Religious Beliefs

[SG-25CSAR]

one doesn't, that's the point. That's why bieng in the SG program wont really change anything for me. One believes in spite of the the evidance or lack there of.

[Womble]

How does one "prove" that a being that is by definition uncomprehensible and, literally, magical?

It's an axiom. It need not be proven. You either accept it or you don't.

[Agent_Dark]

god thinks hes all cool like "lolol i have teh map hacks, i can see through fog of war and have unlimited money lolol ima pwn u". stupid noob, come play like a real man and use skill instead of hacks. oh sorry i forgot - he has no skill. lol noob.

[OmegaProject]

You asked, if we did find the existence of aliens, would that effect my faith. The answer is no. Well my life may change if the first contact is an invasion

I am a Roman Catholic, and all Christians interpret the Bible differently.

As aliens advancing our evolution (after God made us), is total possible, it even might mention in the Bible.

'When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them. The sons of heaven saw how beautiful the daughters of man were, and so they took for their wives as many as they chose. Then the lord said: "My spirit shall not remain in man forever, since he is but flesh. His days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years." At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later), after the sons of heaven had intercourse with the daughters of man,who bore them sons. They were heroes of old, the men of renown.' (Genesis 6:1-4). One of the translations of Nephilim is "men who came down" Is this the missing link in our evolution, the introduction of Cro Magna? I am not one of those people who sees a meteorite is an UFO. What drives me crazy about those UFO nuts, is that ancient humans could not make the pyramids and other amazing structures. But I do think of all the vastness of space, can there are other races?

I do believe in creation, and evolution, being a Catholic gives me the option

Christians/Jews in this forum do you really think that God created all existence in seven earth day? Or did God use evolution to bring life? God is timeless so I guess he can wait

As God creating us in his image. I think that means our immortal souls, not in our corporeal form. That would mean he would give all created all species in the cosmos in his likeness and image.

Personally, I would rather worship a God who doesn't exist, than not worship a God and after I die find out that he exists. But this is just my person opinion.

[s09119]

Personally, I would rather worship a God who doesn't exist, than not worship a God and after I die find out that he exists. But this is just my person opinion.

If I die and it turns out there is a God, I'll tell him the truth. I lived an honest life and lived my morals and ethics that he would approve of. I helped people as best I could and did everything in my power to try and make Earth a better place for us to live.

If he still condemns me to eternal damnation simply because he is an illogical being, then so be it. I know that the life I live is a good one, and if he cannot accept that, than I'm glad I didn't spend my whole life praying and worshiping such a being.

[ToasterOnFire]

You wont just become dirt. Lets not forgot that at any one time you could have an infinate number of recycled particles in your body. At any one time you could have part of einstiens liver, napoleans scrotum, Your parents brains...Because humans replace every particle in thier body during thier life times, chances are that your made up of something that has passed through just about everyone else that has ever lived. Recycling and the circle of life

Ha! Put another way, we are all made of stars. That's pretty awesome.

Personally, I would rather worship a God who doesn't exist, than not worship a God and after I die find out that he exists. But this is just my person opinion.

People worship many gods on this planet. How do you know which one is the right one?

[OmegaProject]

If I die and it turns out there is a God, I'll tell him the truth. I lived an honest life and lived my morals and ethics that he would approve of. I helped people as best I could and did everything in my power to try and make Earth a better place for us to live.

If he still condemns me to eternal damnation simply because he is an illogical being, then so be it. I know that the life I live is a good one, and if he cannot accept that, than I'm glad I didn't spend my whole life praying and worshiping such a being.

I do not believe he is such a being. But, I do believe in hell, I do not want to go to heaven if I live my life by my faiths, morals and ethics and find Hitler,Stalin and Vlad the Impaler laying around on lawn chairs.

[An-Alteran]

Athiesm is a lack of Religion. It is not a Religion and I agree that we are all Born Athiest.

Atheism is a lack of a belief in a god or spiritual reality.

Yes, but we know that the Ancients created us. So the notion that God created Man would be a lie (according to Stargate canon).

Except that the Ancients are humans... albeit more advanced ones.

Atheism is not a religion. There is no manifesto or theology that all or even most Atheists follow. We don't have customs or teachings.

