Is "Dublin" a real place?

endacl · 04-09-2015 10:09AM

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Having watched this thread degenerate rapidly I'm now 100% positive that notavirus.exe is a troll.

I'm not entirely convinced he's not a virus...

endacl · 04-09-2015 10:18AM

pauldla wrote: »

Finally, can you share your ghost photos, please?

Here's one of mine. While we're waiting.

I wouldn't usually be one to quote Gervais, but I think "when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It's only painful and difficult for others. The same applies when you are stupid" rather suits the thread.

pauldla · 04-09-2015 10:35AM

th?id=JN.sRbpABuaIeT9cY3m95uO5w&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

TwoShedsJackson · 04-09-2015 10:39AM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

I know "ghosts" exist. 100% belief. They definitely exist. I have experienced them and have taken photos that were photobombed by a deceased person. I'm not trying to convince you but I'm just saying that if ghosts can exist then why would I throw away the possibility of a god?

James Randi will give you one million dollars for your proof. Why not submit it to him?

kylith · 04-09-2015 10:41AM

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Having watched this thread degenerate rapidly I'm now 100% positive that notavirus.exe is a troll.

Edit: just realised OP is a new reg specifically for this thread. Can't believe I wasted 5 mins crafting an actual response.

Ghost photos? get ****ed.

Also has photos of a woman with black lips, apparently, but can't post those either :rolleyes:

The Randy Riverbeast · 04-09-2015 11:57AM

Sounds like someone needs a new camera.

Zillah · 04-09-2015 12:07PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

What do you mean by "not scientifically sound"?

Well, Mr. "Scientist". Have you proven where we've come from? Have you proven how nothing has turned into what we see today and how life formed? I believe in God more than I do atheists. I just can't see how some people can call themselves "atheists". If you told me you were agnostic, I'd say fair enough. Can you tell me how life structures itself? Can you tell me how instinct develops itself? Can you tell me how DNA creates itself? Can you tell me why humans are the only spiritual life forms?

I know "ghosts" exist. 100% belief. They definitely exist. I have experienced them and have taken photos that were photobombed by a deceased person. I'm not trying to convince you but I'm just saying that if ghosts can exist then why would I throw away the possibility of a god?

Trying to reply to a post like this is like walking into a room that has piles of clothes on top of piles of junk on top of piles of dust, and trying to work out how you're supposed to go about cleaning it.

Just like in that scenario I'm going to decide it's not worth it and walk away.

The Randy Riverbeast · 04-09-2015 01:06PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

What do you mean by "not scientifically sound"?

Well, Mr. "Scientist". Have you proven where we've come from? Have you proven how nothing has turned into what we see today and how life formed? I believe in God more than I do atheists. I just can't see how some people can call themselves "atheists". If you told me you were agnostic, I'd say fair enough. Can you tell me how life structures itself? Can you tell me how instinct develops itself? Can you tell me how DNA creates itself? Can you tell me why humans are the only spiritual life forms?

I know "ghosts" exist. 100% belief. They definitely exist. I have experienced them and have taken photos that were photobombed by a deceased person. I'm not trying to convince you but I'm just saying that if ghosts can exist then why would I throw away the possibility of a god?

Even theologians think its a flawed idea. It makes the impression that God had nothing to do with anything that can be explained with science.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps

Delirium · 04-09-2015 02:05PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

What do you mean by "not scientifically sound"?

Well, Mr. "Scientist". Have you proven where we've come from? Have you proven how nothing has turned into what we see today and how life formed? I believe in God more than I do atheists. I just can't see how some people can call themselves "atheists". If you told me you were agnostic, I'd say fair enough. Can you tell me how life structures itself? Can you tell me how instinct develops itself? Can you tell me how DNA creates itself? Can you tell me why humans are the only spiritual life forms?

I know "ghosts" exist. 100% belief. They definitely exist. I have experienced them and have taken photos that were photobombed by a deceased person. I'm not trying to convince you but I'm just saying that if ghosts can exist then why would I throw away the possibility of a god?

When's the last time God communicated with you on a messageboard? :P

Mark Tapley · 04-09-2015 02:14PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

They're not on my computer so not now.

I want to keep on topic but if you really want evidence then ask Google.

No convincing ghosts but I found this creature. I find myself drawn to the noodly appendages.

Jim tully · 04-09-2015 02:14PM

Heaven sounds boring as fcuk anyway. You spend most of your time worshipping God. Sure isnt that just eternal Sunday Mass? I'd take an eternal lie in any day.

