Ram Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Recently came across a Hardtalk interview by the world’s most famous(?!) Atheist, Richard Dawkins, where he argues that Religion is a bane to mankind and a source of most of our troubles in today’s world. This is his NY times Best-selling book, a copy of which I am hoping to get soon. So, which side of the fence are you on? Are you fundamentally religious and believe the supernatural presence, that created life on Earth, that powers the tides and the waves and the inter-planetary motion (or) Are you a self-declared Atheist? If so, why?
Sachinism Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 ^^ There's a documentary on that book too, saw it on tpb
triam Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I am an atheist, and I agree religion as long as it gets into the public sphere is the bane of the society.
Lurker Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 So, which side of the fence are you on? Are you fundamentally religious and believe the supernatural presence, that created life on Earth, that powers the tides and the waves and the inter-planetary motion (or) Are you a self-declared Atheist? If so, why? You should probably have a 3rd group called - Don't know for sure. I will fall in that bracket. The problem with Science is its very limited scope. It tells you things like how Universe was created, it does not tell you how a man was created(not looking for an evolution kind of answer here). It does not tell us what happens when a person dies. Are we supposed to just close our eyes one last time and forever become a sand in time? If this is indeed true and we are doomed to lose all our loved ones that we are never gonna see again whats the point of spending an entire life for that? This is where religion scores with many followers. xx
Macj Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Dont want to get too philosophical but I think there is Someone or Something up there. I used to consider myself a non-believer in the Godly sense but certain miracles and transformations in my life could have only been possible with a helping hand from that Someone. Also I take simple concepts like Right and Wrong and find that science cannot distinguish between the two. The emotional and moral aspect of Human life cannot be qualified by science. Another thing that really firmed my resolve was soon after fatherhood - the sheer brilliance behind a baby's evolution and the tenderness of its natural interactions are simply too complex to be formulated by science. Hinduism is an all encompassing religion Atheism has also been incorporated as a path to achieve the Brahman so either way living the life gets you to the same end point.
EnterTheVoid Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Religious. Absolutely open minded as long as other peoples beliefs are not shoved down my throat against my will. I also believe in the phrase: "I may not agree with what you're saying but I'll defend your right to say it"
nikred Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I have been indecisive for the most mundane of things in my life and now this is THE BIG QUESTION, so I am an Agnostic bordering on the Atheistic. I have more respect for the field that tries to find answers rather than the one which forces answers into your mouth. As of now science frankly speaking in spite of all its advances knows very little about the world. So keeping that in mind I say we will never know at least not in this lifetime but I trust science to show me the light than religion. So all you creationist can kiss my :reddy:
DomainK Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I believe in GOD.....but I am not religious at all. I think there is a bit of confusion between religious and spiritual. One who believes in the existence of God is a theist. One who loves God and wants to reach him is spiritual. One who follows the ways of life prescribed in his religion is rigious. One can be spiritual, yet not religious. One can be religious and yet not be spiritual at all. Basically spirituak peole are God loving and religious people are God fearing.
cowboysfan Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 for the purpose of the creationism debate i would say i am a non-believer in the sense that there was no divine intervention required for the creation of life on earth.
flamy Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I'm an agnostic. I recently gave up all semblance of religion and have decided I'll still join my family in all the festivals but only as a family gathering rather than a religious one. As I noted before, my family and Hinduism in general is anyways pretty lenient with religion. That said, I do believe in a conscious universe and the so called "super"natural stuff. Science of present is too focused on the physical nature of our universe. The solid stuff, so to speak. We know light is an EM wave with different frequencies. We can only observe the white light frequency of the spectrum with our human faculties and with our present technological toys we have observed the known EM spectrum. It may still be more than that. Similarly, could we not be just observing the physical frequency of our world? Couldn't there be other frequencies of your bedroom existing in the same space and same time. A frequency where the walls are not solid, but energy of a different kind... The poll doesn't have my category :)
dial_100 Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I believe in GOD.....but I am not religious at all. I think there is a bit of confusion between religious and spiritual. One who believes in the existance of God is a theist. One who loves God and wants to reach him is spiritual. One who follows the ways of life prescribed in his religion is rigious. One can be spiritual, yet not religious. One can be religious and yet not be spiritual at all. Basically spirituak peole are God loving and religious people are God fearing. I dont need/want to use my words to say anything more.... Me too...
nikred Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I believe in GOD.....but I am not religious at all. I think there is a bit of confusion between religious and spiritual. One who believes in the existence of God is a theist. One who loves God and wants to reach him is spiritual. One who follows the ways of life prescribed in his religion is rigious. One can be spiritual, yet not religious. One can be religious and yet not be spiritual at all. Basically spirituak peole are God loving and religious people are God fearing. That may hold true for many of these Abrahamic religions but is it the same in case of Hinduism or any other dharmic religions? Does hindusim instill fear of god in a person? I don't think so.
flamy Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Actually, that is quite brilliantly put DK. And yes Hinduism does invoke fear, maybe not to the degree of the others, but it still does. Oh, and yeah religion IS the bane. But, I get the feeling if it wasn't religion, it'd have been something else.
nikred Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I'm an agnostic. I recently gave up all semblance of religion and have decided I'll still join my family in all the festivals but only as a family gathering rather than a religious one. As I noted before, my family and Hinduism in general is anyways pretty lenient with religion. This is something I could have typed without a single change in any of the words. That said, I do believe in a conscious universe and the so called "super"natural stuff. Science of present is too focused on the physical nature of our universe. The solid stuff, so to speak. We know light is an EM wave with different frequencies. We can only observe the white light frequency of the spectrum with our human faculties and with our present technological toys we have observed the known EM spectrum. It may still be more than that. I have stated that before too, science has still long way to go to make me a complete Atheist, till then I will give GOD a chance. Similarly, could we not be just observing the physical frequency of our world? Couldn't there be other frequencies of your bedroom existing in the same space and same time. A frequency where the walls are not solid, but energy of a different kind... The poll doesn't have my category :) This is what happens when you watch too many movies.:giggle:
The Outsider Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 God is a synonym for human ignorance and a crutch for people too lazy to think and endevour to find answers to their questions.
nikred Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Great now you guys add agnostic, after I vote. We are always ignored.:sniffle:
Macj Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 God is a synonym for human ignorance and a crutch for people too lazy to think and endevour to find answers to their questions. Even an orphan is begotten by a parent. The Earth , the Universe cannot just exist in perpetuity.... this totally contradicts Newtons 3rd Law which scientists believe with a passion, no pun intended, an action caused it, that action was forced by Someone or Something.
The Outsider Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Even an orphan is begotten by a parent. The Earth , the Universe cannot just exist in perpetuity.... this totally contradicts Newtons 3rd Law which scientists believe with a passion, no pun intended, an action caused it, that action was forced by Someone or Something. :laugh: Newton's third law is classical Physics - whatever might have been the origin of the universe it was not classical so does not have to comply with Newton's third or any law.
flamy Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 This is what happens when you watch too many movies.:giggle: O you'll burn in agnostic hell! :hehe: Great now you guys add agnostic' date=' after I vote. We are always ignored.:sniffle:[/quote'] Damn northies! :(( aboos aboos aboos :bawling:
Macj Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 :laugh: Newton's third law is classical Physics - whatever might have been the origin of the universe it was not classical so does not have to comply with Newton's third or any law. Then lets remove these Laws from Physics books, our modern day lives are not governed by 'Classical Physics' either.
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