Why do you think that there must be a skeptic(non-believer) and a beliver?

Simply enough; polarity. It's not a matter of faith, it's just the physics of a thing.

I am both skeptic and believer...that makes me intresting

I love reading posts from skeptics they always seem to make excellent points

Without skeptics or believers this board for example would die a death...the world needs both thats what makes it intresting

I am a skeptic with an open mind. I just won't fall for the hotest dish of BS that comes down the line.

Being a skeptic is like a double-edged sword.
It promotes growth and stunts growth.

It promotes knowledge and stunts fallacy.

I think the world is a little more complete than the skeptic/believer polarity. A skeptic of what, I ask? A believer of what, I ask? I never refer to non-Christians as NB's, because it's just not that simple. Just because they don't believe in the Bible doesn't necessarily make them skeptics. And just because someonbe believes the Bible, that does not mean they are a believer.

We all have things we believe in (except the NIhilist, and I guess you can argue that their belief in absolutely nothing is a belief in and of itself, though they would disagree), and things we are skeptical about.

However, in the context the term is held to, there are skeptics and believers because everyone is different, and we all have different opinions. The world would (not just this forum) would be a very boring place if everyone had the exact same thoughts.

Just my take on the matter.

Regards, PA

I guess were all here to learn from each other. There is nothing greater than excelling in thought and knowledge...We are all obviously interested in the same topic but have varied opinions on it- so long as your talking...im listening.

Skeptic and believer OR a believer with an open mind?

To be a skeptic with a closed mind is just as daft to being a believer and disregarding all scientific evidence.

Wouldn't that be a skeptic with an open mind? I just call myself a skeptical believer.

Because some things are unknown. Some people are "handed" information (akashic records, spirit guides, God, global conciousness, etc...), some speculate on the unknown, and then the rest make us prove our "given" information or speculations. I think it's all good.

But the answer, I think, is: Because some things are unknown.

Edit: Forgot to include "Inspiration"... I think that's a better word than "Given" or "Handed"... maybe should've been "Inspired".

lol ye I'd be the same, it just makes more sense.

A skeptic believer

I see what is and work from there, one can't be without the other, sort of like yin yang, its the nature of the realm we live in dualistic........

An evolutionist would tell you that deviation from the norm is an important part of the evolutionary process, even in behaviors only tenuously related to genetics. Therefore, if a homogenous belief were reached either way, you'd have people breaking away because it's the nature of life.

The religious perspective, by contrast, is that non-believers have been deceived or misled by their experiences...and there will always be people around vulnerable to deception.

Which you choose is up to you.

deception. is said to those that believe in God and religion...as for NB's they are not mislead...explain what it is that has mislead them?

You could try and be a little more open-minded and a little less obviously one-sided about this. If that question was genuine:

Nonbelievers, in most religions, have been deceived by the negativity of the world, or their own pride, or Satan, or other distraction. You didn't know that? Or were you just dismissing it?

NO I figured you where since you said it in your previous post..........you say they are decieved well buddy the same could be said for US that do believe and we too are decieved, now I am a beliver of God is that one sided?

I don't understand what you're saying.

Phyltre how can you possibly know about the thought of a NB, you are telling us why you have chosen religion. Bec's ma beleives in God for cripe sakes, I'd define her a open minded lol, not to mention she has deep friendships with NB's that love her like their own and know fiull well she beleives in God. Imagine that, She is speaking form experince, ask her how hard it was to be respected and allowed into the Nb's..Ask her that???? namaste sheri

Let me be a little more clear. She was asking about what I had said in the previous post, which was an explanation of generic viewpoints from the side of evolutionists and religious people. She asked a question about the religious viewpoint, and I answered it from that perspective.

I was giving the common explanation for NB's from religious people, not my own viewpoint. I thought that was obvious in context of the post I made earlier.

Ok in lamens terms

I like you believe in God and I pray to him every day ....... others that DON'T believe will say me and people like me are decieved....(ya with me so far?)

Ahem..anyhooo ...you say the NB's are decieved....when I read it....I reminded you that BOTH NB'sand believers are decieved...its fair to say that......not to be so one sided like you where in a previous post....any clearer now??

Hang on...buddies! we have our own beliefs! i love hangin' aroud here 'coz you're exactly the people i want be w/ (BELIEVE ON MANY OTHER THINGS). I am also a believer and open minded. I mean who cares? As long as we know our limit in handling or defending our beliefs meaning we need not to hurt or be angry w/ someone just bcoz they don't believe in what we are saying. I remember my teacher quoted this saying that i forgot who really stated it if i'm not mistaken it goes like this: "I may not believe on what you say but i'll defend to death your right to say it"

I think we both (skeptics and believers) exist to find and arrive to the truth. We are just up to the same thing so we should not end up flaring w/ anger. Right?

Both are needed.


Skeptics are here to rule out any false beliefs, and believers help with new discoveries.

