<p>
[quote]
"Therefore, I can predict, with near absolute certainty, that I will be alive tomorrow."
just one word: ROFL!
[/quote]
?
I am responding to arachnophobia's claim that you need faith to believe that you will be alive tomorrow. I don't see how using logic to contradict this claim would lead to a suggestion of "becoming an astrologist", a profession that relies on the exact opposite. I don't see what's so funny. Obviously, nobody consciously thinks this way.</p>
<p>I guess when someone is unable to form any sort of rational argument, they resort to personal attacks.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I really do not see how you just put religion besides science and comparing them as if you have to choose one or the other...or rather like: one is better than the other in this and this way. It's totally BS (no offense).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My main intent behind participating in this thread is because I am curious as to what motivates people who have a different mindset than me. I am sorry if you feel I am attacking your beliefs (I am though, in a way), but I am genuinely confused as to why people believe in certain things. Since I have never been religious, I simply don't understand how a religious person's mind works.</p>
<p>I support the good morals that Christianity teaches, but I don't believe that the bible should be interpreted literally. Science and religion should not overlap, especially in the classrooms.</p>
<p>
[quote]
There is nothing to suggest, with any substantial probability, that I will not be alive tomorrow.
Therefore, I can predict, with near absolute certainty, that I will be alive tomorrow.
[/quote]
bottom line-you are not in control of your own mortality (unless, of course, you commit suicide). people can't "predict" when they will die; there are too many outside circumstances that can contribute to your life/death (say, for example, some wacko drives through your neighborhood tonight, shoots at your house, and several bullets hit you in your heart, brain, and jugular vein- you die. obviously, you couldn't have predicted that, but freak incidents happen, after all. btw, it's an extreme example, i know, but you get the point, i'm sure). Tomorrow is not promised...</p>
<p>I would agree completely that science and religion offer two distinct worldviews, each with their own philosophical questions and rewards. I don't think any less of people who are religious. </p>
<p>The people who I don't get are the ones who are convinced that you have to take scripture literally in order to get anything out of it, because to do that you have to deny a vast amount of what we have learned about the world since those texts were written. It doesn't make sense to me. </p>
<p>How does one even arbitrarily settle on the Bible as an accurate historical record? So you uncover evidence that evolution didn't occur - who's to say that it's not Vishnu or Ra driving things, not Yaweh? You find evidence that there was a great flood some 4,000 years ago - well, there are dozens of ancient myths about great floods, not just the one in Genesis. </p>
<p>No, you believe what you were brought up to believe because it constitutes a collective, self-perpetuating social reality that is easier to accept than challenge. That's not the behavior of a rational person. A rational person says, "Hey, this archaic myth story was written by people who believed in reincarnation and a flat Earth, maybe it's not the most valid historical reference." That doesn't mean you have to shut off the Bible completely or stop deriving enormous spiritual gratification and comfort from it, like billions of people have throughout history. It only means that you shouldn't believe in stupid things simply because they proclaim themselves to be true, and that your faith/spirituality shouldn't hinge on ridiculous precepts like creationism in order to make sense to you.</p>
<p>since when is/who made Mr. Clemens the expert on mortality?</p>
<p>
[quote]
It only means that you shouldn't believe in stupid things simply because they proclaim themselves to be true, and that your faith/spirituality shouldn't hinge on ridiculous precepts like creationism in order to make sense to you.
[/quote]
stupid/ridiculous in your opinion; many people would beg to differ...</p>
<p>
[quote]
bottom line-you are not in control of your own mortality (unless, of course, you commit suicide). people can't "predict" when they will die; there are too many outside circumstances that can contribute to your life/death (say, for example, some wacko drives through your neighborhood tonight, shoots at your house, and several bullets hit you in your heart, brain, and jugular vein- you die. obviously, you couldn't have predicted that, but freak incidents happen, after all. btw, it's an extreme example, i know, but you get the point, i'm sure). Tomorrow is not promised...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You are definitely right about that, arachnophobia, but that wasn't what I was trying to say. I don't pretend that I know with absolute certainty that I won't die tomorrow, I am just saying that I can infer rationally, that it is most likely that I won't die tomorrow, which is different from pure faith in that I will be alive tomorrow (or 10-15 years from now).</p>
<p>
[quote]
since when is/who made Mr. Clemens the expert on mortality?
