Nothing wrong with "us" people. "Us" people view creationism as just as empirically validating and scientifically secure explanation for the origins of life as evolution. You may want to rethink "...principles of empirical testing..." when discussing evolution in the first place. Evolution does not have anywhere near the "evidence" the Jurassic Park movies would like you to believe. =)
I'm not a scientist. I can't quote your physicists or your chemists or philosophers. I'm not a doctor or a lawyer.
I seem to be much of an outsider looking in. And much of this lofty exchange between seemingly educated, or at least researched, folks seems to be rather narrowly focused. It seems so many are digging for a complex system, a combination of chemicals, mathematics, and simply the roll of the cosmic dice as the basis of our existance. And our existance is defined, I believe, by what many of you are referring to as "morality."
First off, the blatant stereotyping of certain groups of people on here seems counter to the proposed magnitude of understanding and enlightenment. The utter and total disregard for metaphysical realities based on the notion of mere empirical evidence or mathematical inconsistencies could possibly be a sign of limitations or shortcomings in the theoretical systems many of you are employeeing. But, with disregard to what is the basis of existence for one group of people produces disregard for those people and the ideas they bring to the table. The boys club has its rules. If you want to join; here are the rules. This is very much counter to the proposed open mindedness the majority of participants are aspiring to. Unfortunate. And, hypocritical.
I am a Christian. I don't hold snakes, have visions, hear voices, or kill gay people. I see the same colors and hear the same sounds non-Christians see and hear. I have the same feelings, temptations, emotional struggles. And I have my doubts at times. I'm stunned by the same atrocities, touched by the same acts of selflessness, and left pondering about the same secrets the universe still holds. I merely have a different perspective with which I base everything. I'm not physically or emotionally or intellectually different than anybody else, believer or nonbeliever. And, I'm certainly not 'better' than anybody who has walked this earth, from the most addored to the most hated.
But there are things I know for an absolute truth with which I would give everything before I denounced. And that alone, makes me very different. From the outside, or outside a basic Christian belief, proposing such absolutes and the knowledge thereof seems arrogant, uninformed, elitist, and fanatical. I believe many of you refer to me as a zealot. Fair enough. That's a product of the perspective with which you base your world view. But, that's not the reality of it. Its peace and deep responsibility. That is it. Its not a badge of honor or a sword to hold to anybodys throat. It gets me no rights to condemn another individual but gives me to responsibility to recognize things that are wrong and judge them as such. These things are morality.
Human nature is selfish when left to its own devices. It is natural to want to protect the self and improve the experience of existence for the self. It wants to be better, have better things, feel better, etc. And without stucture that is established and above the individual, then such natural inclinations can be very destructive. As a created being, I'm subject to the Creator as an Authority. And from the Authority comes rules. Fortunately, in all of the imperfections and savagery that is the basic human existance, God provides perfection. His law is perfection. I must admit, as any honest Christian would, the motives by which one follows these rules and abides by the belief in God, more specifically, Christ, is no less selfish. I want a better existance for myself. I love God because he loves me and promises me things as a reward for faith alone. And, the alternative of being a cosmic accident hurtling through infinite space with absolutly no reason for being is much less attractive world view. I don't mean to oversimplify or treat such world views with sarcasm or disrespect. But that's what it boils down to for me.
I don't see such naturalistic worldview working. I do see basic human nature working, based on the natural laws of the world. I see a replacement of the idea of God, because
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Nothing wrong with "us" people. "Us" people view creationism as just as empirically validating and scientifically secure explanation for the origins of life as evolution. You may want to rethink "...principles of empirical testing..." when discussing evolution in the first place. Evolution does not have anywhere near the "evidence" the Jurassic Park movies would like you to believe. =)
How dare the church of evolution be brought into question!
I'm not a scientist. I can't quote your physicists or your chemists or philosophers. I'm not a doctor or a lawyer. I seem to be much of an outsider looking in. And much of this lofty exchange between seemingly educated, or at least researched, folks seems to be rather narrowly focused. It seems so many are digging for a complex system, a combination of chemicals, mathematics, and simply the roll of the cosmic dice as the basis of our existance. And our existance is defined, I believe, by what many of you are referring to as "morality." First off, the blatant stereotyping of certain groups of people on here seems counter to the proposed magnitude of understanding and enlightenment. The utter and total disregard for metaphysical realities based on the notion of mere empirical evidence or mathematical inconsistencies could possibly be a sign of limitations or shortcomings in the theoretical systems many of you are employeeing. But, with disregard to what is the basis of existence for one group of people produces disregard for those people and the ideas they bring to the table. The boys club has its rules. If you want to join; here are the rules. This is very much counter to the proposed open mindedness the majority of participants are aspiring to. Unfortunate. And, hypocritical. I am a Christian. I don't hold snakes, have visions, hear voices, or kill gay people. I see the same colors and hear the same sounds non-Christians see and hear. I have the same feelings, temptations, emotional struggles. And I have my doubts at times. I'm stunned by the same atrocities, touched by the same acts of selflessness, and left pondering about the same secrets the universe still holds. I merely have a different perspective with which I base everything. I'm not physically or emotionally or intellectually different than anybody else, believer or nonbeliever. And, I'm certainly not 'better' than anybody who has walked this earth, from the most addored to the most hated. But there are things I know for an absolute truth with which I would give everything before I denounced. And that alone, makes me very different. From the outside, or outside a basic Christian belief, proposing such absolutes and the knowledge thereof seems arrogant, uninformed, elitist, and fanatical. I believe many of you refer to me as a zealot. Fair enough. That's a product of the perspective with which you base your world view. But, that's not the reality of it. Its peace and deep responsibility. That is it. Its not a badge of honor or a sword to hold to anybodys throat. It gets me no rights to condemn another individual but gives me to responsibility to recognize things that are wrong and judge them as such. These things are morality. Human nature is selfish when left to its own devices. It is natural to want to protect the self and improve the experience of existence for the self. It wants to be better, have better things, feel better, etc. And without stucture that is established and above the individual, then such natural inclinations can be very destructive. As a created being, I'm subject to the Creator as an Authority. And from the Authority comes rules. Fortunately, in all of the imperfections and savagery that is the basic human existance, God provides perfection. His law is perfection. I must admit, as any honest Christian would, the motives by which one follows these rules and abides by the belief in God, more specifically, Christ, is no less selfish. I want a better existance for myself. I love God because he loves me and promises me things as a reward for faith alone. And, the alternative of being a cosmic accident hurtling through infinite space with absolutly no reason for being is much less attractive world view. I don't mean to oversimplify or treat such world views with sarcasm or disrespect. But that's what it boils down to for me. I don't see such naturalistic worldview working. I do see basic human nature working, based on the natural laws of the world. I see a replacement of the idea of God, because