Notavirus.exe · 04-09-2015 06:31PM

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Having watched this thread degenerate rapidly I'm now 100% positive that notavirus.exe is a troll.

Edit: just realised OP is a new reg specifically for this thread. Can't believe I wasted 5 mins crafting an actual response.

Ghost photos? get ****ed.

What are you saying? I have a genuine question. I'm a theist. I also believe that God has something to do with how I plan to live my life.

I just don't get how someone can confidently say "Nope, there's no God. When I die, that's it for me. I'm still happy."

I just don't get how you can find happiness believing that our time on earth is limited and we're all going to die and that's it. Having gained nothing from ever existing. I just want people to explain how they find happiness as atheists. There is no need for flaming. Forget I ever mentioned the photos. I believe what I believe. I have photos, I'm compelled to believe in them and I'm saying that I truly believe in them. This isn't a debate on the existence of ghosts.

Notavirus.exe · 04-09-2015 06:43PM

looksee wrote: »

Why?

Well if you don't know where you came from or how the universe was truly formed (e.g. what caused the Big Bang) and how we actually exist and why we exist then I haven't a clue how you can jump to conclusions about whether or not a "God" exists.

I'm genuinely struggling to understand what basis you atheists go on. I mean, don't you ever think that God might exist and won't be too happy about you not believing in him? How one can be truly atheist without a doubt boggles my mind.

Zillah · 04-09-2015 07:24PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Well if you don't know where you came from or how the universe was truly formed (e.g. what caused the Big Bang) and how we actually exist and why we exist then I haven't a clue how you can jump to conclusions about whether or not a "God" exists.

I'm genuinely struggling to understand what basis you atheists go on. I mean, don't you ever think that God might exist and won't be too happy about you not believing in him? How one can be truly atheist without a doubt boggles my mind.

Don't you ever think that the Muslims might be right and their God is going to be really angry at you? The Jews? The Hindus? The Raelians?

Think about any reason you can come up with for not believing in someone else's religion: we feel that way about yours too. Y'all are looking at a vast, dark, and complicated universe and announcing that magic is real and that it is the answer to all of our current unknowns - based on nothing but the fact that you'd like it to be true.

We're not saying we know there is no God, we're saying we think there's no reason to conclude that there is a God, and there's tons of evidence to support the argument that people will invent a God even if one doesn't exist.

All religions are mutually exclusive: we know for a fact that at most one can be right, which means there are thousands of false religions in the world - don't you find it convenient that you happened to be born into the right one?

Y'all are making stuff up. Even if not believing in God made me a miserable suicidal wreck, that doesn't mean God is real, it just means that life sucks. Thankfully that's not the case.

Hotblack Desiato · 04-09-2015 09:55PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Well if you don't know where you came from or how the universe was truly formed (e.g. what caused the Big Bang) and how we actually exist and why we exist then I haven't a clue how you can jump to conclusions about whether or not a "God" exists.

Science doesn't yet have all the answers, but it's still looking - BAD!
Religion has ancient dogma and pat, provably false 'answers' -GOOD!

Some logic, that :rolleyes:

I'm genuinely struggling to understand what basis you atheists go on. I mean, don't you ever think that God might exist and won't be too happy about you not believing in him? How one can be truly atheist without a doubt boggles my mind.

I really don't care. There is no theistic god, of that I'm certain. There is absolutely zero evidence, and that conflicts with everything we are told a theistic god can and should be doing.
Deistic gods I don't care about, because if they exist they don't care about me, either, so it matters not a jot whether they exist at all or whether I or anyone else believes in them or not, it can't change anything either way.
'Spritual' guff annoys me as much or more these days as religious guff, it's equally unevidenced but seen as somehow a less harmful form of delusion. There is no such thing as a soul, or a spirit, or a force. There is just matter, some of which is temporarily living.

It really is the absolute height of arrogant, ignorant, absolute nonsense for an educated person in the 21st century to think that of all the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies in the universe vast beyond our understanding, some god fella created it all just so some not-really-all-that-nice-or-clever species of slightly hairless apes (some of whom still think digital watches are a good idea, thank you Douglas) can think that they are the most important things in the whole universe and their tiny, pale blue dot that is barely resolvable even from within its own solar system is somehow the reason for the existence of everything.

I can't think of anything that could be more conceited.

Jim tully · 04-09-2015 11:38PM

If there is a God then he is powerless or a maniac. There is far too much suffering on this planet that's being 'allowed' by God. It just doesn't make sense. If there is a God then why isnhe putting us on this planet with so much bad going on instead of just letting us be all in heaven from the get go? Please don't mention the ludicrous Adam and Eve tale because it's childish nonsense.

