All the chatter below is obscuiring this guy's main point: that the foundation of all religion is an experience of the luminous in all things, in the ordinary as extraordinary. A first-person experience that is beyond all conceptual frameworks or ideas we may have about existence that renders the intellectual gymnastics of theist vs. atheist arguments, sacred texts, chapters and verses, and so on, meaningless.
Btw, Im a Atheist. I like Buddhism though. Buddha's words of wisdom help me in daily life. And if this guys book were to become big. People would see him as a Buddha type figure probably. Because he is only educating the world & giving his words of wisdom. btw, I agree with %100 of what this guy is saying. I think he was missing a little stuff explaining where religion went wrong. But I didn't read his book yet. So I cant say much. :P
This guy is contradicting himself. He wants to teach what he learned about the world to the world. That makes him the very 1st thing to start a religion. Regardless whether he doesn't like religion or not, if he were to become big & change the world with his book or beliefs; in time, his story would change. His story would probably involve supernatural things whether he'd like it or not. But who knows? We live in a more advanced world. Its easier to document things. So its like a paradox.
I hate how christians try say those who dont believe are arrogant and it says that we are in the bibe. Im not arrogant, I just dont want to mindlessly put my entire faith in something that refuses to give those with sincere questions and doubts, logical answers. All I get is "Because the bible says so". My question is, what proof did you come across that made you put your faith in it.
Its an endless loop of questions been blown off by illogical and unsupported answers.
"The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard, who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by 'God,' one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity." - Carl Sagan
Anthropomorphizing religion is a common fallacy of many of today's atheist. Religion isn't animate/self aware; neither is any other discipline. Thus it's those embracing ace it who must be blamed for any failures or evils done. Atheism & science have been used to justify & execute some of history’s worst atrocities, but unlike religion, atheists will make sure to lay the blame on something else, including religion, not atheism or science. Quite hypocritical.
@ChristianMission "Atheism & science have been used to justify & execute some of history’s worst atrocities, but unlike religion, atheists will make sure to lay the blame on something else, including religion, not atheism or science.Quite hypocritical." Could you be more specific, please? Hitler never left catholicism nor has he ever been excommunicated by it.Stalin started his career in a priests' seminary and much tells us he didn't lose his faith in god.
@ChristianMission And,frankly,I have never heard of any war overtly inspired by atheism while horrifying wars of religion are as old as the lies and hatred spread in the name of the mad spectre of monotheism with the codename "Yahwe" by the Egyptin renegade priest from Heliopolis Osarsiph better known to us as Moses.Monotheism has been the single most important cause of war, mental and cultural regress in human history.It ruined the ancient world and made us slaves of primitive Hebrew mythology.
@ChristianMission Anthropomorphizing was the order of the day, until today's atheists pointed out how ridiculous that is. Until even the most religolous got ashamed of doing it. Religion is saying something is the case while knowing it aint’t so. Thus it's those embracing it who must be blamed for any failures or evils done. No atrocities have been done bc of science. And for the totalitarian ideologies, check out George Orwell who pointed out how much they were like a religion…
Actually, Christians aren't taught that Jesus was a lone individual who goes out in the desert and experienced a transformed experience. We are taught He was born into the world, knowning who He was and what He had to do.
@Zartyzzo it's most likely not, seeing as theres proof He was crucified and no one in their right mind would go around saying "I am God's son" and be killed in such a violent way, if it was all a lie.
@kristineurie44 I thought that was the whole point to matyrdom. You know, not caring about the deadly consequences. Anyways, we don't know if he ran around saying that stuff before or after the "transformation" phase, no matter what the bible says. All i'm saying is it might be somewhat of a pretty big exaggeration sometimes. People in the distant future probably shouldn't and won't believe all documented statements from our time... "Chuck Norris facts" for example.
@TomFynn really? so if the shroud isn't proof,what is it? Mere coincidence? Don't kid yourself.
If you feel that way, then you shouldnt believe history books, newspaper articles or even your parents for that matter, if you wont believe in something because someone else has said it.
@kristineurie44 I believe newspapers, history books and newspaper articles when they supply positive testable evidence that can be cross-correlated to give a consistent picture.
The evidence for the shroud of Turin to be what it is claimed to be, is exactly nil. It was most likely fabricated because in those days relics meant business. Don't kid yourself.
@TomFynn its not fabricated. ii'll send you a video, because i cant sit here and explain because of limit restraints. did you know there are outside writers who testify to the crucifixion of Jesus? Search Josephus and I believe there are a few others out there who i cant remember right now. If you can show me evidence where the bible isnt consistent in validity or historically accurate I can believe you. otherwise you have no proof. History actually proves the opposite, really
@TomFynn of course there will be "changes" in the bible. whenever you translate a word from language to another you will run into this issue. the message was always the same. have you ever heard of the dead sea scrolls? there is very little textual difference between the original scroll and the KJV book of Isaiah
@TomFynn and for every video you send me, i can send you 5 more which state the bible's accuracy, (people are even discovering secret codes in there. thats not a coincidence). UnlessYOU have personally done the research, you are just relying on someone elses interpretation, which is a very dangerous thing.
@kristineurie44 Bible Code? LOL ROFL LMAO. Sorry thats all that merits.
As for the dead sea scrolls “It is now becoming increasingly clear that the Old Testament scripture was extremely fluid until its canonization around 100 CE.” Fagan, Brian M., and Charlotte Beck, The Oxford Companion to Archeology, entry on the "Dead sea scrolls", Oxford University Press, 1996.
@TomFynn go and see for yourself. do the research YOURSELF. I'm a christian and I've read and researched into the religion MYSELF. what you fail to understand, is one person's claim is just that--a claim. For hundreds of years historians have proven the validity of the old testament. the fact tat the bible states the earth is round 2000 years before any one else knows is proof in itself. Not to mention prophecy being fulfilled right now. You know nothing of this, you're relying on websites.
@kristineurie44 Go and see for yourself. You did not do any research you just picked the facts that suited to what you wanted to be true. As for historians proving the history of the Old Testament, see the works of Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman.
And prophecies are on par with Bible Code. They are Bullshit.
@TomFynn you dont know what i did, regarding research. because you are an unbeliever, you are biased into believing there are no prophesies in the book. what do you think about the bible claiming the earth is round? or its early prediction that the euphrates river would dry up? or that Israel would become spread out and would later become a nation again? What do YOU think, dont run off and go ask someone else.
@kristineurie44 I know exactly what you did, since you so clearly stated that you’re a believer. You picked and chose the facts that suited what you wanted to be true. That is what believe is.
Where exactly does the bible claim that? Precise references and exact bible version please, I don’t have the time to second guess.
@TomFynn "God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them." Isaiah 40:22 (your atheist websites dont tell you this) For Israel, check out: Jeremiah 16:14,15; 30:10 AND Jeremiah 31: 38-40; Amos 9: 14,15 since i cant fit this all here. And as far as the Euphrates river: Revelation 16:12
and theres hundreds of other prophecy. You can chalk this up as a coincidence all you want.
@kristineurie44 Isaiah: You do realize that this would also apply to an earth in the form of a round disc?
Jeremiah: There is no evidence for this "brought out of Egypt" stuff outside your bible.
Amos: After 3000 years practically anything can happen. And this “never to be uprooted" stuff remains to be seen. Never being rather longer than 3000 years…
So what do I think of this? I’ll spell it out: B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.
@TomFynn you'vejust demonstrated you can look directly at evidence and still question. A round disc? How ridiculous does that sound? The word circle and sphere came from the same Greek word. And it begs the larger question: why a CIRCLE disc? Why not a square disc? You just dont want God to exist, thats really what it is. You can look at evidence and stillnot believe because you have made it up in your mind.I hope you find peace.
