spidergoat,
The people for whom the experience has been positive, they know whether or not it works. We can only speculate as to whether or not their experiences are true or not.
Maybe, maybe not.
Christianity isn't religion.
Then you should have.
Then for you GOD DOES NOT EXIST, and there is no point in continuing this discussion.
What is irrational about me believing
that you have an imaginary freind, based on your testament? As for being "gullible", it doesn't matter to me whether you are telling the truth or not, because either way it does not affect me.
In western society, everything is like that.
If you have an "imaginary friend" and you know it, then I would ask you to imagine the money for the operation, or imagine your friend getting better.
I agree, but is it
reasonable to conclude that God does not exist, thus no prayer can ever be answered. If yes please state why it is so.
???
Then when did this story begin?
The same can be said of you, you ignore the times it works, and pay attention only to the times they don't.
Here is a good example of not understanding 'religion'.
Doubt has it benefits, but falls short when it stops you from opening your mind. There is nothing new about religion, prayer, or atheism, read the scriptures, try and understand them, then you will see that they depict what has always happened, which is,
what is happening now, and what is going to happen.
You must work out the "is".
No, because they are two different things.
That is your opinion.
Why would I want to attempt such a feat? I have read scriptures, and I believe in the existence of God. If you wish to conduct meaningless experiments, then be my guest.
The difference between us is that you cannot tolerate my "belief", and seek to destroy it.
I can accept your belief that God does not exist, maybe you should try a learn something from that.
Jan.
If the "answer" is indistinguishable then that begs the question, how does anyone know prayer works at all?
The people for whom the experience has been positive, they know whether or not it works. We can only speculate as to whether or not their experiences are true or not.
"Mysterious ways" is a cop-out, a way to stay evasive while still maintaining His existence.
Maybe, maybe not.
This is one of Christianity's central mind viruses, a particular arrangement of ideas that seems like a justification but really means nothing.
Christianity isn't religion.
You could not be more wrong. I could list a dozen cultures with no God concept,...
Then you should have.
No it don't, only that the concept is about as likely as any other fairy tale.
Then for you GOD DOES NOT EXIST, and there is no point in continuing this discussion.
That would be irrational? How could you be do gullible?
What is irrational about me believing
that you have an imaginary freind, based on your testament? As for being "gullible", it doesn't matter to me whether you are telling the truth or not, because either way it does not affect me.
Religion is just like that.
In western society, everything is like that.
What if I asked you for money to get my invisible friend an operation, without which she would die? Would you give it to me?
If you have an "imaginary friend" and you know it, then I would ask you to imagine the money for the operation, or imagine your friend getting better.
Exactly. It is reasonable to conclude that the occaisional times prayer works, or a "miracle" occurs, it is just coincidence.
I agree, but is it
reasonable to conclude that God does not exist, thus no prayer can ever be answered. If yes please state why it is so.
Why would the universe be ruled and created by a being that happened to have many of the same characteristics of a certain species of great ape we call human that only happened to evolve after 4 billion years of other life forms?
???
Isn't it more likely that humans invented a story to make themselves feel protected and central to the story of existence?
Then when did this story begin?
That can be explained by selective attention. They believe because of the one time prayer worked, but they ignore all the times it didn't.
The same can be said of you, you ignore the times it works, and pay attention only to the times they don't.
This is exactly the same psychology as a baseball player with their superstitious charms and rituals.
Here is a good example of not understanding 'religion'.
I think doubt is a reasonable position, but I'm willing to consider anything new.
Doubt has it benefits, but falls short when it stops you from opening your mind. There is nothing new about religion, prayer, or atheism, read the scriptures, try and understand them, then you will see that they depict what has always happened, which is,
what is happening now, and what is going to happen.
You must work out the "is".
If you doubt people have certain experiences, then isn't the nature of the experience irrelevant?
No, because they are two different things.
Perhaps not though, since the experiences seem specially crafted to meet a psychological need.
That is your opinion.
Craft an
hypothesis about God that can be tested. Without this, it's just a strange and unlikely theory, like the Flat Earth.
Why would I want to attempt such a feat? I have read scriptures, and I believe in the existence of God. If you wish to conduct meaningless experiments, then be my guest.
The difference between us is that you cannot tolerate my "belief", and seek to destroy it.
I can accept your belief that God does not exist, maybe you should try a learn something from that.
Jan.