What Do You Believe?

[Theland]

My beliefs are well known and documented on all the big questions on the universe origin, abiogenesis, Darwinism, and the massive subject of GOD, the most loaded word in the English language.
My many critics often show limited understanding of the science and evidence they accuse me of lacking knowledge of.
So, what do you actually believe? Anything solid?

[ChillDoubt]

Christianity is Gods answer, He reconciles us to Himself, we do nothing, but accept the free gift of love and forgiveness.
—————-
So does the free love extend to homosexuals in the same way that the forgiveness is extended to the scores if not hundreds of paedophilic clergy?
Or does it depend on which spin or version of your religion you choose to exercise on any given day?

[naomi24]

V_e, //Both of us would agree, wouldn't we, that, having rejected the Christian myth, our moral attitudes, nonetheless, owe something to our specifically Christian culture?//

Thank you very much for your response. Whilst I cannot say what principles we or anyone else would have embraced had religion never been invented, I do agree with you that our moral attitudes owe something to the Christian society into which we were born. However, so, I would suggest, would Richard Dawkins whom, despite being considered a 'New Atheist', is arguably no less compassionate or altruistic than either you or I.

Although I see no purpose in defining yourself specifically as a ’Christian Atheist’, it has had a delighted Khandro slapping you on the back and, in order to deliver a maxim appropriate to the occasion, scrabbling for his trusty book of quotes - and Theland, inspired yet again to extol the dubious virtues of his God, has raised no objection to your terminology. Odd then that others raised in a similar society but describing themselves simply as ‘Atheist’ are considered beleaguered souls to be despised. Dawkins describes himself as such – and both Khandro and Theland hate him. Funny how just one word can influence the malleable psyche.

[naomi24]

Actually, v_e, we could have a 'first' here. Theland has given an atheist 'Best Answer'! :o)

[spathiphyllum]

"What Do You Believe?"

Science, which is pretty solid.

Science explains, with facts and simplicity, some spiritual anomalies.
Science helps explain spiritual and religious concepts.

[vulcan42]

Theland, you asked what do we believe and I have told you. Whether you accept it or not, you are religious person and therefore part of religion. I believe it has caused more hatred and dissension than anything else on this planet and that includes politics and science.

[Khandro]

naomi; //it has had a delighted Khandro slapping you on the back and, in order to deliver a maxim appropriate to the occasion, scrabbling for his trusty book of quotes //

I don't have a book of quotes, I read books geddit? and that one is from one of Scott Fitzgerald's short stories.

Also; //Theland has given an atheist 'Best Answer'! :o)//

No he hasn't really, v_e can well speak for himself, but he isn't simply 'an atheist', he is as he asserts above and unlike you, his atheism has qualifications.

Btw, I recently heard Alan Arkin say he was a 'Jewish atheist' :0)

[naomi24]

Khandro, and you commit all those quotes to memory. Very commendable.

V_e is an atheist – so yes, Theland has given an atheist ‘Best Answer’.

Since I agree with v_e, I’m not sure what, in your estimation, qualifies him as an atheist or what disqualifies me. Perhaps you’ll be kind enough to expand.

//Btw, I recently heard Alan Arkin say he was a 'Jewish atheist'//

That, I would suggest, is something altogether different – and for reasons that should require no explanation.

[ChillDoubt]

Really looking forward to Theland answering my question #21.

[Baldric]

// What do I believe? //

Quite honestly nothing that comes from you.

[Theland]

Chilldoubt - I answered you.

[Theland]

Chilldoubt - #21 - No you are expecting me to equate paedophiles with LGBT? Not a chance.
Love is love and crime is crime.

[vetuste_ennemi]

I owe the oxymoron (as Khandro sees it) "Christian atheist" to Douglas Murray. As a conservative Mr Murray understands how lucky he is to be a child of Western culture, and acknowledges his debt to it even though he can't accept the foundational religious myths of Christianity.

I share Murray's deep pessimism about the future of Western culture which has so many enemies subverting it from within, and so many envious eyes from without looking at such poorly defended wealth.

He articulates it better than I. He has a sense that in getting rid of the religious bath-water we may have lost something else. Is that what "Dover Beach" was about? Who knows? Not this poster.

Check Murray on Youtube talking about Houellebecq's "Soumission" (which I haven't read, but discusses these themes).

[vetuste_ennemi]

The "discussion" is Murray's commentary; "Soumission" is a dystopian novel.

[Theland]

I applaud the common sense of Murray.
No need to fire darts at each other.
I hope this discussion continues, very interesting so far.

[Khandro]

Is there scope I wonder, for an organisation called, 'Christians Anonymous' similar to alcoholics who no longer drink ?

[Theland]

Our views are not fixed. We are forever learning - at least I am.

[Theland]

Assuming we all have an anchor point, "A house built on rock rather than sand," I am interested in others views?
My anchor is Jesus Christ, but others may adapt some kind of science.
Just wondering.

[david small]

I believe in A power greater than myself, I married her.
I believe in life after death, you should see my mother in law.
Nothing really matters, least of all our opinions.

[Theland]

David - sounds like blissfull family.

[naomi24]

V_e, //I owe the oxymoron (as Khandro sees it)…//

Khandro doesn’t appear to regard it as an oxymoron, but has rather latched on to the word ‘Christian’ and applied it you in a very different sense to that intended. He says that since your atheism carries qualifications (that mine apparently doesn’t – even though I agree with you) you’re ‘not really’ an atheist. In an effort to champion religion Khandro is grasping at straws and pulling the shortest.