I don't believe in God for the same reason I don't believe in unicorns, dragons, or a teapot that orbits Jupiter. No evidence. To suggest that life isn't worth living based on the fact that it is transient is utter nonsense. If I'm to spend time with my girlfriend for the day or enjoy a nice meal, game of football or whatever, you are putting forth the argument that there is no point in doing these things because they don't last forever. That is a completely distorted vision. The fact that life is finite makes you want to make the most of it even more.

I find myself stopping and thinking what an absolute incredible piece of good fortune it is that I'm alive right now with eyes that see, ears hat hear, a great family and the ability to feel all the great emotions there are in life etc in an absolute tremendous planet we live on. We are on a speck of dust in the mind blowing vastness of space. How is that not a good enough reason to live? There is no inevitability of your existence. Feel lucky to be alive for the short window of time that that is. I personally cannot believe my luck to be alive and it fills me with joy thinking about it.

There is far more to life than hoping that there is a God. There is no reason to believe such a thing. I urge you to really challenge this issue which it seems that you are. A life not worrying about a God is much more pure and free. You can do what you want without feeling that there is an invisible man judging. You do good things out of the goodness of your heart and it is so much more rewarding than thinking that you've done it to please some creator.

endacl · 05-09-2015 12:03AM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

There is no such thing as a soul, or a spirit, or a force.

Oi!!! :mad:

My midi-chlorians beg to differ...

Hotblack Desiato · 05-09-2015 09:14AM

I just knew some git would pick up on that

Letter in today's IT:

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/skellig-michael-and-star-wars-1.2340561

The Star Wars franchise is aimed at a global audience of children and childish adults.

Pherekydes · 05-09-2015 10:24AM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

I'm genuinely struggling to understand what basis you atheists go on. I mean, don't you ever think that God might exist and won't be too happy about you not believing in him? How one can be truly atheist without a doubt boggles my mind.

I'm genuinely struggling to understand how someone who has the intelligence to post on an internet forum can't understand the difference between 'knowing' and 'believing'.

Personally, I think people like you do it deliberately, so as to misrepresent the position of atheists.

NotCominBack · 05-09-2015 03:02PM

Pherekydes wrote: »

I'm genuinely struggling to understand how someone who has the intelligence to post on an internet forum can't understand the difference between 'knowing' and 'believing'.

Personally, I think people like you do it deliberately, so as to misrepresent the position of atheists.

I think you may be overestimating the effort required

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+post+on+an+internet+forum

Notavirus.exe · 05-09-2015 05:52PM

Zillah wrote: »

Don't you ever think that the Muslims might be right and their God is going to be really angry at you? The Jews? The Hindus? The Raelians?

Christians, Jews and Muslims believe in the same God. Each religion just has its own beliefs on things like moral issues.

Why am I Christian? I'm just following what our calendar is based on. And I also wanted an excuse to accept pressies at Christmas. :rolleyes: :P

Notavirus.exe · 05-09-2015 06:20PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

It really is the absolute height of arrogant, ignorant, absolute nonsense for an educated person in the 21st century to think that of all the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies in the universe vast beyond our understanding, some god fella created it all just so some not-really-all-that-nice-or-clever species of slightly hairless apes (some of whom still think digital watches are a good idea, thank you Douglas) can think that they are the most important things in the whole universe and their tiny, pale blue dot that is barely resolvable even from within its own solar system is somehow the reason for the existence of everything.

I can't think of anything that could be more conceited.

This is something I've read a few times. What has education got to do with believing in God?

I find it to be the absolute height of arrogant, ignorant, absolute nonsense for an educated person in the 21st century to think that of all the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies in the universe vast beyond our understanding and all life on earth, DNA, our brains and this universe's physics which all heavily point to intelligent design, that everything we know (including ourselves), created itself from an explosion that happened when nothing existed.

How can you explain intelligent design? In the beginning, there was nothing. Then an explosion happened. Stuff appeared. Life started to form. In fact, I can't understand why life would start itself. Why does life need to exist? I mentioned this before, I believe that the universe is inside a closed cardboard box (not literally). Something in this box causes an explosion and then a universe appears inside the box.

How does life get into the universe? More specifically, how does consciousness get into the universe? Even more specifically, how did I get into the universe? Why wasn't I left alone in eternal darkness while someone else was put into the universe? We're all individual, we all have our own individually unique consciousnesses. It's like waking up in a forest without any memory and saying "How did I get here?"

My point is: Why the hell doesn't life scare atheists?

