Frank, religion does not need to prove anything. They rely on faith, and faith does not need facts. I do know what you're saying though, truly
Croyant - Actually, yes you did. Augustus - I'm not saying religion need to be based off fact, I'm saying the presence of a singular supreme being depicted as god may not be, if there is any, the "true" almightly figure. I'm not saying there is infact a supreme being of any kind, however if there is; the chances of the bible being correct in the depiction of god is quite low. I understand exactly what you're saying aswell, I was raised as a christian with my Father and step mom being catholic. The only problem I had was the obvious lack of factual evidence.
The bible is originally a guide of how to live in those times. Later it became a way of giving the leaders' more power, and made them rich. I completely distrust any religion made by Man. In this day and age however, science must show you facts and documents. Religion on the other hand, merely needs to invoke people's imagination and fear's.
Following texts made thousands of years ago in an incredibly more developed time today makes no sense. In fact, it is downright stupid. Religion has done nothing but limit humanity. People are told to accept that God made the Earth and to accept that, rather to explore and discover what happened for themselves. This is the biggest problem with religion: it teaches and encourages people to be ignorant, and it is significantly effecting the development of humanity.
Augustus, the bible was hardly followed before it was used as a political and money making strategy. The beliefe in any religion, old or new, is a beliefe in something superior to ourselfs, wether it be a higher state of enlightenment, or a man in the sky; it's still the beliefe in a superior matter. The beliefe in a religion not made my man would dictate you believe in a higher form to have created said religion. That or you don't believe at all. I trust no religion because there are multiple religions. If one faith was the superior faith, it would prevail. But even then, I may not be the truth. For all we know, there might not be a truth of religion. Religion is based on fear. Fear is the greatest motivator, instinctualy we wish to survive, to prosper, to achieve a higher state of body, mind, or being. Religion does this, through many mediums; including fear. Logical science also does this. "The fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all." Sound familiar? Science is to explore the unknown and to refine the explored. Fear of what we cannot know, including the aftermath of death, is good cause to live in hope.
Cam - The bible, or any religion for that matter, does not forbid one to explore the past and seek the truth. Believing in the writtings of the bible is a personal choice for those that do. They believe their religion to be the proper faith and to be their apperent truth. You and I see the world as a place of science. The belief that science can explain everything, even that of which we do not know yet, is in itself; a faith.
toast - A theory is still unexplained and not yet proved as a factual statement, as is a religion. Faith is the trust that your beliefes are that of the truth, as is the trust in science to provide new knowlage. They're both faith, and theory.
Well this was a good discussion. The most enjoyable one I've been in for quite a while haha. Moose, any thoughts after all our bantering?
Frankenstein, I don't think you know exactly what a theory is. Theories are not based on faith. Nothing in science is based on faith.
Science is based on factual evidence, yes. However, how would you explain something we know science will discover, but hasn't yet? We know things to be possible by dictation of our beliefe, yet unexplainable by logic. We rely on our faith to know that the things we can't see are there. For science to evolve and expand as a subject people have to have faith that there is more to learn, and many people do.
"How will we explain something we know science will discover, but hasn't yet?" There is nothing we know that science will discover that it hasn't yet. "We rely on faith to know that the things we can't see are there." Like what? We know about microorganisms, though we can't see them with the naked eye. We know what air is made up of because we can test it scientifically. It's called chemistry. "We know things to be possible by our beliefs, but unexplainable by logic." What things? You're being very vague.
I've observed and learned alot from many of the posts here.After all in Christianity " Initially Doubting Thomas did not believe in Jesus being the savior at first unless he could put his hands in the holes of Jesus's palms.The moment Jesus appears to him ,he immediately believed and was remorseful for not believing.Sometimes if God made himself known in more obvious ways I can tell you this world would have more believers in him
Science vs religion. Hmm I'm sorry but science is trampling everything. Clear example, heaven is supposedly a kingdom in the skies, well folks we went beyond the skies into space and what did we see, the darkness of space. Which pretty much opens the topic that aliens were these so called beings.
@Ryuu I know you're trying to make a point but I can only assume that a "kingdom in the skies" is a metaphor. Possibly to a place better than anywhere found on earth? Regardless, doubtfully literally a floating kingdom.