Come on

Ok, I just have to throw this out there. Why do people feel they have a right to tell someone else their religion and beleifs are wrong? I mean, to each his own right? I don't beleive in christianity, but, if some people do, what's wrong with that? I think it all stems back to people attempting to convert people to there religion. So they start an arguement to try to poke holes in the others religious ideas. So stop. If you want to discuss religion, go ahead, but stop telling christens they're phycotic, and stop telling non-christens there going to burn in hell forever and ever. Discuss. Don't argue. You may not beleive the same things, but the least you can do is have respect for them. And I do realize not everyone argues, but some people are just trying to start a fight.

 

that wasnt very nice

 

sayin everyone is gonna disband their faith. youll have quite a few opposers there

 

I don't think religion will ever "die". It will change, and evolve, but as long as the unknowable is just that, unknowable, there will always be religion. Is that a bad thing?

 

o ok. i'll agree with that. But i don't think thiesm will ever completly die out. And if it does, it won't be in a few decades. Maybe in a couple generations.

 

Theism simply can not disapear
Unless we are provided a undoubtful proof
But go on.. prove God doesnt exist...
Science progress wont change anything, science doesnt focus the same topic religion does.
Just my opinion of course

 

I dont think theism is dying out. Maybe some statistics will solve the matter. Maybe as the western world is secularizing I could see how you might say moderation is on the rise. But irrespective to Dogma, God still exists because he still has His part in taking away people's fear.

If the question is whether the mechanism for evangelizing, which is the topic, is in decline, I could agree, jester.

While the religious right is making a valiant effort to keep Biblical literalism within mainstream acceptance, the effort is futile in the current progression. As people are less sheltered and exposed to a greater of variety of ideas in their youth they will naturally become less absolutist.

And absolutism is the cause of forcing your beliefs on another--- not god solely or directly.

 

i agree with you too spiritforces. No one can prove that god does or does not exsist. That's what splits those who beleive and those who don't. If you don't beleive, you say, prove to me that god exsists. If you don't beleive, you say, prove to me that he doesn't. You can't prove either, which brings me back to my original statement. Stop arguing about it.

 

Thats not true. If you say unicorns exist, I would like you to make some attempt at proving that species' existence. Otherwise I wouldn't take you seriously at all. If you couldn't prove the existence, but by saying "Prove to me that they don't exist!" I just would stop listening to you talk.

The only difference with God is that the human culture has assumed God in its past, and in the current culture, clearly demonstrated by how you framed your question. False validity is a powerful thing.

You assume God must be disproved in order to not to exist. But this is wrong.

 

Just wanted to add that even if the earth population is these days getting out of 'spiritual' questions it doesnt change anything. We are consuming, yes we are, but what we think or do, doesnt change what is, at the level of a supposed 'God'
ps: that is a question i don't argue about, as you all underline it, where is the point of arguing such a question?

 

Just for the record, i'm not really religious. I beleive there is something out there, but i don't beleive in the all-knowing god. I'm simply trying to say, YOU WILL NEVER CONVINCE SOMEONE THAT THEIR RELIGION IS WRONG, OR THAT YOURS IS RIGHT. BY SIMPLY ARGUING ABOUT IT, YOU MAKE THAT PERSON CLING ON EVEN HARDER TO THEIR BELEIFS. So what's the use of even arguing about it?

 

Because moderation doesn't equal the decline of theism. Theism is the belief in a god or gods. People can be secular and RATIONAL about their world view but still leave a little irrational corner for God to live.

Moderates are not Absolutists like for instance, Biblical literalists are, because they accept that the whole story is farfetched. Instead they think it is Symbolic or something. They believe the stories in the Bible are not consistent with the current workings of reality.

So Evangelizing may on the decline because of Moderation, but Moderates are still Theists.

 

Speaking of burden of proof. Prove to me theism is on the decline. Is it possible that today (as in the relative present) theism is just more hidden in popular culture and media so it seems that it is on the decline.

 

http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/globalchristianity/resources.htm

Look at the third section. I'd post it here but it is just messy.

 

lol, this really wasn't where i wanted to go with the thread. o well.

 

Yeah, that's right! Statistics can prove anything you want them to

 

We're worried about people BURNING in Hell, it's more love than 'force'.
We love you, and we don't want you to burn in hell, nor do we want to be held accountable for it. SO we tell you about it...

 

73% of statistics are made up on the spot....

 

ryupower, i'm up for discussions. But, i don't like being woken up at 7:00 in the morning, and being asked if i've found jesus. I'm always polite, but, at this point, i've heard it all. I mean, i was woken up last saturday by 5 little girls. The moment i answered the door, they sang this sorta poem/song thing about christianity. And i won't lie, it was cute. But then it was ended with, If you don't beleive in Jesus, you will burn in hell. I mean, i just stood there, absolutley suprised. Christianity just isn't for me. But, again, why are you guys even arguing about if theism is going to die out or not? What does it matter? Only time will tell. You each have your opinions, and no amount of data will change there minds. Give up.

 

You know I totally respect your beliefs or non-beliefs and I didn't try to convince anybody of anything here

So... will you stop argue that arguing about religion is useless?