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Can we prove or disprove the concept of God?

LightSun

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#9
“1. I asked can anybody prove the existence of God?

2. Can anybody disprove the existence of God.

“This is controversial. I am merely being academic. I am not challenging any persons belief. I watched a documentary stipulating that human beings have a predilection of having superstitious ideation.

On Soul Family: Important Toplcal Issues of life as Well Questioning in Life. I created two threads. Can anyone prove or disprove God?

I am not being facetious. The burden of proof is upon the believer. One can’t disprove God’s existence. However even if there is a God, it still is a CBT: Cognitive Behavior Therapy distortion called ‘Emotional Reasoning.

I’ve written that just because I feel, think or believe in something passionately, does not necessitate that it is in fact reality.

I’ve written mankind is fearful of things they can not understand. This causes Cognitive Dissonance. To alleviate this feeling mankind fills in the blank with a story to explain the unknown.

Every Religion since the dawn of time and around every part of the globe have faith that their faith and believe is the truth.

The Greeks and Romans with their gods were very religious and had faith in mythologies that sought to explain the unknown. People will kill to protect their belief.

Socrates was forced to commit suicidal because he was found guilty to not have faith in the gods. The ancient Vikings heard thunder in the skies. To explain this and fill in the blank of something fearful they believed that it was Thor riding a chariot pulled by a goat.

There is no proof for any religious belief. People will say they have faith. People will point to the wonders of nature and indeed the universe and make a correlation not a causation that it must be the work of God.

Saying there is a God because of nature and the universe’s grandeur is correlation. Another documentary I viewed states that every human being’s brain on a daily basis filters in and filters out information.

There is an evolutionary plus side. In that we don’t have to continually relearn what we know. However there is a down side in the form of blind spots.

Our brain fools our perceptions. It is noted to be true that in court cases eyewitness testimony has been shown to be very faulty. People through time have been wrongly accused by eyewitness testimonials.

And yet the eyewitness will swear they saw so and so. They will believe they are correct unequivocally. Many people have gone done jail time and even executed due to faulty eyewitnesses

I reiterate my premise, “Just because I think, feel and believe in something passionately does not necessitate it being true.” I have another saying, “I don’t believe in anything 100% and I don’t disbelieve in anything 100%.

I like the Roman emperor and famed Stoic saying, “Whether there is a god or not I will lead a good life and heaven will take care of itself.”

I am an empiricist. In other words prove it to me. I’m talking of sound scientific methodology that demonstrates cause and effect. In addition studies are replicated.

Summary:
1. Believing in God just because we can’t explain the inexplicable is correlation not causation.

2. With no proof of God believing in God is deemed a cognitive distortion named ‘Emotional Reasong.”

3. To lesson Cognitive Dissonance, people will fill in the gaps of understanding with supposed scriptures. Yet the tenants believed have no scientific proof.

4. I like Joseph Campbell’s quote. Half the world believe in scriptures as unequivocally fact and truth. The other half believe religion uses metaphors.” LightSun

(Thoughts after the initial writing):
I perceive everybody for their manifest actions, both theists and non-theists. Both who do not live with the precepts of Jesus such as loving thy neighbor and not to judge lest you be judged are deplorable.

However it makes it worse for those who think, feel and believe themselves to be Christian’s and yet do the most un-Christ of actions through act and speech.

They give all Christians a bad name. I know their are good and bad atheists and theists alike.

I love Marcus Aurelius statement that wether heaven exists or does not, he would live an honorable life and when he died heaven would take care of itself.

I truly wish there was one belief it path that made good human beings. Humans that were responsible and followed their beliefs.

I’m with Albert Einstein. There is not one religion that does justice to their founder. I’d as Mr. Einstein said was that Buddhism is the most favorable religion because it makes the people work for their own deliverance, or salvation.

It does not allow for an outside savior. Moreover it is a philosophy and way of life. We are all accountable for our own life.

I go back to the stoic attitudes of Marcus Aurelius and Confucius where wether there is a heaven or not, I will lead an honorable life. When I die heaven will take care of itself.

I’ve said I only care for people of positive energies it irregardless of what they believe or do not.

Actions speak loudest. Those with a good ‘soul’ I’ll take wether a theist of whatever belief or non-theist. I in my own way am trying to make this a better world by my own limited actions.” LightSun
 
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LightSun

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Joined
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#9
Religion vs. Science by Neil deGrasse Tyson

90% Religious
60% Masters Degree and above with education
40% Scientists
7% Elite scientists National Academy
1% < philosophers


My post showed it’s not as much as Myers type as it is education and critical thinking. I’ve advocated for cognitive mindfulness, empathy and active listening skills be introduced earlier in education.