@TomFynn as powerful as a pharaoh is, you really think he would allow his people to write about how terribly he treated the Jews? That his gods: Ra, Osiris, Neut, are false? of course you wont fid this text in Egypt.But that doesnt mean it didnt happen, especially considering Israel became a nation after hundreds of years of being dispersed through the land. Of course 3000 years anything can happen. Why that river in particular? Who could guess?
@kristineurie44 You’ve just demonstrated that you can’t look directly at evidence and still believe. You just want God to exist that’s what it is, You can look at evidence and still believe because you have made it up in your mind. I hope you find reason.
PS: You do see that the circle/sphere-thing is supporting my argument?
PPS: So the absence of evidence in Egypt is evidence? Wow.
PPPS: Because there are fucking few rivers in that place? It being a desert?
@TomFynn alright TomFynn, there no point in continuing this argument. If Jesus were to walk right by you in the street, you still wouldn't believe because you dont want to. You dont want to conceptualize answering to an all powerful, all-knowing God when you die, and you rely on the hope that such a God doesn't exist. When the bible proves itself to be divine-inspired you'll find some excuse not to believe. admit it, is OK.I was like you once. But you're still searching for truth.
@TomFynn You want to convince yourself God doesnt exist, and you find yourself arguing with Christians trying to prove God doesnt exist when in reality, you arent 100% sure yourself. You are just waiting for some evidence for you to believe in. I know this because I was like you once. Did you know the bible also mentions the earth is hung upon "nothing"? when other religious texts say it isnt? you think men 100s years ago knew about gravity? oh please.
@kristineurie44 Have you ever heard of the Greek Mathematician Theodorus? Do some research on him sometime and you will see what I'm talking about. He is the one who figured out the Earth was round way before it was mentioned in the Bible. Sorry to burst your bubble. I was once like you. then I saw the "light" and realized there is no God. If there is one, he does a real good job at hiding himself....
@kristineurie44 When the bible proves itself to be divine-inspired
"bible proves itself" wtf? Because it says so in the book, it has to be true? wtf? seriously wtf? You just blew my mind with that logic. oh and I hear the bible says the earth is on pillars... just an fyi.
p.s. Sir Isaac Newton PRS (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727 about 300 years ago? Bam.
@TomFynn So we can end this argument here, nothing will convince you but God Himself. And believe you me, there will come a time in your life where you're going to look up to the sky and pray someone will hear you. Someone already does.
@kristineurie44 Please stop you're idiotic drivel. No one disputes Jesus existed. So did lots of carpenters around that time. And he may have indeed been "enlightened" . So what. Doesn't mean he was the Son of God born of a virgin. Use your head.
@loveruleshate That describes my atheism, "I do not find any of the God storeys compelling" thats it, beyond that I have morals and values which are similar to most theists.
Religon without supernatural is just philosiphy and if you are buhdist without any supernatural beliefs then by definition your a buhdist atheist, like humanist athiest, objectivist atheist, communist agnostic atheist.
Unless u believe a certain supernatural claim, your not a theist, A-theist, no need to deny it
@shandcunt PART 1 actually, you are right in One sense... Morals and values differ according to society (YES), individual knowledge, individual experience, circumstances and most importantly individual nature, i say nature is most important because it is dependant on the individual nature how he/she analyses the rest. And NO, nurture does not change nature, different nurture strategy can help tackle different nature but NURTURE DOES NOT CHANGE NATURE....
@vegeteriancannibal PART 2 Only the individual ''I'' can change his own nature and no one else.. all the society, knowledge, experience, circumstances is nothing withouht the Individual ''I''. I hope you understand what I mean but if you don't, please note it down, read it a couple of times more with an open mind and try and understand what i mean...
@hash4twenty No it won't, because then you're betting on infinity. You bet on infinity because there are too many different versions of God, and honestly, when you believe in one of those gods, chances are there are at the very least fifty that will send you into some sort of eternal torture for believing the other.
Great intro statement. I agree with him that it is irrelevant. I enjoy the similarities of the religions as they were all developed by humans, and therefore, susceptible to our human natures in development. For better or worse. It is when priests say that God told them to kill a doctor that performs abortions is where I have to simply walk away and say, "Damn, man. Something is fucked up here."
The God of my understanding doesn't do shit like that.
@Feistycadaver all religion is man made. the very IDEA of god is manmade. there is nothing OUTSIDE the human experience that suggests a god. therefore, no One has the same god, not even two christians in the same church, because We all have different brains. speaking of Your god only speaks about Your own character, not about some actual being. if there is a god, We can only make guesses as to what Its attributes are. anything else is solely the product of the Personality of the prophet.
@basass101 You are right and I agree with you! But think of this; two christians in the same church has different prespective of God! But if one of them make some how others believe that his prespective is true he is the strong and the powerful and the other is the weak! You get what I am saying? It is matter of POWER not TRUTH! Dissagreeing with me means that you are challenging my power and I must respond! Am I understood? That is the reason of institutionalism of religions!
One can be spiritual without being religious, my view is religion is man made but trying to connect to some spirit within us is our own unique journey and if it does not exist and it is just me convincing myself that some universal power is connecting with me well at least I find that out for myself and not from someone else's writing hundreds of years ago about someone they never met.
But hey... if it helps you and you do not harm yourself or others then each to their own.
@JazzFiveO Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. -- Albert Einstein
@loveruleshate I like Buddhism, out of all religions it is my favorite mainly because they accept all other religions and do not try to change others views or tell others that their belief system is incorrect. I have read many Dalai Lama books and they have helped me immensely. Thumbs up to the Dalai Lama... so to speak :)
i believe in a god only because i feel i've been spared a few times. Plus i just look at beauty in this world, nature, atoms, grass. it had to come from something more complex then science. But as for religion, well... i still have many pages to wipe with. >:)
If one or even all religion of the Earth are misguided in interpreting the word, that does not mean God does not exist but maybe nobody search God in Truth.
@yeshuahfullofit Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
Buddha himself, when asked by a disciple, with all the religions in the world which one should we follow? Buddha answered "God cares not by what road you reach him'
@loveruleshate Agreed. I dislike the word 'god', because I connect so many disagreeable concepts and attributes to it. I can accept a concept of an origional, eternal, source of all that is...... but, I do not accept the concept of a personal, intercessory 'god' that is all 'good' , that can be manipulated by prayers or sacrificial offerings or priestcraft, that writes books or ever says, " thou shalt not " . The bible is not my book, nor is christianity my proffession.--- Abraham Lincoln.
church and mosques today push people away of the religions. since the separations they make. God is not a dictator , since he gives you choice, to chose to submit to him or ignore. God is the conscience of you considering the world start from you nobody else matters. it is hard to be religious when you make millions and live in a mansion with all advertisement of materials against religions it makes it impossible to go back. being atheist is to ignore. religion is the way of life connected.
@Naruseki , God wont burn anyone who Has reasoning, everyone is responsible to what he receives , if someone has no access to information,he is not to blame. God is understanding . lets assume you are 100% right and he is a dictator , well let me tell you he has every right to be , he give you life from start to end and your life is not even half your being you might break a leg ,lose an arm ,or be disabled. but your spirit is complete and has desire to do good. and everybody is in it.
@Naruseki I went from a Catholic turned Atheist and found no peace in either... until I came upon this: Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
Haha, funny atheist. religion doesn't make institution since this dude has lost the point . lets go back to the root. people made institutions like you! to make money , benefit and power out of religion and abuse it. example:
in Christianity including bible and teaching, there is no such thing as church and pope , priesthood.
in Islam including the Quran and the teachings. everyone is equal and noone is better than the other. Ayatolah , and mullah is a made up by institution.
A very good example of what religion was supposed to be is what Eckhart Tolle is teaching. To be morally responsible of your thoughts and actions in this very life, not some afterlife that does not exist. Check him out here on utube..
Sam's logic is that 'religion' is a personal deal and when one has an epiphany or 'spiritual revelation', the moment you start sharing it with others, you dilute it. Disciples years later will inject their own flawed insights in order to benefit in some way ($). It's in mankind's nature to 'tweak' everything, even religion, into our own view of 'perfection'. Spiritual events are 'non-reproducible' and under the scientific method, always suspect. Until you turn to God for the answers yourself.
