GENIUS FORUMS

Oh, you thought I was finished? Yup, I did. [reordering] On the other hand, you could just be open to everything (and, therefore, nothing), in which case your belief at best is in, as I said, a vague kind of something. That's quite dishonest. You started out all guns blazing, attacking my beliefs: ...

Maybe one day you'll address your lack of argument-against-impossibility, as summarised in my last post. As for vagueness: I wrote "to the extent that that word makes sense". That's quite distinct from "I don't know what I mean when I use this word". I could explain to you what I...

Interesting questions. To be able to fully answer them, we'd need to know whether there is anything more to consciousness than the pure mechanical workings of the brain. Personally I believe that there is, so I'm unconvinced that an artificial mind could become truly conscious. I suppose that it's p...

One teeny spoonful at a time: Please drop the condescension, Leyla. It's not justified and it's not helpful. earnest: It's purely your assertion that it's a fantasy, and it's an assertion that you have been unable to prove. Leyla: You're insane. It’s fantasy because, unlike humans (remember them?),...

Dave Toast wrote:They ain't no mere motivational speaker style, throw-away positive affirmations though mate. Thems is important words of practical (as opposed to spiritual) advice, for anyone and everyone.

Indeed, and I didn't mean to devalue them through my reaction.

earnest: It's purely your assertion that it's a fantasy, and it's an assertion that you have been unable to prove. Leyla: You're insane. It’s fantasy because, unlike humans (remember them?), “He” cannot be shown to exist or any order except that of a pink elephant---again, this is despite certain s...

Listen here, bucko. This is your fantasy. It's purely your assertion that it's a fantasy, and it's an assertion that you have been unable to prove. What makes you think for one second that I’d think it rational in the slightest to entertain the idiotic idea of proving humans came from some thing be...

Address my points, Leyla. In answer to your question, I believe in a God who has some characteristics in common with humans. Yes, in those characteristics He is exemplary. That doesn't mean that He (the notion of God) was derived from humans. That's purely your assertion, which it is incumbent upon ...

That’s right---climb, climb, climb up that beanstalk out of that little head of yours… "Fe fi fo fum, I smell the..." actually, dang, that cold of yours has got you all blocked up, you really can't smell anything at all, can you? earnest: So you see anthropomorphised God as so similar to ...

The futility of the endeavour insofar as you‘re concerned, lies in the fact of your ceaseless dedication to seamlessly merging with anyone and anything that comes across your path. It’s a sickly abomination, I tell you! It's called charm, my dear. :-) Prince Charming, remember? Don't worry, you're ...

earnest: Hmm. OK, I'm trying to get inside of your perspective. So you see anthropomorphised God as so similar to man that the most rational conclusion is that such a conception must have been created by man, and could not possibly denote a real entity? Leyla: Is your thinking really so completely ...

Good to have you aboard, Fujaro. Your posts so far have been strong. Stick around.

Aha, I understand that if there is to be any harem at all, it must be yours.

No worries. I disagree with you that they're fantasies, but I'm not out to convince. We simply have different experiences.

Indeed. On that matter, you haven't yet indicated whether you will be making a play for inclusion. Perhaps you could bring along a few of your South American mistresses and we could make a real scene of it.

OK, thanks for clarifying.

Hi Brian, It has been my experience that the attachment to sex brings about unending misery I'm curious for you to clarify something: do you mean that it's your experience that attachment to sex brings you unending misery, or people in general? If people in general, then do you recognise any excepti...

I do have a problem with anthropomorphised gods, like your non-omnipotent, omnibenevolent god. Some kind of supremely good "being." I mean, what is such a belief if not, again, god made in the image of (at least one) man who then doubles back on himself? Hmm. OK, I'm trying to get inside ...

Wonderful, Alex! I'll take a look at that thread shortly, and I look forward to the resumption of that dialogue.

Getting to this thread late, but: Alex: This conversation, for me, is so vast and so alarming that I don't even know how to have it. Iolaus: But I have longed to have it, and I think you are the first person I've met capable of having it. And darn it, but I've longed to witness it, and it ended all ...

Haha, do I detect a slight bias? :-P Not "Please help me to carefully examine this argument to determine whether it's valid or not", but the automatic assumption that it's invalid! Ah, but you're in good company here on GF. Anyway, here's my assistance: #3 asserts that the cosmos is "...

A preconceived idea can exist even in the absence of evidence. It just means that you've formed an opinion prior to the arrival of adequate evidence. I would not call a belief held despite compelling evidence "preconceived" unless that belief had been formed prior to the arrival of the ev...

Carlos Castenada tells a story in which a series of events occur that to the ordinary person sound totally horrific. He then repeats the story, same events, different interpretation, that make it sound like one of the most beautiful and inspiring tales you've ever heard. It's quite remarkable how h...

Alright, here’s the big question: how, in your belief-system, does truth factor in to all of this? It's absolutely key. I form beliefs based on what seems to be true based on the best evidence that I've got at the time, and I'm willing to revise my beliefs based on subsequent evidence which indicat...

If empirical evidence suggests no reason for the belief in a non-omnipotent, omnibenevolent God, what is the meaning of pre -conceived? It's preconceived because you're denying the possibility that that evidence will ever be presented. But perhaps "preconceived" isn't entirely fair, becau...