If everyone grew up with a particular religion, and believe it to be right...then how is one religion right or wrong?

[lebe0024]

Well, I think the first step is deciding what it means to have "freedom." What does "free will" mean, anyway?

 

[PistachioByAzul]

Free will implies that we can make choices in a neutral vaccum. Given that we are all born as clean slates, and what were are now is the direct product of all the circumstances we have experienced in life, free will appears to be non-existant.

 

[teddymines]

I've concluded that religions exist for these 3 reasons:

1. As humans, we can't accept death as the end, so there has to be something else to look forward to.

2. Watching someone grow old and die is difficult to accept, unless you believe they will go to another place (like heaven).

3. Using tradition as leverage, it is easy to rally people behind a belief system for control and profit.

Most theologeans will debate the existence of God with history and more questions, and none have hard evidence. They trust the concept of faith to bring people to their belief system and keep them there.

 

[her209]

<< Free will implies that we can make choices in a neutral vaccum. Given that we are all born as clean slates, and what were are now is the direct product of all the circumstances we have experienced in life, free will appears to be non-existant. >>



Besides, there is no such thing as free will if you believe in fate.

 

[lebe0024]

Engine: I believe in freedom, absolutely, in the sense that I am not a robot. But the term, "free will" brings so much baggage to the table. But, I whole-heartedly agree with you in that the idea that we are free to will whatever we want is junk. If I'm depressed, I am not free to simply will myself happy.

My favorite philosopher was Jonathan Edwards. He wrote a classic called "The Freedom of the Will". It's excellent. Far better than anything else I've ever heard or read on the nature of our will. He was an 18th century puritan, so it's an incredibly hard work to read (with his old English and all), but it is far more intelligent than anything you pick up today (especially from christian writers, as 99% of christian material is fluff).

 

[skace]

"I absolutely agree 100%. But, like I said before, no one believes in something they don't want to believe in."

Lebe must have said this every 3 posts this thread and no one actually answered him. I figured I would clue him in as to the fact that no one answered him because no one could possibly disagree with this statement. The only thing I can say to make you think is that we don't always know what we want or why we do things. Some people believe because it is the only way they have ever known, some people do it for acceptance. But yes, in the end they must want to believe, or at least want that acceptance that comes from belief. See, the want is always there, just like someone has to want to move, want to run, and want to type. But the reason for the want can change. If you believe because you wanted acceptance and the local religion changes then your beliefs will change so that you may continue being accepted. Make sense?

I ask this question, if God gave us free will to somehow benefit us, then can he take it away? Can I request to be a perfect human and will my request be granted? If so, God, I hereby request to be a perfect human being. Speaking of perfect human beings, how can anyone claim that Jesus was perfect. If he was perfect he would never have died, he would have been superhuman. The term perfect means perfect in every way, not just mentally but physically as well. It would seem, based on the bible, Jesus made many choices in his life also. Choices != perfect.

You end up in a religion based on your society. Since all religions are written and governed by man, none of them can be perfect or even remotely right (Using the logic they provide, that God is a superbeing / perfect). Since, no single religion is right, it doesn't matter whether you pick one, the other, or none at all. Since it doesn't matter what you pick, what will this argument change.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

We need to be able to make a list of aliases/substitutes, so we can make a list of them and then only have to type 'religious-flame-17', 'nef-79835', 'actual-religious-argument-1', etc. Would safe a lot of time.

 

[Czar]

<< We need to be able to make a list of aliases/substitutes, so we can make a list of them and then only have to type 'religious-flame-17', 'nef-79835', 'actual-religious-argument-1', etc. Would safe a lot of time. >>


good idea

 

[Demon-Xanth]

"No culture has a monopoly on knowledge or beauty, just as no religion has a monopoly on the truth" --Voltaire