Why do people believe in God?

Again, I simply note that it's strange behaviour to come to a discussion forum and then be unwilling to actually have a discussion. To me, it suggests you have a different set of motivations for posting here. It suggests, again, that you are not posting in good faith. Ironic, when you call yourself a Christian.
 
James R said:
Again, I simply note that it's strange behaviour to come to a discussion forum and then be unwilling to actually have a discussion. To me, it suggests you have a different set of motivations for posting here. It suggests, again, that you are not posting in good faith. Ironic, when you call yourself a Christian.
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I’ve already said why I think it’s different in a post to Pinball…

“This one is definitely just a compilation of poems and folklore. It is attributed to one man who was himself a priest”
 
Moderator note: some off-topic posts about Creationism/Intelligent Design have been moved to a separate thread, here:

Intelligent design redux

Moderator note: This thread was split from the following thread, on why people believe in God: https://www.sciforums.com/threads/why-do-people-believe-in-god.166210/ --- Do all scientists accept this? Here is an example of how the scientific community regarding Evolution as opposed to an...
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Write4U said:
Why are there 5.8 billion people who believe in a god and only 16 % of the world's population is atheist?
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How do you suspect that those numbers are anywhere near accurate? There are apparently 13 countries where atheism is a capital offense;
Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Not to mention, personally I suspect at least half - half the alleged theists are far more likely to be atheists. It's about community, tradition, social benefits, family. So, though anecdotal, I don't trust those numbers. How do they even tally those?

 
Pinball1970 said:
Why do a % of the population think slavery is ok?
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They have slaves.

Pinball1970 said:
Women are less than men?
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Or men are less than women.

Pinball1970 said:
The earth is flat?
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They don't know any better.

Pinball1970 said:
Believe in a creation?
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You have an alternate explanation?


Pinball1970 said:
The earth is 6000 years old?
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Unscriptural theological tradition and ignorance?

Pinball1970 said:
People can be wrong.
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People are usually wrong.

Pinball1970 said:
Sometimes the majority can be wrong.
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And the minority as well.
 
Revelation In Space said:
How do you suspect that those numbers are anywhere near accurate? There are apparently 13 countries where atheism is a capital offense;
Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Not to mention, personally I suspect at least half - half the alleged theists are far more likely to be atheists. It's about community, tradition, social benefits, family. So, though anecdotal, I don't trust those numbers. How do they even tally those?
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This is a misrepresentation. There is notionally the possibility of a death penalty for apostasy from Islam in some or all of these. That’s quite different. And, I suspect, it is extremely rarely carried out, for obvious reasons. How would anyone in authority know?
 
exchemist said:
This is a misrepresentation. There is notionally the possibility of a death penalty for apostasy from Islam in some or all of these. That’s quite different. And, I suspect, it is extremely rarely carried out, for obvious reasons. How would anyone in authority know?
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In a country where apostasy from Islam is a capital offense, who, besides tourists aren't going to be subject to that punishment? And even if it weren't carried out who among the populace is going to freely admit to atheism?
 
Revelation In Space said:
In a country where apostasy from Islam is a capital offense, who, besides tourists aren't going to be subject to that punishment? And even if it weren't carried out who among the populace is going to freely admit to atheism?
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I worked in the UAE for four years. The population was 80% immigrants like me, on contracts, from the Indian subcontinent or Europe, so not nominally muslim. So none of them would be affected by this theoretical law. And if a nominal muslim were to say, privately, that he did not believe, how would anyone in authority come to know? And if they did, what would they do? Arrest them? Forget it. Never happens.
 
exchemist said:
And if a nominal muslim were to say, privately, that he did not believe, how would anyone in authority come to know? And if they did, what would they do? Arrest them? Forget it. Never happens.
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Salman Rushdie had a fatwa issued against, that nearly cost him his life . He got away with losing an eye.
1724974393346.png Thirty-four years ago, the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, issued a fatwa calling for the assassination of the novelist Salman Rushdie, whose book “The Satanic Verses” Khomeini declared blasphemous. It caused a worldwide uproar. Feb 6, 2023
www.newyorker.com

Salman Rushdie on Surviving the Fatwa

In his first interview since a near-fatal knife attack in August, the novelist talks with David Remnick about his recovery, and his new novel.
www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.com
 
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