• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

[W:843] How religious thinking works

I didn't accusing you of worrying about anyone, but it is good to know that you attack people who support the Constitution of the US and/or it's President. How progressive of you. :roll:

Religion doesn't do any harm, people do. I often wonder how someone can spend so much time attacking someone for their belief in a higher power. It's not like it's being shoved down your throat or shoved in your face, unless someone is forcing you to be a regular participant in this forum. That's not actually happening is it?

Religion poses no threat whatsoever and if that's what you see, I'd suggest visiting your closest eye doctor immediately.

You asked why I spend so "worried what someone believes". So yes you did make such an accusation.

From your sarcastic tone, I take it you think that anything in the US Constitution is good and not to be challenged. Ask yourself why there are 27 amendments.
Wanting to change the law is deemed reprehensible by you. Surely that's not what you mean?

Because a person holds a public office - in this case President of the USA - he and his/her supporters are beyond criticism?

Religion does't do any harm? That's like saying crack cocaine does't do any harm, only crack addicts.
Religion is the most single destructive force in the USA today, funded as it was as the world's first and so far only secular state

No religion isn't being "shoved down my throat" but it is down the throats of our children. It is used as a platform to propergate hatred and intolerance. Do you need links to US churches advocating death to homosexuals?
Ask the two thousand+ victims of 9/11 how they felt about the effects of religion after the activities of 19 religious men

And you say religion poses no threat whatsoever? The Jehovah's Witness couple who rather let their child die than have a life saving blood transfusion, a Jewish male child suffers mutilation on birth because of religion, children indoctrinated because of religion? Theists want to put religion in science classes and that's not a threat?
 
You asked why I spend so "worried what someone believes". So yes you did make such an accusation.
Being worried about what someone believes is a far cry from being worried about someone. Is English your first language?

From your sarcastic tone, I take it you think that anything in the US Constitution is good and not to be challenged. Ask yourself why there are 27 amendments.
Wanting to change the law is deemed reprehensible by you. Surely that's not what you mean?
Trying to put words in my mouth won't have the effect you think it will, especially when it's completely off topic.

Because a person holds a public office - in this case President of the USA - he and his/her supporters are beyond criticism?
This has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Religion does't do any harm? That's like saying crack cocaine does't do any harm, only crack addicts.
Religion is the most single destructive force in the USA today, funded as it was as the world's first and so far only secular state
So spoons make people fat and pencils write their own typos? Religion is the furthest thing from a destructive force. We aren't living in the days of the Inquisition or the Minha.

No religion isn't being "shoved down my throat" but it is down the throats of our children. It is used as a platform to propergate hatred and intolerance. Do you need links to US churches advocating death to homosexuals?
Ask the two thousand+ victims of 9/11 how they felt about the effects of religion after the activities of 19 religious men
I'm not sure what planet you've lived on for the past 20 years, but religion has been kicked out of the vast majority of public schools and kids are being suspended for simply praying before a high school football game. And anyone who is advocating for "death to homosexuals" isn't following the word of God. But if you're going to use a broad paintbrush to paint all religions with the same brush that you paint the few, I would suggest using a drop cloth, or several thousand.

And you say religion poses no threat whatsoever? The Jehovah's Witness couple who rather let their child die than have a life saving blood transfusion, a Jewish male child suffers mutilation on birth because of religion, children indoctrinated because of religion? Theists want to put religion in science classes and that's not a threat?
Your notion of what constitutes a "threat" is built on a foundation that has completely crumbled. Basing your viewpoints on such garbage and twisting them to fit whatever mindless babble you have concocted as something that is supposed to resemble an educated opinion but falls incredibly short, is your problem not mine. The couple chose to not allow a blood transfusion, not a religion. Millions of people, both of the Jewish faith and of no religion whatsoever choose to have their sons circumcised. I'm glad my parents had me circumcised both for the health benefits (decreased risk of urinary tract infection during the first year of life and decreased risk of STI's later in life) and the fact that I haven't met a woman yet who prefers an uncircumcised penis over a circumcised one. Of course theists want to put religion in science classes, because religion has been removed from nearly every public school in the country (but somehow it's being rammed down their throats, right?).

