the religion of peace

[pleomax]

You are a clown if you seriously thing an expletive is a sign of belief.

So why do people say "Christ" or "Jesus"?
Why not a deitiy from another religion?

Go back and reread my post!

[OwlHoot]

.. Controversial I know, but I just don't buy the idea that everything in nature was created purely by natural selection. I just think it's too unlikely...

If you believe in a multiverse (and a lot of physicists do these days, although others scoff at the idea) it may be that the vast majority of universes, or individual "arenas" within the multiverse for want of a better word, have physical laws that prevent atoms forming or stars from burning, or only last a few microseconds, etc.

For example, string theory suggests there are around 10^500 different kinds of vacua (which determine the "laws of physics" in their environment).

So although we can exist, apparently due to a series of amazing coincidences, it's more a case that if it hadn't been for them then no life would be around in the first place. Try a search on "anthropic principle".

Also, even within our (observable) universe it may well be that the vast majority of planets are too hot for life, or too cold, or their orbits too oblique round their star, or their rotation axes too tipped over, etc, etc.

For all we know, the chance of a planet like Earth forming may be a 1 in a trillion. But again, we're here because we're here (which moreorless sums up the Anthropic Principle).

[NotAllThere]

My knowledge of the Bible is more than the Koran obviously as I happened to be born into a Christian culture.
And you're being pedantic - none of the above is news to me.
What's your point exactly?

Huh? Why does there have to be a point?

[xoggoth]

I never understand why people waste time arguing the existence of a god.
The existence of a god who was quite unconcerned about us would be of purely academic interest.

What is relevant is whether a) there is an afterlife and b) if what we do on Earth affect the afterlife.

How is there an independent soul when a blow to the head, illness or drugs can totally change our natures? How is there free will or an equal chance of salvation when we are so clearly the product of our genes and upbringing?

[xoggoth]

Can't be bothered to look for it but a recent news item showed that the religious with life threatening conditions are far more likely to demand all possible efforts to keep them alive than us atheists.

Maybe better to just fade out like billions before you than to worry about whether you might end up in hell.

[Incognito]

So why do people say "Christ" or "Jesus"?
Why not a deitiy from another religion?

Go back and reread my post!

Because that's what they've been brought up with. Just like you don't say merde instead of tulip unless you're a frog.

So for christ's sake get a grip man! Doesn't quite ring the same as 'So for buddhas sake get a grip man'

Either way, get a grip.

[Incognito]

He's gone home, love