Is There a God?

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

With respect, you now seem to be falling into the trap of seeing things that aren't there. In referring to the many Americans who believed there was a link between Iraq and '9/11', I was clearly not saying it was they who made the decision. I was using it as an example of irrational thought flying in the face of facts. As for your question, it is impossible to say without questioning every one of them, but nor have I claimed that my view on their decision-making is anything other than my point of view.

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In brief, you believe that they believed. It's quite amusing that rational thinking in your rendition looks like mounting assumptions on top of other assumptions. For practical purposes of decision making, how are assumptions better than religious beliefs?

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Originally Posted by Rudy Tamasz

It's quite amusing that rational thinking in your rendition looks like mounting assumptions on top of other assumptions.

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What rot. Better my reasoning for my views, surely, than basing them on an ancient text in which water allegedly gets turned into wine?

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Originally Posted by Rudy Tamasz

Admit somebody might know better than you, maybe the one who deals the cards.

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And who might that be?

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

And who might that be?

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I think we've established it's either Sebastien Loeb or Lionel Messi. :)

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Originally Posted by studiose

I think we've established it's either Sebastien Loeb or Lionel Messi. :)

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In gas form.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

In gas form.

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...and sleeping with twins. :)

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

What rot. Better my reasoning for my views, surely, than basing them on an ancient text in which water allegedly gets turned into wine?

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Based on the history examples I tried to show you that with a virtual inability of human beings to know all the facts, and deficiencies in human thinking, any reasoning is inherently flawed. Believers cope with this problem by factoring in things beyond human control and understanding, while atheists just tend to ignore those. In my book ignorance has never been a good strategy.

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Originally Posted by Rudy Tamasz

Based on the history examples I tried to show you that with a virtual inability of human beings to know all the facts, and deficiencies in human thinking, any reasoning is inherently flawed. Believers cope with this problem by factoring in things beyond human control and understanding, while atheists just tend to ignore those. In my book ignorance has never been a good strategy.

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So, merely by virtue of my not believing in God, you consider my powers of reasoning and decision-making inherently inferior to your own? And would you extend your view to take in, for example, Abu Hamza or bin Laden, or is it merely belief on your terms that renders one a superior decision-maker?

Jihad is a religious calling and more than that, a religious duty. It could be based on a Fatwa or ruling which is a decree based on religious grounds.Do we accept and condone religious wars based on the teaching of the Quran or is that one of the bad religions?

When we talk about politicians being influenced and governed by religious principles, doctrine and teachings, do we just mean Western politicians and Clergy?

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

Jihad is a religious calling and more than that, a religious duty. It could be based on a Fatwa or ruling which is a decree based on religious grounds.Do we accept and condone religious wars based on the teaching of the Quran or is that one of the bad religions?

When we talk about politicians being influenced and governed by religious principles, doctrine and teachings, do we just mean Western politicians and Clergy?

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Precisely! I have posed this question a number of times here, curiously without any response as yet.