I wouldn't shout those things Kizzy, the same as you, i wouldn't want those words out in the universe. And yet i have considered myself agnostic, however i found myself talking to him (god) whilst out walking my dog last night, i'm a walking contradiction!:laugh:

I don't believe in God. It's just not realistic.

I believe.

I happily said them out loud. I'm 99.9% certain that "God" in any religious sense does not exist. For the other 0.1%? I'm 100% certain that if such a being DOES exist, it's not ****ing listening :joker:.

However, this is a stupid test. I also said them out loud because I'm not superstitious. A lot of non-religious people still wouldn't say those things, not because they believe in god, but because they believe in "not tempting fate"... for example, I know plenty of people who definitely don't believe in God / religion, but would never dream of doing the whole "Swear on your children's lives" thing.

**** no. There is absolutely no part of me that thinks there is even a possibility that God exists. Every God that others believe in are evil according to their own texts, so even if they did exist (which they don't) i would do everything i could to fight against them.

God does not exist and all of the Gods that other people believe in are evil.

I believe that religious people have a psychological disorder and should not be trusted to work in important jobs that have a lot of influence, like doctors, teachers, politicians, judges, etc...

This is incorrect, it's based on a combination of obvious history and straight up myth.

The number one major myth being that Einstein was religious when he actually was not... he was broadly agnostic but more importantly - in terms of the Christian (et al.) concept of "God" and the concepts of God offered by every other major world religion, he was straight up atheist. As a scientist, he did not rule out the possibility of "a god / creator / universal force beyond our understanding" of some sort, but he did NOT believe in "God" and described the idea as being "childlike", or "wishful thinking".

Moving on to historical scientists of significance - many talked of god and feigned religion because at the times they lived, if they had shared an opinion that suggested not believing in God or following the Church... at best, they would have been discredited and cast out of academia and at worst, they would have been hounded as a heathen / satanist / witch and faced the pitchfork brigade.

Modern scientists are probably a mixed bag, as with anything else, however I'd wager than on the whole there are a higher percentage of non-religious people in scientific careers than in other careers.


I would imagine that, in general, most "great scientists" have in fact fallen into the same category as Einstein. Largely agnostic to the concept, but atheist in terms of specific / defined religious deities.

..I didn't say them out loud..not because of anything to do with religious beliefs or superstition..but because as you say, there is no sense in it for me...it's not about whether something could 'come true' if I said it or thought it, but why would I say or even think anything negative about the people and things that are the most important in my life...the things that I hold the closest in my heart.../that makes no kind of sense, so to say them would just not be being true to me, really...but just to appease a survey or whatever it is...


..it's like the example that you gave really...I wouldn't swear something on my child's life, not because I would worry that it would cause them harm if I did but just because ...why would I need to swear on anything if what I believed being said or happening or whatever was true to me anyway..../just silly...

no offense Ammi, but the way you describe it, you reminded me of the type of friends you have that always drink too much, and if alcoholism comes up they say "i could stop drinking if i really wanted to, but i just don't want to"...

...:laugh:..oh ok then, I'm going to have to think about that analogy for a bit, Alex..to see if I can understand the comparison...

I'm just saying, i think you are really religious, but you don't want people to think you are really a true religious person because you think they will think you are ignorant and all the other negative stereotypes of religious people.

I am a bit confused about this thread - I thought this was about Justin - I am a belieber

..ahhh I see what you're saying...and I guess that would be how religious was defined because my only belief is in people and especially the people who I love most in this world....

but do you really believe in god is what i'm saying... i think you do. don't you?

..I believe in the belief that (some) people have in their God and whatever positivity that gives them or however that enriches their lives...

Not unless I have definitive proof.

Do I believe in a greater force? I remain open minded.

Do I believe in the bibles interpretation of God? no

does anyone think that if you say out loud

I dare God to make my life amazing.
I dare God to make my home into a dream home
I dare God to turn all of my friends into the best friends i could possibly hope for

that would work either?


of course not

He's God, he's not a genie.