You're clearly disturbed by the thought of someone believing that we didn't just crawl out of the ocean millions of years ago and now we're talking on the internet in different parts of the world. Does the thought that an almighty being created us keep you up at night? Did the Mormons knock on your door one too many times as a child and you've decided to spend your free time ranting and raving over what someone else believes? Religion hasn't harmed you or anyone you know in any way whatsoever. Evil people are dangerous, not a religion. You should let go of your irrational fear and just let people live their lives as they see fit. Trust me, you'll feel better not worrying about what anyone else believes, who they love, who they worship or what they do on a Sunday morning.
 
Being worried about what someone believes is a far cry from being worried about someone. Is English your first language?


Actually being worried about what someone believed is a part of being worried about someone. If I believe that a favorite granddaughter can go out with strangers ever Saturday and not put herself in danger - would that not qualify?

But surely I don't need to educate you about grammar?

...trying to put words in my mouth won't have the effect you think it will, especially when it's completely off topic...

So when you make the point that it's "good to know" about resistance to existing laws and objection to current holders of political office, what message do you wish to make? You can use your own words.

...so spoons make people fat and pencils write their own typos? Religion is the furthest thing from a destructive force. We aren't living in the days of the Inquisition or the Minha...

You should debate on the gun control board - people there argue that guns don't kill, people kill and arming American causes no problems

Religion is definitely a destruction force because it teaches people what to think and that false ideas are true.
Try arguing that spoons don't make people fat and that Nazism is not a destructive force...and the movie "The Eternal Jew" is revealed truth and god's word.

We are living amongst an inquisition that seeks to impose a theocracy on us and ban all thought except their own.


...I'm not sure what planet you've lived on for the past 20 years, but religion has been kicked out of the vast majority of public schools...

It's complacency like that that see right wing religion advance.
In South Dakota recently all public school were ordered to have "In God We Trust" written on the walls

'In God We Trust' displayed at South Dakota public schools - Education Week

Your naivety is staggering and you think that someone fighting against religion is "on another planet"?

Do yourself a favor and read this before saying religion in schools poses NO threat:


PUBLIC SCHOOL VIOLATIONS - Freedom From Religion Foundation



...your notion of what constitutes a "threat" is built on a foundation that has completely crumbled. Basing your viewpoints on such garbage and twisting them to fit whatever mindless babble you have concocted as something that is supposed to resemble an educated opinion but falls incredibly short, is your problem not mine....


Man you urgently need to educate yourself

Do some reading or are you a closed mind Theist in all out protection mode?


...you're clearly disturbed by the thought of someone believing that we didn't just crawl out of the ocean millions of years ago...


So now I'm worried and disturbed .... and you're a level headed neutral who think what people think is no possible threat to others.

That religion is nice old ladies going to a cute oldy world building on a Sunday morning.
 
Actually being worried about what someone believed is a part of being worried about someone. If I believe that a favorite granddaughter can go out with strangers ever Saturday and not put herself in danger - would that not qualify?

But surely I don't need to educate you about grammar?



So when you make the point that it's "good to know" about resistance to existing laws and objection to current holders of political office, what message do you wish to make? You can use your own words.



You should debate on the gun control board - people there argue that guns don't kill, people kill and arming American causes no problems

Religion is definitely a destruction force because it teaches people what to think and that false ideas are true.
Try arguing that spoons don't make people fat and that Nazism is not a destructive force...and the movie "The Eternal Jew" is revealed truth and god's word.

We are living amongst an inquisition that seeks to impose a theocracy on us and ban all thought except their own.




It's complacency like that that see right wing religion advance.
In South Dakota recently all public school were ordered to have "In God We Trust" written on the walls

'In God We Trust' displayed at South Dakota public schools - Education Week

Your naivety is staggering and you think that someone fighting against religion is "on another planet"?

