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Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

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Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#51

Post by benjohnson »

richmarr wrote: post #22

There may well be a god, even a judeo-christian style one. He might even have a beard. But there isn't enough rational evidence for one. Even supposedly rational arguments like Intelligent Design fall laughably short, arguing that life is too complex and sophisticated not to have been created by something even more complex and sophisticated. My take is that anyone who does 'believe' is either doing so out of cognitiv…

>>But there isn't enough rational evidence for one

From a Lutheran perspective this is entirely correct, as we hold that faith is a gift from God that works in us despite our reasoning.

The Bible recognizes this, as we Christians are 'fools for God."

The world should think of Christians as being nuts: We're told to reject power to become meek, we're told to have one spouse when we want to dominate, we're told to give our possessions away and share in the suffering of others, and that we are to love our enemies.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#52

Post by makeset »

tboyd47 wrote: post #47
cpursley wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not familiar with Salafi. What are it's basic tenants?

Salafi Islam is really just like mainstream Islam, meaning we believe like the other Muslims, pray the same way, etc. The only difference is how we view the companions of the Prophet (sall Allah alaihi wa sallam). We consider them to be authoritative sources on Islam, while a lot of Muslims see them as just regular people. So for example, say here we are living many centuries after Islam started, and someone comes an…

> it's really just a logical and common-sense way of looking at things.

To you, yes. Plenty of other Muslims find it utterly illogical why some random people who happened to be in the right place 14 centuries ago should be taken as any sort of authority. It's as black to them as it is white to you. We all think our own particular beliefs are the logical and common-sense way of looking at things.

In matters of faith, all judgments are subjective by definition. It's human, but delusional and dangerous nevertheless, to assume that they extend to hold objectively.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#53

Post by blissofbeing »

ofcapl_ wrote: post #48
WorldWideWayne wrote: post #30

Why are you asking?

I'm just curious. As I mentioned before most tech people I know doesn't believe in God and I was interested how it looks like a bit beyond my neighborhood.

I suspect that is because tech people tend to be smart.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#56

Post by jpetersonmn »

I don't really believe any anything supernatural. I think there are definitely things that we couldn't possibly understand yet in our universe; which people might see as supernatural because they don't understand. If I showed up in 1800 with an iPhone people would have thought that was pretty supernatural even though all the raw materials to make that phone were already on the planet, all that was lacking was the knowledge.

I believe it living a good life, not hurting others, being empathetic, etc... But don't feel the need to go to any church or anything like that. I think most organized religions scams preying on the weak.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#57

Post by WorldWideWayne »

richmarr wrote: post #50
WorldWideWayne wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every major religion defines God as the one and only thing that exists. The thing that every other thing is made out of. So, wouldn't existence itself be rational evidence for the existence of a thing that makes up all other things? What if we find something that looks like it's the single cause of all observable phenomena? (The most fundamental building-block of nature.) Have we found God? The idea of God is so sing…

It sounds like you're trying to engage me in a debate, but there really isn't one to be had here. To have any kind of rational discussion about whether God exists, you first have to define what a God is. Either that or have some pretty strong evidence that can be used to draw a box around the question you're asking. The existence of God is a non-question, because we have neither a definition, nor evidence, nor a way…

Perhaps you've made up your mind, but that doesn't negate the reality that the existence of God has been debated for thousands of years.

It seems a little disingenuous to say that there is no definition of God. Google will even give you one if you search for: define God. Wikipedia holds that "In Classical theism, God is characterized as the metaphysically ultimate being (the first, timeless, absolutely simple, and sovereign being, who is devoid of any anthropomorphic qualities)..."

What kind of definition could possibly satisfy your requirements though? Can you give an example? If you're going to limit your thinking to so-called "scientific" or materialistic terms, then let's take an example definition from science. What was the definition of oxygen before it was discovered? How about dark matter?

In any case - it's not true that all major religions define God as unknowable and untestable. Take a look at the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna explains that God can be known through meditation.

Lastly, "rational" means nothing more than "based on or in accordance with reason or logic". It's completely reasonable and logical to debate revealed knowledge.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#58

Post by WorldWideWayne »

blissofbeing wrote: post #53
ofcapl_ wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just curious. As I mentioned before most tech people I know doesn't believe in God and I was interested how it looks like a bit beyond my neighborhood.

I suspect that is because tech people tend to be smart.

There are many, many smart scientists and other people in the present day and throughout history who are also religious, so there goes that theory.

Einstein was not an atheist. Neither is Neil Tyson. The smartest people know what they don't know and seem to have some humility with respect to the question of human existence.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are believers?

#59

Post by gamechangr »

Red_Tarsius wrote: post #44
gamechangr wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks like you are in the wrong forum friend. The question is "Who believes?". Your response covered essentially what you "don't believe in". I am genuinely interested in hearing what "you believe in"?

I think the origin of everything has nothing to do with human morality and It didn't send any sons/prophets. I do not think God HAS memories and even human-like consciousness as Scriptures suggest. However, everything IS part of It. Another way to put it is that God is always and everywhere: the matter you touch, the thoughts you have, the questions you ask and answers you get. :)

I personally do not believe in "all roads lead to rome" kind of spirituality, but I appreciate your candor and insight.

I will up vote your comment as well. Thanks for participating in the conversation!

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