Spirituality

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Once you have thought about it and weighed up the evidence you decide whether or not it is believable.

As I have stated umpteen times before, I think the process is one of realization rather than a decision or choice that is made. The element of decision or choice is found in whether one exposes oneself to evidence and argumentation that might have an impact on one's beliefs. One cannot decide to stop believing something that one thinks is true ~ although one can realize that one doesn't believe it any more. Similarly, one cannot decide to start believing something that one thinks is not true ~ although, with the passage of time, one might realize that one has started to think it's true and believe it.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
In terms of Christianity, you used to believe it until some 'new evidence' came up which must have changed your mind. If as you say Christianity is unbelievable, why did you believe it before? And what specifically changed your mind?

I have answered these questions before and you ignored my answers. I lost my faith in the credibility of the Bible and so my belief in the veracity of the claims that Christians make based on it was lost. I was therefore no longer able to identify myself as a Christian.

Originally posted by FMF
As I have stated umpteen times before, I think the process is one of realization rather than a decision or choice that is made. The element of decision or choice is found in whether one exposes oneself to evidence and argumentation that might have an impact on one's beliefs. One cannot decide to stop believing something that one thinks is true ~ although one can ...[text shortened]... h the passage of time, one might realize that one has started to think it's true and believe it.

So if that is true, you are saying that you could believe something to be true and later realize that it is not true without knowing what it is exactly that changed your mind?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
What criteria do you use to establish whether or not something 'strikes you as being true'? This is what you have been dodging all along.

That is too general a question to be answered. Its like asking 'what scares you?'. One could list a few things that scare you, but one can not exhaustively list them, nor can one give a full account of the exact details of what scares them.

Originally posted by FMF
I have answered these questions before and you ignored my answers. I lost my faith in the credibility of the Bible and so my belief in the veracity of the claims that Christians make based on it was lost. I was therefore no longer able to identify myself as a Christian.

What specifically made you loose faith in the credibility of the Bible? In other words, what specific beliefs about the Bible did you have that are now different and why did they change?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
What specifically made you loose faith in the credibility of the Bible? In other words, what specific beliefs about the Bible did you have that are now different and why did they change?

You are ignoring the fact that I have already told you - point blank - several times - that I don't want to sit here typing stuff about what I specifically believed decades ago - and I certainly do not want to do so for an undisguised wind up merchant like you. Besides, I have talked about it endlessly on this forum over the however-many-years I have been active here. So you are flogging a dead horse by asking me this question over and over and over again.

Originally posted by FMF
You are ignoring the fact that I have already told you - point blank - several times - that I don't want to sit here typing stuff about what I specifically believed decades ago - and I certainly do not want to do so for an undisguised wind up merchant like you. Besides, I have talked about it endlessly on this forum over the however-many-years I have been activ ...[text shortened]... here. So you are flogging a dead horse by asking me this question over and over and over again.

So you will spend hours on these threads bashing other peoples beliefs, but can't spare a minute to discuss your own??

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So if that is true, you are saying that you could believe something to be true and later realize that it is not true without knowing what it is exactly that changed your mind?

You seem to have absolutely no understanding of how a loss of religious faith might occur and how beliefs built upon beliefs - and built upon more beliefs, all cemented together with evidence that has circular logic at its very core - might start to unravel, and how certainties start to seem shallow or weak. Of course, that's not your fault. However, I am not going to be the one who tries to help you understand.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So you will spend hours typing other things on these threads, but you cannot get yourself to use one minutes to type out a single thing about the Bible that you used to believe that you no longer believe?

I will discuss what I want and type what I want. You should understand that. If I become interested in examining my former Christian beliefs again, I will PM you so that you don't miss it.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So you will spend hours on these threads bashing other peoples beliefs, but can't spare a minute to discuss your own??

But I am discussing my own beliefs. If you feel you are receiving a "bashing" for your beliefs, that is a matter for you. I think you're being silly to characterize it that way.

Originally posted by FMF
You seem to have absolutely no understanding of how a loss of religious faith might occur and how beliefs built upon beliefs - and built upon more beliefs, all cemented together with evidence that has circular logic at its very core - might start to unravel, and how certainties start to seem shallow or weak. Of course, that's not your fault. However, I am not going to be the one who tries to help you understand.

So let me get this straight, you did not decide that the evidence for Christianity was based on circular logic, you merely realized this over time without ever making a decision?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So let me get this straight, you did not decide that the evidence for Christianity was based on circular logic, you merely realized this over time without ever making a decision?

Yes. And I have said that to you over and over and over again over the last few months. Here you are asking me again. Why?

Originally posted by FMF
Yes. And I have said that to you over and over and over again over the last few months. Here you are asking me again. Why?

Have you ever decided that anything is true or is everything you believe a magical realization?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
Have you ever decided that anything is true or is everything you believe a magical realization?

What do you mean by "magical"?

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So you just magically realize that you believe something, you don't think anything through and make a decision to accept or reject a belief?

I asked before, on the previous page, but you ignored it. Why have you added the word "magically" to the verb "realize"? What are you trying to achieve?