Yes you do.
I am specifically reffering to naturalistic Atheism-as that is what the term commonly reffers to.

Your theology exists in the name of your beleif to begin with:
A-theism. A theos. No God.
That is your theology.

Your doctrines:
Naturalism, humanism, Darwinism, Neo-Darwinians Naturalistic Evolution, ect.

Your creed is "What you see is what you get".

Your unprovable assumptions are:
"There is no God".
"Nothing came from something".
"Complexity and Information arose randomly from chaos and disorder".
"Everything in existence is explainable by natural phenomenon and processes".
"There is no spiritual reality".

Your cardinal rule is:
"Nature is all there ever was, is, or will be."

Atheism is a religion.

[FallenAngelII]

Except that the Ancients are humans... albeit more advanced ones.

No they're not. Humans are less advanced Ancients, whose real name is "Alterran". So if the Bible is to be trusted, God created Alterran out of his own image. But the Bible claims god created Man.

So either the Bible's lying (in a way) or the Ancients are God.

Yes you do.
I am specifically reffering to naturalistic Atheism-as that is what the term commonly reffers to.

Funny... no hits on Wikipedia.

Your theology exists in the name of your beleif to begin with:
A-theism. A theos. No God.
That is your theology.

I also believe in aliens while others believe in ghosts. yet others don't believe in said things. It's not a religion just because we don't believe in something. A belief is also not the same as a religion (see ghosts).

Too bad the dictionary and English language disagrees.

Naturalism, humanism, Darwinism, Neo-Darwinians Naturalistic Evolution, ect.

Not necessarily. Just because you're an Atheist doesn't mean you follow any of those "doctrines" (which aren't even doctrines!). The only thing all Atheists have in common is the non-belief in a higher power.

Meanwhile, practictioners of religions have sacred texts, manifestos, prayers, places of prayer, holidays, customs, teachings. Atheists have the non-belief in a higher power.

Your unprovable assumptions are:
"There is no God".
"Nothing came from something".
"Complexity and Information arose randomly from chaos and disorder".
"Everything in existence is explainable by natural phenomenon and processes".
"There is no spiritual reality".

There's so much wrong here I don't know where to begin so I'll just skip it.

Your cardinal rule is:
"Nature is all there ever was, is, or will be."

Not necessarily. Some atheists believe in aliens seeding us. Atheism is not a religion. Ask any theologist, dictionary, etc.

[An-Alteran]

No they're not. Humans are less advanced Ancients, whose real name is "Alterran". So if the Bible is to be trusted, God created Alterran out of his own image. But the Bible claims god created Man.

You are arguing semantics.
Altera is based on latin meaning "others, or different ones".
Humans are less advanced Alterans.
Or.
Alterans are more advanced Humans.

Thus:
If all Humans are less advanced Alterans,
and all Alterans are more advanced humans,
than Humans are Alterans.

Funny... no hits on Wikipedia.

All hail Wikipedia the great library of all truth and knowledge.

I also believe in aliens while others believe in ghosts. yet others don't believe in said things. It's not a religion just because we don't believe in something.

But it is a religion when you hold to a set of beliefs.

A belief is also not the same as a religion (see ghosts).

Actually it is in a sense.
It is a doctrine (Ghosts exist) a belief structure (Ghosts cause phenomenon), and held to by multiple people.

Too bad the dictionary and English language disagrees.

First of all, false appeal to authority.

Second, you are simply wrong.

Third, your game of semantics is not one I have to play.

Fourth, dictionaries are descriptive not prescriptive.

Fifth, I will play it.

Atheism is from the Greek A and Theos.

Theology is also based on the word theos.
Theology the word thus means "God study".

Theology as defined in usage:
1. the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.
2. a particular form, system, branch, or course of this study.

1. The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
2. A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions: Protestant theology; Jewish theology.
3. A course of specialized religious study usually at a college or seminary.

Thus:
In common meaning it is the study of God or the study and belief about God.

Atheism has a theological position: There is no god or spirituality.
That is by nature a belief about god, and thus a theology-simple as it may be.

