Blacknad wrote:
"If I weigh up the evidence, combined with my experience and find a belief in God compelling, and it in no way contradicts what good science is telling me, then I am not deluding myself"

You are correct that you are not deluding yourself in the same way that a psychotic person who hears voices is not deluding themselves when they talk back. They are most certainly delusional but not self-deluding.

The question you should be asking is what evidence you are considering as rational.

Do you consider an authorless book a source to be considered?

Do you consider a book that has admittedly been rewritten for political purposes as evidence?

Do you have a basis for believing that the accident of your birth gives one theology more value than another? And if not have you explored, with equal effort, all other possible theologies?

What weight have you put on the fact that the theology you subscribe to believes the universe was created by the creator of the AIDs virus? Also malaria, childhood leukemia, and every other horrible and deadly disease that afflicts innocent newborn children?

What weight have you put on the fact that the theology you subscribe to believes in surrendering power to the self-confessed mass murderer of every living creature on earth except the members of one family?

What weight have you put on the fact that the theology you subscribe to believes in surrendering power to the self-confessed mass murderer of every first born male child in an entire country?

What weight have you put on the fact that the theology you subscribe to believes in surrendering power to a creature that has the power to instantly remove all evil and suffering from the world and chooses not to?

There is lots of evidence out their blacknad. Lets see if you have the moral courage to stand up and explain how you arrived at your decision based on each piece of evidence you reviewed?

Personally? If I were ever convinced that such a monster existed, other than in the minds of weak-minded humans, ... I would do everything in my power to bring it to justice. Give it a fair trial. And sentence it to an eternity in a blackhole.

But blacknad lets consider more of what you wrote:
"If there is no God and therefore no meaning"

Why do you equate the two? I don't. I can't think of a single person I know that does? I think this is a delusional belief.

You are stating that some external entity gives your life meaning and that if that external entity and its external program doesn't exist you are without meaning. That is extraordinarily sad. You should, and I say this seriously and sincerely, talk to a medical professional about the lack of ability to find meaning in your life without serving some other entity's plan. I can think of nothing sadder than a life of self-imposed slavery.

For you to indicate, as you have, that if there is no god and their is no eternal damnation you would be ... to use your words ... "nihilistic" and "hedonistic" is pathetic. No eternal damnation and you are incapable of self-constrol, self-restraint, and civilize social behaviour.

The threat you appear to be making is that if we don't leave you in your delusional state you will require restraint by law enforcement officers.

Quite an interesting group of statements from someone claiming the moral high ground.


DA Morgan