Cabaal · 05-09-2015 06:31PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Ah, no. I'm just pointing out that it's a bit silly for someone who knows nothing of where we came from to say "I don't believe in God" or "Science says no".

Its equally silly for you to claim that a christian god has done xyz when clearly its the work of Thor,

Roquentin · 05-09-2015 06:49PM

Pherekydes · 05-09-2015 07:47PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Christians, Jews and Muslims believe in the same God.

And the same god revealed to the adherents of each some fairly contradictory sh1te. Would a god do that?

Why am I Christian? I'm just following what our calendar is based on.

So you'll be glad to know the one true god is Frigg.

That's why we say, "Thank god it's Friday!" (Frigg's Day)

Danjamin1 · 05-09-2015 09:02PM

@notavirus you're being called a troll because you're ignoring people's reasons for being comfortable with living a life free from faith and belief and leading the conversation down an intelligent design path which is obviously going to lead to argument.

Non-believers are happy living their current lives to enjoy them now, not for fear of possible being judged after we've passed on. If that's the case in the future then we'll deal with it, but it's more fun enjoying life now and not living in fear.

Lucena · 05-09-2015 11:15PM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Christians, Jews and Muslims believe in the same God. Each religion just has its own beliefs on things like moral issues.

Why am I Christian? I'm just following what our calendar is based on. And I also wanted an excuse to accept pressies at Christmas. :rolleyes: :P

So where does God stand on the eating of ham sandwiches?

06-09-2015 12:28AM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

I find it to be the absolute height of arrogant, ignorant, absolute nonsense for an educated person in the 21st century to think that of all the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies in the universe vast beyond our understanding [/B]and all life on earth, DNA, our brains and this universe's physics which all heavily point to intelligent design, that everything we know (including ourselves), created itself from an explosion that happened when nothing existed.

Yet it isn't arrogant for you to claim to know how everything actually started and that you know exactly which god started it and that out of all the countless versions of god and the creation myth yours just happens to be right?

Can you explain how God created the universe? Can you be more specific than "it was magic"?

pauldla · 06-09-2015 03:54AM

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

This is something I've read a few times. What has education got to do with believing in God?

Good question. There are studies that suggest that higher levels of education are accompanied by a drop in religious belief, broadly speaking. What correlation there is between the two is open to debate, of course. One only has to read these forums to find examples of highly educated and articulate religious believers.

I find it to be the absolute height of arrogant, ignorant, absolute nonsense for an educated person in the 21st century to think that of all the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies in the universe vast beyond our understanding and all life on earth, DNA, our brains and this universe's physics which all heavily point to intelligent design, that everything we know (including ourselves), created itself from an explosion that happened when nothing existed.

Ah, Intelligent design. Well, if you're going to argue for intelligent design, you're going to have your work cut out for you on this forum. Just letting you know: you'll need somthing a tad more robust than 'go google the photos'. But if you're looking at the origin of the universe as being 'once upon a time, there was nothing, which exploded', you might need to read up on it a bit more, because as far as I know that arugment is not put forward by any but the (wilfully?) misinformed.

How can you explain intelligent design? In the beginning, there was nothing. Then an explosion happened. Stuff appeared. Life started to form. In fact, I can't understand why life would start itself. Why does life need to exist? I mentioned this before, I believe that the universe is inside a closed cardboard box (not literally). Something in this box causes an explosion and then a universe appears inside the box.

I would not explain intelligent design; I would leave that to you. But again, if you're reading the origin of the universe as akin to something happening inside a celestial cardboard box, I suggest that you read up on it a little more. May I recommend Carl Sagan's excellent Cosmos, and also Marcus Chown's We Need To Talk About Kelvin.

How does life get into the universe? More specifically, how does consciousness get into the universe? Even more specifically, how did I get into the universe? Why wasn't I left alone in eternal darkness while someone else was put into the universe? We're all individual, we all have our own individually unique consciousnesses. It's like waking up in a forest without any memory and saying "How did I get here?"

These are excellent questions. If I answer 'I don't know', what does that mean? Does it automatically follow that the answer must be God? If so, why?

My point is: Why the hell doesn't life scare atheists?

Why would it? Why would not being able to answer how life arose in the universe scare me? To me that makes as much sense as being scared that two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom can make a water molecule.

gctest50 · 06-09-2015 04:15AM

Jim tully wrote: »

If there is a God then he is powerless or a maniac.....

maybe he's just incompetent and the other gods go "let him off with it - it'll be great craic"

along the same lines maybe his youngfella was a really crap carpenter & that's why people say his name when their shelves fall down

Is "Dublin" a real place?

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