You can remain open minded about everything of course and that is what science does - but still realise that any religious ideas are highly (99.9%) unrealistic and as such should not feature in our schools or politics


The fact that belief in a god allows men to say " well I will bypass common held morality and law because i can justify this by saying god allows it and lets face it noone can check" results in most of the vile things in the world

he is nothing that is why he or it does nothing and does not exist:smug:


If you pray to a chair ( a nice one mind) you get the same results 100% of the time

and if he can create a universe then he can knock up a fecking dream home

I think you'd have to pray to a chair first and see the results. You've got to pray hard. Off you go... let me know how it works out for you.

but that's not what religions tell people/ religions tell people that god is paying particular attention to them and their wishes. religions tell them that god listens to every prayer and that if you just have enough belief and loyalty to god he will give them what they want. that is what all religions tell their followers, so religions do make it seem like god is a genie. and just like psychics, when someone's prayers don't get answered, they say it's because they don't believe well enough or don't pray hard enough, they make people feel like it;'s their fault when god doesn't deliver.

it's no different to psychics. if the psychic gets it wrong then it's YOUR fault for not believing enough. you aren't opening up enough, it's your fault for not being good enough for god.

This reminded me of the flying spaghetti monster :laugh:

What I don't get about this is that, does anyone who believes in God actually think that those statements will come true if they say them? (I appreciate some have already said it's more a nervousness about tempting fate). Because I'm not a believer myself but if there is a God, I'm sure he wouldn't do something just because he's been dared. He's not 15.

:laugh3:

:joker::joker::joker:

if you read the bible, it does seem that god has the maturity level of a 15 y/o. he killed people just because the devil dared him.

I don't recognise any of that as being pertinent to my own faith, Alex.

well most religious people have very selective hearing Livia. it's easy to hear what you want to hear and tune out the rest. I find it hard to believe that you've never heard a person of your faith say that someone who defied the faith "got what they deserved" if they came upon misfortune, or that someone of your faith is not really part of your faith because they weren't loyal enough. That happens in every faith community.

That's quite a statement, Alex. No, with my hand on my heart, I have never heard anyone of my faith rejoice in the misfortune of others. If anyone feels they have deserved their downfall it has not had anything to do with faith.

Also, you say you think I might have selective hearing because of my faith. Conversely I generally find people with no faith feel very free to make rude, empty claims about people who do... and I don't know why you would feel entitled to do that. I have no problem with you believing in nothing, I uphold your right to that. I am sorry you can't find it in yourself to wish me the same.

wait, i didn't wish you the same of what?

i honestly don't care, in the end we are all just rotting meat, so what am i not wishing the same for you about? i only judge people on how they treat other people, and you know damn well religions teach people to treat others badly. and yes, even religions that say treat others well, but they aren't "the chosen ones" is still treating people badly and it's patronizing.

you belong to a religion where they pay "goyim" to turn off light switches for them, because they don't want to upset god, but they don't care that the goyim upset god?? there are happy to pay other humans to upset god but they aren't willing to do it themselves??? that's pretty ****ed up.

There is no God.

If you don't believe my religion to be true, why would you feel patronised about the "chosen people" thing? And anyway, this is nonsensical. You're getting my faith confused with Orthodox Judaism, either through ignorance or you're trying to provoke. My faith is my faith and there's nothing you can say to change what's in my heart.

Not really. She may be open to the possibility of a "God" but that doesn't make someone religious. She doesn't align herself to any religious denomination.

Belief =/= religious.

All right arista, calm down.

This. :joker:

Then you need to broaden your religious research.

In all the years I've stepped foot in a church or sat in RE classes in school, not once have I been told that if I believe hard enough I will have my wishes/prayers granted. :joker:

He's not here to help you with your retrospective planning permission Mr Fiddler. :nono:

Also, asking for dream homes and money is so materialistic. :hmph:

I Don't believe in anykind of god. Believers do like to say that God created everything then cherry pick it to death. Cos if in fact this so called God DID create EVERYTHING then he's to blame for the terrorists,all diseases and all the other bad things going on in the world.
But Santa is REAL.:joker:

I am agnostic about santa