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comment by briandmyers
briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Do physicists believe in God?

Can I ask why you say "must exist" and not "does exist" ? Use of "must" implies to me that you think there is evidence of god, and I'm pretty sure there is not.

I'm not trying to be combative here, or convert you to atheism, really. It's just that if we are going to discuss this, I do take a firm atheist view. We don't have to continue the discussion if you don't want to; I wouldn't be bothered.





briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

mk, I can't seem to reply in the leaf comments of this thread. Is that because it is nested too deeply? On comments deeper in this tree, I have no reply link any more.

mk  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

We're pretty far over to the left here, aren't we?

Just an arbitrary cutoff that we haven't had much problem with before now. I can extend it a bit; however, the best solution would probably be to continue it onto another page.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You mean right, not left, I guess. Yeah it has gotten pretty deep. No worries.

mk  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    You mean right, not left, I guess.

Oh geez, I need sleep.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I was able to reply to tng's posting from my "notifications" page, but still can't from the original post.

thenewgreen  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

no, you've just been cut off. Like when you've had too much to drink..

jk. Are you on a mobile device or computer? Just curious, this is definitely an mk question.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

laptop. Win7, Chrome.

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Oh no I don't get offended very easily.

The reason I use "must" does come from myself having a romantic mindset.

From what I've seen of the natural beautiful Earth: (my girlfriend and myself in Eagle, CO)

(Arches National Park)

And from what I've learned about the inner-connectivity of everthing in the known universe, my logic is that it had to have been created by God with an incredible plan in mind that we have no way of comprehension besides awe.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'll sum up our positions from my POV, and you can point out if I'm incorrect or being unfair.

You: The universe is awesome! I assume something must have built it. I assume that something wouldn't have gone to the trouble, unless it had a master plan in mind.

Me: The universe is awesome! Let's use our brains, skepticism, and the scientific method to figure out how it all works as best we can (you probably agree with this).

The primary difference in our stances is that you make two assumptions that I don't see any justification for.

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4345 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I agree completely this. I do agree with you about figuring out how to be the most effective we can be.

The primary difference is not our stances, but our outlooks, is that I'm willing to do the leap of faith to convict myself of a belief I know will bring me ridicule.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Understood. I guess we just disagree. I DO agree, that the universe is wondrous, and I think it is miraculous that we humans have developed the capacity to appreciate all this, but I still feel no compulsion to believe that a magical being, who insists on remaining anonymous, built it all. Maybe that's the case, but I really doubt it. This is just the wondrous universe in which we happen to find ourselves. There's not an overarching plan, no angels or demons, no magic. Plenty of mysteries, sure, but (sadly) no magic. At least none I've seen.

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Haha I guess we honestly do just disagree. I cannot convince myself that it isn't a superior being who created all of the wonder around us.

briandmyers  ·  4346 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Do you believe this creator is the god of Abraham?

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4345 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well, there is where my own doubting comes in. That's what I've always grown up believing. As of late, I can't shake the notion that possibly we all worship the same God and over time our interpretations of his doctrine has become so skewed we've convinced ourselves there are a million different ones. But I don't know.