what would be an actually good reason to believe in a god.

[Unbeliever]

I wonder how many angels can dance on the head of God's dick?

[Baruch]

I wonder how many angels can dance on the head of God's dick?

They have to take their turn at fellatio, even a human should know that.  A Hindu god might have as many dicks as arms ... so a definite advantage!

[gogs2]

it has been said - 42! :)

[Munch]

They have to take their turn at fellatio, even a human should know that.  A Hindu god might have as many dicks as arms ... so a definite advantage!

[Mike Cl]

it has been said - 42! :)

Okay--but what does Jackie Robinson have to do with it????

[Blackleaf]

I quite like the problem of evil paradox.

http://www.iep.utm.edu/evil-log/

Even the problem of evil assumes humanity alone is evil. Nature is quite cruel, despite what many Christians think. Just link them a video to a predator eating its prey alive (which happens quite often; they only bite the neck if they have to) and see how they try to worm out of God "intelligently designing" animals to behave that way.

[Cavebear]

Even the problem of evil assumes humanity alone is evil. Nature is quite cruel, despite what many Christians think. Just link them a video to a predator eating its prey alive (which happens quite often; they only bite the neck if they have to) and see how they try to worm out of God "intelligently designing" animals to behave that way.

It requires sentience and deliberate action to be evil.  Only humans have that. 

[Baruch]

It requires sentience and deliberate action to be evil.  Only humans have that.

A classic definition from theology.  That is why theologians think that only humans have souls.  They debated about women for awhile, but finally decided that they were human too.

[trdsf]

It requires sentience and deliberate action to be evil.  Only humans have that.

This, exactly.  We are the only species that separates actions into 'good' and 'evil'.

That brings me to another point -- if good is 'obvious' or 'immutable', why is good behavior different from species to species?

[Blackleaf]

It requires sentience and deliberate action to be evil.  Only humans have that.

Tell that to a Christian. Christians do not see good and evil as some abstract concept for humanity to debate over and decide for itself. Good and evil are as God defines them. They say that nature is good, and humanity is evil. Nature is God's design, while we are the ones who actively fuck with his design with our "free will." So apparently whatever behaviors God programs his animals to have is his idea of "good." So go baboon! Eat that baby gazelle as it cries out in agony and its mother watches helplessly! Go go go!

[Mike Cl]

This, exactly.  We are the only species that separates actions into 'good' and 'evil'.

That brings me to another point -- if good is 'obvious' or 'immutable', why is good behavior different from species to species?

To just expand your statement--and why is good behavior different from society to society?

[Baruch]

To just expand your statement--and why is good behavior different from society to society?

Depends on inner harmony and social harmony.  If you have no inner harmony (see Sheaf) then you will be unhappy with yourself.  If you have no social harmony, then others will be unhappy with you.  All of us here are comfortable with our society being uncomfortable with us.

[Unbeliever]

To just expand your statement--and why is good behavior different from society to society?

And from religion to religion?

[Mike Cl]

And from religion to religion?

And even within the same religion.  Christianity has so many sects that there really is not a set of universal rules for them.

[Unbeliever]

Yeah, the World Christian Encyclopedia says there are 30,000 different Bible-believing sects of Christianity. You'd think someone would try to make a universal church...oh, wait.