Reply to Thomasmatus

I reply to thomasmatus's video on the weight of human testimony.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• testimony
• god
• atheist

[unseenstrings]

The Maori formed personal relationships with imaginary gods made of wood and stone. So there is no reason modern religious folk can't form similar personal relationships with imaginary gods made of air. The relationship would develop as a result of habitually praying/talking to the air. That's one way the brain gets wired with perception of reality. After a certain age children are discouraged from having imaginary friends, except for the god worshiped by their friends and family. Naturalism Org

[SpiritualAtheist]

I once worshipped a god who appeared, in the flesh, to a 15 year old boy named Joseph Smith. And i went through all the motions of the various private and public rituals that accompany that particular religious belief. But a religions typically serves a social function that extends far beyond the religion's founding mythology. That makes it easy (i think) for a lot people to remain in the religion without actually believing it. I think that probably happens a lot.

[2bsirius]

Very good video.

[SpiritualAtheist]

Thank you.

[LooksAeterna]

Your POV strikes me entirely plausible and laudable.

May I suggest that in case you look for a decisive experience that you follow the injunctions that lead to such an experience. Sadly such paths tend to be demanding, and so one will not follow unless one already has some sort of "faith".

Nevertheless, may I suggest you try the method of vipassana which you might call "atheist" if you like. I suggest you immediately go on a 10 day retreat lest you be seduced into slacking before experience.

[greycloud24]

eat some magic mushrooms, you will get the full halucination, you may even get the chance to talk to angels.

[ContraWagner]

I always wondered what it would feel like to have a genuine religious experience, and how I would react to it.

[tooltime9901]

the shadow on the wall behind you looks like an exact silhouette of the Eagle monument in Plattsburgh, NY. good video by the way.

[unseenstrings]

The philosopher, George Santayana (1863-1952) was a Catholic. And he referred to himself as an atheistic Catholic. He enjoyed the social atmosphere and rituals of the Church. He also was a sort of dualist, because he said he "believed in general in a dualism between facts and the ideas of those facts in human heads." Chuckle Chuckle

[SpiritualAtheist]

I agree.

[unseenstrings]

I don't think you're nit-picking. Some stories of the Bible don't reflect reality as I've experienced it. A talking ass certainly would have gotten a stronger reaction out of me than Balaam. I've had friends die, and for some time afterwards, I've found myself "recognizing" them in a crowd, unlike Jesus' disciples. They didn't recognize Jesus? Wonder what they were smoking? I've heard the story of "Doubting Thomas" many times; and the moral of the story was always faith is better than skepticism