Searching for GOD...

[Shaker]

So can you imagine your dog ever attending a bible class ?   

I said she's not the brightest lamp in the lane, not that she's downright silly, Alan

[Alan Burns]

... conveniently overlooking the sudden, immediate, unsought and total collapse of belief effectively overnight, of course.

As I said, nothing in this world can separate me from God's love.

[savillerow]

Msg 13384 AB "You seem to have no concept of how strong a persons christian faith can be" No i dont, but of course i know it exists. Thats the big old wall of naivety, ignorance and lazy thinking that people of no faith have got to keep chipping at.

[Shaker]

As I said, nothing in this world can separate me from God's love.

Repetition isn't an argument, Alan. You can't claim certainty in this area - people's religious faith simply evaporates sometimes (it did with the former athlete Roger Black some years ago) and if you think that you're a special little snowflake immune to this danger then you're even more deeply deluded than we take you for already.

Like the national lottery, it could be you.

[Alan Burns]

Do you think monkeys are self aware, and have sense of fair play and fair payment for work done?

Not being a monkey, I can't speculate on what goes on in a monkey's mind, but from my own observations I see no evidence of a monkey being capable of belief in God or afterlife.

I cannot imagine any intelligent being attending one.

You seem to imply that monkeys are more intelligent than those humans attending bible study 

[Maeght]

Not being a monkey, I can't speculate on what goes on in a monkey's mind,

And yet ...

Human beings would appear to be unique amongst the animal kingdom in having awareness of their spiritual nature.

[Alan Burns]

You can't claim certainty in this area - people's religious faith simply evaporates sometimes (it did with the former athlete Roger Black some years ago)

As Gonnagle said in a previous post, some tee shirts are bigger than others.  It would seem that I have been blessed with an XXXL.   

[BeRational]

Not being a monkey, I can't speculate on what goes on in a monkey's mind, but from my own observations I see no evidence of a monkey being capable of belief in God or afterlife.You seem to imply that monkeys are more intelligent than those humans attending bible study 

Do you think monkeys  are self aware and able to recognize a fair days pay for a fair days work?

Watch the video and then tell me the monkey is not thinking about what she considers 'right' and 'wrong' for the situation.

Dare you watch?

Please be aware that it might challenge your made up stuff.

[Shaker]

As Gonnagle said in a previous post, some tee shirts are bigger than others.  It would seem that I have been blessed with an XXXL.   

T-shirts can disappear whatever their size, though.

[wigginhall]

You seem to have no concept of how strong a belief can be, even if it is not true. Unless we allow our beliefs to be open to falsification, we all run the risk that they may be false.

And there is the problem: I'm guessing there is absolutely no objective evidence and no reasoning that you would accept as falsification of your belief in your god.

With respect belief in your god, you have put yourself beyond reason and evidence.

Yes, there is the old question, 'how would you know that you are wrong?'.   Some Christians, such as AB, can move the goal-posts again and again, so that they aren't wrong.    But then you could also say, using another old phrase,  that they are not even wrong!

[Stranger]

And there is the problem: I'm guessing there is absolutely no objective evidence and no reasoning that you would accept as falsification of your belief in your god.

With respect belief in your god, you have put yourself beyond reason and evidence.

As I said, nothing in this world can separate me from God's love.

So, confirmation: you are beyond rationality and evidence when it come to belief in your god...

[Alan Burns]

Do you think monkeys  are self aware and able to recognize a fair days pay for a fair days work?

Watch the video and then tell me the monkey is not thinking about what she considers 'right' and 'wrong' for the situation.

Dare you watch?

Please be aware that it might challenge your made up stuff.

It is quite amusing, but the only conclusion I can make is that the monkey on the left prefers grapes to cucumber.  It is not exactly a challenge to my faith.

[Shaker]

Yes, there is the old question, 'how would you know that you are wrong?'.   Some Christians, such as AB, can move the goal-posts again and again, so that they aren't wrong.    But then you could also say, using another old phrase,  that they are not even wrong!

Alan continually does the Burns two-step to avoid even the merest possibility that he might be wrong or that his beliefs could change radically or evaporate altogether. He has placed himself beyond any possible threat of falsifiability.

