• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Poll: What are your religious/theologic beliefs

Page 5 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

What religion/theology or metaphysical idea do you believe?

  • Christian

  • Jewish

  • Muslim

  • Hindu

  • Budist

  • Atheist

  • Unsure

  • Spiritual but not adherent to any organized group

  • Organized group not mentioned above

  • Other

Results are only viewable after voting.
Train said:
exactly


Sure I can. Faith is exactly that, believing without proof.
Click to expand...

I'm still wondering why people who know the definition of faith would claim to possess religious faith with such apparent pride. It does not seem to be a virtue to me, and quotes like the one above equate to saying "I do that for no good reason, and that makes me special". It seems like simply saying the words "Faith is exactly that, believing without proof" would immediately cause the speaker to realize how stupid the concept they are defending is.
 
SlitheryDee said:
I'm still wondering why people who know the definition of faith would claim to possess religious faith with such apparent pride. It does not seem to be a virtue to me, and quotes like the one above equate to saying "I do that for no good reason, and that makes me special". It seems like simply saying the words "Faith is exactly that, believing without proof" would immediately cause the speaker to realize how stupid the concept they are defending is.
Click to expand...

I can accept that you dont believe, I'm not ridiculing you for it. Why cant you do the same for me?

This is why people say athiests(or more acurately in your case, anti-theist) can be more annoying than the theists.

It's almost as if you have to keep re-affirming yourself by putting down opposing viewpoints. Which in itself is counter to what you claim.
 
Last edited:
Train said:
I can accept that you dont believe, I'm not riduculing you for it. Why cant you do the same for me?

This is why people say athiests(or more acurately in your case, anti-theist) can be more annoying than the theists.
Click to expand...

I'm not ridiculing you for your beliefs. I am not attacking you. I AM attacking an idea which you and a number of other people share and I think is incorrect. There is a difference. I daresay you'll never see me reduced to namecalling or personal attacks. At least haven't been so far.
 
SlitheryDee said:
I'm still wondering why people who know the definition of faith would claim to possess religious faith with such apparent pride. It does not seem to be a virtue to me, and quotes like the one above equate to saying "I do that for no good reason, and that makes me special". It seems like simply saying the words "Faith is exactly that, believing without proof" would immediately cause the speaker to realize how stupid the concept they are defending is.
Click to expand...

Seems like a ridicule to me.

But if you say it wasn't meant that way, I will, in good faith, take your word for it 😉
 
Last edited:
Train said:
exactly


Sure I can. Faith is exactly that, believing without proof.
Click to expand...

So please help me understand: Why would you accept some core belief without any evidence that any of it is real? I can think of some possible reasons:

Such belief allows you to fit in to a given social group. The people around you in your life also believe, you believe, and therefore you have something in common and everyone is reasonably happy.

Such belief gives you a sense of comfort in that you feel like your life has purpose and meaning within the immensity that is the universe. Maybe on some level you are afraid that when you die there will be no continuity, that your consciousness ends with death.

Such belief was instilled in you as a child by your parents and family. You believe as you do because your parents do also. If/when you have children, you will raise them with the same values and beliefs.

Note that none of the above address the validity of the beliefs themselves. For all we as humanity really know, perhaps the Aztecs had it right with their ideas about human sacrifice, or the ancient Egyptians were right with their beliefs. Maybe somewhere there really is a Mount Olympus where Greek gods live. Or maybe Jesus actually did die on the cross and was resurrected thereafter.
 
This thread is going places.

Glad to see there are mostly sensible people on the forums though. Or at least of those who were willing to cast a vote.
 
meltdown75 said:
please help ME understand why ANYONE CARES WHAT ANYONE ELSE BELIEVES

@#*U^$%!*$%)~
Click to expand...

Because a lot of people who do have faith in certain belief systems not only want others to believe it also, they want to structure society such that it functions for everyone according to that belief system.
 
lxskllr said:
I voted other. I'm a part of the I Don't Give a Shit religion. Thinking about it is a pointless waste of time, even to go as far as agnostic, or athiest. It might be fun to speculate while laying around, kind of the way I wonder what it would be like to travel to the other side of the universe. In the end though, it's pointless....
Click to expand...

