Choosing a faith

This is exactly what I meant by the religious trying to appropriating science.It's a core facet of the ToE that mutation is random and selection is specific; ie it is not guided and can't be. Evolution is not pointing to something.But if it did it would have, as Darwin said, 'an inordinately fondness of beetles. He thought that there were far more species of beetles than anything else - the most successful of all organisms. In fact the most successful organisms on the planet and the ones that will be here when we're all long gone are micro-organisms. It's pure hubris to think that we're the pinnacle of evolution, not say factually wrong - we're just a branch off from apes.Stick to your Bible and quit trying to find confirmation in science that you don't understand.
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When I look at things like evolution it does point towards the idea that it is evolving towards something which would mean that there likely is some long term point to existence, which is suggestive of a designer.

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That would be another example of you seeing what you want to see. And jumping to conclusions on top of it.

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Posters here see morality as evolving within the mind and developed with in a culture which is what I meant be it being naturally infectious.

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While there is a memetic component simply leaving out everything else is missing the point. The basis is in evolution, with culture elaborating on that foundation.

I would like to think so. For a number of years I volunteered in elections and probably will again. If my political views are correct it likely will make very little difference in my life, but hopefully it will have a positive long term impact that I won't be around to enjoy. I think that the goal for all of us is that we leave the world a better place because we were here. You're pretty much doing that now I believe. I suppose they are, but just because someone believes something to be true doesn't mean that it isn't.

Obviously, and although you can't see it I have tried to show why the theistic belief is the most plausible conclusion.

It is conclusions that are inferred by observing the world around.AS an example I would say again is the consensus around the idea that we should act kindly and even lovingly towards others. I suggest that other than in cases of mental illness when people act selfishly they know they are going against that basic ideology but just don't care

You can't. It's belief.

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Obviously, and although you can't see it I have tried to show why the theistic belief is the most plausible conclusion.

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It looks more like you’re trying to hide from the fact that theistic belief is NOT a plausible conclusion.

Health care and education both have Christian roots. Slavery was abolished as a result of Christians such a Wiberforce. Yes, there have been wars in the name of religion, but I suggest that it wasn't the fault of religion but a very human lust for power.Science has certainly made life easier and I can see that in my life time, but generally speaking the general sense of culture in which I grew up was happier, more contented and more harmonious. Science also give us the ability to wage war in ways that could even bring an end to all civilization.This isn't to deny that the ability to cure disease and to more easily connect people of diverse cultures aren't positive outcomes of science but things aren't nearly as back and white as you paint them.

My personal experience was that I dropped out of the church in my mid teens having been taken to an Anglican church up to then, but it wasn't really discussed much at home.In my thirties after reading Mere Christianity I started back to church and came to my own ever evolving conclusions.

No, this is not right.I define construct as a consciously derived value judgement. All human cultures universally hold murder wrong because it is an exceptionally valuable construct for the survival of a social species. Further, not all human cultures use the same definitions for their constructs of what is murder. It is a calculated value judgement.When the alpha male takes over a pride he kills all the cubs. Is that murder? No it is instinct. The lion hasn't the capacity to make such a value judgement, to form such a construct. Humans appear to have lost the chemical pathways to that instinct and now rely on our emotional and reasoned responses instead.The evidence I see indicates that all of human morality are human constructs. Without GDR's woo there appear no other venues.

Likely all of their traits have evolved naturally, however they know how to co-operate but I don't think that they are able to love or have free will.

I assume by that, that you agree in the possibility of a god or gods being responsible for life and I agree that it is possible for life to exist because of solely natural processes.Our point of disagreement then concerns the degree of plausibility of the two views.
It then is about a belief that we choose based on what we know, what we learn from others and what we observe.

No GDR. The concepts pre-date Abraham's first mention of Elohim.A story I have no source for but maybe someone will recognize.Some famous anthropologist asked to date the advancement of humans over other animals pointed to the first signs we have ever found of human bones being knit together recovered from a fracture. Instead of being left to die as any other wounded animal would, the knit bones shows the individuals were treated with healthcare obviously learned. And this was well before the stone age as I recall. Definitely wars of wealth and power, blessed, if not led by the priests. Religions not just gave cover but recruited believers and enslaved surfs into the service of the warlords. But eventually that wasn't enough blood for their concepts of god so they found excuses, the thirty years war, the huguenot wars, the crusades. And that's just christian europe. Things get real bad when christians get to the Americas. You were younger back then. Even 10 years is all it takes to notice the whole world is going to hell in a handbasket. And it keeps getting worse. Every new generation screws up even more of what was such an idyllic generation. They screwed up the music so bad! I mean real bad. Come on! Disco?! So show me your shades of grey.

Why do humans continue to be so damned self-centered?Can you even conceive what love might be like for a bee? Are you so blinded by superiority that you can so confidently claim the bee equivalents of dopamine and endorphins do not swamp the bee endocrine system just as they do yours? Try to imagine what devotion to the queen feels like. Combination mother, child and lover.No. Because you have only the one conception in your mind, your limited view, the pinnacle of all creation with anything lesser, or even different, being discarded as not there.Repent, O Christian! There is more love in mindless chemistry than you heretically believe!Bees Have Feelings and Can Experience Optimism

Edited by AZPaul3, .

Edited by AZPaul3, .

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In my thirties after reading Mere Christianity I started back to church and came to my own ever evolving conclusions

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My conclusion from reading that is that it should be a great embarrassment to the legacy of C S Lewis. It really is awfully bad.