Why is Faith a Virtue?

So you believe in God because you have evidence. But to get the evidence you have to believe in God!!Sounds like a scam to me.Ever read "Kissing Hank's Ass"?http://www.jhuger.com/kisshank.php

I have no desire to negate your (or anyone else's) faith.I object only when the religious cannot accept that "faith" is exactly what it is.I wouldn't put too much stock in acronyms, by the way. A quick google search came up with:Foolish
And
Ignorant
Theological
Hogwash

Indeed it is. And how is that done? Aside from demanding evidence, one observes the behavior, facial expressions and voice tones of whomever is speaking. One might also consider that person's track record of lying. Empricism. Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

Of course, but the letters themselves wouldn't amount to much more than circumstantial evidence. I'd still have a chance of totally misinterpreting what I was reading.

At this request many believers here have been known either to run off or to change the subject.

This is what anthropologists and psychologists do. Again, this is what anthropologists and psychologists do. Also historians, biographers, writers etc..The aim of the exercise is comprehension, not judgement.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

No, you're equating empathy with sympathy.

Does not follow. It could still be a lie! "...so I'm going to send you to hell!"What a pathetic creature this God of yours is.

No, because it's caused my skin receptors responding to heat radiation from the sun. Perhaps I have no desire to subject myself to the judgement of a petty, vindictive tyrant-god who demands unquestioning obediance whilst providing plenty of ways for humans to "delude" themselves into rejecting him.Or, perhaps I have no desire to live my life like a child in fear of punishment.Sorry Ian, your beliefs are your own, but your idea of God leaves me utterly cold.

No. I like the idea that I'm an insignificant speck of life formed from heavy elements that were themselves synthesized in a Sun that lived and died billions of years ago. To me that is truly fascinating.In the words of the great philospher Eric Idle, "You came into the world with nothing, you'll leave with nothing, what have you lost? Nothing!Life is short. Why waste it worrying about what some God thinks? If I found myself at God's feet I would indeed tell him why I didn't believe. I would also ask him lots of questions about his godly powers and infinite knowledge. I most certainly would NOT beg his forgiveness. If he still chose to punish me, then so be it. Better to be in the jail of a tyrant than to sit at his right hand.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

Fits just fine for me! Doesn't ring hollow at all. I'm comfortable with my own mortality.Dreaming up an afterlife for which we have no evidence and no consistent model seems truly hollow to me. Assuming that ONE concept of an afterlife is more valid than all others also seems more than a little self-serving. Then why expect worship? Why should I "believe" in you? Is your ego SO fragile?..and why did you limit your intervention to a particular corner of the planet Earth 2000 years ago? How is "sacrificing" an ever-living avatar of yourself a true sacrifice? Do lifeforms on other planets (if they exist) worship you? Did you send a messiah to those people too?.......is warp-drive possible? What happens when a cat with a piece of buttered bread tied its back falls?

Yup. I simply don't look for evidence. I'm simply not interested in "finding" God. Even if God DOES exist, I'm not interested in living my life for him. "You sacrificed an avatar of yourself and brought it back to life 2000 years ago. What DOES that do for me? If you are referring to the entirity of creation, then well done, but again, why do you need me worship you? Isn't my respect enough?" "Well I'm not interested." "How very convenient... Still not interested. What happens now?" A good father doesn't seek to control his son with veiled threats.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

Ian, any response to message 216?

As far a science can tell life arises from nature, from the universe around us. Of course, I don't pretend to have all the answers. No one does. There are many more things for humanity yet to discover in this life. "I'd rather partake of life in all its complexity than live the life of a naive, cosseted child." "Saw something like that in a porn film once. No thanks." "Not at all. I've never met you before! I just don't see why I should concern myself with your opinion. Nor do I see why you should be concerned about me."---------------Thing is Iano, I as an agnostic I really don't waste my time getting worked up about the possibility of God existing. What puzzles me most is why God wastes his time "talking" to us through religion? Why does God expect our reverence? Why did Adam have to "fall"? Why must there be a judgement? Religion has almost nothing to do with God and everything to do with humans seeking to control one another whilst they live.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

Comes from an article by Ron Suskind in the NYT Magazine in 2004.Reality-based community - WikipediaMake of it what you will...Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.