@shanoxilt - Why bother to post if you're not going to add anything? Just writing 'you'd be wrong' and 'duh' is pretty useless. Sam Keen is passionate in his videos and firmly believes in what he says. The least we can do is take the time to post a relevant thought for or against his logic. What Sam and I share in common is a willingness put some real effort into defining what we believe and sharing it with others. Post something thought-provoking...if you can.
Think about this statement for a minute and decide if it's true...
The 'ultimate moral imperative' is:
"Whatever works to move the greatest amount of people towards a better understanding of what constitutes 'PERFECTION'".
You're doing it right now...reading, thinking, posting or discussing what constitutes PERFECTION (from a theist or atheist viewpoint) and how best to convince others of the truth of it or...how best to decide the matter for all time.
The very fact that you temporarily exist (Cogito ergo sum) but do not remain the same forever (2nd Law of thermodynamics) infers the existence of an eternal God. Your existence implies that something 'MORE REAL' than you is creating you. The fact that you 'decay' or change implies that something 'less real' than you is tearing away at your existence. Our TEMPORAL existence implies both ETERNITY and OBLIVION.
Can a lifeless universe create something (Life!) which is greater than itself?
Nihilism is just a comfortable agnostic delusion purported by hedonistic adults who prefer to childishly pretend that 'nothing is real' or that 'nothing we do really matters'.
I reiterate: Atheism is a belief system concerning theism (worship of never or seldom seen deities) and therefore a 'religion' or a belief system on the 'intangible'. Were the Creator to stand directly in front of him and declare himself to be God, an atheist would just question his own sanity or whether or not he had just been tricked by an adept magician. A true atheist will disbelieve the creator to his face, then fry in hell convinced he's still alive but locked in a coma back on earth.
Atheism is a rejection of belief in deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist (all children are unknowing atheists until they are instructed about theism). Atheism is contrasted with theism, which is the belief that at least one deity exists. An Atheist differs from an agnostic because he commits to his belief that there are no deities...irregardless of facts.
An Agnostic is one who believes it is impossible to know whether or not there is a God. He's skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess to true atheism (or he's just someone who's simply doubtful or noncommittal about something). Agnosticism is a childlike 'default position' of a mind considering a belief system on the intangible (religion) or in unseen deities. He never stops 'considering' his belief options or commits to any belief system. He's neither HOT nor Cold spiritually.
Atheism is better than dogmatic belief in any religion but I find it lacks any innate structure that helps us understand the world better, and it does not fulfill our desire to discover how to be better people.
(1) Sam Keen is mistaken if his understanding is that the Buddha's experience fits with the rest; it was not a transcendent experience of the sacred, it was a mind-altering insight into the mundane. It is also noticeable that Buddhism did not devolve into empire building (though used by empires at times).
(2) If "where religions went wrong" is step 2, would Mr. Keen have the person with the original insight keep it to himself? All well and good to point out the problem, where's the solution?
Believing religion and god is a simple concept. It's like when a child wets their bed and blames it on an imaginary friend. It clears their concious of it when they feel bad about doing it and they know it obviously wasn't right. The problem is this child is told that their imaginary friend DID do it, and warrants what they did. This eventually evolves as the child grows to believe it justifies everything from bloodshed to pedophelia.
Religion is just a theory on the intangible or 'things not seen'. An ideology is a theory on the tangible. Philosophy' is a melding of both. Inevitably, you're going to believe in either one of the listed belief systems or a combination: A.One God (Monotheism) B. Many Gods (Polytheism) C. No God(s) (Atheism) D. Self-worship (Hedonism) E. Worship of Nature (Paganism) F. Worship of the Profane. Believing in 'no gods' is just an alternate theory on the intangible and thus a religion.
For that matter I don't accept your premise: Redefining the word religion like that just makes your use of the word deceptive.
If atheism = religion(theory on the intangible)
and you then later expect the thought that
Atheism = religion(accepting as virtuous the act of faith without evidence)
to be accepted, you have basically just tried to trick us into accepting that atheism is a religion for one defenition of the word and then sneaking in the acceptance for another.
There's no way to prove it--whether transcendence does or does not exist. To me this hardly means that we depart from it, "not proving a negative"--after lived experience we do, one and all, have to decide whether life has a meaning apart from phenomenal reality. It is simply not avoidable.
There is more than one way to look at religion. With it comes questions also. What is a soul, why have we evolved so rapidly over other species, and the last one is always if there is a god what is he. I think most these comments are off topic to the video. And regardless if your an atheist, christian, muslim, catholic, or scientologist. Just remember religion is a personal decision, a lot like choosing to take a drug. Do you try and convince every drug addict to quit something they like?
There is no god, there is no devil, just your mind of what you accept and allow. What is real is what is here within and as the physical. Hunger, war, rape, etc, reflects the mind of man. Stop your participations within and as the mind of thoughts, feelings, and emotions/reactions, and realize we are all as one as equal to all that is here.
"religion" -- as most people imagine it to be, i.e. primarily creedal and dogmatic in nature doesn't really exist at all, except purely in the minds of more-or-less secularized, modern, Protestant individuals. This is the problem with modern day proponents of atheism too, they think that the 'belief' component is the sole component of religion, were where in fact in many historical and cultural settings it has next to no significance at all.
So once atheists believe they've "proven" that its irrational to believe in religious concepts, they think they've defeated religion, when in reality they have really missed the point of it in terms of its role in the lives of most religious people.
no evolution in releigion alla TRUE PROPHETS ARE MUSLIMS [THE ONE who submit to ALLAH]
FROM ADAM to muhammed [peace and blessing be upon him] the other thing that contradict the simple logic and even instinct the old fashioned pagan faith of atheism , there r several religions due to corruption and changing the truth of the messages
Our capacity for symbolism and seeing things in a symbolic way is what gives religion its mythological appeal. This breeds conflict when people form factions and identify with and rally around the various religious symbols that appeal to them - leading to warfare within or between religious denominations. We see this again and again and again.
@Manjo1981, this I believe. But what exactly does it suggest to you? Are you trying to claim that because it's more ancient that it's more likely to be correct? Wouldn't a better indicator of the utility of a religion be in how well in elevates the quality of people's lives? And by that standard, nothing comes even close to atheism. The first nation that separated church and state by law quickly grew to improve the lives of people all over the globe. By any measure religion is harmful to us.
Hinduism is pretty deep compared to a lot of other religions if you actually take the time to read its history. Same with Buddhism.
The idea that Gods, if they exist, don't give a shit about our trivial day to day life and just adhere to their nature is less egocentric than the Abrahamic ones.
A six armed God is still silly, yes, but it imposes a lot of philosophical questions that people don't usually ask: "What is the nature of Gods?" or "Is God apathetic?" etc.
Does he believe that "Moses" was a real person? Strange, since all research and science has shown that there never were any "masses of jewish slaves in Egypt" or any "Exodus". Hehe, but the story/fairy-tale about "Moses" follows the same pattern he's talking about there, and I guess that's what's important. (And christtards, please don't mention some retard who's into "Bible Archeology" and has no peer-reviewed work whatsoever and is laughed at by all serious archaeologists.. : )
nature is an amazing and breath taking sight. i personally believe that it could not have been created to be so wonderous without a higher power but everyone is entitled to their beliefs. no one knows how nature was truely created so why waste time arguing about it? lets just sit back together and watch it's wonders. there are many people who believe in many different theories but no one knows for sure, so lets let each other be and soak in the beauty of the universe.
