7 days or 7 billion years?

iregk wrote: »

Possibly because there are more signs towards that than there are to the reason for life!

I disagree that there are any more signs for the hypothesis you put across than for the hypothesis that there is meaning or purpose to the way we are. Anyone who is in any way inquisitive cannot accept that the world is meaningless.

What signs are you referring to?

Jakkass wrote: »

Why do people have this definite belief that life doesn't have any meaning at all and that we are here for absolutely nothing at all?

I personally find that much much harder to believe.

I was wondering when the "proof from lack of imagination" argument would crop up. It's not about what's easier or harder to believe, it's about what is true. There is no evidence to suggest that there is a meaning of life.

Of course, this means that the meaning of your life can be whatever you want it to be. Just because there is no grand, cosmic meaning of life doesn't mean that we should all be nihilists.

Jakkass wrote: »

I disagree that there are any more signs for the hypothesis you put across than for the hypothesis that there is meaning or purpose to the way we are. Anyone who is in any way inquisitive cannot accept that the world is meaningless.

What signs are you referring to?

I'm not sure if we are dragging this off topic or not but what the hell.

Let me ask you this. What do you think life is? Do you believe that when you die you will be met at a set of pearly gates and asked what is the meaning of life?

What will you say?

mobius42 wrote: »

I was wondering when the "proof from lack of imagination" argument would crop up. It's not about what's easier or harder to believe, it's about what is true. There is no evidence to suggest that there is a meaning of life.

I never intended it as "proof", but rather as a point of debate. I can't possibly fathom why on earth the world would exist the way it does if there was no purpose behind it.

This is the stumbling block as to why I cannot be an atheist, and not only why I cannot be, but why I don't want to be an atheist. I find the idea that a world would exist without significance to be absolutely absurd.

As for evidence, as someone who believes in divine revelation I personally do believe that we have a purpose in living our lives out in respect to God, and in respect to other people and to leave a positive mark on this world before we leave. I also have an idea of why the world is a challenging place to live in amongst other things. Atheism doesn't offer a worldview at all.

mobius42 wrote: »

Of course, this means that the meaning of your life can be whatever you want it to be. Just because there is no grand, cosmic meaning of life doesn't mean that we should all be nihilists.

I don't believe that meaning is something which is contrived by humans. The pure reason I don't accept that the earth doesn't have meaning is because I have an iniquisitive mind, or a philosophical mind you could say. I believe in a concept of truth, and falsity, and I don't believe this is contrived by humans. I'm in search of the truth what is behind this all.

For me rejecting that there is meaning is an open door to nihilism or existentialism. I don't buy into postmodernism.

iregk wrote: »

I'm not sure if we are dragging this off topic or not but what the hell.

Of course we aren't. The question basically surrounds the question why do you think life is the way it is. I think it is because God has created life, and that God has given us a purpose which we can accept or reject.

iregk wrote: »

Let me ask you this. What do you think life is? Do you believe that when you die you will be met at a set of pearly gates and asked what is the meaning of life?

What will you say?

I will say this. Life is about understanding the world you live in. It's about developing a relationship with God, learning to love and serve Him in the world, and to reach out to other people so as to make the world a better place as when you came into it.

When I die, I don't believe I will be met with a set of pearly gates. Rather I believe that I will have to make an account for everything I have done, or everything that I have said. Nothing will be a secret to anyone about what I have done for the worse or for the better in my life. Jesus Christ will determine whether or not I have been faithful to Him in this lifetime when He will judge mankind, and determine if I believed in His saving death on the cross, and whether or not I was in the book of Life. On determining this, if He decides that I have witnessed to His glory, I will spend eternity with God. If not I will spend eternity in punishment. That's my belief on what happens in the hereafter.

However I will emphasise, that I am focused more on what Christianity can do in the world now, rather than what the afterlife will be like.

Earthhorse: Evolutionary biology doesn't say that humans descended from apes, rather that humans and apes have a common ancestor like the fossil that was discovered in Germany recently. This common ancestor changed in two different directions (of course more, but I'm referring in simple terms to humans and apes), one into the apes that we commonly know as primates, and one into homosapiens and so on through very very minor genetic changes over a long period of time. This is what I have grasped anyway. Changes which are to the detriment of the species cause it to die out, leaving only the species with the beneficial changes to survive and adapt to it's environment (This is referred to as natural selection). The argument is that only after millions of years did humans and apes become so different from eachother.

Further evolution in human species has according to current theory given us our regional differences, as people have adapted to their different environments.

