Merged (edited) General thoughts about Christianity and the bible

[Rusty Tyler]

A previous topic asked: Why are some beliefs impervious to all evidence and reason?
https://internationalskeptics.com/f...impervious-to-all-evidence-and-reason.290194/

Quote from Thread starter @Puppycow

"Some people, I think, can change their beliefs based on new evidence, but it seems that many,
perhaps even most, have at least some beliefs which they will not change for any reason."

In a previous (current) thread we were discussing the validity of NDEs.
Despite reasonable evidence (in my opinion) the majority dismissed the validity.

Why?
Does this strike at a core belief of the nay-Sayers? Something they will fight to defend.
Unbelief is its own belief system.

The safe ground of agnosticism shrugs everything off saying, "We can't know for sure."

Unfortunately, faith requires believing even when the evidence is not all there.

 

[Mojo]

Does this strike at a core belief of the nay-Sayers? Something they will fight to defend.

You're projecting.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

What should we do differently if NDEs turn out to be a verifiable phenomenon?

 

[Rusty Tyler]

You're projecting.

Every thread is a project.
What are you projecting?

 

[Rusty Tyler]

What should we do differently if NDEs turn out to be a verifiable phenomenon?

Great question, thanks.
Usually the person who experiences an NDE comes back with a message.
Typically a life-changing experience for them. We need to listen to them. IMHO

 

[Mojo]

The safe ground of agnosticism shrugs everything off saying, "We can't know for sure."

Unfortunately, faith requires believing even when the evidence is not all there.

Which is why Christianity is an agnostic religion.

 

[Mojo]

Every thread is a project.
What are you projecting?

I don't collect stamps. I have devoted no time at all to this hobby.

 

[Steve]

Finding no evidence for things that didn't happen would be the norm.

 

[Pixel42]

In a previous (current) thread we were discussing the validity of NDEs.
Despite reasonable evidence (in my opinion) the majority dismissed the validity.

Why?

The anecdotes don't come anywhere close to the amount and standard of evidence required to reach a reliable conclusion on anything, let alone something which is contradicted by mountains of much better evidence.

 

[Rusty Tyler]

The anecdotes don't come anywhere close to the amount and standard of evidence required to reach a reliable conclusion on anything, let alone something which is contradicted by mountains of much better evidence.

What do you conclude from that?
A meaningless existence?

 

[Mojo]

What do you conclude from that?
A meaningless existence?

What evidence of "meaning" do you have? How do you even define "meaning"?

 

[Rusty Tyler]

Which is why Christianity is an agnostic religion.

Agree.
I consider myself to be a theistic agnostic.
I have lots of questions.

 

[Rusty Tyler]

What evidence of "meaning" do you have? How do you even define "meaning"?

The opposite would be futility.
Indifference toward stamp collecting.

 

[Mojo]

I suspect that I'm an atheist agnostic, if only because it isn't possible to know anything about something that doesn't exist.

 

[Mojo]

The opposite would be futility.
Indifference toward stamp collecting.

I am entirely indifferent towards stamp collecting.

 

[Mojo]

What evidence of "meaning" do you have? How do you even define "meaning"?

The opposite would be futility.
Indifference toward stamp collecting.

What evidence of "meaning" do you have? How do you even define "meaning"?

 

[Rusty Tyler]

I suspect that I'm an atheist agnostic, if only because it isn't possible to know anything about something that doesn't exist.

Doesn't the term "agnostic" leave a door open to possibility?

 

[Rusty Tyler]

What evidence of "meaning" do you have? How do you even define "meaning"?

Song lyrics and paintings at an art museum come to mind.

The artist may or may not have an intended meaning.
The observer may discover the intended message or invent their own.
Even the mistaken discovery is meaningful.
The artist may say, "That's not what I meant."
But the observer has the right to their own interpretation.
Whether right or wrong.

 

[Pixel42]

What do you conclude from that?

That NDEs almost certainly tell us nothing about what, if anything, happens after death.

A meaningless existence?

My life has plenty of meaning to me, regardless of what, if anything, happens after death.

 

[Mojo]

Great question, thanks.
Usually the person who experiences an NDE comes back with a message.

"We apologise for the inconvenience"?