[Colyo]

I put no more faith in religious texts than I do the Harry Potter series.

[Lackjester]

My argument has always been that beliefs don't matter.

You could believe that the world is flat, or that there is some crazy guy throwing lightning bolts around in the sky.

What matters is your actions as a person.

Ultimately if I died and there was a God and a Heaven and Hell, I don't see why me not believing such a place existed should deny me from paradise. I'm willing to admit I'm wrong with sufficient evidence.
If I lived a good life and I brought joy and happiness to others then ultimately that's what matters right?

If not then that religion would be a lie. Their God not being something worth believing in if he flat out rejects good people because they didn't believe on him or felt they needed him.
Intact that God would be a total asshole really! XD

What's a good life? :P

Why strive for happiness in the first place -- why shouldn't we commit mass suicide?

Why do actions matter?

[RetroVortex]

What's a good life? :D

Why strive for happiness in the first place -- why shouldn't we commit mass suicide?

Because many of us humans have an ingrained survival instinct that stops us.
Sadly because of that we will have to just make do on trying to improve our situation a little!XD

A good life is indeed subjective but if you can justify your existence, what makes you worthy to live instead of another with sufficient logic and passion, then you must be living a life you find worth living.

(but you know some mutual empathy and not going around murdering or raping people or destroying property tends to be a common theme people share so I'd suggest to start with that! XD)

[TJSeabury]

Do you believe there is an all divine creator, or are we just the product of randomness? What is the evidence for what you believe? I'm not looking for a debate. I want to hear your perspective.

Absolutely None. For or against.

Even if there is no divine creator that does not mean everything is random. Everything in this universe is causally based as far as we know. Going by this logic it makes sense that there must be a cause for the universe itself. What I don't understand is why so many are afraid to simply say "I do not know." Many look upon the infinite complexity of the universe and cannot comprehend, "ergo God." Lack of comprehension does not imply that a being must exist that can simply because something exist that is very complex and grand in scale.

My beliefs are this: Secular Humanism and Atheism.

What Secular Humanists Believe - Beliefnet.com
Secular Humanism - What Is It? - A very good explanation of Secular Humanism.

Atheism: An Introduction to Atheism - Clarification for what an Atheist actually is.

Does a personal experience count as evidence?

Can it be reliably reproduced in many people under similar circumstances? If not then no.

[Lackjester]

Because many of us humans have an ingrained survival instinct that stops us.
Sadly because of that we will have to just make do on trying to improve our situation a little!XD

A good life is indeed subjective but if you can justify your existence, what makes you worthy to live instead of another with sufficient logic and passion, then you must be living a life you find worth living.

(but you know some mutual empathy and not going around murdering or raping people or destroying property tends to be a common theme people share so I'd suggest to start with that! XD)

That's a decent "answer" but you haven't really answered the question. Doesn't that trouble you?

What if morality is objective and you're simply unaware of it? :o

The only evidence I need is from having some encounters that I would consider Divine.
This was enough proof for me as I then had an inner 'knowing', no matter how crazy it seems to others.

Does a personal experience count as evidence?

What happened to y'all?

My beliefs are this: Secular Humanism and Atheism.

What Secular Humanists Believe - Beliefnet.com
Secular Humanism - What Is It? - A very good explanation of Secular Humanism.

Atheism: An Introduction to Atheism - Clarification for what an Atheist actually is.

From the first link you've provided:

Why Evil? No concept of “evil.” Reasons for wrongdoing are explored through scientific methods, e.g. through study of sociology, psychology, criminology.

---

I think this leaves room for "immorality" and misses the sole known purpose of existence. Regardless of our future, we've determined the function of living matter and we can determine what evil consists of.

[RetroVortex]

That's a decent "answer" but you haven't really answered the question. Doesn't that trouble you?

What if morality is objective and you're simply unaware of it? :o






What happened to y'all?

Then other humans have done a very good job explaining it! XD

Seriously though I think there is a natural morality to our species that of course can be overruled and overwritten by other aspects but I should imagine even someone that was raised completely outside of civilisation would show some kind of compassion and standard.

Also I'm not too fussed whether I answered that question sufficiently, I've done the best I could do and it's just a topic on an Internet forum. This isn't a life or death situation.

To be honest I'm killing time before I get up and buy some breakfast! XD

[Lackjester]

Then other humans have done a very good job explaining it! XD

Seriously though I think there is a natural morality to our species that of course can be overruled and overwritten by other aspects but I should imagine even someone that was raised completely outside of civilisation would show some kind of compassion and standard.

Also I'm not too fussed whether I answered that question sufficiently, I've done the best I could do and it's just a topic on an Internet forum. This isn't a life or death situation.

To be honest I'm killing time before I get up and buy some breakfast! XD

Technically speaking, it is a life or death situation spread out over your entire life-span.

My point is that you shouldn't give up yet and perhaps consider questioning absolutely everything -- thanks for taking the time to reply and stuff, it was nice of you. :)

P.S: If you're curious and haven't noticed, I've laid out my own answers to the questions I've just asked you on the first page of this thread.

Going to bed now. ;)

[RetroVortex]

Hmm... Question everything or go play Xenoblade...?

You know what, I think I'm going to play Xenoblade! XD

[Lackjester]

Hmm... Question everything or go play Xenoblade...?

You know what, I think I'm going to play Xenoblade! XD

...

[InternalWonderous]

Does a personal experience count as evidence?

Yes! Let's hear it!