@RIPrepublicfilms, but if you believe that god created our world, don't you love the fact that scientists are scrutinizing it so thoroughly? Isn't it likely that we can learn many things about whoever or whatever created our world by studying it as thoughtfully as we can? Don't you want to know as much as you can about the nature of our reality? How can knowing a great deal about god's creation possibly make us less pious? It seems like the opposite is the case.
you can't find "everybody's story" because so many people build their identity on claiming to have something that other people don't have. As soon as you point out that everyone has "it", half of them will drop it and pick up something else they think is novel and special.
Planetdarwin, you are absolutely correct about that. True ecumenism, where everyone subscribes to universally agreed upon concepts of spirituality, is an unrealistic ideal because it doesn't take into account that it is human nature to try and form in and out groups, and hence the sectarianism in religion, like every other human convention, is an inevitability.
After reading some of the comments, I think it's unfortunate that so many theists feel so strongly that they must have a religion that they come to embrace pure fantasy. That I think is a mistake and a dangerous one at that. To equate an experience of the imagination with reality is to cut oneself off from a genuine appreciation of both the natural world and the rest of humanity. We should never wear our gullibility with pride. Honesty is hard, and important.
well said...i think campaigns should be launched to identify the relative indoctrination and brainwashing that takes place in order to disconnect people from the natural world and humanity (and in place mythologies).
@Th3Wab3, University scientists should take up the challenge of developing a primary school curricula that effectively inoculates kids to the nastiest of the religious memes.
@Th3Wab3, It's actually an idea from Daniel Dennett, a philosopher at Tufts University who is doing some interesting studies of religious people. ( watch?v=D_9w8JougLQ )
This guy is pathetic. Religion went wrong when people started believing it without evidence to support the contentions it makes. People should question their religion, should demand proof of God and the supernatural claims made - and if there isn't sufficient proof should doubt them.
This is guy went wrong when he started speaking. He has no CLUE of what he talking about. He should read the bible before the talks about Christ. ForaTV has had some intelect people but this one is just pandering to those of his own interest. Christ never had an illuminate experience with God in the desert. It was quite the opposite. All he is saying is religion control is wrong and goverment is control is right. Phoney. Christainity is not primal. He's primal. Darwinist.
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ajaxwinter.webs.com/apps/blog/show/12994253-religion-an-unlikely-story-
This guy has a good blog about religion, made me think.
mazotu 1 day ago
"mosslim"
loll0lloll0lloll0l 4 days ago
All the chatter below is obscuiring this guy's main point: that the foundation of all religion is an experience of the luminous in all things, in the ordinary as extraordinary. A first-person experience that is beyond all conceptual frameworks or ideas we may have about existence that renders the intellectual gymnastics of theist vs. atheist arguments, sacred texts, chapters and verses, and so on, meaningless.
squamish4244 4 months ago
Btw, Im a Atheist. I like Buddhism though. Buddha's words of wisdom help me in daily life. And if this guys book were to become big. People would see him as a Buddha type figure probably. Because he is only educating the world & giving his words of wisdom. btw, I agree with %100 of what this guy is saying. I think he was missing a little stuff explaining where religion went wrong. But I didn't read his book yet. So I cant say much. :P
ActiveAnimeEnt 4 months ago
This guy is contradicting himself. He wants to teach what he learned about the world to the world. That makes him the very 1st thing to start a religion. Regardless whether he doesn't like religion or not, if he were to become big & change the world with his book or beliefs; in time, his story would change. His story would probably involve supernatural things whether he'd like it or not. But who knows? We live in a more advanced world. Its easier to document things. So its like a paradox.
ActiveAnimeEnt 4 months ago
Where did religion go wrong? Let's see, ummmm..... Genesis verse 1.
taiwanoob 4 months ago
This guy is quite clever, I might join him in Silence whilst the whole world rambles on.
khuggf 4 months ago
I hate how christians try say those who dont believe are arrogant and it says that we are in the bibe. Im not arrogant, I just dont want to mindlessly put my entire faith in something that refuses to give those with sincere questions and doubts, logical answers. All I get is "Because the bible says so". My question is, what proof did you come across that made you put your faith in it.
Its an endless loop of questions been blown off by illogical and unsupported answers.
peardan 5 months ago
religion goes wrong when the first set of followers decide to believe things without evidence or reason.
It's OK to have one's own "spiritual" experiences. But why should you base your life around some one else's spiritual experiences?
George Carlin's one & only commandment:
"KEEP THINE RELIGION TO THINE SELF."
hardinmichael1981 5 months ago
I read half of it before I stopped. And it still doesn't change the fact you're using circular logic to try and make a empirical point.
sinical89 7 months ago
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Cristão e o Ateu, quem é perdedor?
nafecrista.blogspot.com/2011/07/o-cristao-e-o-ateu-quem-e-perdedor.html
irdigitals 8 months ago
this is very good.
Onbekend1980 8 months ago
"The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard, who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by 'God,' one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity." - Carl Sagan
CanadianFate 8 months ago 8
@CanadianFate everytime i read a quote I find that I agree with to the fullest degree, i find out its by carl sagan
abarbar06 6 months ago 5
very intellegent and factual. truth will always come through the bullshit and falsehoods created by man.
dorianstark1970 9 months ago
this is actually very intelligent and thoughtful, I enjoyed this even as an atheist :)
psychokillerIX 9 months ago
Anthropomorphizing religion is a common fallacy of many of today's atheist. Religion isn't animate/self aware; neither is any other discipline. Thus it's those embracing ace it who must be blamed for any failures or evils done. Atheism & science have been used to justify & execute some of history’s worst atrocities, but unlike religion, atheists will make sure to lay the blame on something else, including religion, not atheism or science. Quite hypocritical.
ChristianMission 10 months ago
@ChristianMission "Atheism & science have been used to justify & execute some of history’s worst atrocities, but unlike religion, atheists will make sure to lay the blame on something else, including religion, not atheism or science.Quite hypocritical." Could you be more specific, please? Hitler never left catholicism nor has he ever been excommunicated by it.Stalin started his career in a priests' seminary and much tells us he didn't lose his faith in god.
Moslemtroglodytes 9 months ago
@ChristianMission And,frankly,I have never heard of any war overtly inspired by atheism while horrifying wars of religion are as old as the lies and hatred spread in the name of the mad spectre of monotheism with the codename "Yahwe" by the Egyptin renegade priest from Heliopolis Osarsiph better known to us as Moses.Monotheism has been the single most important cause of war, mental and cultural regress in human history.It ruined the ancient world and made us slaves of primitive Hebrew mythology.
Moslemtroglodytes 9 months ago
@ChristianMission Anthropomorphizing was the order of the day, until today's atheists pointed out how ridiculous that is. Until even the most religolous got ashamed of doing it. Religion is saying something is the case while knowing it aint’t so. Thus it's those embracing it who must be blamed for any failures or evils done. No atrocities have been done bc of science. And for the totalitarian ideologies, check out George Orwell who pointed out how much they were like a religion…
TomFynn 9 months ago
this is very good
olepotti 10 months ago
all religion is nothing but bullshit
TriumphOverTyranny 10 months ago
haha the churck norris part is true. I'm choosing to believe in Jesus, but I understand where you're coming from
kristineurie44 10 months ago
Actually, Christians aren't taught that Jesus was a lone individual who goes out in the desert and experienced a transformed experience. We are taught He was born into the world, knowning who He was and what He had to do.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 That might be part of the mythologizing.
Zartyzzo 10 months ago
@Zartyzzo it's most likely not, seeing as theres proof He was crucified and no one in their right mind would go around saying "I am God's son" and be killed in such a violent way, if it was all a lie.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 I thought that was the whole point to matyrdom. You know, not caring about the deadly consequences. Anyways, we don't know if he ran around saying that stuff before or after the "transformation" phase, no matter what the bible says. All i'm saying is it might be somewhat of a pretty big exaggeration sometimes. People in the distant future probably shouldn't and won't believe all documented statements from our time... "Chuck Norris facts" for example.
