Does God exist ?

[Tosh]

What, you didn't understand what the burning bush was saying?

It was a cannabis bush, I got distracted and then forgot, the rest is history.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2011 10:07:56 GMT -5 swamp said:

Sept 19, 2011 10:04:51 GMT -5 Tosh said:

What persuaded you and your dad that God may not exist ?

A 12 pack.

I was home from college at the time and I told him that I derived more comfort from the thought that this is it over any belief in a supreme being or afterlife.

I was raised Catholic and my belief came about when I started "breaking" Commandments. I knew that I was the same person after I had premarital sex that I was before I did so. I wasn't sorry that I did it and I wasn't going to confess it in Confession either.

I like the idea of the "golden rule" and I teach my children that you do the right thing because it's the right thing to do and not because some guy up in the clouds is going to strike you down if you don't.

[Tosh]

I use Daisy with the moisture strip.

Please loan it to beerwench, seemingly she has a handlebar moustache.

[Deleted]

My priest told me it was "sexy".

[swamp]

Sept 19, 2011 10:23:47 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

My priest told me it was "sexy".

Only because it made him think you're a guy.

I'm going to hell, aren't I?

[Tosh]

I like the idea of the "golden rule" and I teach my children that you do the right thing because it's the right thing to do and not because some guy up in the clouds is going to strike you down if you don't.

There are very good reasons why it is the right thing to do, these also can be simply taught to children.

The rule of reciprocation is valuable because of its practical value to our well being, we are a social species who live in a social environment of our own making.

Without the rule, we would simply be animals living in the wild, and animals living in the wild do not live long or smile much.

[Tosh]

I'm going to hell, aren't I?

Most definitely.

[Tosh]

My priest told me it was "sexy".

Drunks at fancy dress parties are not the most reliable judges.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2011 10:18:26 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

Sept 19, 2011 10:07:56 GMT -5 swamp said:

A 12 pack.

I like the idea of the "golden rule" and I teach my children that you do the right thing because it's the right thing to do and not because some guy up in the clouds is going to strike you down if you don't.

With no guy living up in the clouds, there is no right or wrong.

[Deleted]

Now that you mention it it was October.......

[Tosh]

With no guy living up in the clouds, there is no right or wrong.

Oh I think we can reason our way round this fallacy.

If we start from the bottom and work up we can achieve well being.

The bottom is a world where the most suffering is inflicted on the most people, this is not conducive to our well being and therefore wrong.

ANYTHING THAT REDUCES THIS CONDITION IS RIGHT.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2011 10:45:44 GMT -5 Tosh said:

With no guy living up in the clouds, there is no right or wrong.

Oh I think we can reason our way round this fallacy.

If we start from the bottom and work up we can achieve well being.

The bottom is a world where the most suffering is inflicted on the most people, this is not conducive to our well being and therefore wrong.

ANYTHING THAT REDUCES THIS CONDITION IS RIGHT.

Well being is the difference of right or wrong?


Does that mean that a 60 inch LCD TV is right and a 19 inch tube TV is wrong?

[Deleted]

Most laws stop someone from infringing on another's "well-being".

[domic]

Yes there is a God. The only way to Him is through Jesus Christ, and it nothing to do with any good deeds or being a good person.

[Tosh]

Well being is the difference of right or wrong?

Nope, absolute wrong is inflicting the worst suffering on all the people, absolute right is inflicting no suffering on no people.

Therefore the difference between right or wrong is one of inflicting suffering, well being is the condition of no suffering.

[Tosh]

Does that mean that a 60 inch LCD TV is right and a 19 inch tube TV is wrong?

Ask your psychiatrist, and please put those matches down.

[Tosh]

Most laws stop someone from infringing on another's "well-being".

Laws are to prevent suffering. the absence of suffering is the condition of well being.

[Deleted]

Does that mean that a 60 inch LCD TV is right and a 19 inch tube TV is wrong?

There is no "right" or "wrong". You believe what you want to believe and I'll believe what I want to believe.

I didn't seek out to convert my Dad -- I told him how I felt about the matter and he made his own decision.

[domic]

Sounds a lot like the difference between love and hate.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2011 11:05:26 GMT -5 Tosh said:

Well being is the difference of right or wrong?

Nope, absolute wrong is inflicting the worst suffering on all the people, absolute right is inflicting no suffering on no people.

Therefore the difference between right or wrong is one of inflicting suffering, well being is the condition of no suffering.

How do you reconcile two people in the same exact situation. One suffers and the other does not.

[cael]

Sorry, should've clarified! UU = Unitarian Universalism, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_universalism

Archie I love that Douglas Adams passage, haha!

[Tosh]

Yes there is a God. The only way to Him is through Jesus Christ, and it nothing to do with any good deeds or being a good person.

I suggest you read the teachings of Jesus, he did make mention of abiding by the law to enter the kingdom of God, quite a lot.

Do not get confused with the religion of Jesus and the religion about Jesus.

[Deleted]

suffering is to well-being as

A. hate is to love
B. bad is to good
C. potato is to potahto
D. tomato is to tomahto

I can totally see that on the SAT's!

[Tosh]

There is no "right" or "wrong".

If you do not believe that a world which promotes the worst possible suffering onto the most number of people is not wrong, then God help you.
Please bear in mind you are not exempt from this absolute principle, I suggest your well being will be threatened.

[Deleted]

I was speaking about our beliefs. He is not "wrong" because he doesn't believe the same thing as I do and I am not "wrong" because I don't believe the same as him. I am sorry that I neglected to provide the context.

[Deleted]

Sept 16, 2011 13:27:51 GMT -5 Tosh said:

Wasn't this one of your pet projects on the old UK boards.

I find it fascinating, it does occupy my thoughts somewhat.

What was your ID on the old UK forums ?

I didn't post very often on that forum but did occasionally lurk and I remember your ID and the Dude Abides one...I think that was it.

In any event, if it hasn't been said already, and I'm sure it has, the whole notion of a supreme being is not subject to any kind of empirical verification, it is a matter of belief, not observable demonstrable facts, but belief. Some choose to believe, some don't.

As long as people don't try to shove their beliefs down my throat, or try to curtail or arrange my life according to their beliefs, then they are welcome to believe in leprechauns, the tooth fairy, Santa Clause and the big spaghetti monster in the sky...I don't care.

Religion should always be a matter for private consumption, not public display.

Oh, and I am most certainly not a member of the 'Dana Crew". I wonder where that group of imbeciles ended up. Actually I don't.

[Tosh]

How do you reconcile two people in the same exact situation. One suffers and the other does not.

For example.

[Tosh]

Sorry, should've clarified! UU = Unitarian Universalism,

OK,

They are not a bad bunch, Humanism with a deity.

[Tosh]

I was speaking about our beliefs. He is not "wrong" because he doesn't believe the same thing as I do and I am not "wrong" because I don't believe the same as him. I am sorry that I neglected to provide the context.

No probs, I thought it was a bit odd, I should have asked for clarification instead of jumping down your throat.

[Deleted]

If that's you jumping down someone's throat then I think I prefer "cerebral" people. ;D