Original Sin?

Quote: Evenbob

LOL! You sure are full of yourself. Men like
Joseph Campbell made it his life's work and
came to the conclusion there is no god. He's
still not smart as you, though, right?

Whoa there horsey I myself never claimed to be smart. Secondly, it is just a fact that there needs to be a "God" the sooner you realize that the better. However, what you and I usually refer to as atheists are those who don't believe in any God or First Cause that is represented by religion. I think if you pressed any of these smart guys like Jospeh Campbell, Einstein, Hawking, etc. about why we are here and if there is a divine creator of all things they wouldn't agree to such a statement but they wouldn't be so bold as to deny it either. They might say we don't know, can't know, don't know yet and all of them might say that God is not the answer they prefer or are comfortable with, however to say that you have come to a conclusion there is no God with no evidence and every logical and philosophical argument aimed against you is indeed foolish or as you would say the answer of a brainwashed robot full of hubris. These smart guys, I don't think would ever say that.

Quote: Evenbob

No, it's your truth, not 'the' truth.

Are there two different truths? Which one is true then?

Quote: FrGamble

it is just a fact that there needs to be a "God"

For your religion to work, yes. For other
religions, like Hinduism and Buddhism,
a god is not needed. You throw axioms
around like they're confetti, and their
worth about as much as confetti is worth.

Quote: FrGamble

Are there two different truths? Which one is true then?

Whichever is true for you. There is
no philosophical one truth, how
could there be.

Quote: Evenbob

For your religion to work, yes.

Wrong, for anything at all to work, for there to be existence at all there needs to be a God.

Quote: Evenbob

Whichever is true for you. There is
no philosophical one truth, how
could there be.

I would like to submit the above quote as Exhibit A; proving that smart people who are atheists are not good at philosophy.

Quote: FrGamble

So you aren't up for discussion or debate?

Hell, no. I'm not responsible for correcting your misconceptions.

Quote:

I'd be curious if this was a case when this couple was pushed into having children when they weren't ready or did not want to at the time or if they really never wanted to have children together?

Do you think they even knew? They certainly didn't want to have children when they had them. Whether that would have changed, there's no way to know. You can be sure they felt they were not given the choice.

You want to hear something sad? They loved their children, and deeply resented their existence.

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In the first case I would agree we have to let couples make that decision when they feel it is best for them and not pressure them to do so before they decide.

This sounds hollow given your prior sweeping proclamations, and absolute opposition to effective birth control methods.

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Not angry, just surprised. You seem to flip a switch and become sarcastic Nareed very quickly so it is hard to know when you are serious or not.

I'm always serious. Except when you see smiley at the end of a paragraph or sentence, and they you can tell I'm not :)

Quote: FrGamble

Wrong, for anything at all to work, for there to be existence at all there needs to be a God.

I forgive your ignorance, it's not your fault.

Quote: FrGamble

I would like to submit the above quote as Exhibit A; proving that smart people who are atheists are not good at philosophy.

Please name a universal philosophical truth
to prove me wrong.

"Truth is surprisingly difficult to define. We seem to rely on it almost every moment of every day and it's very "close" to us. Yet it's difficult to define because as soon as you think you have it pinned down, some case or counterexample immediately shows deficiencies. Ironically, every definition of truth that philosophers have developed falls prey to the question, "but is it true?"

Quote: Nareed

Hell, no. I'm not responsible for correcting your misconceptions.

Aren't we our brothers' keeper? If not don't you want to know when you are wrong?

Quote:

Do you think they even knew? They certainly didn't want to have children when they had them. Whether that would have changed, there's no way to know. You can be sure they felt they were not given the choice.

You want to hear something sad? They loved their children, and deeply resented their existence.

That is sad. They seem like a really good couple and one can only imagine if they were not pressured if they would have had children when they wanted and been even more phenomenal parents than they were.