Not necessarily. Just because you're an Atheist doesn't mean you follow any of those "doctrines" (which aren't even doctrines!).

They are doctrines.
Doctrine:
1. a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.
2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

The only thing all Atheists have in common is the non-belief in a higher power.

For the sake of argument, lets say atheism is that simple (it isn't).
Which is a theology. A non-belief in a higher power is a belief in a higher power not existing.
This is a doctrine.

Doctrine:
1. a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.
2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, practictioners of religions have sacred texts, manifestos, prayers, places of prayer, holidays, customs, teachings.

But such things do not define religion. They exemplify religious acts, not exemplify everything that is a religion.

Religion:
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

Atheism boiled down to your simplistic description of simply believing there is no higher power fits into all these highlighted categories.
As clearly seen.

Not necessarily. Some atheists believe in aliens seeding us.

Aliens are not natural?

Atheism is not a religion. Ask any theologist, dictionary, etc.

Ironically those sources are the exact reason I call atheism a religion.

No offense intended, but I honestly believe most that cling to religion do so out of fear or indoctrination.

Ok.

Maybe not you, but many others. I think they look at the possibility of a God, of a way out of death and into something more, and force themselves to believe with every fiber of their being so they have a chance to cheat the end.

That hardly makes it wrong.

I mean, think about it.

You should also.

Most people that are religious will stuff their ears to avoid theological debate

That is not true of a single Christian I have met.

mainly because they don't want to hear anything that may sway them.

That is also not true of a single Christian I have met.

Every strong believer I know restles with tuth all the time.
We restle with arguments from people like yourself.
We don't ignore them.

And why would they be swayed unless they themselves doubted their faith?

Doubt is a core phase of faith.
All believers go through doubt.

My own belief is that a God in our texts is simply illogical to the point of dumb.

What is the basis of this conclussion?
What has led you to believe this?

And is the belief that "Something came from nothing" more rational than saying there must have been an uncaused first cause?

And is the belief that complexity, order, information, and rational structure came from a universe founded on entropy, disorder, chaos, and reduction any more rational than you believe our theism is?

I mean, there's a whole universe out there so vast that we're less than a grain of sand on an Earth-sized world.

Amen!

Why, why, why would any God bless only one planet among the billions with life?

Why wouldn't he?

Why would he limit the greatest gift of all to just one place in all Creation?

Why wouldn't he?

There is no reason. We were just a lucky accident here on Earth, one that hopefully got repeated elsewhere.

You state this as fact, are you willing to reconsider your belief?

How does one "prove" that a being that is by definition uncomprehensible and, literally, magical can exist at all or do what he claims to?

What it comes down to is:
You have:
A being that is uncaused and intelligent creating a universe, and creating life that requires exceeding order and complexity and information to exist.

or

An existence where something came from nothing, and all forces in the universe work against the very existence we are experiencing as we speak that requires complexity, information, and structure destroyed by normal processes.

Why when a car is constructed do we assume it was built by an intelligent entity, yet when even the simplest cell is so drastically more complex and more advanced and more capable than a car, non-theists assume it came from random chemicals interactiong with eachother in spite of the fact that those chemicals act in exactly the opposite way needed to even make such a chemical reaction that would form the basis for proteins possible in all observable conditions?

Biomolecular devices opperate as machines. That is fact.
My body is a machine. As is yours.
The flagellum, for instance, works at near 100% efficiency... it is litterally the most capable and advanced motor in existence anywhere.

The simplest cells are self contained factories, power generators, fuel converters, and self-propelled mobile bases of opperation.
They run via extremely detailed and complex computer code more advanced and more efficient than anything we have devised.

And this is said to have come from something (which came from nothing) that exists in a universe naturally prone to chaos, entropy, and reduction- a universe that acts against the very cells that exist today.

A structured and ordered system was needed to even allow life to exist.
The moon is perfectly placed to allow life to thrive.
Jupiter and the other gas giants are perfectly placed to prevent most dangerous objects from even getting near us.
The sun is a rare version of the main sequence star that is neccessary for life to exist (heavy elements and the like in perfect quantity).
The Moon is exactly 400 times closer and 400 times smaller than the sun allowing for a perfect eclipse.
The moon acts as another insulator against space debre.