I call this "Apatheist"..."I don't know, I don't care." Describes my spouse's thoughts on religion perfectly.
 
meltdown75 said:
please help ME understand why ANYONE CARES WHAT ANYONE ELSE BELIEVES

@#*U^$%!*$%)~
Click to expand...

I don't think religious beliefs are subjective. We're not talking about whether this or that painting is most beautiful, or which kind music is best. The questions that religion addresses are scientific questions that have definite yes or no answers, and the methodology religion uses to answer them is faulty. I point out what I see as an error in logical thinking, just like anyone would do for any other subject under discussion. There is no reason for religion to be protected from the same scrutiny that avails humanity so well in everyday life. There is no reason for me to check my skepticism when the subject is faith in deities or the soul or an afterlife. Even if I can't give you a final answer to those questions I can point out that you never had a compelling logical reason to ask them, and thereby hopefully aid you in forming rational ideas.

Why the hell can't we discuss it then? There is no shortage of willing participants on either side. What's the harm in pitting our beliefs against each other to see which of them holds up? We may not be able to answer logically the questions that religion claims to answer through divine inspiration, but we can identify the inconsistencies that arise before we even get the point where divine inspiration is a credible prospect. We may not be able to find out who is right, but we can determine who is least wrong.
 
when it comes to faith and personal religious beliefs, there is no such thing as "wrong". that's what is lost on all you nerds. you just. don't. get it. and you never will so i don't know why the fuck i even bother. it's the same annoying nerds in every damn religion threads that get my ire up every time. at least when i joined back in 2004, there was mainly only Gurck to deal with. now there's just hordes of you lemmings, and you all sound exactly the same.
 
Kadarin said:
Your question equates to: There are different books about God and the creation of the universe and morality and so forth, and they have different conclusions about various things therein. Does that therefore mean that God does not exist?

I do not know whether or not God exists. Or whether there happens to be more than one god, or what its gender is, or any other thing about it. Despite the fact that a number of writings exist on the subject, there is no evidence whatsoever that God exists or that any one text is any less worthless than any other.

However, since you happen to believe, you simply cannot accept that there is no such evidence. You just can't.
Click to expand...

Sometimes I just like to point people to the definition of "Slippery Slope Argument" and forget them. They are like 10 years behind anyway.
 
Train said:
I can accept that you believe, I'm not condemning you to Hell for it. Why cant you do the same for me?

This is why people say the Religious(or more acurately in your case, Christians) can be more annoying than the Atheists.

It's almost as if you have to keep re-affirming yourself by putting down opposing viewpoints. Which in itself is counter to what you claim.
Click to expand...

Um, the above is usually what happens.
 
SlitheryDee said:
I'm still wondering why people who know the definition of faith would claim to possess religious faith with such apparent pride. It does not seem to be a virtue to me, and quotes like the one above equate to saying "I do that for no good reason, and that makes me special". It seems like simply saying the words "Faith is exactly that, believing without proof" would immediately cause the speaker to realize how stupid the concept they are defending is.
Click to expand...

MJinZ said:
Um, the above is usually what happens.
Click to expand...
Yet this thread is the opposite. Explain that one.

I see the "victim" card is creeping back into the anti-theist's posts, typical in these types of threads.
 
Train said:
Yet this thread is the opposite. Explain that one.

I see the "victim" card is creeping back into the anti-theist's posts, typical in these types of threads.
Click to expand...

Um let's see.

How many Christian groups are out there picketing, screaming and yelling against Gays, Veterans, Soldiers ... even at funerals?

How many Atheist groups out there doing anything to bother people, except to calmly explain in no illogical or irrational terms about why they believe what they believe.
 
MJinZ said:
Um let's see.

How many Christian groups are out there picketing, screaming and yelling against Gays, Veterans, Soldiers ... even at funerals?

How many Atheist groups out there doing anything to bother people, except to calmly explain in no illogical or irrational terms about why they believe what they believe.
Click to expand...

What are YOU doing?
 
i still have no idea what you are trying to get across to me

anyway

I voted atheist, and would have voted for that "don't fucking care" option as well if it existed. I don't have any issues with peoples faiths, organized religion is another story and is where the negative feelings at religion as a whole come from. I also have issue when people try and take a personal issue (faith/religion) and make public decisions based on it. the past 2000 or so years have demonstrated pretty well how bad that works
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top