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[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

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[_Ren]

As a matter of arbitrary choice, I usually try to avoid getting involved in threads where people argue about what eminent in real life thinkers have or have not said. I am more interested in learning what posters themselves think, and in reading and constructing arguments that stand on their own feet without appeals to outside authority. I think that is what an anonymous discussion board is best for. So I shall try not to get in the way if people want to carry on further discussions of Nietzsche or Sartre here.

Very well said Chap.
I've often thought the same thing when I read posts here, and elsewhere...

I have often wondered what atheists would consider as swaying evidence, from a philosophical perspective.

Seems to me that evidence of a transcendent 'intelligence' could be very easy to find - were the intelligence involved a little more interested in being found...? Maybe...?

Perhaps - to you - such an intelligence IS easy to find / discover...

...maybe I'm just not the kind of person who can / (really) wants to discover it...?

I mean, say you have the ability to see or otherwise perceive that the ocean is blue. If I was able to see this I would constitute it as evidence, philosophically, enough to believe it is reality, without confirmation from an objective source. The perception is entirely subjective, yet I would perceive it as being sufficient to be a basis for reality.

I get you - I think.
Doesn't matter if nobody else in the world could confirm your observation that the ocean is blue.
You know it is because you see it as blue. And that is 'evidence'.

I don't see why you describe it as 'evidence, philosophically'. Maybe you can clarify what you mean by that. But, so far, I think I'm with you.

My only question would be, why would it be unreasonable to expect others to be able to confirm your observation that the ocean is - indeed - blue, if it is - infact - a cold hard emperical fact...?

Likewise all humans have more senses than 5

...they do...?

and all of us certainly have an energy sense, or "6th" sense so to speak.

...we do...?

If this sense has proven trustworthy in the past the same as sight,

...has it...? When?

then what is sensed by it can be also trusted as real, at least the sensation is real

I can certainly agree that 'spiritual sensations' are real...

If I sense female energy in the room, I know there is a female in the room. If I sense male energy, same thing.

Think you could pull this off under labratory conditions?
Or is that kind of test too crude / small-minded / unnecessary?

If the person is old I know, young, etc. I don't have to see them.

Same as above.

I could honestly and openly share my ways of awakening to my essence and spiritual senses, but, for one, it is like casting pearls before swine

Yeah, I figured you'd say something like this...
*shrug* fair enough..

[_Ceeboo]

I believe in God because many of my family/friends do and I just want to fit in :)

On a slightly more serious note, one of the strongest reasons for the belief in a God/Creator (in my opinion), is that when one measures the only two choices on the table, a God/Creator strikes me (at the very least) as an equally reasonable and possible choice when compared to the only other option that remains.

by the way, I think this thread has evolved (no pun intended) very nicely and has some great posts from both sides.

(I hope I spelled all words correctly in this post so that my perspective/opinion might be given further value) :)

Peace,
Ceeboo

[Anonymous]

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[_3sheets2thewind]

You vastly underestimate the power of your subconscious. These occurrences are not that special. Science can easily explain them.

please explain them then.

How do I know someone by name that I have never met? I am not referring to Elder Bednar, I am referring to the female I knew by name when I saw her. And I had only been in that US State for 6 months or so.

How do I know a place by sight and name, when I have never been there and was never told the location?

[_Chap]

My special psychic powers don't go through the internet very well ;)

I tend not to pay much attention to posters who address us in mystagogue mode: the obvious question is always "Why attend to this one rather than to the thousands of others competing for our attention with different and often incompatible claims?".

But if I ever do find myself wondering whether I am missing a wonderful opportunity to gain all kinds of extra-sensory powers, I think along the following lines:

1. The ability to perceive the presence and nature (including gender) of other living creatures in one's vicinity independent of sight, hearing, smell or touch would be an immense advantage to any animal, human and non-human, in surviving and producing descendants in a dangerous world.

2. Therefore any traces of such abilities would be strongly selected for by evolution, and would in consequence become a major element in the everyday life and behavior of all animals, human and non-human.

3. But this is clearly not the case. For our survival and everyday tasks we, like other animals, rely on our known physical senses, which in some animals have been evolved to an amazing degree of subtlety, and we never see anyone using other alleged senses when it really counts.

4. Therefore it is unlikely that human beings do have the abilities claimed, and given the limited time and energy available to us in this life we would do well to direct our efforts in directions other than those that someone like Ezias is suggesting should be followed.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hello,

Sometimes I'm sure I'm an atheist. Sometimes I shift toward agnosticism. Sometimes I experience a personal connection with Providence.

Do I believe in Jehova-God? No. Elohim-God? No. Any of the thousands of gods that have come and gone? No. Allah? “F” no. I'm as certain any of those scams don't exist as I am the Sun will rise (or the Earth will spin).

Then the Agnostic in me realizes the Universe is an infinite place with an infinite number of possibilities, in addition to us Humans only being able to see or be aware of a finite spectrum of reality (space, time, light, etc...). A god could possibly exist, even one that might be aware of us or care about us in some way. I just have no way to prove it, nor has It, if It exists, bothered to offer any sort of proof that's meaningful to me. Additionally, It, if It exists, isn't really doing anything that means anything to me anyway. You know... Preventing baby-murder, rape, war, balancing the goddamn budget, etc...

And then... Once in a while I feel something. Some will say that's God. Some will say that's just your brain. Some will say that's my upbringing. And I'm ok with that. Sometimes it's just nice to feel connected to the Universe, whether or not it's my own doing, and communicate with it. And once in a while I do. Sometimes I'll attend a Catholic mass because it just feels right to me. Sometimes on a hike I'll stop, appreciate the beauty I see, and say, "Thank you for this." Sometimes I ask for help when a burden is too heavy. I know I'm talking to myself. I think I'm talking to myself. I feel I'm talking to something else. And I'm good with that. That's ok.

Even now... Thinking about a Higher Power is calming to me. I'm ok with there not being one. I'm ok with there being one. I just don't believe in one.

V/R
Dr. Cam

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

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[_MrStakhanovite]

Mikwut,

I'm confused about your criticisms concerning Existentialism is a Humanism, when I referenced Existentialism and Humanism. I’m not clear if that was a tangent or if we are talking about different books.

I wanted to clear this up before I gave a fuller response.