Are people who believe in God delusional?

Post Reply New Topic

The ones who believe in creationism are either delusional or uneducated in the matter.

So an objective view of the data, sans rhetoric and replete with logical consistency? Deal.



You seem to be implying that the standard response to dissenting views from those who believe in a deity include personal insults. Interesting.



Ah. So much for facts. Here, then, is your world view:

- Everything that exists must have a cause
- The universe exists and so must have a cause
- I believe that God caused the universe
- God exists and therefore God must have a cause
- ?

So, my theistic friend, who or what caused god to exist? What caused the thing that caused god to exist? What created that? And so on, like a stack of Russian dolls. At what point do we get to an actual first cause? Not only have you failed to explain how the universe came to exist, you've inserted an unnecessary complication and failed to explain that too. Or are you in the special pleading camp which argues "everything must have a cause except my specific deity"?



Most scientists support the Big Bang theory. All scientists will inform you that they do not know what caused it, though most of them will have some form of hypothesis. Why involve the views of the scientific community only to immediately diverge from said views and claim absolute knowledge of the cause?



Ah, there it is. Sorry chum, special pleading for your imaginary friend does not constitute 'facts'. You have a hypothesis built on poor foundations, nothing more. Please explain how this 'uncaused first cause' could manifest within the universe without becoming subject to entropy within your model.



I, for one, do indeed believe that you are delusional. Not because you had a spine-tingling moment - such things are common occurrences - but because you attribute it specifically to 'the Holy Spirit'.



In what way is 'god' a practical answer to an unknown question? If there are dimensions outside our understanding, it is far more probable that an unintelligent being living in this dimension caused the 'big bang' by accident. This (obviously) is still idle and entirely impractical speculation.

The only honest answer to the question "what created the universe?" is "we don't know".

No, I don't hate this hypothesis. I say we run with it. I see books, book tours, radio call-ins, television appearances... and eventually, even your own show every Sunday morning! We'll be rich! I mean, "Yay science!"

Guru, tell us more about The Accidental Universe.

Well, when God starts talking back to you, then you should worry.

All hail the mighty Giant Space Amoeba who, unbeknownst to himself, did cause the universe to be! Bow before his humongous quantum-celled awesomeness! Or don't! He doesn't care either way! Send us your donations now! Call 555-APATHETICCREATOR!

Yeah, I agree. But like we find out that everything we thought was magic was real and explainable, perhaps "god" is a real and explainable thing? Something outside of our space and time that set our universe into motion could easily be considered a god I think.

I usually just think of god as a supernatural (natural being our dimensions and the laws of physics affecting them) entity... So I think anything outside of our universe/dimensions that can affect this one could be considered god. But yes, we dont know.

I kinda wish that would happen. I would love to have conversations with my God.

More self deluded and confused than delusional.

Sane people believe in various gods. There thinking is defective but that are as sane as I am.

ruveyn

It could be a delusion, why not. But as delusion is usually considered a symptom of mental illness, I would not typically consider it a delusion for such a relatively sane case. Seeing God as a symbolic/ethereal beacon of hope isn't so bad as to warrant such a label.

No, please don't start calling everything you don't understand a god. That's just killing it.

Keep it traditional.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALwKeSEYs[/youtube]

Ah okay. I was just thinking of the definition of a delusion, not its connotations. Actually looking into it now, some definitions mention mental disorder. I'd say that any false belief that one holds despite being aware of the evidence to the contrary is a kind of delusion. Almost every human would have a delusion of one kind or another, I reckon. For example, some would argue that being an optimist is to be deluded, so there's a lot of deluded people right there. It's not always a big deal or a bad thing.

arent both sides delusional when you look at it? who are we to say what happens after we die? there is literally NO proof at all as to what happens and there never will be. i dont think anyone is in any position to argue whether there's life after death. if believing in a god above helps someone on a personal level live a better/happier life then so be it. but despite what you believe, the world would be a much better place if we were all dedicated to giving rather than taking, appreciating what we have rather than stealing what we want and always wanting bigger and better things. i think anyone in their right mind can agree to that, eh?

You would think that if humans want to know badly enough, they could find out. Most cannot handle the sad answer. You simply lose your conscious sense of reality. You no longer experience life the same way. Once your brain ceases function that's it shows over, the screen goes blank permanently forever and ever and ever. That's why you should cherish what you have now. Find something fun to do that reminds you how miraculous it is to experience this, whatever it is.

It gives them hope there is something afterwards,more desperate than delusional.

The only person who ever lived that was right about being God was Jesus. I'm reminded of a quote from Brad Stine...

"If believing in God is a crutch, then not believing in God is a coma."