Religion

[Googolplex]

I'm roman catholic.

[Red]

I believe in the flying spaghetti monster.

[BAndrew]

I believe in the flying spaghetti monster.

I see your point there.

Most people don't believe in any particular God or religion because of the evidence. Rather, they believe them because they are biased to believe them.

[daortir]

What do you mean BAndrew ? That the spaghetti monster isn't real... :'( ?

My whole life is a lie.

[Red]

Noooo! Say it's real, otherwise all that fasting from spaghetti gone to waste.

[BAndrew]

Don't you know?
The answer to the universe and everything is 42.

Now seriously. I am almost certain that about 70% (or so) of people believe in the same religion that their parents or (the majority of) the society believes in. Either that or they become atheists or agnostics. But they rarely switch to another religion (eg christianity --> islam).

EDIT: Actually, by searching I found exactly the research I needed. The conclusion is this:

Survey respondents were specifically asked if they were raised in particular religion and whether they had ever switched to another denomination or preferred no religion at all. Overall, 35.7% of those who were raised with a particular religion had at some point switched to another religion or no religion. Stated another way, about 2/3rds (66,6%) stay with the religion in which they were raised.

Proof:
http://publicdata.norc.org:41000/gss/DOC...s/SC26.pdf


This implies that most people don't believe because of the evidence.

[Red]

Seriously Islam seems a little fucked up sometimes: You might get even death penalties if you don't admit gods existence in certain countries, and all those clothing on women, you see the forbidden areas, you're screwed. I remember getting detention from an accident, i saw a glimpse of muslim girls hair and and there you go. I am just an evil person.

[Nice]

i'm gonna say what I said on skype when talking to Kreek and Bridge about this matter and also the reason I dont bother to continously debate the thing

I think it's pointless and goes nowhere because atheists demand a scientific evidence of a concept that relies on faith. As Kman have said, no one has even changed their personal belief because of a debate on the internet. Now in modern days, religion is friendly to science, anyone that tells you otherwise should get an update on whats happening around the world and in the Church. Last time i've been to church, the priest was verifying the big bang theory. Evolution is not denied either unless you belong to some sort of a private sect/cult which is most likely to be found in America.

and when it comes to me personally, it would take a lot to convince me away from my faith. Not because i'm not open minded but because of the things i've personally heard from certain people (No, not on the internet). There's countless of stories about how people healed in a scientifically impossible way and those people just seem to convert to religion. My mother went to France on a pilgrim where she heard of all kinds of bizzare cases, from a paralyzed person healing completely in 1 night to satanists converting to christianity.

Now you're thinking "oh cool story" or "what a load of balloney" or "propaganda" but the thing is, most of those stories you hear are from the type of people that you know that they just wouldnt lie, because they're always so sincere.

Aaaanyways, I dont expect anyone to believe this, not at all. Which is EXACTLY my point why it's hard to debate a concept that relies on faith to a person that demands a concrete evidence on every single claim.

[BAndrew]

@Dogfood
I can't disagree with this. Religion relies on faith. However, faith is not reliable. Why do you believe in a particular religion? Most people (about 2/3 of the population, see study above) follow the same religion as their parents. However, I can believe that the universe was created by a giant blue bean. But what's the point?
That's a reason I will never get along with religion. Faith doesn't get you anywhere.


Also I never understood why "miracles", "metaphysical stories", "impossible healings",etc NEVER happen to people who don't believe, but only in people who do. Seriously it's almost if God doesn't want atheists or agnostics to believe in him.

[Ghieri]

As Kman have said, no one has even changed their personal belief because of a debate on the internet.

\

That's not true. I became an atheist.

There's also a double whammy to that: If someone provided physical evidence of a god's existence, well I wouldn't say I'd convert to their religion, but I'd be "Oh look, I was wrong!"

Debates can be interesting, but really I provide my arguments for the benefit of people who are still on the fence. IE Pull a Bill Nye on them.

Also I never understood why "miracles", "metaphysical stories", "impossible healings",etc NEVER happen to people who don't believe, but only in people who do. Seriously it's almost if God doesn't want atheists or agnostics to believe in him.

And when they DON'T happen to believers... "God works in mysterious waaayyys WOOOOOO"

IDK, to me "I can't explain it, therefore god" seems to be a bit of a cop out. Because when we do find an answer that person stumbles a bit and then finds the next gap to cling on to.