Ect.

Atheistic and Non-supernatural-intelligence philosophies claim this all occured randomly.

Yet such structure and design if even approached by anything we humans make would never be asserted to have been not made by an intelligence in any other circumstance.

Such a belief requires blind faith in the creator not existing.
That leap of faith is not one I am willing to make.

This belief is tantamount to me going out and claiming my Nissan Sentra actually came together in the earths crust by random processes pushing together and compiling the metals to form the structure of the car, and natural fissures opened up and pushed gasoline into the car's cavity, and a lightning bolt struck the engine block bringing the beast alive.

Such an assertion is so laughably rediculous...
yet that is exactly what non-theists claim occured to form a cell.

No pre-cursor to DNA has any testable weight, RNA can't do it, PNA only exists in labratories.
Proteins that are required to interpret RNA, read it and structure the construction of other proteins exist.

Proteins simply can not form through natural proccesses to begin with.
Even the simplest protein consists of a string of dozens of specific amino acids that must be in a specific order, and must be of a specific type.

Proteins and amino acids are destroyed by the processes considered normative on the early earth-extreme heat, ultraviolet light, ect.

It would have taken a miracle to bring together these chemicals to even form an amino acid. And it would have taken a miracle of untold proportions to construct proteins, and then information rich DNA and the means to read said DNA as information.

And I assert it was exactly that: A miracle.

[An-Alteran]

If I die and it turns out there is a God, I'll tell him the truth.

That is a good place to start.

I lived an honest life and lived my morals and ethics that he would approve of.

And you assume he would approve of your morales and ethics?
Why?

I helped people as best I could and did everything in my power to try and make Earth a better place for us to live.

Have you?

If he still condemns me to eternal damnation simply because he is an illogical being, then so be it.

Maybe he would condemn you because he has standards that you refused to meet?
Or that he designed people to function in a certain way that we are not functioning in?

I know that the life I live is a good one,

According to whom?

and if he cannot accept that,

So: "If God will not accept how I want things to be and what I want to be true and moral"
Then:

...I'm glad I didn't spend my whole life praying and worshiping such a being.

[FallenAngelII]

You are arguing semantics.
Altera is based on latin meaning "others, or different ones".
Humans are less advanced Alterans.
Or.
Alterans are more advanced Humans.

Latin is based on Anqueetas, the Ancient language. The Alterrans never called themselves humans. Thus, they are not Man. Thus, God did not create them (or if he did, he didn't state so in the Bible).

If all Humans are less advanced Alterans,
and all Alterans are more advanced humans,
than Humans are Alterans.

Doesn't matter. The Bible specifically states God created Man. No mention of Alterrans.

All hail Wikipedia the great library of all truth and knowledge.

If it exists and it's an actual religion, it should have an entry. Show me reliable sources on it.

But it is a religion when you hold to a set of beliefs.

It's not a "set of beliefs". The only thing all Atheists have in common is the common disbelief in a higher power. There's nothing we all (or even most of us) believe in.

Actually it is in a sense.
It is a doctrine (Ghosts exist) a belief structure (Ghosts cause phenomenon), and held to by multiple people.

Wikiepdia: "Doctrine (Latin: doctrina) is a code of beliefs or "a body of teachings" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system."
Dictionary.com: 1.a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.
2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

No, it is not a doctrine. Neither is Atheism a doctrine.

First of all, false appeal to authority.

Appeal? The English language and dictionaries worldwide specifically put in state rules that makes it impossible to classify Atheism as a religion.

Second, you are simply wrong.

Provide adequate arguments for your position.

Third, your game of semantics is not one I have to play.

It's not semantics. It's called "What the academical world considers the truth". Ask any theologist, religion professor, dictionary, whatever.

Fourth, dictionaries are descriptive not prescriptive.

Yah. Then go ask anyone who's studied religion.

Atheism has a theological position: There is no god or spirituality.

Yes, this is true.

That is by nature a belief about god, and thus a theology-simple as it may be.

It's a theological position. It does not mean that it's a religion.

