Do you believe in god?

[Valen]

I think there is something very powerfull in force that must have started it all to cause science to take its place. But as in the God most people presume him to be, then no, no i do not believe in that. 

Fun Fact: Buddism was started on a prince who went out and saw all the horrible things of the world,  like starving and dying people. So he then made up a silly little religion. :) SO it is fake 100% fake

It's pretty neat though

[Ad Bot]

[Solid]

Yes, I do, but I don't believe any religious teachings about him/her/it.

[Colten]

I think there is something very powerfull in force that must have started it all to cause science to take its place. But as in the God most people presume him to be, then no, no i do not believe in that.  

Fun Fact: Buddism was started on a prince who went out and saw all the horrible things of the world,  like starving and dying people. So he then made up a silly little religion. :) SO it is fake 100% fake

Buddhism is his explanation of the suffering he saw outside his palace walls, so its no more 'fake' than other religions

[Niliscro]

Buddhism is his explanation of the suffering he saw outside his palace walls, so its no more fake than other religions

Buddhism doesn't have any gods, so it's not like it's making things up.  It's just a guide to righteous living.

[Wynd_Fox]

No.

/thread

A single opinion doesn't end a thread.

[Rughugger]

You said religion was required to lay down a set of basic laws.  Those laws had to have been founded on a basis of what is right and what is wrong, based on morals.  A legal system would have been developed without religion, you don't have to believe in God to believe something is wrong.

Don't you know that the majority of the founding fathers were atheist/agnostic?

I agree with your first point. You don't need a God to know between right and wrong. But at the time religion started, people needed a form of guidelines to live by because there was no system of policing the people. The armies of the countries were too busy conquering new territory and resources to care if Solomon was screwing his daughter and his Camel.

Your second point, however, you'd need to show me these books you got this bit of information from. It makes me wonder why a bunch of forefathers who had no belief in any form of organized religion would found the country "Under God" and took up a motto "In God we trust." which we see in many places most predominantly in our anthems, pledges, and monetary system.

[A.R.C.]

Interesting.

Yes. but not the christian god         -3 (6.1%)

[Zaran]

Your second point, however, you'd need to show me these books you got this bit of information from. It makes me wonder why a bunch of forefathers who had no belief in any form of organized religion would found the country "Under God" and took up a motto "In God we trust." which we see in many places most predominantly in our anthems, pledges, and monetary system.

I read about it in The God Delusion.  They weren't self-pronounced atheists, it's just what they wrote and their opinions that lead us to believe that they were.  Theories aside, they were certainly deists.  Deism leaves ample room for skepticism, and often leads to Agnostic or Atheist beliefs.  The Treaty of Tripoli was written when George Washington was president and signed when John Adams took office.  It states that the U.S. was "in no sense founded on the Christian religion".

The country was not founded with the motto "In God we Trust".  That term was first found on a coin in 1864 and became the official motto of the U.S. in 1956. "E pluribus unum" was the original seal of the U.S. and was found on coins long before "In God we Trust".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust

"Under God" was never used in the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence.  The pledge of allegiance wasn't composed until 1892.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance

[Rughugger]

And I happen to know that Washington along with a few other forefathers were Freemasons and I know that in order to be a Freemason, you have to have a professed belief in God.

In any case, it's still our motto. A country that isn't predominantly religious would have denied that by a vast majority.

As for the God Delusion. You're reading a book written by Atheists. I consider anything written by those who aren't religious about religion to be completely biased. I do not find them 100% credible for sources because they can pull something from anywhere and put their own spin or interpretation on the thing.

That Dawkins concludes, is not equivalent to a demonstration in fact. His writing is rhetorical, and it goes without saying that the book is not a "science publication" but is a work of personal philosophy.

[Rekuddo]

I've learned that god does not exist. Being born into a christian family and having morals shoved in your face all through your childhood is an abomination. In this modern age and time "Free-thinkers" are still being declared heretics by the church. Every time Science has a new answer the church jumps on them shouting, "NO NO YOUR WRONG!"

When I was in the hospital the amount of pills I took should have killed me, call me a lucky bastard but something is keeping me here, I've thought about this, It might have been my willpower, to live and show that bitch that she hasn't claimed one more boy.

If I had a religion I'd pick Pagan, because Norse Mythology is a really interesting read.

[Inv3rted]

"Under God" only appeared in the Pledge in the 50s because of the xenophobic fear inspired by our good pal McCarthy.

"In God we Trust" became the national motto in the same period for the same reason.

The founding fathers were almost all deistic or atheistic. They did not believe in a personal God, and they most certainly did not believe in religion.

As for the God Delusion. You're reading a book written by Atheists. I consider anything written by those who aren't religious about religion to be completely biased. I do not find them 100% credible for sources because they can pull something from anywhere and put their own spin or interpretation on the thing.

Dawkins spends a good portion of the book attacking quote miners.

He also uses quotes to support his argument.

Do you really think he's quote mining? How stupid do you think he is? His sources are fine. Bias or not, what he presents as facts are facts nonetheless.

[BladeOfTheHorizon]

I believe in God. Only if [GSF]Ghost was still here... He was some sort of Christian Missionary or something.

[Inv3rted]

[GSF]Ghost was a creationist apologetic. I'm happy he's gone.

[BladeOfTheHorizon]

[GSF]Ghost was a creationist apologetic. I'm happy he's gone.

Damn. I still believe in God though >:C

[Rekuddo]

I'm not against religion anymore, I'm not going to spend my time yelling at you to open your eyes. You can't control anybody but yourself. As long as you realize what your religion is and what it does. The bible is just a big book of fairy tales. Open your eyes.