traders who are deeply religious

You're a bit weak in analytical skills.

Yes, many people will die for what they believe to be true.

However -- and this is what you missed -- how many will die for what they know to be false?

 

I agree with hcour on this one. Simply believing something doesn't make it so, regardless of the zealotry of such belief. You are grasping at straws. Paranoid schizophrenics are convinced beyond all doubt that there are people plotting against them. Of course, that doesn't necessarily make it so.

As for things being believed simultaneously by people in large numbers, that does not validate a belief in and of itself. Much of the atrocity and genocide that has occurred throughout history was orchestrated by people in large numbers, including, but not limited to (by any means), the Crusades, Nazi Germany, Kosovo, Rwanda and so on. Mass hysteria and a uniform belief is not evidence of validity. It doesn't automatically make it right.

I continue to be astonished at the lengths people will go to justify what they believe in the absence of a scintilla of objective evidence. I do not think that you need to justify your belief, by any means. Your beliefs are your own, and you are entitled to them. But if you must go about justifying them, I urge you not to do so lamely. It is curious how intelligent people who are religious readily lower their standards when accepting evidence of a deity, whereas they would not accept such low order "evidence" in any other context unrelated to their religion. I think this phenomenon is identified as the "leap of faith." For skeptics such as myself, the chasm is just too great.

 

With due respect, you may wish to revisit your own analytical skills.

1. As you agreed, many people would die for what they believe to be true. But it does not follow that what they believe is necessarily true.

2. As for how many people would die for what they know to be false, I would say relatively few if any. However, I have no doubt that martyrs are true believers (refer to #1).

So what is the point of your post?

 

Oh I got it, alright. They wouldn't have endured such suffering if they knew they were full of shite. Which is another way of saying the same thing: They believed in their convictions.

My 8 yr old niece believes in Santa. She would not spend the time and effort writing a "Dear Santa" letter to him if she knew he didn't exist. Therefore, there must be a Santa Claus. Blah. Blah. Blah.

H

 

Indeed! It is amazing isn't it?

H

 

You know this whole "spread the msg" thing, which is central to Christ, the Apostles, the Church, reminds me of the bit in Jesus Christ Superstar where Judas asked why JC showed up then, in that time, when "there was no mass communication". If the msg is "the msg" why didn't he wait for the technological era? Today he could have his own website, his own blog, his own tv cable show. Sheesh, think of the ratings he would've gotten for the whole "rising from the dead" thing:

"Next Week: Christ Comes Back For His Final Show! Don't miss this very special episode! Brought to you by GE: We Bring Good Things to Life"

H

 

Perhaps you could explain for us the many dying/resurrected god myths in place long before the time of JC? Most of thess myths involve a god/man being born of a virgin on the 25th of December and being sacrificed only to rise again... sound familiar? I hate to tell you but you are a pagan, christianity grafted a pagan myth onto JC

 

never pray for patience...or you will be tested!

 

Proof?
No. Revelation and common sense:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
John 1: 14-19

 

I tried to resist posting to this thread for the last two days but emotion got the better of me (a bit like my trading).

I have been a little shocked recently my two religious revelations close to home:

1) A poll in the Uk that only 48% of the population believe in evolution. The majority’s preference being either Intelligent Design or worse biblical 7 day theory !!

2) Talking to a couple of work colleagues over a few beers, I found out one guy was a 7 day theorist the other an Intelligent design advocate. I personally have great difficulty taking people seriously when they starting quoting references from the bible.

Of course I believe in each to their own etc….. but anybody who truly believes in anything other than 4.5 billion year old evolutionary theory is living in denial imho.

Lets just face facts we are just very intelligent apes who have developed a nice niche for ourselves on planet earth. The next mass extinction event will soon put us straight….

Here endth the sermon from the devout atheist