[/quote]
Actually, my point was a contradiction that "people can't 'predict' when they will die." Mark Twain was born under Haley's Comet. He predicted that he would die under it. Sure enough, he did.</p>
<p>skatj: you know why i attacked you personally (according to you) ? I did it intentionally..........(not to offend you personally....I don't know you, and really have no gain from offending you. But, I definitely tried to offend your statement)
Astrology can predict your future. You could do your observations in such a way that helps you predict your future. (and that was a sarcasm btw)</p>
<p>I'm not offended morally abt religion or science abt whether you are going to live for nxt 15 yrs....I simply found it funny....really funny. if you read what you wrote, it neither scientifically, nor religiously make sense for you to infer (based on ur observations) that you are going to live for nxt 15 years! in all seriousness!</p>
<p>"Science and religion should not overlap." Now tell me how much do you know about religious books: Bible, or Quran (there are a lot others for other religions)? How much have you studied those to say that religion don't talk about science? Seriously, lack of knowledge is dangerous! I mentioned it several times in this very thread! Science is part of religion! Dude, I studied religions (not an expert or so, but definiltey more than you did) I know that science in included in religion!!! </p>
<p>Now, you want some real intellectual people who actually knows stuffs....(this link is particularly abt Creationism/Evolution), visit this link:
it'd be far far better:</p>
<p>I haven't read the entire thread, I'll admit, but I'll take a look at it after I'm finished with hw.</p>
<p>
[quote]
skatj: you know why i attacked you personally (according to you) ? I did it intentionally..........(not to offend you personally....I don't know you, and really have no gain from offending you. But, I definitely tried to offend your statement)
Astrology can predict your future. You could do your observations in such a way that helps you predict your future. (and that was a sarcasm btw)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have to disagree with that statement. Astrology has no logical basis. I don't understand why my reasoning makes no sense, because it makes perfect sense to me. Are you saying there is no logical reasoning to assume that I will wake up tomorrow alive?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Now tell me how much do you know about religious books: Bible, or Quran (there are a lot others for other religions)? How much have you studied those to say that religion don't talk about science?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The answer is 'not much' to both questions, though I have read some of the bible when I was younger, and I am familiar with most of the bible's stories. Many of them, such as Moses and the Red Sea and Jesus feeding an entire town of people with 1 fish and 1 loaf of bread, directly defy modern understanding of science. Could you elaborate on what you mean?</p>
<p>
[quote]
would this post be a possible end to this scattered, meaningless argument?
<p>you want me to elaborate that? It's a REALLY BROAD TOPIC! WHy don't you just google it....and read better articles...than me writing bunch of craps...showing how science has been supported by religion? that'd be faster...and easier for both of us.</p>
<p>Narcissa: tell you what, this thread lacks intellectual quality......which actually keeps people attracted to it.....so, yeah...I can see an end to this thread....at least for me.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Actually, my point was a contradiction that "people can't 'predict' when they will die." Mark Twain was born under Haley's Comet. He predicted that he would die under it. Sure enough, he did.
[/quote]
<br>
i can "predict" that i'll die in july 2070-if it happens, it's coincidence (i am certainly not a psychic, and neither was Clemens)</p>
<p>
[quote]
nice unbiased source you got there
[/quote]
i realize it might seem like a biased source, but they back up their claims w/ substantiated evidence, so...</p>
<p>lol yeah a bunch of people predict when they're going to die. and mark twain is just the 1/100000 whose prediction actually came true. and therefore you remember his name.</p>