1. a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.
2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

1) It's a position, but it's not part of a religion. You cannot use circular argument here. Nor is it part of a government view.
2) We do not teach anything. Atheism is the belief in no higher power. There is nothing more to that that holds true for Atheism as a whole (however, Atheists are free to pursue other spiritualities, but that does not make said spiritualities a part of Atheism)
3) There is no system of teachings

You just proved yourself wrong.

For the sake of argument, lets say atheism is that simple (it isn't).
Which is a theology. A non-belief in a higher power is a belief in a higher power not existing.
This is a doctrine.

It's a theologic position.

And then you repeat the same quote twice and I tried of your post so I'll ignore the rest of it.

Ask anyone learned in the field of theology/religion and the answer will be (at least almost) unequivocally: Atheism is not a religion.

[AvatarIII]

Latin is based on Anqueetas, the Ancient language. The Alterrans never called themselves humans. Thus, they are not Man. Thus, God did not create them (or if he did, he didn't state so in the Bible).


Doesn't matter. The Bible specifically states God created Man. No mention of Alterrans.

but in the SG universe, The alterans created man, therefore, the alterans are God.

If it exists and it's an actual religion, it should have an entry. Show me reliable sources on it.


It's not a "set of beliefs". The only thing all Atheists have in common is the common disbelief in a higher power. There's nothing we all (or even most of us) believe in.


Wikiepdia: "Doctrine (Latin: doctrina) is a code of beliefs or "a body of teachings" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system."
Dictionary.com: 1.a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.
2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

No, it is not a doctrine. Neither is Atheism a doctrine.


Appeal? The English language and dictionaries worldwide specifically put in state rules that makes it impossible to classify Atheism as a religion.


Provide adequate arguments for your position.


It's not semantics. It's called "What the academical world considers the truth". Ask any theologist, religion professor, dictionary, whatever.


Yah. Then go ask anyone who's studied religion.


Yes, this is true.


It's a theological position. It does not mean that it's a religion.



1) It's a position, but it's not part of a religion. You cannot use circular argument here. Nor is it part of a government view.
2) We do not teach anything. Atheism is the belief in no higher power. There is nothing more to that that holds true for Atheism as a whole (however, Atheists are free to pursue other spiritualities, but that does not make said spiritualities a part of Atheism)
3) There is no system of teachings

You just proved yourself wrong.


It's a theologic position.

And then you repeat the same quote twice and I tried of your post so I'll ignore the rest of it.

Ask anyone learned in the field of theology/religion and the answer will be (at least almost) unequivocally: Atheism is not a religion.

well Atheism IS a belief, because it is a belief against the existence of a higher power, where no evidence exists to proove either way, Agnosticsm is the lack of belief. but Atheism is NOT a religion

re·li·gion (r?*-l?*j'?n)
n.

Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

there is no supernatural power in Atheism, it is not institutionalised, and there are no leaders or teachings, therefore it is NOT a religion. however a small percentage of Atheists do pursue it with zeal or conscientious devotion, but that groups is very small.

a·the·ism (?'th?-?*z'?m)
n.
Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
The doctrine that there is no God or gods.

according to the dictionary it is Doctrine however

ag·nos·ti·cism (?g-n?s't?*-s?*z'?m)
n.
The doctrine that certainty about first principles or absolute truth is unattainable and that only perceptual phenomena are objects of exact knowledge.
The belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist.

as is agnosticsm

doc·trine (d?k'tr?*n)
n.
A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
A rule or principle of law, especially when established by precedent.
A statement of official government policy, especially in foreign affairs and military strategy.
Archaic. Something taught; a teaching.

but doctrine is not consigned to merely religion anyway.

[kymeric]

Kinsey was deliberately being sarcastic and hypocritical. He was saying that (in what ever episode) to make himself look better. He wasn't a Christian, nor can it be taken literally that he was meant to be a Christian.

No thats a common misconception, that the misbehaving christian is somehow not a real one. Dont get me started on priests.

[jenks]

Yes you do.
I am specifically reffering to naturalistic Atheism-as that is what the term commonly reffers to.

Wrong. If you mean naturalism then say it, Atheism is not a belief system, you don't even need a position on 'God' or even heard of one to be an atheist, it's just the natural human default setting. You were born an atheist.