Philosophy Now Forum

When a parent forces a child into a religion, the parent is effectively handicapping his or her own offspring by limiting the abilities of the child to question the world around him or her and make informed decisions.

Children raised under these conditions will mature believing that their religion is the only correct one, and, in the case of Christianity, they will believe that all who doubt their religion’s validity will suffer eternal damnation. This environment is one that often breeds hate, ignorance, and ‘justified’ violence.”

~ David G Mcaffe

Why commit yourself to believing anything that your experience of life hasn't reliably demonstrated can or does happen?

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:11 am Why commit yourself to believing anything that your experience of life hasn't reliably demonstrated can or does happen?

I'm just reporting my surround.

Dontaskme wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:21 am I'm just reporting my surround.

You can report it, but I very much doubt that anything will get done about it.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:11 am Why commit yourself to believing anything that your experience of life hasn't reliably demonstrated can or does happen?

Some women need a man to tell them what to "believe." The quote is by David. That's a man's name.

There you have it.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:11 am Why commit yourself to believing anything that your experience of life hasn't reliably demonstrated can or does happen?

Great clarifying question.

And, when one has reliable demonstrable ACTUAL PROOF of, or for, some 'thing', then that one does NOT have to BELIEVE 'it' is true anymore. As they have now obtained thee IRREFUTABLE Truth anyway. 'it' is JUST True, so there is NO 'need' for BELIEF, nor BELIEVING, ANYMORE.

So, what can now be ascertained is, WHY people commit "themselves" to BELIEVING some 'thing' IS true, or is NOT true, is because they had NOT YET had ANY life experiences that reliably demonstrated what thee ACTUAL Truth IS, EXACTLY, to, NOR thus for, them.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:32 am

You can report it, but I very much doubt that anything will get done about it.

What a relief, to be informed, eternal damnation was a hoax.

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:31 am
Great clarifying question.

To clarify it a bit more: When the Americans said they'd put a man on the moon, I believed it. I knew that the technology to make that feasible existed, and I had no reason to think they were lying. There have subsequently been claims by some that it was a hoax. That doesn't seem likely to me, but it's possible. So my current position on the matter is that I think they probably put a man on the moon, but I don't feel absolutely sure about it. The point is, I don't need to be sure about it one way or the other, so why should I feel any pressure to arrive at a firm belief? I would apply the same principle to the question of God, although in that case I would not need to think befond feasibility stage.

Walker wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:59 am
Some women need a man to tell them what to "believe." The quote is by David. That's a man's name.

There you have it.

Jack the Ripper.
Jeffrey Dahmer.
Harold Shipman.
John Wayne Gacy.
Henry H Holmes.
Pedro Lopez.
Ted Bundy.

Are some of the most notorious serial killers the world has ever known.

All man's names. Must be chips off the old blockhead himself, like Father in Heaven, like Son in Hell..

But who'd believe that a Father could be so violent as to have his own son tortured to death because he loved him.

Oh wait!

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:19 am

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:31 am
Great clarifying question.

To clarify it a bit more: When the Americans said they'd put a man on the moon, I believed it.

What you did here, leads into a VERY SIGNIFICANT point, which I will make, when the rest of my points are fully or better understood.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:19 am I knew that the technology to make that feasible existed, and I had no reason to think they were lying. There have subsequently been claims by some that it was a hoax. That doesn't seem likely to me, but it's possible. So my current position on the matter is that I think they probably put a man on the moon, but I don't feel absolutely sure about it. The point is, I don't need to be sure about it one way or the other, so why should I feel any pressure to arrive at a firm belief?

As absolutely ANY one said that you 'need' to be sure about it one way or another?

I am not sure WHY you should feel ANY pressure AT ALL to arrive at a firm belief.

Is this 'pressure' coming from 'you' ALONE, or from "others", or from a combination of the two?

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:19 am I would apply the same principle to the question of God, although in that case I would not need to think befond feasibility stage.

Okay.

Does that 'same principle' also include asking a clarifying question, as well.

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:55 am
As absolutely ANY one said that you 'need' to be sure about it one way or another?

I am not sure WHY you should feel ANY pressure AT ALL to arrive at a firm belief.

Is this 'pressure' coming from 'you' ALONE, or from "others", or from a combination of the two?

It just seems to me that people tend to feel a need to come to a definite conclusion about things that don't really matter. Take the lunar landing example: People argue about this most passionately when, whatever the truth of the matter turned out to be, it wouldn't affect their own lives in the slightest.

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:55 am
Okay.

Does that 'same principle' also include asking a clarifying question, as well.

There's nothing wrong with asking questions.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:20 am

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:55 am
As absolutely ANY one said that you 'need' to be sure about it one way or another?

I am not sure WHY you should feel ANY pressure AT ALL to arrive at a firm belief.

Is this 'pressure' coming from 'you' ALONE, or from "others", or from a combination of the two?

It just seems to me that people tend to feel a need to come to a definite conclusion about things that don't really matter.

Some people might do that.

Do you tend to feel a need to come to a definite conclusion about things, which, supposedly, do NOT really matter?

If no, then WHY do you 'tend to feel' that others do?

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:20 am Take the lunar landing example: People argue about this most passionately when, whatever the truth of the matter turned out to be, it wouldn't affect their own lives in the slightest.

There are countless OTHER 'things' adult human beings 'argue about', most passionately, when what thee ACTUAL and IRREFUTABLE Truth REALLY IS, is would NOT REALLY affect their own lives in the slightest. But this kind of ABSURDITY has been going on for thousands of years, in some cultures.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:20 am

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:55 am
Okay.

Does that 'same principle' also include asking a clarifying question, as well.

There's nothing wrong with asking questions.

That is what i keep POINTING OUT, and TO, in this forum.

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:56 am
Do you tend to feel a need to come to a definite conclusion about things, which, supposedly, do NOT really matter?

Yes, of course I do, I'm human.

Harbal wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 12:14 pm

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:56 am
Do you tend to feel a need to come to a definite conclusion about things, which, supposedly, do NOT really matter?

Yes, of course I do, I'm human.

And that is an adult human being, correct?

Did you tend to feel a need for this all of your life, or only as you became older?

Age wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 12:56 pm

And that is an adult human being, correct?

Did you tend to feel a need for this all of your life, or only as you became older?

Is it your plan to continue with this until I slip up and say something you can pounce on?