[Stranger]

Yes, there is the old question, 'how would you know that you are wrong?'.   Some Christians, such as AB, can move the goal-posts again and again, so that they aren't wrong.

What's even more alarming is that he seems to think that being beyond any reasoning or evidence is somehow virtuous; something to boast about.

[wigginhall]

It is quite amusing, but the only conclusion I can make is that the monkey on the left prefers grapes to cucumber.  It is not exactly a challenge to my faith.

I don't think there is such a thing, as you can always obfuscate, or wriggle around, or, let's face it, lie. 

[Shaker]

What's even more alarming is that he seems to think that being beyond any reasoning or evidence is somehow virtuous; something to boast about.

That's because his book tells him that faith is a good thing and if you have it you're a good boy, and the more faith you have the better you are. Believing six impossible things before breakfast wins you fifty points, a dozen earns you five hundred points and fifty hare-brained claims about the nature of reality nets you the canteen of cutlery in the faux leather presentation case.

[Alan Burns]

So, confirmation: you are beyond rationality and evidence when it come to belief in your god...

I have all the evidence I need.  After removing the obstacles to faith, I have come to know God, because He has made Himself known to me.  I realise that this may look like self delusion from outside the faith, but from inside, I can say with confidence that God's love is real.

[Shaker]

I have all the evidence I need.  After removing the obstacles to faith, I have come to know God, because He has made Himself known to me.  I realise that this may look like self delusion from outside the faith

Not only that but a pitch of arrogance and self-aggrandisement known to few.

[wigginhall]

I have all the evidence I need.  After removing the obstacles to faith, I have come to know God, because He has made Himself known to me.  I realise that this may look like self delusion from outside the faith, but from inside, I can say with confidence that God's love is real.

Well, OK, but you do realize how unattractive this sounds?   Atheism has a secret weapon in you.

[Brownie]

Pots and kettles floo!!! You keep saying the opposite over and over as if to prove to yourself that is it's true, too! 
Seriously, Alan just says what he believes and takes the consequent ridicule on the chin, bless.  At least he's pleasant, doesn't appear to get anyone's backs up.

[Alan Burns]

Well, OK, but you do realize how unattractive this sounds?   Atheism has a secret weapon in you.

I can assure you that being aware of God's love is more attractive than you can ever imagine.

[wigginhall]

Pots and kettles floo!!! You keep saying the opposite over and over as if to prove to yourself that is it's true, too! 
Seriously, Alan just says what he believes and takes the consequent ridicule on the chin, bless.  At least he's pleasant, doesn't appear to get anyone's backs up.

I don't agree.  Seriously, he is full of pride and narcissism, and it does get people's backs up, as he does't really discuss in a meaningful interactive way.   He just moves the goal-posts and lies.

[Stranger]

I have all the evidence I need.  After removing the obstacles to faith, I have come to know God, because He has made Himself known to me.  I realise that this may look like self delusion from outside the faith, but from inside, I can say with confidence that God's love is real.

It just looks sadly irrational. You have no objective evidence and you have no reasoned arguments, what I guess you have is some sort of experience, which you have chosen to interpret as god and now you have closed down any possible way you could test that interpretation.

Why do you think a god who gave you the ability to assess evidence and to reason would want you to ignore those abilities? Why would it hide behind unverifiable individual experiences and hide from any rational investigations?

[wigginhall]

I can assure you that being aware of God's love is more attractive than you can ever imagine.

This is a case in point - how do you know what I can imagine?   You don't, and it does your faith no good, in pretending that you do.   It just sounds arrogant and disconnected. 

[Gonnagle]

Dear Keeper of the Sacred Waistcoat,

Ah well! is our Alan tickling your periaqueductal grey, more importantly is Alan tickling the bad part of your periaqueductal grey, if so then you would not be posting on this wonderful thread, you would walk away, not come near this thread, but no, you and most other posters are drawn to this thread and to our Alan, so does that mean that Alan is actually tickling the good part of your Jelly bean, the part responsible for orgasmic delight

Gonnagle.