Do yourself a favor and read this before saying religion in schools poses NO threat:


PUBLIC SCHOOL VIOLATIONS - Freedom From Religion Foundation






Man you urgently need to educate yourself

Do some reading or are you a closed mind Theist in all out protection mode?





So now I'm worried and disturbed .... and you're a level headed neutral who think what people think is no possible threat to others.

That religion is nice old ladies going to a cute oldy world building on a Sunday morning.

Yawn...
 
Even bigger yawn.

If the subject doesn't interest you, why concern yourself with it?

The real question is...why does it interest you so much? Who are you trying to convince?
 
The real question is...why does it interest you so much? Who are you trying to convince?

I'm trying to engage you and others in dialogue to ask you why you believe.

The typical response is "I just do" coupled with a raft of Theist web pages

What convinces you they are right?
 
I'm trying to engage you and others in dialogue to ask you why you believe.

The typical response is "I just do" coupled with a raft of Theist web pages

What convinces you they are right?

All you engage in is ridicule and belittling...
 
All you engage in is ridicule and belittling...

I'm sorry you feel that way - mocking does have a purpose albeit an unkind one.

Some of the stories in the Bible are quite ridiculous and I despair over why otherwise intelligent people believe them

The most common answer is "I just know"


Most Theists on here engage in preaching or a hostile defensive position.
 
When we get aviodance or just links to irrelevant things we get frustrated.

No rule here says I have to answer stupid questions...or answer at all, if I choose to ignore...
 
No rule here says I have to answer stupid questions...or answer at all, if I choose to ignore...

It does justify others exasperation at your ignorance.

It also shows you don't have an answer and thus know that you have no real justification for your claims.
 

It does justify others exasperation at your ignorance.

It also shows you don't have an answer and thus know that you have no real justification for your claims.

My ignoring stupid questions justifies my exasperation of other's ignorance, such as yours, as well as justifies my reason for not wasting my time with such...
 
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.

Then there's people who are activated by the devil's delusions, thinking Christ isn't real.
 
Then there's people who are activated by the devil's delusions, thinking Christ isn't real.

Please demonstrate with objective and tangible evidence that statement is true, and not merely right wing religious rhetoric that has no connection with what is commonly known as 'reality'.
 
Please demonstrate with objective and tangible evidence that statement is true, and not merely right wing religious rhetoric that has no connection with what is commonly known as 'reality'.

"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." - Ecclesiastes
 
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." - Ecclesiastes

And of course, this is not objective and tangible evidence.
 
Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.-Ambrose Bierce
 
Which in no way proves my point. Using the Bible itself to prove the extraordinary claims within it is an unsound methodology.

You've certainly not shown that thinking to be accurate. You're unable to falsify the Gospels by anything outside of it.
 
You've certainly not shown that thinking to be accurate.

Of course I have. Feel free to demonstrate otherwise.

You're unable to falsify the Gospels by anything outside of it.

Yes I have. I once wrote an extensive paper on the errors of chronology regarding the birth of Christ. I also wrote another on the specious claims (see Rawlinson) regarding the two differing genealogies of Jesus in the Gospels. Apologists have invented excuses for these errors and historical enquiry demonstrates that the apologist position is false.
 
Last edited:
Of course I have. Feel free to demonstrate otherwise.

Yes I have. I once wrote an extensive paper on the errors of chronology regarding the birth of Christ. I also wrote another on the specious claims (see Rawlinson) regarding the two differing genealogies of Jesus in the Gospels. Apologists have invented excuses for these errors and historical enquiry demonstrates that the apologist position is false.

So Christ was never born? LOL. Sure he was. There's all kinds of studies surrounding the birth date of Jesus. I doubt you're correct.
 
So Christ was never born? LOL. Sure he was. There's all kinds of studies surrounding the birth date of Jesus. I doubt you're correct.

I am sure he's quite correct, because I have seen the distorted lies that get pulled out trying to reconcile Herod the great, and the census. Did you know that they try to invent a census that never happened?
 
Back
Top Bottom