Zartyzzo 10 months ago
@Zartyzzo haha the churck norris part is true. I'm choosing to believe in Jesus, but I understand where you're coming from
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Then we must assume that he was not in his right mind.
Oh, and no, there is no proof beyond some self contradicting accounts.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn google the "shroud of turin". if thats not proof, i dont know what is.
and as far as the self contradicting accounts, who's to say Jesus didn't say all of those things before he died?
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 If you think he shroud of Turin is proof, you don't know what proof is.
And basing one actions on what people could have said is even bigger BS than the shroud of Turin.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn really? so if the shroud isn't proof,what is it? Mere coincidence? Don't kid yourself.
If you feel that way, then you shouldnt believe history books, newspaper articles or even your parents for that matter, if you wont believe in something because someone else has said it.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 I believe newspapers, history books and newspaper articles when they supply positive testable evidence that can be cross-correlated to give a consistent picture.
The evidence for the shroud of Turin to be what it is claimed to be, is exactly nil. It was most likely fabricated because in those days relics meant business. Don't kid yourself.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn its not fabricated. ii'll send you a video, because i cant sit here and explain because of limit restraints. did you know there are outside writers who testify to the crucifixion of Jesus? Search Josephus and I believe there are a few others out there who i cant remember right now. If you can show me evidence where the bible isnt consistent in validity or historically accurate I can believe you. otherwise you have no proof. History actually proves the opposite, really
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 /watch?v=7cK3Ry_icJo
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn of course there will be "changes" in the bible. whenever you translate a word from language to another you will run into this issue. the message was always the same. have you ever heard of the dead sea scrolls? there is very little textual difference between the original scroll and the KJV book of Isaiah
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@TomFynn and for every video you send me, i can send you 5 more which state the bible's accuracy, (people are even discovering secret codes in there. thats not a coincidence). UnlessYOU have personally done the research, you are just relying on someone elses interpretation, which is a very dangerous thing.
want to see the shroud of turin video now?
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Bible Code? LOL ROFL LMAO. Sorry thats all that merits.
As for the dead sea scrolls “It is now becoming increasingly clear that the Old Testament scripture was extremely fluid until its canonization around 100 CE.” Fagan, Brian M., and Charlotte Beck, The Oxford Companion to Archeology, entry on the "Dead sea scrolls", Oxford University Press, 1996.
In short: They made it up.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn go and see for yourself. do the research YOURSELF. I'm a christian and I've read and researched into the religion MYSELF. what you fail to understand, is one person's claim is just that--a claim. For hundreds of years historians have proven the validity of the old testament. the fact tat the bible states the earth is round 2000 years before any one else knows is proof in itself. Not to mention prophecy being fulfilled right now. You know nothing of this, you're relying on websites.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Go and see for yourself. You did not do any research you just picked the facts that suited to what you wanted to be true. As for historians proving the history of the Old Testament, see the works of Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman.
And prophecies are on par with Bible Code. They are Bullshit.
You can claim all you want, you know nothing.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn you dont know what i did, regarding research. because you are an unbeliever, you are biased into believing there are no prophesies in the book. what do you think about the bible claiming the earth is round? or its early prediction that the euphrates river would dry up? or that Israel would become spread out and would later become a nation again? What do YOU think, dont run off and go ask someone else.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 I know exactly what you did, since you so clearly stated that you’re a believer. You picked and chose the facts that suited what you wanted to be true. That is what believe is.
Where exactly does the bible claim that? Precise references and exact bible version please, I don’t have the time to second guess.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn "God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them." Isaiah 40:22 (your atheist websites dont tell you this) For Israel, check out: Jeremiah 16:14,15; 30:10 AND Jeremiah 31: 38-40; Amos 9: 14,15 since i cant fit this all here. And as far as the Euphrates river: Revelation 16:12
and theres hundreds of other prophecy. You can chalk this up as a coincidence all you want.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Isaiah: You do realize that this would also apply to an earth in the form of a round disc?
Jeremiah: There is no evidence for this "brought out of Egypt" stuff outside your bible.
Amos: After 3000 years practically anything can happen. And this “never to be uprooted" stuff remains to be seen. Never being rather longer than 3000 years…
So what do I think of this? I’ll spell it out: B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn you'vejust demonstrated you can look directly at evidence and still question. A round disc? How ridiculous does that sound? The word circle and sphere came from the same Greek word. And it begs the larger question: why a CIRCLE disc? Why not a square disc? You just dont want God to exist, thats really what it is. You can look at evidence and stillnot believe because you have made it up in your mind.I hope you find peace.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@TomFynn as powerful as a pharaoh is, you really think he would allow his people to write about how terribly he treated the Jews? That his gods: Ra, Osiris, Neut, are false? of course you wont fid this text in Egypt.But that doesnt mean it didnt happen, especially considering Israel became a nation after hundreds of years of being dispersed through the land. Of course 3000 years anything can happen. Why that river in particular? Who could guess?
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@TomFynn you can rely on coincidence all you want to. It wont save you.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 You’ve just demonstrated that you can’t look directly at evidence and still believe. You just want God to exist that’s what it is, You can look at evidence and still believe because you have made it up in your mind. I hope you find reason.
PS: You do see that the circle/sphere-thing is supporting my argument?
PPS: So the absence of evidence in Egypt is evidence? Wow.
PPPS: Because there are fucking few rivers in that place? It being a desert?
PPPPS: I don’t need to be saved.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@TomFynn alright TomFynn, there no point in continuing this argument. If Jesus were to walk right by you in the street, you still wouldn't believe because you dont want to. You dont want to conceptualize answering to an all powerful, all-knowing God when you die, and you rely on the hope that such a God doesn't exist. When the bible proves itself to be divine-inspired you'll find some excuse not to believe. admit it, is OK.I was like you once. But you're still searching for truth.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@TomFynn You want to convince yourself God doesnt exist, and you find yourself arguing with Christians trying to prove God doesnt exist when in reality, you arent 100% sure yourself. You are just waiting for some evidence for you to believe in. I know this because I was like you once. Did you know the bible also mentions the earth is hung upon "nothing"? when other religious texts say it isnt? you think men 100s years ago knew about gravity? oh please.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Have you ever heard of the Greek Mathematician Theodorus? Do some research on him sometime and you will see what I'm talking about. He is the one who figured out the Earth was round way before it was mentioned in the Bible. Sorry to burst your bubble. I was once like you. then I saw the "light" and realized there is no God. If there is one, he does a real good job at hiding himself....
dollargirl2011 9 months ago
@kristineurie44 When the bible proves itself to be divine-inspired
"bible proves itself" wtf? Because it says so in the book, it has to be true? wtf? seriously wtf? You just blew my mind with that logic. oh and I hear the bible says the earth is on pillars... just an fyi.
p.s. Sir Isaac Newton PRS (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727 about 300 years ago? Bam.
sinical89 7 months ago
@sinical89 out of curiousity, how much of the bible have you read? or do you get your knowledge from other anti-apologetics such as these?
kristineurie44 7 months ago
@TomFynn So we can end this argument here, nothing will convince you but God Himself. And believe you me, there will come a time in your life where you're going to look up to the sky and pray someone will hear you. Someone already does.
kristineurie44 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Ah, thinly veiled threats of a vague nature. How very Christian of you.
PS: If you find that someone tell him to get a life.
TomFynn 10 months ago
@kristineurie44 Please stop you're idiotic drivel. No one disputes Jesus existed. So did lots of carpenters around that time. And he may have indeed been "enlightened" . So what. Doesn't mean he was the Son of God born of a virgin. Use your head.
Gepetto48 2 weeks ago
it's not good to make faulty overarching statements, but yeah i c u sam keen
AhmadiyyatCentenary 10 months ago
@loveruleshate That describes my atheism, "I do not find any of the God storeys compelling" thats it, beyond that I have morals and values which are similar to most theists.
Religon without supernatural is just philosiphy and if you are buhdist without any supernatural beliefs then by definition your a buhdist atheist, like humanist athiest, objectivist atheist, communist agnostic atheist.