There needs to be both. Believers think outside the box. Skeptics keep the believers from losing touch with reality.

I would say that there are some skeptics on here. But I see a lot of cynics too...

I would classify myself as a... Mind Freak... There really isn't a term good enough to fit me...

I am both in one person, I keep myself in check...

There is where you are going wrong. Using "SOMEONE ELSES" ideas of what they think is reality.

Zero you opened your mouth and inserted BOTH feet!

I think I might use that in my SIG!

It was the woman who wrote Peter Rabbit who more or less said that.

Explain how it's wrong. Are you saying we should never see things from a viewpoint other than our own? I clearly stated in my original post that there were differing opinions on her question, and offered two. I don't see any wrongdoing in that.

Religion has it's own agenda and your words "I was giving the common explanation for NB's from religious people" tells me it came from your Pastor perhaps.
If you want to learn what MIGHT be going through the average NB's mind go to a real skeptics web site.....don't believe what your Pastor says. Learn it FOR YOUR self so it will be your viewpoint/opinion.

Use your brain that your God gave you.

I don't have a pastor/priest/minister/rabbi or whatever, and I don't attend any church. I am quite comfortable using the mind that has been given me. The explanation given is one I have heard many times from religious people. And I was not trying to figure out what was going on in a non-believer's mind either, the two viewpoints were from 1. a (religiously neutral) evolutionist and 2. a religious person. They were both describing NB's, not trying to get into their heads.

I've been to plenty of skeptics websites, I find many of them interesting. When I do not provide my own opinion about something, it means that I feel I have insufficient information about the situation to formulate one. I am not careless with opinions, although that's not by choice.

A closed mind is a terrible thing to waste......so sad

PLEASE. Are you taking me out of context on purpose? I was exploring stereotypical viewpoints. Nothing else. If you read my statement to say that I have never tried to understand the viewpoint of a non-believer (a vague term in any case), you misread.

I find myself making explanations on this forum more often than any other. Not that I mind, though.

Exactly Zan the man , the skeptic sites are actually very kind and intellegent and tolerant of all persepctives , very well put Namaste Sheri

Your words say you do not want to learn.

And yours say that you do not say what you mean.

Lets put it this way:

If everybody agreed on everything, there would be no variation in the world. Where's the fun in that?

Life would be too perfect - to a point where it wouldn't be perfect - almost abnormal. Could you imagine NEVER disagreeing with anything? ... there would only be ONE football team. THAT'S NOT A GAME AT ALL!!!

Well, he does it with the Bible. No sense in thinking he wouldn't do it for everything else

I believe it to be a matter of balance like everything in life.

There has and will always be a mix of skeptics and belivers in this world ....I would dare say more skeptics though but thats just my opinion

Finally remembered the exact statement I have said! It should be:

"I may not agree on what you say but i'll defend to death your right to say it"

and I also remembered who said it! it was VOLTAIRE
(just want to complete the info i've given you before)

The main problem seems to be, that we have a series of teachers, all over the world, who experience God, and try to share it. After they pass on, their apostles turn it into a religion. Why? Because few can follow where he tried to lead them. This is why Yeshu's followers had to hire the magician Simon Magus to help them fake what Yeshu didn't teach them how to do before he passed.

Read your words.

there is no reason for skepics......but the beleivers are here to teach the skeptisc about wat they have coming and where there going in life and when they die.
god shows us the way and the skepitcs choose not to listen.....being a skpetic is a sign of being pesimistic and they have nothing to look to.


InMyNature

PA when I was a believer....I believed in the WHOLE Bible and not bits and pieces like you do.

What of the religions that are FAR older than any of the Abrahamic (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) religions?




What do we have to look forward to......The truth and not a man made deity.

we all no wat the truth is its just some dont choose to beleive it.....there the skeptics. we will go to heaven and will have learnt from our wrongs in our life and put it into practise when we return in a new form. its not a manmade theory its how the bible tells us and the bible means truth.
it doesnt matter wat religion you believe in cuz most will worship the same god.


InMyNature

Not two posts ago, I said

What the ... ? How do you know what is coming our way? How do you know what happens after we die?

When did God(?) speak to me? Oh sorry. I obviously wasn't listening.

I am FAR from being pessimistic. I "look to" lots of things, but they don't involve God(?). YOU are not here to "teach" ME anything. I didn't ask, thank you!


NO! We don't know the truth at all. We just have different beliefs. Neither of us "know" anything. There is nothing there to say that either is a FACT.

Apparently we've all lived hundreds of lives. Well, out of ALL these lives that we've (supposedly) lived, how come people don't seem to have "learned" anything, and we're treating each other the same way since the day we landed (yes, we are aliens ) on this Earth?

Lmao, NO. The bible doesn't "mean truth" (I know what you meant by that, though). It is someone's interpretation of the truth, even though it contradicts itself. So do YOU, from what I've read. In another thread, you said "the bible should be burned as we don't need it". Is that what you think of the (supposed) "truth"?