a priori, there are no Gods - what then?

spidergoat said:
Not nothing to look for, just no Gods.

I totally agree with the quote you made about Buddhism. It's entirely possible that much of what is attributed to the Buddha was added later. Fortunately, it's not a cult of personality, Buddha isn't the highest authority, you are. You can try it out an see for yourself, and many people have independently verified the Buddha's admittedly subjective experience. It doesn't matter one bit if it describes absolute truth.
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I think Buddhism is for escapists. I've noticed the people who escape to it usually have a problem with addiction or mental health.
 
swivel said:
Explain the Mormon religion, then. Or Scientology. One was started by a known con artist and the other by a science fiction author who once remarked to a friend that the surest path to wealth was to invent a religion.

Jesus was either a crook, a liar, a nutcase, or nonexistent (nonexistent covering the possibility that a man named Jesus existed, but everything about him was concocted over the years by zealous followers).
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You left out the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate...

Perhaps you think that it is not possible? What makes you think that?
 
draqon said:
A religion that is written by a liar would not stand a test of time to survive and be followed.
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Ever hear of Mormonism.

Joseph Smith was convicted of fraud before he claimed his visitation.

People willfully believed his story even though he had lost his so called evidence. People do that unfortunately.
 
I don't think there used to be the same standards of historical accuracy in storytelling. One wasn't expected to relate events exactly as they happened. Oral tradition meant entertaining your listeners.
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
You left out the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate...

Perhaps you think that it is not possible? What makes you think that?
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What is more likely.

That a bunch of ignorant humans considering the information available to them to the workings of the universe who already believed in all powerfull beings that control everything that goes on including life and death and thus assigned this normal human (jesus) as the incarnate of God by his zealous followers (think Joseph Smith, Ron Hubbard and so on and so on).

Or,

He really is the incarnate of God.
 
jpappl said:
What is more likely.

That a bunch of ignorant humans considering the information available to them to the workings of the universe who already believed in all powerfull beings that control everything that goes on including life and death and thus assigned this normal human (jesus) as the incarnate of God by his zealous followers (think Joseph Smith, Ron Hubbard and so on and so on).

Or,

He really is the incarnate of God.
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So you want to know which is more probable?

My answer then, is yes.

They are of equal value and probability. Which is it "better" to believe is true? Why?
 
So you are not your own god, then? Curious. You must be disarmingly selfless...

Could you send me all of your worldly goods? I need them... :D
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
So you want to know which is more probable?

My answer then, is yes.

They are of equal value and probability. Which is it "better" to believe is true? Why?
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Given the history of humans believing in and following people that are frauds and charlatans you believe the possibility is equal ?

Not sure I follow what you asking in the your last sentence, can you clarify it for me or re-word it.

Thanks.
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
So you are not your own god, then? Curious. You must be disarmingly selfless...

Could you send me all of your worldly goods? I need them... :D
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I don't know what one has to do with the other.

I will keep my goods thank you, I worked hard and paid for them.

Since you can't take them with you, why would you want them ?
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
You left out the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate...

Perhaps you think that it is not possible? What makes you think that?
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Lots of people throughout history (and into the present) have claimed to be a god. Until any of them provide one iota of evidence, we have to assume that they are either lying or that they are crazy.

There is inherent risk in assuming, of course. We may each realize, after we shuffle off this mortal coil, that every single claimant was correct, and that a pantheon of deities are warring in an alternate dimension for our precious souls.

I choose to trust my senses while I am living this life, instead of being either a dupe or a lunatic. Because that is the choice people make when they accept the testimony from god-pretenders. With no evidence whatsoever, they devote their lives to a madman or a charlatan.

I am 12 feet tall. Do you believe me?
 
without evidence, swivel, sure... of course I acknowledge that you may not exist at all, and therefore your height is incidental....

jp-Show me how many politicians are not liars and charlatans of one ilk or another...

as to your worldly goods, if you are selfless, you have no selfish thought, only generosity... without a deity, your self-worth and belief in your worthiness of your posessions characterize you as your own god...
 
There is no implied insult here, let me stress that... Being your own god is probably as functional as anything else...
 
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