Thousands dead in Chinese quake

[Dave]

No, I don't know. Nor does anyone know whether or not God exists. It's just me being equally arrogant to the resident atheists.

I'd just think that this "no one knows" argument would be a problem if we don't talk about what it means to "know". No one actually knows anything, but what we take on faith, including our existence. I think it's possible to say that some people do know of the existence of God.

 

[SNS22]

I'd just think that this "no one knows" argument would be a problem if we don't talk about what it means to "know". No one actually knows anything, but what we take on faith, including our existence. I think it's possible to say that some people do know of the existence of God.

Faith is one of the most, if not the most important virtue in Life. I prefer to place that faith in another entity or being, than in "the universe", "science", or "evolution". I prefer someone I can have a conversation with if the need arises

 

[Dave]

Faith is one of the most, if not the most important virtue in Life. I prefer to place that faith in another entity or being, than in "the universe", "science", or "evolution". I prefer someone I can have a conversation with if the need arises

I'll bet that many people, in an earthquake like that, would lose faith in their godless ideas.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

 

[*EqualOpportunityHater*]

EOH was in the 1985 Mexico City Quake that killed hundreds of people. Not a fun experience.

EOH prays for them

 

[Paulc]

It appears Chinese authorities are making good progress with getting aid and rescuers to the scene but the death toll is now nearly 12,000 and looks set to rise.

I am surprised with the direction this thread went in.

I dont think God (if he exists at all) had too much to do with it - The earths crust is made up of Tectonic plates the size of continents which move around on the mantle below. When one comes up against another things like earthquakes happen. Earth has been like this for millions of years - long before anyone thought up divine beings and wrote bibles.

Worm posted that lots of natural disasters are happening recently and i said a similar thing in the Cyclone thread - but someone correctly pointed out stuff like this has been happening for ever but our information is much better now - we know about stuff earlier and in more detail than ever before.

I dont think its the end of times but i do think we have been abusing and polluting our planet for so long that its starting to hit back - especially with regards to the climate. There are simply too many people using up too many resources and causing things like unprecedented species extinction and global warming. The planet cant take it anymore and i think we will read and even experience more of these natural disasters in the not so distant future.

 

[SNS22]

It appears Chinese authorities are making good progress with getting aid and rescuers to the scene but the death toll is now nearly 12,000 and looks set to rise.

I am surprised with the direction this thread went in.

I dont think God (if he exists at all) had too much to do with it - The earths crust is made up of Tectonic plates the size of continents which move around on the mantle below. When one comes up against another things like earthquakes happen. Earth has been like this for millions of years - long before anyone thought up divine beings and wrote bibles.

Worm posted that lots of natural disasters are happening recently and i said a similar thing in the Cyclone thread - but someone correctly pointed out stuff like this has been happening for ever but our information is much better now - we know about stuff earlier and in more detail than ever before.

I dont think its the end of times but i do think we have been abusing and polluting our planet for so long that its starting to hit back - especially with regards to the climate. There are simply too many people using up too many resources and causing things like unprecedented species extinction and global warming. The planet cant take it anymore and i think we will read and even experience more of these natural disasters in the not so distant future.

Exactly. It is not God's job to step in and Magically stop the tectonic plates or the winds or the water or whatever. That's nature. If God stepped in every time, people would continue doing what they do every day. Divine Intervention would not change the way people live their lives, so why should he?

 

[Hellie]

Exactly. It is not God's job to step in and Magically stop the tectonic plates or the winds or the water or whatever. That's nature. If God stepped in every time, people would continue doing what they do every day. Divine Intervention would not change the way people live their lives, so why should he?

You talk about God as though he were some being that chooses when to intervene.

The belief that God is inherent inside all of us is plausable but he's not out there in the ether watching what's going on.

God is always lauded when miracles happen or good but not when catastrophes happen.

God is a wishful notion.As is the devil.There is good and there is bad and it's all man made.

 

[Paulc]

Exactly. It is not God's job to step in and Magically stop the tectonic plates or the winds or the water or whatever. That's nature. If God stepped in every time, people would continue doing what they do every day. Divine Intervention would not change the way people live their lives, so why should he?

That isnt quite what i meant but i am glad we arrived at a similar conclusion albeit from different directions.

I believe its down to nature - the planet cannot sustain the pollution caused by 6 billion people. And its starting to bite back. This is nature - sorry but i dont believe its anything to do with God. God didnt have anything to do with the extinction of the dinosaurs did he?

 

[SNS22]

You talk about God as though he were some being that chooses when to intervene.

The belief that God is inherent inside all of us is plausable but he's not out there in the ether watching what's going on.

God is always lauded when miracles happen or good but not when catastrophes happen.

God is a wishful notion.As is the devil.There is good and there is bad and it's all man made.

That's your opinion. Unless God were to make a declaration, it's just a matter of faith. I just find it depressing to believe there's nothing after this pathetic life.

 

[SNS22]

That isnt quite what i meant but i am glad we arrived at a similar conclusion albeit from different directions.

I believe its down to nature - the planet cannot sustain the pollution caused by 6 billion people. And its starting to bite back. This is nature - sorry but i dont believe its anything to do with God. God didnt have anything to do with the extinction of the dinosaurs did he?

I've never heard any theory involving God. But, I'm sure it all worked out the way he wanted it. Would have been difficult for people to populate the earth if the big beasties were still roaming around. I tend to view Dinosaurs as part of the warm-up process before Earth was ready to support real monsters.

 

[Hellie]

I just find it depressing to believe there's nothing after this pathetic life.

Actually i find the notion that there's nothing after death the opposite.If this is it and death is the end all the more reason to relish every single moment here on earth. I do,life is wonderful.

 

[Paulc]

I tend to view Dinosaurs as part of the warm-up process before Earth was ready to support real monsters.

Ha ha i like that!

 

[Theo]

No one actually knows anything, but what we take on faith

That's not true. Faith in this context means believing in something for which you have no evidence. Most things people know have evidence backing them up.

 

[Dave]

That's not true. Faith in this context means believing in something for which you have no evidence. Most things people know have evidence backing them up.

Yes, but all of our evidence is a matter of perception. You can't live like that, wondering if the laws of physics will hold from moment to moment, but we take it on faith that they will.

 

[Worm]

Yes, but all of our evidence is a matter of perception. You can't live like that, wondering if the laws of physics will hold from moment to moment, but we take it on faith that they will.

Why can't we live like that? Would it require a rationalization in order for our minds to function amid such terrifying uncertainty?

 

[Dave]

Why can't we live like that? Would it require a rationalization in order for our minds to function amid such terrifying uncertainty?

Yes, I think that a certain amount of ...self delusion(?) or false certainty (or faith) is necessary for our emotional well-being.

 

[Sir Alec]

Yes, but all of our evidence is a matter of perception. You can't live like that, wondering if the laws of physics will hold from moment to moment, but we take it on faith that they will.

The difference between religious beliefs and the laws of physics is that physics are tangible. Religion is very similar though. Both are said to be observed and therefore proven. I think it's just human rationalization that separates the two.

EDIT: Maybe one day physics will be proven to be lawless and random, even though our human observations suggest they are not.

 

[Dave]

All evidence is a matter of perception.

weigh something. get a result, but maybe the scale is off. Test it with another scale, get the same weight. Try a third and it's different. Are the first two correct?