Yes.
I am.
Perhaps I'll wait a reply to the question I posed to you before replying.
Do only humans have souls that go to heaven or hell, or does it apply to all forms of life?
- Thread starter Frederick Foresight
- Start date
Yes.
I am.
Perhaps I'll wait a reply to the question I posed to you before replying.
How did I reach my conclusion? Observation, for one: there is no apparent evidence of a deity, or at least not one who gives a damn. Science has poked holes into the Bible's timeline on the origin of the universe. Science can explain the origin of the universe more coherently than any theist. And Stephen Hawking, perhaps the most brilliant physicist in history, concluded that there need not be a god and, in his final analysis, that there even cannot be one:
https://www.livescience.com/63854-stephen-hawking-says-no-god.html
I used to believe in God when I was a child. And then I gave it some thought and concluded otherwise. And, as I said, the science supported that conclusion. Yes, there are some "scientists" who believe that there is a god, but the majority do not. I'll go with the majority.
My personal view is that anyone with an honest inquiry about the ultimate truth cannot dismiss the existence of God because the concept of God provides a framework that addresses fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, the purpose of life, and the existence of objective moral values, offering deeper explanations and meaning beyond the scope of empirical observation and scientific analysis.
Okay, so then please answer the question posed in the original post.
Objective moral values don't require a god to have come about.
Most conservatives through lack of reasoning power or imagination settle on rules themselves being good and taboos bad. This is low-effort thinking which is the signature of major religeons for their average followers who simply want a sense of community, meaning / purpose (low effort) and arguably a way to manufacture hope in a tight squeeze.
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I don't dismiss the existance of God or some higher power. There seems to be a plan in place that creates order out of chaos.
I do however question the concept of heaven or hell. Something fabricated to control the masses.
Moral values? Think empathy. You don't need religion to have it. Religion didn't seem to help guide pedophile priests in the right direction, did it? Where were their moral values, and this despite the fact that they were steeped in religion.
I agree to some degree, but different societies or individuals may hold conflicting moral beliefs, making it challenging to establish a universally valid and objective moral framework without reference to a higher authority. This delves into deeper views about revelation being the only source of morality, and/or if we as humans are inherently wired to to develop a moral framework.
Yes, religion can be a veil and a facade for vile human beings, but it does not preclude the existence of moral principles and values that extend beyond individual or institutional shortcomings. While it is true that some individuals may exploit religion for personal gain or manipulate it to justify immoral actions, it does not invalidate the underlying moral teachings and ideals that many religious traditions uphold.
That's the US Christian jibber-jabber alright. The higher authority does but have to actually exist, nobody is arguing many have an inherent sense of something* but natural selection in a deity free universe can explain it pretty well.
* apply a strong magnetic field to certain brain areas and even old Stephen Hawking would experience a momentary sense of a divine presence.
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