I didn't say the two concepts were related. I just find ferocious believers annoying, since I would not force my beliefs on anyone- and your post talked about "most" people being rather moderate. I don't think you can make that argument without some really good statistics on your side, because I'm not sure it's true.
OK. I took your comment about people killing in the name of their religion or in the name of God to be part of your reasoning for not believing in the existence of God because this is commonly given by people as one of their biggest reasons for not believing. So I then was trying to make the case that these are separate issue. Apparently we agree, so I will apologize that I was mistaken.
As for statistical evidence, I'm only expressing my own observations about people of faith from a lifetime of knowing many of them and some intimately enough to find out what they truly think outside all the trappings and rituals that go with membership in a church.
I do know one thing for certain. No one can be talked or reasoned or argued into believing in God. It's personal, subjective, and usually involves an emotional capitulation of some sort. I also don't see how anyone could pick up a Bible and read their way into belief. I only engaged in this conversation to try and tickle your intellect into rethinking some of your comments about invisibility, the God spot, and the lack of objective or scientific evidence of God. Your comments are very typical of folks who are agnostic or atheist, so I just wanted to add a little dimension to these type of thoughts.
I think the whole thing started when I said I thought Liberals were antagonistic to people of faith. And I said that only because I was starting to worry that the Palin nomination would trigger this and thus undermine Obama's election. And then the discussion sort of took on a life of its own and I sort of went with the flow. I know I can be blunt. Some of it comes from being resistant to typing more than I have to. Some of it comes from when I know I have an intellectual equal, I think everything can just be dumped on the table without worry of offending.
But if I have offended, please forgive me. It wasn't ever my intent, in fact, quite the opposite. Religion and politics.....are there any other two topics more rife with contention??? <vbg> |