I like Buddha’s saying that one to question everything, to not accept anything even from him unless it meets our own judicious discernment.

Secondly that only we can walk the path.

Third that only we can save ourselves. The Western religions are looking for a savior outside of themselves.


I’ve watched documentaries. The scientists say the human species is wired to have supernatural thinking. Our brains filter in and out information on a daily basis.

There is a plus side in evolutionary terms. There is a downside in the form of blind spots. When human beings don’t have answers for the inexplicable, cognitive dissonance occurs to offset anxiety and fear.

I like Joseph Campbell quote that half the world take scripture only as being metaphorical. While the other half take scripture to be literal truth.


Education and critical thinking is the key. That’s why America would have been better served to help educate the people of Afghanistan. This, instead of going to war with a price tag of over a trillion dollars.

Secondly America would have better served that instead of going to war, to put money into education in our own country.

A more enlightened society would encourage people to have a masters degree.

Those people who have higher degrees in these areas do not take seriously that when a man dies he goes to paradise and have virgins feeding them grapes.
 
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LightSun

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Joined
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#9
I shared two posts on Neil deGrasse Tyson page. I’ll give Part I. and then afterward Part II.

Page One:

Quotation
“The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.” Carl Sagan

Quotation
“The more I look at the universe, the more I am convinced there’s no God.” Neil deGrasse Tyson

Quotation
“I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe and for that, I am extremely grateful.” Stephen Hawking (1942-2018).

“The universe (God) is neither kind nor unkind. The universe is neither loving nor unloving. The universe is neither fair nor unfair. The universe is neither just nor unjust. The universe is impartial and indifferent.” LightSun

“I’m with Carl Sagan, Brian Cox, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stephen Hawking. Much of the turmoil of the human race is the cognitive distortion called “Emotional Reasoning.”

No sane, rational creator, or a cosmic overlord would create such a fallible species. This is how I describe Emotional Reasoning.

“Just because I passionately think, feel and believe in something does not necessitate that it is true. Not unless it is proven by hard science research methodology.

Then have those results replicated in the here and now.” Otherwise it is your opinion unsubstantiated. It is a belief with no validity. It is in the person’s unconscious belief system which is projected unto others.” Paul Johnson

“What is death?”

“We each have one chance in life to do the best we can. Once we invariably die, we will not survive in a heaven that lasts trillions of years. We are supposed to work together and make this a better world.

That’s how it’s designed, we live, and try making this a better world than the one we ourselves grew up in.

Then it’s the next generations turn to build upon what we in this generation accomplished.” LightSun
 

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LightSun

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
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MBTI Type
INFP
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#9
I shared two posts on Neil deGrasse Tyson page. I’ll give Part I. and then afterward Part II.

Part Two:
“I’m not being facetious. It’s just everybody is repeating the same thing over and over. It’s a waste of life, energy and time.

"Half the people in the world think that the metaphors of their religious traditions, for example, are facts. And the other half contends that they are not facts at all. As a result we have people who consider themselves

believers because they accept metaphors as facts, and we have others who classify themselves as atheists because they think religious metaphors are lies.” Joseph Campbell

"A believer will not in any way convince a non-believer with using reason, for it is felt. I am of the belief that it is incorrectly labeled as coming from a higher power.

A nonbeliever will conversely be unable to convince a devout believer to ascribe with a view they hold.

Let's live, love each other and leave every one alone. This is just my feelings plus thinking on the matter. It's just happens to be my stance when religion arises.

One can label that God. There is no direct truth. There are inferences and suppositions. However one can feel that there is a god, and therefore there is a God.

I will humbly make this statement, what I think, feel, believe passionately may be wrong. I may be wrong and not know it. Now the reverse is true. Those that believe may be wrong."

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them.

If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid.” Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 A.D.) (Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher)

“Be a good (gentleman or man of virtue) and heaven will take care of itself." Confucius

Marcus Aurelius and similar in nature to a quote of Confucius both reasoned statements without being derogatory. Too me this is sensible. Let those who believe, continue to have belief.

Let those who don’t believe, allow them to have the right to continue not believing. What people insensitively don’t grasp if they use attacking statements of the other side, is this fact.

The other person’s perception of reality and truth is just as real as the position you hold. I have a saying, “I don’t care what you believe or don’t believe. As long as you have positive energy and seek to be the best person you can.

Let’s focus on our similarities. Let’s not be judgmental and castigate a person who holds a different view. Instead let’s work together to make this a better world.” LightSun
 

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