Someone feel free to correct if I'm wrong.

Jakkass wrote: »

I never intended it as "proof", but rather as a point of debate. I can't possibly fathom why on earth the world would exist the way it does if there was no purpose behind it.

This is the stumbling block as to why I cannot be an atheist, and not only why I cannot be, but why I don't want to be an atheist. I find the idea that a world would exist without significance to be absolutely absurd.

As for evidence, as someone who believes in divine revelation I personally do believe that we have a purpose in living our lives out in respect to God, and in respect to other people and to leave a positive mark on this world before we leave. I also have an idea of why the world is a challenging place to live in amongst other things. Atheism doesn't offer a worldview at all.



I don't believe that meaning is something which is contrived by humans. The pure reason I don't accept that the earth doesn't have meaning is because I have an iniquisitive mind, or a philosophical mind you could say. I believe in a concept of truth, and falsity, and I don't believe this is contrived by humans. I'm in search of the truth what is behind this all.

For me rejecting that there is meaning is an open door to nihilism or existentialism. I don't buy into postmodernism.



Of course we aren't. The question basically surrounds the question why do you think life is the way it is. I think it is because God has created life, and that God has given us a purpose which we can accept or reject.



I will say this. Life is about understanding the world you live in. It's about developing a relationship with God, learning to love and serve Him in the world, and to reach out to other people so as to make the world a better place as when you came into it.

When I die, I don't believe I will be met with a set of pearly gates. Rather I believe that I will have to make an account for everything I have done, or everything that I have said. Nothing will be a secret to anyone about what I have done for the worse or for the better in my life. Jesus Christ will determine whether or not I have been faithful to Him in this lifetime when He will judge mankind, and determine if I believed in His saving death on the cross, and whether or not I was in the book of Life. On determining this, if He decides that I have witnessed to His glory, I will spend eternity with God. If not I will spend eternity in punishment. That's my belief on what happens in the hereafter.

However I will emphasise, that I am focused more on what Christianity can do in the world now, rather than what the afterlife will be like.

Sorry Jackass but there is no evidence of God. Religion is a man made invention. Things done in the name of religion have caused much pain and suffering in the world. Can Man not be trusted to create or own moral code? Do we need one more reason to be at war?

Most religions preach love thy neighbour but practice love thy neighbour if he believes what you believe.

Crusades, jihads, holy wars, child abuse and done in the name of one God or another or in the case of the latter covered up by thoes that claim to serve him. I doubt if God exsited he would let

Why not worship Zeus, Thor or any other countless "Gods" for the acient cultures?

Religion is for the closed minded. It's the easy explaination.

Twin-go wrote: »

Sorry Jackass but there is no evidence of God. Religion is a man made invention. Things done in the name of religion have caused much pain and suffering in the world. Can Man not be trusted to create or own moral code? Do we need one more reason to be at war?

I disagree with you. There is no proof for God's existence of lack thereof. However there is indication for why Christianity is probably true. Many authors deal with these topics and it's just a matter of your own initiative to listen to their arguments. William Lane Craig, Lee Strobel, Allister McGrath, C.S Lewis, Ravi Zacharias amongst other truly brilliant Christian apologists all bring interesting reasons for why God most likely existed and why the Bible is most likely true to the table.

So yes, it's a debate, but that doesn't mean that there aren't strong reasons for believing in Christ in a world that promotes reason and education.

Can man not be trusted to create a moral code? No definitely not given mans track record . I don't think morals are created anyway. I think they exist universally.

Twin-go wrote: »

Most religions preach love thy neighbour but practice love thy neighbour if he believes what you believe.

I like you think that's wrong.

Twin-go wrote: »

Crusades, jihads, holy wars, child abuse and done in the name of one God or another or in the case of the latter covered up by thoes that claim to serve him. I doubt if God exsited he would let

I consider the Crusades to be abhorrent, and many Christians did at the time too according to historical sources. Likewise with child abuse.

These aren't the product of religion anyway, but rather the abuse of religion by man. There are examples where people have abused atheism too.

Twin-go wrote: »

Why not worship Zeus, Thor or any other countless "Gods" for the acient cultures?

I haven't been posed with good reasons to, like I have been for Christianity.

Twin-go wrote: »

Religion is for the closed minded. It's the easy explaination.

Funny how it wasn't until I opened my mind to consider it until I found it for real . After a little more than two years being committed to Christianity I have to say that it certainly isn't the easy path or the easy way out.