Belief in God is"childish superstition", Jews are not the chosen people Options

[smcd]

His views on God are interesting in that he spent his entire life seeking to remove the mysticism of our world by finding provable, scientific models of how the universe works. He was, in actuality, a god killer. So, while I wouldn't say that his opinions are any better or worse than anyone else's, they are certainly more newsworthy and interesting to discuss.

To wit:

smcd's views on God = not very interesting.
Einstein's views on God = yeah, I'm curious what he had to say about that.

Einstein was a weird smelly old guy who married his first cousin. He wasn't a particularly nice guy. Just ask his first wife (who was actually more interesting than he was). Unless you were a physicist, he'd bore you to fucking tears. But he did become a pop culture icon, so that kinda makes him fascinating to dullards. So go ahead, pretend that Einstein was and awesome guy. But that makes you kind of a dope.



To wit:

Einstein's views on God = not interesting at all.
elk's minor fascination with Einstein = mark of a not very active mind.

[JoeO]

nope.

i smell poll

[elk]

That's a lot of hubris to drop on poor Einstein's shoulders, dude.

And he said lots of things about God and religion, so try not to take this single document as the summa of his beliefs.

I wasn't saying that this document is the be-all end-all of Einstein's opinions on god, I was just explaining why people may find his opinion on the matter of more interest than any of ours, or many other people.

There seemed to be a "why should his opinion matter any more than a retarded guy's opinion" vibe going on in the thread. I was just addressing it.

[mike oliver]

[smcd]

I'm pretty damn sure you are wrong.

Not me.

Oooooooooohhhhhhhh.....!!!!! Look at the rebels!!!

[JodyThePig]

that really is a terrible analogy, and completely non-applicable in this case, considering the lengths pains people have gone to through scientific analysis, to try to investigate and prove or disprove the existence of the supernatural or occult.

Besides the sad state of my analogizing skills, you're missing the point: by definition, scientific analysis is incapable of analyzing anything outside the realm of natural phenomena.

This says nothing about whether a supernatural order does or could exist. "Proof" is a scientific concept.

[elk]

Einstein was a weird smelly old guy who married his first cousin. He wasn't a particularly nice guy. Just ask his first wife (who was actually more interesting than he was). Unless you were a physicist, he'd bore you to fucking tears. But he did become a pop culture icon, so that kinda makes him fascinating to dullards. So go ahead, pretend that Einstein was and awesome guy. But that makes you kind of a dope.
To wit:

Einstein's views on God = not interesting at all.
elk's minor fascination with Einstein = mark of a not very active mind.

Dude, you have grossly over estimated my interest in Einstein. Please refer to my above answer to the pig for further insight regarding my take on this matter.

And my mind is very active. So much so that while I'm sitting here at work, it's actually out in the sun enjoying the head+ sets that are rolling into Rockaway at this very moment.

[mike oliver]

[ghost of bobby dagon]

In that case, you would be wrong.

Nope. You all have something that drives you - and I don't think a true atheist would give a flying rat fuck about this thread.

[Danny Vermin]

Besides the sad state of my analogizing skills, you're missing the point: by definition, scientific analysis is incapable of analyzing anything outside the realm of natural phenomena.

This says nothing about whether a supernatural order does or could exist. "Proof" is a scientific concept.

Proof, is documented, demonstrable fact. It's not a concept. the term "concept" indicates that it is in some way, lacking demonstration. It is not.

The term "supernatural", at it's base definition, is a polite term for "something we'd like to believe is true, that we made up off the top of our heads, because it sounds kinda cool, and makes us feel less depressed about the stark reality that life has it's limits."

[benhamean]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

[JodyThePig]

Proof, is documented, demonstrable fact. It's not a concept. the term "concept" indicates that it is in some way, lacking demonstration. It is not.

The term "supernatural", at it's base definition, is a polite term for "something we'd like to believe is true, that we made up off the top of our heads, because it sounds kinda cool, and makes us feel less depressed about the stark reality that life has it's limits."

In effect, you appear to be making this argument:

Proof is documented, demonstrable fact > Documented, demonstrable fact is only obtainable in the physical order > The physical order is therefore all that exists.

And if proof weren't a concept you wouldn't be able to speak of proof.

[Danny Vermin]

In effect, you appear to be making this argument:

Proof is documented, demonstrable fact > Documented, demonstrable fact is only obtainable in the physical order > The physical order is therefore all that exists.

And if proof weren't a concept you wouldn't be able to speak of proof.

whereas you seem to be making the argument that

Suspect Semantics > Logic.

[JodyThePig]

whereas you seem to be making the argument that

Suspect Semantics > Logic.

You don't see how empiricism would be a poor tool for investigating (supposed) nonphysical properties?

For real and for true?

[J_GuestNoMore]

Nope. You all have something that drives you - and I don't think a true atheist would give a flying rat fuck about this thread.

My Dick drives me. So It is god.

[J_GuestNoMore]

Oooooooooohhhhhhhh.....!!!!! Look at the rebels!!!

Oooooooooohhhhhhhh.....!!!!! Look at the conformist.

[T-Bone]

smcd's views on sandwich bread, women's shoes, and tap dancing = yeah, I'm curious what he has to say about that.

[Danny Vermin]

Nope. You all have something that drives you - and I don't think a true atheist would give a flying rat fuck about this thread.

What you think doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

[Danny Vermin]

You don't see how empiricism would be a poor tool for investigating (supposed) nonphysical properties?

For real and for true?

I'm simply not interested in citing fairy tales as motivation for my choices in adult life.

Wake me when something interesting happens supernaturally.

[FrankD]

so, Gawd DOES play dice with the universe!!!!!

[plcmat]

I consider myself an agnostic rather than an atheist because I think it is as equally difficult to prove that God exists as it is to prove God does not exist (or for that matter to disprove any other supernatural abstraction).

This post has been edited by plcmat: May 13 2008, 11:54 AM

[Maximum Tor]

I'm simply not interested in citing fairy tales as motivation for my choices in adult life.

Wake me when something interesting happens supernaturally.

If only God sat in the heavens laughing at people.

[Old And In The Way]

People who believe in God are often too foolish in too many other aspects of their life to be taken seriously. Some people know they're being ridiculous and don't care because they like the tradition and community more than the absurd notions being spewed. I can get on board with that.

It's the nutjobs who actually buy the story that ought to be marginalized.

[FrankD]

I beleive that god is the energy of the universe

sometimes shit just happens

and sometimes shit happens for a reason

we'll never know the difference

amen

religion is TOTALLY made up

the vatican has an awesome art collection and the sistine chapel ceiling is a masterpiece.

heaven/hell is what you make of the sum total of your life.

on judgement day we judge ourselves.

[DanPM]

Gob loves me