Evidence for religion

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Still here? How can one prove that inner joy exists...to someone that insists that they need diagrams and graphs and figures and 'scientific proof' before they will even entertain the notion that joy is actually the very root of one's real existence?

Is your inner joy manifested from the accreditation of your actions by your faith in something only you believe in?

All religious people see God in the way they require God to be.

 

[arfurclue]

Any chance you could repost that in english?

Genuinely? Am surprised, but there you go. It's a simple question : do you believe that Life is essentially intelligent or not? . You might say yes, you might say no... but would you agree that that the answers that followed this yes or no would be somewhat different?

 

[bluejon]

Genuinely? Am surprised, but there you go. It's a simple question : do you believe that Life is essentially intelligent or not? . You might say yes, you might say no... but would you agree that that the answers that followed this yes or no would be somewhat different?

Alright, straight up answer, with a question. What do you mean by intelligent?

 

[arfurclue]

Is your inner joy manifested from the accreditation of your actions by your faith in something only you believe in?

All religious people see God in the way they require God to be.

No - is more like, at times, I come to be aware of an inner joy that has fuck all to with religious/scientific beliefs. It just is. And am happy to experience this. Shit, it goes even
beyond Manchester-city-supporter-we-won-the -treble-how-fucking-great-ism. That might sound blasphemous for some, but hey...that's how I choose to enjoy life. Not something I would wish to force upon another...for one, I would rather you choose your own 'ideology.' For two, trying to impose my ideology upon another seems like a whole heap too much effort...and I' m a bit too lazy for that (yes, I know laziness is a 'sin'... but, whatever...)

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Still here? How can one prove that inner joy exists...to someone that insists that they need diagrams and graphs and figures and 'scientific proof' before they will even entertain the notion that joy is actually the very root of one's real existence?

Inner joy is easy to prove the existence of; it’s just endorphins that activate the body's opiate receptors causing an analgesic effect.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

No - is more like, at times, I come to be aware of an inner joy that has fuck all to with religious/scientific beliefs. It just is. And am happy to experience this. Shit, it goes even
beyond Manchester-city-supporter-we-won-the -treble-how-fucking-great-ism. That might sound blasphemous for some, but hey...that's how I choose to enjoy life. Not something I would wish to force upon another...for one, I would rather you choose your own 'ideology.' For two, trying to impose my ideology upon another seems like a whole heap too much effort...and I' m a bit too lazy for that (yes, I know laziness is a 'sin'... but, whatever...)

I'm in an unique position of being married to a vicar and seeing how the church works (in isolation of a single church) through an agnostic's eyes.

I genuinely don't care about religion one way or the other as long as it doesn't impact negatively on anyone.

I'm only talking Church of England here, I have no real experience of other religions bar my education and experience from friends who follow other religions.

Most people who "find religion" do so as their life isn't going great and they find a community of people who want them to do better. It's the sense that people are looking out for them that draws them in. The vast majority don't believe the bible to be sacrosanct, but will go along with enough to keep them in the community they perceive is looking out for them.

It's bourne out of the fact that they've gone to someone (usually the vicar) and they've had time to listen to their problems and said some generic things that they can latch on to and they see that as solace.

It's generally because they don't feel alone anymore rather than the belief in God.

I tend to get involved with the community side of church only. They served Christmas lunch to homeless and isolated elderly people, which I happily supported. They are involved in the Fairshare project where supermarkets donate left over food that can be collected and given to the homeless.

Religion can do good, but for me only through name. The community is more important to me and if I can help vulnerable people through using the CofE name, I won't apologise for that.

 

[arfurclue]

Alright, straight up answer, with a question. What do you mean by intelligent?

That's a really good question. Not sure I can answer it here on this forum. If that seems like a cop-out ,then fair enough. But is this not really the question
that humanity has been asking itself through the likes o f science/art/religion etc? Can it really be defined? Perhaps, in this way, the best answer I can give is in
the negative - as in I feel that I have made some properly stupid decisions in my life and would quite like to open to something more intelligent. How I go about this
is my way, how others* go about this is their way. I do NOT mean to impose yet if I feel imposition then sometimes I react. Maybe not so great, but hey....(*by this I don't mean to imply that others are stupid...just finding my own way through this)

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

But religion is about faith. Believing without seeing.

I have a question for the athesits out there. What do you believe happens after death? Does it give you comfort to think we are gone and that is it? Does it not give you comfort to think your dead relatives\friends are in a better place?

No. Like all lifeforms on Earth we have our life, then die and maybe we have left our seed for the next generation to grow.

 

[arfurclue]

Inner joy is easy to prove the existence of; it’s just endorphins that activate the body's opiate receptors causing an analgesic effect.

Yes. Can we, for a moment, put aside arguments about the existence/non-existence of 'god?' Instead look at endorphins. Which might be called endogenous morphine. As in it is something that is triggered form the inside rather than the outside? So, we may disagree on much and how we come to this. But in a practical sense can this be helpful as a discussion? Look at a painkiller addiction, Have pain, now look outside for a painkiller. Get high, come down again. Pain still there, get high again. But what if folk can come to know a way of being that releases pain from within"? Could it be that they would not then have to reach out for painkillers? Would that be such a bad thing? Maybe the inner 'painkiller' could bring a balance that is not quite the same as getting high off your tits but instead brings more awareness?

 

[arfurclue]

Is your inner joy manifested from the accreditation of your actions by your faith in something only you believe in?

All religious people see God in the way they require God to be.

Like I've earned god somehow more than 'you?' Bollocks. But yes, some religions might try to sell this. I don't buy it...well,
not to often ...and, when I do - sure...call me a mug. No problems. I'll admit that. But I have also experienced something
beyond this, that no religion (or science!!!) could really, fully explain