Unless u believe a certain supernatural claim, your not a theist, A-theist, no need to deny it
shandcunt 1 year ago
@shandcunt PART 1 actually, you are right in One sense... Morals and values differ according to society (YES), individual knowledge, individual experience, circumstances and most importantly individual nature, i say nature is most important because it is dependant on the individual nature how he/she analyses the rest. And NO, nurture does not change nature, different nurture strategy can help tackle different nature but NURTURE DOES NOT CHANGE NATURE....
vegeteriancannibal 11 months ago
@vegeteriancannibal PART 2 Only the individual ''I'' can change his own nature and no one else.. all the society, knowledge, experience, circumstances is nothing withouht the Individual ''I''. I hope you understand what I mean but if you don't, please note it down, read it a couple of times more with an open mind and try and understand what i mean...
vegeteriancannibal 11 months ago
@Feistycadaver I think people can believe whatever they want as long as...
-They don't mind being wrong
-dont use beliefs as justification for moral actions (Why is abortion right/wrong? Because God said so)
-dont use beliefs as justification for decision making (God told me last night that...)
-don't choose their beliefs over reality (dnt bother learning evolution son, it's not true cos God said so)
You have the right to believe watever, I personally like my beliefs to reflect reality.
shandcunt 1 year ago
I will never watch your videos again, because you only give half the story, good bye
swissmaid 1 year ago
simply promoting his book... for financial profit... think outside the box guys.
ChsSami 1 year ago
@ChsSami everyone has their own motives. this does not change facts.
basass101 1 year ago
@ChsSami Is there something wrong with making a profit? Why don't you refuse your paycheck then?
Gepetto48 2 weeks ago
Pascal's wager is immoral!
Secondly, the speaker has forgotten to add something important to his speach: always the creator of a religion is crazy!
Jesus and Muhamad and st Paul and others were paranoid!
48acar19 1 year ago
@hash4twenty No it won't, because then you're betting on infinity. You bet on infinity because there are too many different versions of God, and honestly, when you believe in one of those gods, chances are there are at the very least fifty that will send you into some sort of eternal torture for believing the other.
Pascal's Wager is a bunch of crap.
eatingfatty 1 year ago
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Die Religion Die !
BCT071 1 year ago
Great intro statement. I agree with him that it is irrelevant. I enjoy the similarities of the religions as they were all developed by humans, and therefore, susceptible to our human natures in development. For better or worse. It is when priests say that God told them to kill a doctor that performs abortions is where I have to simply walk away and say, "Damn, man. Something is fucked up here."
The God of my understanding doesn't do shit like that.
Feistycadaver 1 year ago
@Feistycadaver all religion is man made. the very IDEA of god is manmade. there is nothing OUTSIDE the human experience that suggests a god. therefore, no One has the same god, not even two christians in the same church, because We all have different brains. speaking of Your god only speaks about Your own character, not about some actual being. if there is a god, We can only make guesses as to what Its attributes are. anything else is solely the product of the Personality of the prophet.
basass101 1 year ago
@basass101 I'm comfortable with my beliefs, how I came to understand them, and their inherent weaknesses and flaws.
Feistycadaver 1 year ago
@basass101 You are right and I agree with you! But think of this; two christians in the same church has different prespective of God! But if one of them make some how others believe that his prespective is true he is the strong and the powerful and the other is the weak! You get what I am saying? It is matter of POWER not TRUTH! Dissagreeing with me means that you are challenging my power and I must respond! Am I understood? That is the reason of institutionalism of religions!
Peristerygr 1 year ago
One can be spiritual without being religious, my view is religion is man made but trying to connect to some spirit within us is our own unique journey and if it does not exist and it is just me convincing myself that some universal power is connecting with me well at least I find that out for myself and not from someone else's writing hundreds of years ago about someone they never met.
But hey... if it helps you and you do not harm yourself or others then each to their own.
JazzFiveO 1 year ago
@JazzFiveO Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. -- Albert Einstein
loveruleshate 1 year ago
@loveruleshate I like Buddhism, out of all religions it is my favorite mainly because they accept all other religions and do not try to change others views or tell others that their belief system is incorrect. I have read many Dalai Lama books and they have helped me immensely. Thumbs up to the Dalai Lama... so to speak :)
JazzFiveO 1 year ago
i believe in a god only because i feel i've been spared a few times. Plus i just look at beauty in this world, nature, atoms, grass. it had to come from something more complex then science. But as for religion, well... i still have many pages to wipe with. >:)
randomactsok 1 year ago
If one or even all religion of the Earth are misguided in interpreting the word, that does not mean God does not exist but maybe nobody search God in Truth.
„Nulla regula sine exceptione”
May God bless you all in Truth.
holyspiritoftruth 1 year ago
Man created ALL gods and religions. A god is a delicate creature. It can be destroyed by a whiff of reasoning.
yeshuahfullofit 1 year ago
@yeshuahfullofit Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
Buddha himself, when asked by a disciple, with all the religions in the world which one should we follow? Buddha answered "God cares not by what road you reach him'
loveruleshate 1 year ago
@loveruleshate Agreed. I dislike the word 'god', because I connect so many disagreeable concepts and attributes to it. I can accept a concept of an origional, eternal, source of all that is...... but, I do not accept the concept of a personal, intercessory 'god' that is all 'good' , that can be manipulated by prayers or sacrificial offerings or priestcraft, that writes books or ever says, " thou shalt not " . The bible is not my book, nor is christianity my proffession.--- Abraham Lincoln.
yeshuahfullofit 1 year ago
church and mosques today push people away of the religions. since the separations they make. God is not a dictator , since he gives you choice, to chose to submit to him or ignore. God is the conscience of you considering the world start from you nobody else matters. it is hard to be religious when you make millions and live in a mansion with all advertisement of materials against religions it makes it impossible to go back. being atheist is to ignore. religion is the way of life connected.
aliwesker 1 year ago
@aliwesker So it's either: Believe in me or burn in hell?
Kind of like when Stalin said: Commit to my reign or die. What? He gave you choice.
Dictators always gives a choice, one that serves him, and one that hurts you. So yes, God is a dictator, and your argument fails.
Naruseki 1 year ago
@Naruseki , God wont burn anyone who Has reasoning, everyone is responsible to what he receives , if someone has no access to information,he is not to blame. God is understanding . lets assume you are 100% right and he is a dictator , well let me tell you he has every right to be , he give you life from start to end and your life is not even half your being you might break a leg ,lose an arm ,or be disabled. but your spirit is complete and has desire to do good. and everybody is in it.
aliwesker 1 year ago
@aliwesker Still, if you vhoose to ingore his preachings, you will go to hell, right?
I choose to ingore God because I think the bible is immoral. I don't need a God in order to know what is right and what is wrong.
I don't need a God in order to be a good person, and therefore I live my life like a free man.
No one has the right to choose for me what kind life I should live. Not even my races creator, if you will.
Naruseki 1 year ago
@Naruseki I went from a Catholic turned Atheist and found no peace in either... until I came upon this: Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
loveruleshate 1 year ago
Haha, funny atheist. religion doesn't make institution since this dude has lost the point . lets go back to the root. people made institutions like you! to make money , benefit and power out of religion and abuse it. example:
in Christianity including bible and teaching, there is no such thing as church and pope , priesthood.
in Islam including the Quran and the teachings. everyone is equal and noone is better than the other. Ayatolah , and mullah is a made up by institution.
aliwesker 1 year ago
Enlightenment is our purpose
fuck, Indeed to all~~~
IndeedmyFriend 1 year ago
Those people that went to the desert and had the "god" experience are of the best "Salesmen" for their times...
Man Made god, Not, god Made Man - The only Real thing about god, is the EVIL this belief spreads throughout the world.
stevethul1 1 year ago
venaloid:
God exists to tell people what to do right? that's what they say. That's basically A dictatorship/Communism.
