to religious thought, although certain traditions like prayer or meditation may require selective kinds of thinking processes. In general, he believes, the brain uses the same circuits to think about and experience religion as it does to think about and handle any other thoughts or beliefs.

Jesus Christ put it in much more simple terms...we all have the need because that was the way we were created...some are just more conscious of it than others...unlike animals, we have spiritual needs....we are created in God’s image, so to a degree we can cultivate divine attributes, such as love, justice, mercy, and wisdom...our spiritual needs include the need to have meaning in our life.

“Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them." Matthew 5:3
 
Jesus Christ put it in much more simple terms...we all have the need because that was the way we were created...some are just more conscious of it than others...unlike animals, we have spiritual needs....we are created in God’s image, so to a degree we can cultivate divine attributes, such as love, justice, mercy, and wisdom...our spiritual needs include the need to have meaning in our life.

“Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them." Matthew 5:3

No ancient man had the need of religion because he was ignorant of the world around him.
 
The first gods were volcano, thunder and earthquake gods.

I am not sure of that. I would be more inclined to think the first gods were fertility gods. Sex sells.
 
I am not sure of that. I would be more inclined to think the first gods were fertility gods. Sex sells.

Good point. In any case, they were invented by mankind.
 
I was only asking if you believe that the Old Testament stories are history. I don't see why you are getting so worked up. I believe that they are fiction, what do you say?

I say that I'm not "worked up."
 
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