I never said we need to invent anything, all I want is explanation to said questions in my last post and I'll start paying more attention to atheists.
Understand??!
Until then, atheists are grasping at straws
Why Religion Fails
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Understand??!
Until then, atheists are grasping at straws
You should look in the mirror. You’re are saying that the reason you believe in a mythical being is because science has not answered everything. That MAY be the reason people invented gods. E.g. primitive man wanted to know why it rained. Since he had no explanation, he invented a god or gods. If you don’t realize you’re doing the same thing, you don’t understand your own argument.
Personally, I think the origin of religion is likely more complex but that is another issue.
No, what I'm saying is because neither side has come even close to explaining the meaning and origins of Life, I prefer to remain neutral
The more relevant point is that only one side has any evidence at all, to support their approach.
I have to completely disagree with you and split that proposition in two.
I think science has done a remarkably good job of explaining the origins of life to a very large degree...beyond what one might think possible.
I also think that religion does provide a meaning for life, in some cases in a very effective and complete fashion.
To my mind (and Gould's) they are tackling separate problems. Origin and meaning are two different things and two completely different areas of inquiry.
Religion is not an evidence based pursuit. But one might use evidence to evaluate the social or other utility of religion, but the underlying premises of religion, and most philosophy for that matter are not evidence based studies. They are asking, and trying to answer, fundamentally different questions.
The funny thing is, if I had my time-traveling DeLorean and went back -- I would be proclaimed as a God or Demi-God. That's right, little 'ol me -- A God!!
Man writes history, man interprets events, man perceives life, etc.
So, it begs the question, when man wrote on walls, on paper, on tablets, etc. -- how did they interpret and translate this information?
Man writes history, man interprets events, man perceives life, etc.
So, it begs the question, when man wrote on walls, on paper, on tablets, etc. -- how did they interpret and translate this information?
It is entirely your perogative to set whatever preconditions you like on what arguments you will value and how you will value them.
But the questions of "why" and "how to live a virtuous life" will never be answered by science or evidence based study.
The problem with your precondition that "all valuable arguments cannot refer to mythical beings" is that you simply run the risk of being wrong.
Call me when you have the time machine up and running.
If there are particular religious documents you are curious about, there is plenty of quality scholarship on how they were written...translated etc and I without a doubt concede that no perfect and complete translations of the OT and NT exist.
So far in human history, no one has produced any evidence that could prove me wrong. I don’t disagree that it is possible that things will change in the relatively short (compared to human history) lifespan left to me. However, I am willing to take my chances. For now, if an argument can be made without reference to unverifiable (if you don’t like the term “mythical”) beings I will pay attention to it. Otherwise, I will ignore the moral lessons of documents such as the old testament, some of which are pretty disgusting.
Oh really??!!
Last time I checked neither atheists nor religion had the answers to "The meaning of Life"
If you think the moral lessons of the Old Testament are disgusting, you are either someone whose morals deviate greatly from the norm...or someone who does not understand the OT properly.
The history of various cultures and religion or the historic nature of Jesus or Mohammed are evidence based pursuits.
The question of the existence of God, the nature of good and evil (if they exist) and the existence of an afterlife, and how to live a virtuous life, which I suggest form the core of religion, are not evidence based pursuits for the faithful.
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