So in a way they're embracing putting a power-mad person who says "DO WHAT I SAY OR YOU'LL GO TO HELL!" on Heaven's Throne.
They hadn't realised that recently...
WolfytheWolf5667 1 year ago
iam thesunshon peace!
thesunshon 1 year ago
What if you were not born "human"?
lucerfarul 1 year ago
A very good example of what religion was supposed to be is what Eckhart Tolle is teaching. To be morally responsible of your thoughts and actions in this very life, not some afterlife that does not exist. Check him out here on utube..
kaxitaksi 1 year ago
Sam's logic is that 'religion' is a personal deal and when one has an epiphany or 'spiritual revelation', the moment you start sharing it with others, you dilute it. Disciples years later will inject their own flawed insights in order to benefit in some way ($). It's in mankind's nature to 'tweak' everything, even religion, into our own view of 'perfection'. Spiritual events are 'non-reproducible' and under the scientific method, always suspect. Until you turn to God for the answers yourself.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
@shanoxilt - Why bother to post if you're not going to add anything? Just writing 'you'd be wrong' and 'duh' is pretty useless. Sam Keen is passionate in his videos and firmly believes in what he says. The least we can do is take the time to post a relevant thought for or against his logic. What Sam and I share in common is a willingness put some real effort into defining what we believe and sharing it with others. Post something thought-provoking...if you can.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
dman that was well said
Puremadnez 1 year ago
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DreamsofMajesty 1 year ago
ummmm... can anyone summarise sam keen in a nutshell!!
reaperq88 1 year ago
@reaperq88 i can. fuck religion!
bizarrrr 1 year ago
@bizarrrr
i was kinda hoping for something more than that.....
reaperq88 1 year ago
@reaperq88 i'm sorry that i disappointed you but what else can i say?
bizarrrr 1 year ago
Think about this statement for a minute and decide if it's true...
The 'ultimate moral imperative' is:
"Whatever works to move the greatest amount of people towards a better understanding of what constitutes 'PERFECTION'".
You're doing it right now...reading, thinking, posting or discussing what constitutes PERFECTION (from a theist or atheist viewpoint) and how best to convince others of the truth of it or...how best to decide the matter for all time.
So...is it true?
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
The very fact that you temporarily exist (Cogito ergo sum) but do not remain the same forever (2nd Law of thermodynamics) infers the existence of an eternal God. Your existence implies that something 'MORE REAL' than you is creating you. The fact that you 'decay' or change implies that something 'less real' than you is tearing away at your existence. Our TEMPORAL existence implies both ETERNITY and OBLIVION.
Can a lifeless universe create something (Life!) which is greater than itself?
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
@garthfromseattle you're serious about that! :D
bizarrrr 1 year ago
@garthfromseattle
Yes. Duh.
shanoxilt 1 year ago
Nihilism is just a comfortable agnostic delusion purported by hedonistic adults who prefer to childishly pretend that 'nothing is real' or that 'nothing we do really matters'.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
I reiterate: Atheism is a belief system concerning theism (worship of never or seldom seen deities) and therefore a 'religion' or a belief system on the 'intangible'. Were the Creator to stand directly in front of him and declare himself to be God, an atheist would just question his own sanity or whether or not he had just been tricked by an adept magician. A true atheist will disbelieve the creator to his face, then fry in hell convinced he's still alive but locked in a coma back on earth.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
@garthfromseattle
And you would be wrong in all those assertions.
shanoxilt 1 year ago
Atheism is a rejection of belief in deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist (all children are unknowing atheists until they are instructed about theism). Atheism is contrasted with theism, which is the belief that at least one deity exists. An Atheist differs from an agnostic because he commits to his belief that there are no deities...irregardless of facts.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
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garthfromseattle 1 year ago
An Agnostic is one who believes it is impossible to know whether or not there is a God. He's skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess to true atheism (or he's just someone who's simply doubtful or noncommittal about something). Agnosticism is a childlike 'default position' of a mind considering a belief system on the intangible (religion) or in unseen deities. He never stops 'considering' his belief options or commits to any belief system. He's neither HOT nor Cold spiritually.
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
Atheism is better than dogmatic belief in any religion but I find it lacks any innate structure that helps us understand the world better, and it does not fulfill our desire to discover how to be better people.
justalittledust 1 year ago
(1) Sam Keen is mistaken if his understanding is that the Buddha's experience fits with the rest; it was not a transcendent experience of the sacred, it was a mind-altering insight into the mundane. It is also noticeable that Buddhism did not devolve into empire building (though used by empires at times).
(2) If "where religions went wrong" is step 2, would Mr. Keen have the person with the original insight keep it to himself? All well and good to point out the problem, where's the solution?
justalittledust 1 year ago
Believing religion and god is a simple concept. It's like when a child wets their bed and blames it on an imaginary friend. It clears their concious of it when they feel bad about doing it and they know it obviously wasn't right. The problem is this child is told that their imaginary friend DID do it, and warrants what they did. This eventually evolves as the child grows to believe it justifies everything from bloodshed to pedophelia.
Big price to pay for naming ones concious "god".
jjrants 1 year ago
garthfromseattle 1 year ago
@garthfromseattle As if people 'belive' in 'no gods'!
We basically say the default position on god or no god is unknown and that does not entail a 50 - 50 stance vs 'god exists'.
We don't starte believing in god BEFORE the evidence that's all.
Yes there are (few) strong atheists who 'belive' there is no god. Few enough that they are almost irrelevant to the discussion.
stiaa04 1 year ago
@garthfromseattle
For that matter I don't accept your premise: Redefining the word religion like that just makes your use of the word deceptive.
If atheism = religion(theory on the intangible)
and you then later expect the thought that
Atheism = religion(accepting as virtuous the act of faith without evidence)
to be accepted, you have basically just tried to trick us into accepting that atheism is a religion for one defenition of the word and then sneaking in the acceptance for another.
stiaa04 1 year ago
When was religion ever right?
It's nothing more than grand speculation and primative human imagination which has unfortunately evolved into a form of Bio-Malware....GODWARE.
Most under it's influence don't recognize the viral way in which the corruptive ideas of others were installed into their minds.
There's a very good reason the installation is started at infancy.
No Life experience or logic to act as a firewall.
BCT071 1 year ago
@BCT071 Religion was never Right, Your Right, it's A miss firing in the Brain, Because they can't come out of the Rain.
777TIZZable 1 year ago
There's no way to prove it--whether transcendence does or does not exist. To me this hardly means that we depart from it, "not proving a negative"--after lived experience we do, one and all, have to decide whether life has a meaning apart from phenomenal reality. It is simply not avoidable.
hopkins4545 1 year ago
Every religion is just laughable at best.
superduperjew 1 year ago
@superduperjew I totally Agree it's LAUGHABLE at It's Best.
777TIZZable 1 year ago
I have no idea why it doubled by posts. I guess they've got a few bugs to work out of this new interface. I can't say I care much for it as yet.
ananiasacts 1 year ago
There is more than one way to look at religion. With it comes questions also. What is a soul, why have we evolved so rapidly over other species, and the last one is always if there is a god what is he. I think most these comments are off topic to the video. And regardless if your an atheist, christian, muslim, catholic, or scientologist. Just remember religion is a personal decision, a lot like choosing to take a drug. Do you try and convince every drug addict to quit something they like?
rcmuckel 1 year ago
@rcmuckel, "Do you try and convince every drug addict to quit something they like?" Only when they start force feeding it to their kids.
ananiasacts 1 year ago
Religion = Cult
Cult = followers of an exclusive system of beliefs and practices
Religon = followers of an exclusive system of beliefs and practices
Science = a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws
Do you want to be apart of a cult?
