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Thread: Religion

  1. #1381
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    Back to morals...

    The golden rule might seem obvious, but why follow it?
    Why should I care about others or making society better - why not be out for me?
    Obviously to live and function in a society I need to fit in, but why not do just enough to fit in, but screw everyone else and live the best way for just me.

    And yes there are people like that. Heck we are all like that to some degree. We put ourselves first, family and close friends next, neighbours and other friends etc. We don’t treat total strangers the same way we would our family.

    To survive, reproduce and continue as a species we need to balance selfishness and your survival with cooperation and the groups survival.

    The golden rule is a great starting point for how to function as a collective.
    It doesn’t say “put the collective first”, that is too big of an ask. It says “don’t be any more selfish than you would expect of others”

    Game theory shows that is a cooperative group where there is a cost to individual to help others, that it is best if everyone helps. The cost is outweighed by the reward of the group.
    However, any individual who skips their part and still gets the group benefit is ahead! Reward for no cost.
    If everyone (or even a majority) do this then the system is worse and breaks down.
    There should be a balance between selfish and cooperative.

    In reality it’s not black and white, it’s a scale. Some people are very selfish, some are very cooperative.
    Pyscopaths tend to be at the selfish end, martyrs at the other end.

    As a group we have worked out we need to adjust the balance, reward and punish to encourage the system towards cooperation. Some of this is internal, morals and conscience. Others are external, laws, justice, heroes.
    It’s not surprising that religion has played a role in this, giving us morals and a reward/punishment in an afterlife.
    But religion is working with something that was already there. You could say that evolved or was given by god.
    But it’s clear that we have morals and the ability to work together already wired into us. Yes even psychopaths.

    You don’t need to be religious for this to work. You certainly don’t need to be of any specific religion!

  2. #1382
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dicknose View Post
    And here is the bit I find hilarious about religion...
    People worry which is “true”
    But it involves an all powerful being, who could instantly solve this problem.
    Is it Jesus, Muhammed or Ra?

    Just send us a message, a clear message, not this “it’s in a sunrise” or “holy book” - it’s clear each religion thinks it’s book is the only true book.
    It would stop a lot of fighting and problems in the world.
    But oh no - you need to work it out via belief and 3rd hand evidence

    Why be so obtuse, just be clear.

    And now so you might see how I feel about it.
    You know Thor is the true god. He sends us a reminder every time there is thunder.
    He is so important that we still honour him with a day of the week.

    Thor and Jesus and all the others seem no more true to me. Sure some are more popular today.
    But a god should be able to make it clear they exist.
    If they can’t do that, then I put them in the same pile with Ra and Thor.
    Since God is love, I think it's the same with the game of love. We just can't be that straightforward with it.

    Sure for somebody who already likes me, I could be clear and just tell her I like her and want to be with her and have things work out between us.

    However, what if the girl I like at the moment has no feeling for me... or perhaps doesn't even find me attractive? Then such clear and direct strategy just won't work... and it might even cause the girls to freak out and not like a creep like me even more!

    So when this is the case, God needs to utilize something like the System to up your interest level. To give you just enough indication the He loves you, but not to come on too strong. If you really just don't like Him, that's cool, He'll just move on to somebody else!

    Anyway, just my guess, I can't really speak for God. Still, biblical history is clear that God can make Himself perfectly clear such as splitting the Red Sea to save your ass, but that's still not enough to gain Israelites hearts.

    I really believe clear and direct won't work in matters of love. If you don't love somebody, then you just don't love somebody. In that case, it's probably better for you to just know that God doesn't exist.

  3. #1383
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    Regarding morals, like I said earlier, different species developed their own code of ethics that maximizes their long term survival. Who knows if such ethical behavior evolved naturally with their genes or perhaps Creator programmed it in?

    Maybe the Creator programs the creatures thru evolution itself? Obviously these creatures are programmable and reprogramable in the future... God could be using nature to reprogram us or even toss down water or big rocks to reset the entire system if He wants...

    But I'd also concede that it is definitely possible that what's happening in nature is just happening naturally without any supernatural interference...

    However, I still believe somebody must've created nature. Mother Nature can't possibly created herself without God, right?

    The buck has to stop somewhere, right?

    How did Mother Nature pop into existence?

    One can only say that we don't need something as ridiculous as a God to a point...
    Last edited by Crazed_Insanity; April 29th, 2018 at 03:11 PM.

  4. #1384
    Senior Member G'day Mate's Avatar
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    In news from the trial of Cardinal George Pell ... there is none. I'm guessing the the super-injunction sought by prosecutors was successful, meaning that the media cannot even report on the existence of the trial until it is over.

    Unfamiliar? Let Tim Minchin give you some context:


  5. #1385
    Relaxing and enjoying life MR2 Fan's Avatar
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  6. #1386
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    Strange, the only mention of "Rand" in this thread seems to be in a quotation by tigeraid where "Rand Paul" is mentioned.

  7. #1387
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    Well, there was that time we were talking about Rand-y Macho Man Savage. Did that count?

  8. #1388
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    There's Rand McNally if you need a Map

  9. #1389
    Jedi Cam's Avatar
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    Savage.

    IMG_0698.jpg

  10. #1390
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    You should really post this sign prior to something like that.


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