Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
dscans wrote:
Ceebs, how do you feel about the concept of mystical experiences? They might not "prove" the definition of a soul in the western sense of the word but they seem to "prove" of another existence on a spiritual level.
I don't think we need to believe anything on insufficient or bad evidence to have or explore mystical experiences. I don't think they prove the existence of anything other than a level of "spirituality" we humans can reach within ourselves through a lot of hard work.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
Buffalohed wrote:
Look, I'm not discounting that things happen when you "die", but is there any even remotely good reason to believe this is anything besides altered brain activity?
Right on. Scientists have studied these near-death experiences both at the brain and through peoples' testimony, and have found the brain functions in a specific way each time we have one, creating similar brain experiences that are enhanced by our subjective existence.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 20059 Gender: Male
corduroy_blazer wrote:
The belief in a "soul" as commonly defined is completely unsupported by evidence of any kind, especially scientific. That abortions or stem cell research are held back whatsoever because of unsupported and vague ideas about the existence of a "soul" in a clump of cells is awful. One can sit back all he or she wants and rattle on about the soul claim being not a scientific one, but in fact is is a claim to knowledge, one that does not hold to evidence. Unprovable metaphysical claims ought not be directly our public policy (or, I would argue, our beliefs in general, but that's another story). Claims need to be supported somehow in the here and now. Science's answer is the soul doesn't seem to exist. Without this answer, where would we be?
I agree. There are much better reasons to stop abortions from happening than ideas that are based in spirituality or religion, and faith should not directly influence public policy. But I still don't see how science can say it is probable a soul doesn't exist. Within the physical world, yes, it can say that much. It can say that it is probably unprovable, and some may take that to mean that it should not be assumed to be truth, yes. But I don't think many claims about a soul rest within the physical world, so I see it as troublesome for science to disprove its existence, even to a probability.
_________________ stop light plays its part, so I would say you've got a part
I think it's interesting that many Christians are so intent on believing the Bible's claims 'to the letter', especially when the Bible actually never claims to be the 'Word of God.' Only three things are actually given 'Word of God' status in scripture: Jewish wisdom, God's word through prophecy, and Christ himself, 'the Word incarnate.'
Other than that, the Bible only claims to be 'useful.'
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
Heh.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
Too many holy books.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
Too many holy people.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
There's a lot of misguided love.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:40 am Posts: 25451 Location: 111 Archer Ave.
washing machine wrote:
There are some misguided guides out there too.
We were discussing a character in a Willa Cather novel today in my lit class, and the professor referenced a quote from Cather that immediately made me think of this thread:
"Those who make being good look unattractive do more harm than those who strive to make evil look attractive".
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
He is.
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:47 am Posts: 46000 Location: Reasonville
The Ten commandments seriously are ridiculous.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my Commandments."
_________________ No matter how dark the storm gets overhead They say someone's watching from the calm at the edge What about us when we're down here in it? We gotta watch our backs
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