Socoolscienceshow 1 year ago
There is no god, there is no devil, just your mind of what you accept and allow. What is real is what is here within and as the physical. Hunger, war, rape, etc, reflects the mind of man. Stop your participations within and as the mind of thoughts, feelings, and emotions/reactions, and realize we are all as one as equal to all that is here.
clk211bu 1 year ago
"religion" -- as most people imagine it to be, i.e. primarily creedal and dogmatic in nature doesn't really exist at all, except purely in the minds of more-or-less secularized, modern, Protestant individuals. This is the problem with modern day proponents of atheism too, they think that the 'belief' component is the sole component of religion, were where in fact in many historical and cultural settings it has next to no significance at all.
LordMalice6d9 1 year ago
So once atheists believe they've "proven" that its irrational to believe in religious concepts, they think they've defeated religion, when in reality they have really missed the point of it in terms of its role in the lives of most religious people.
LordMalice6d9 1 year ago
@LordMalice6d9
The praxis aspect of religion can be shown to be negative as well.
shanoxilt 1 year ago
...imho, all religion is "mental masturbation". Your mind is playing with itself.
yeshuahfullofit 1 year ago
there is only one single truth, we are all one.
grasie1234 1 year ago
@grasie1234
I'm not!
KyuuketsukiUK 1 year ago
wish that moses would burn all the bushs:)
befranklintoo 1 year ago
no evolution in releigion alla TRUE PROPHETS ARE MUSLIMS [THE ONE who submit to ALLAH]
FROM ADAM to muhammed [peace and blessing be upon him] the other thing that contradict the simple logic and even instinct the old fashioned pagan faith of atheism , there r several religions due to corruption and changing the truth of the messages
breadcrumpsman 1 year ago
Somehow Life has a meaning behind it.
Isn't funny when humans are always asking for scientific explanation?
Think very carefully, all things are possible even a thing that doesn't have a scientific explanation.
All things came from something. All questions always comes back from the beginning.
Do not hate me, just think. Do not be offended, just be open.
Life is not infinite, each individual should know the real deal. It is the most meaningful task that we can do while each is alive.
kulangotses 1 year ago
Our capacity for symbolism and seeing things in a symbolic way is what gives religion its mythological appeal. This breeds conflict when people form factions and identify with and rally around the various religious symbols that appeal to them - leading to warfare within or between religious denominations. We see this again and again and again.
blackiron60 1 year ago
Hinduism was there thousands of years prior to any of your god
Manjo1981 1 year ago
@Manjo1981, this I believe. But what exactly does it suggest to you? Are you trying to claim that because it's more ancient that it's more likely to be correct? Wouldn't a better indicator of the utility of a religion be in how well in elevates the quality of people's lives? And by that standard, nothing comes even close to atheism. The first nation that separated church and state by law quickly grew to improve the lives of people all over the globe. By any measure religion is harmful to us.
ananiasacts 1 year ago
Hinduism is above all of this....
Manjo1981 1 year ago
@Manjo1981 It's just as silly as all the other religions.
IrreplacablePerry 1 year ago 6
@IrreplacablePerry
Hinduism is pretty deep compared to a lot of other religions if you actually take the time to read its history. Same with Buddhism.
The idea that Gods, if they exist, don't give a shit about our trivial day to day life and just adhere to their nature is less egocentric than the Abrahamic ones.
A six armed God is still silly, yes, but it imposes a lot of philosophical questions that people don't usually ask: "What is the nature of Gods?" or "Is God apathetic?" etc.
Yhunhu 1 year ago
@Yhunhu Yes, I see your point. I stand reproved.
IrreplacablePerry 1 year ago
? well .
gasttheplast 1 year ago
Does he believe that "Moses" was a real person? Strange, since all research and science has shown that there never were any "masses of jewish slaves in Egypt" or any "Exodus". Hehe, but the story/fairy-tale about "Moses" follows the same pattern he's talking about there, and I guess that's what's important. (And christtards, please don't mention some retard who's into "Bible Archeology" and has no peer-reviewed work whatsoever and is laughed at by all serious archaeologists.. : )
winterstellar 1 year ago
Quite a boring talk. The first 5 minutes were spent stating the obvious. **yawns** I have little motivation to watch the ENTIRE thing.
Mrmoc7 1 year ago
nature is an amazing and breath taking sight. i personally believe that it could not have been created to be so wonderous without a higher power but everyone is entitled to their beliefs. no one knows how nature was truely created so why waste time arguing about it? lets just sit back together and watch it's wonders. there are many people who believe in many different theories but no one knows for sure, so lets let each other be and soak in the beauty of the universe.
RIPrepublicfilms 1 year ago
@RIPrepublicfilms, but if you believe that god created our world, don't you love the fact that scientists are scrutinizing it so thoroughly? Isn't it likely that we can learn many things about whoever or whatever created our world by studying it as thoughtfully as we can? Don't you want to know as much as you can about the nature of our reality? How can knowing a great deal about god's creation possibly make us less pious? It seems like the opposite is the case.
ananiasacts 1 year ago
Interesting that he only mentions messianic religions, however.
MoltenPlastic 1 year ago
Hey dude! Talk to the mike!
MoltenPlastic 1 year ago
I agree with this man. I don't have a steak in religion, I have a steak in human decency.
truvelocity 1 year ago
you can't find "everybody's story" because so many people build their identity on claiming to have something that other people don't have. As soon as you point out that everyone has "it", half of them will drop it and pick up something else they think is novel and special.
planetdarwin 1 year ago
Planetdarwin, you are absolutely correct about that. True ecumenism, where everyone subscribes to universally agreed upon concepts of spirituality, is an unrealistic ideal because it doesn't take into account that it is human nature to try and form in and out groups, and hence the sectarianism in religion, like every other human convention, is an inevitability.
alphacause 1 year ago
After reading some of the comments, I think it's unfortunate that so many theists feel so strongly that they must have a religion that they come to embrace pure fantasy. That I think is a mistake and a dangerous one at that. To equate an experience of the imagination with reality is to cut oneself off from a genuine appreciation of both the natural world and the rest of humanity. We should never wear our gullibility with pride. Honesty is hard, and important.
thunderpants10 1 year ago 3
well said...i think campaigns should be launched to identify the relative indoctrination and brainwashing that takes place in order to disconnect people from the natural world and humanity (and in place mythologies).
Th3Wab3 1 year ago
@Th3Wab3, University scientists should take up the challenge of developing a primary school curricula that effectively inoculates kids to the nastiest of the religious memes.
ananiasacts 1 year ago
@ananiasacts that would be nice.. kinda like promoting critical thinking and common sense, instead of following without understanding...
Th3Wab3 1 year ago
@Th3Wab3, It's actually an idea from Daniel Dennett, a philosopher at Tufts University who is doing some interesting studies of religious people. ( watch?v=D_9w8JougLQ )
ananiasacts 1 year ago
@ananiasacts sounds interesting, i'll have a look... ty for the referral
Th3Wab3 1 year ago
This guy is pathetic. Religion went wrong when people started believing it without evidence to support the contentions it makes. People should question their religion, should demand proof of God and the supernatural claims made - and if there isn't sufficient proof should doubt them.
glennd7962 1 year ago 3
This guy sure spouted a bunch of bullshit. Glad I wasn't listening. If only I could rate videos lower than one star...
k166a 1 year ago
@k166a Interesting. You claim that this man spouted nonsense yet admit that you were not listening. Well, I'm in awe of your lip reading skill
tigiris2257 1 year ago 5
@tigiris2257 HAHA you caught him red handed
LeguimCh 1 year ago
1000 grazie Foratv for loading this --very interesting.
suskky 1 year ago
This is guy went wrong when he started speaking. He has no CLUE of what he talking about. He should read the bible before the talks about Christ. ForaTV has had some intelect people but this one is just pandering to those of his own interest. Christ never had an illuminate experience with God in the desert. It was quite the opposite. All he is saying is religion control is wrong and goverment is control is right. Phoney. Christainity is not primal. He's primal. Darwinist.
AVTPro 1 year ago