What causes that? Can you describe the underlying absolute truth(s) that cause the orbit? Is it possible to know an absolute truth without also knowing the underlying absolute truths or causes?
What causes the Earth to orbit the sun? This has been answered already. The mass of the sun creates a deep depression in space and the Earth follows that depression like a marble rolled into a funnel, circling round and round.
My question for you, thingsithink, is why does ignorance favor religion?
I've heard that. I also saw a Nova program recently where some physicists speculate our experience here is like a hologram and that the real action takes place on a two-dimensional plane.
Why does ignorance favor religion? Don't know. Thankfully I was able to ask myself the kind of questions that kept me from ever getting sucked into such a thing. I'll defer that question to those who battled to find a way out of something that to me was so obviously insane that a conversation regarding whether it was true was no different than arguing that my foot wasn't an elephant.
How were you able to believe it at all, ever?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2011 06:02PM by thingsithink.
My folks converted when I was 9. I was intellectually finished with the cult at 14.
Played a game called "WWGDT?" (Why Would God Do that?). Just take any old doctrine and apply the question. If a reasonable answer is not forthcoming, its bulls**t.
Are you asking for a "hard truth" in general or just a "hard truth" where religion is concerned. There are none to be found in religion. If you want to argue that my fence is made of wood, you're just pullin' gnat s**t out of pepper.
If you were out by 14, then I'd agree you were never really in.
Rambling here, I'm just thinking about how people, like myself, believe they rely on reason and facts. And I was curious to see the type of answers to my question. How much do we live based on reason and how much of our thoughts and actions aren't, though we might aspire to. Are the things we build our reason upon faulty? Just strolling down that road. You know, Newton came along, then Einstein - in all fields of scientific endeavor.
When we think we know something are we falling into a trap? Seems your fence is made of wood, but what facts do we assume that are not facts at all? I'm always skeptical of anyone who knows anything (or anything anyone thinks they know), and then I work backwards from there.
So, I was curious to see if any interesting answers popped up. I liked 42, it made me laugh.
So, basically, you're arrogant, can't ask a question with context so people have an idea of what you're talking about, want to reduce everything to the point of incomprehensibility.
Here's a couple of "Hard Truths" you don't seem to be grasping. I was raised in the church, I was taught from birth that it was the truth, it was the only "truth" that I ever knew. I was never given the chance to question it, doing so was unthinkable. If you'll excuse the play on words, it was a miracle that I finally allowed myself to get past the programming to find the real truth about the church. I have to deal with that every day, having gone on a mission, wasting years of my life, worrying about my parents and how they'll react when/if they ever find out that I resigned from the church. Many people here are the same, others were duped by the church though it's various and successful schemes to gather members. Some of whom are very intelligent, but for whatever reason fell prey to the church. My issues are minor compared to many on this board.
Just because we were duped and you weren't doesn't make you better, smarter or prettier than those that were.
This board is to help people who are recovering from the problems that membership in the church creates. Why are you here? To put down those that are trying to recover because you were able to see through it? To ask questions from those working on recovery to try and showcase your intelligence? Good for you! Hope that works for you.
You are correct on pretty much all of your points. Also, I've been duped and am still duped on many other levels.
I actually have admiration for anyone who was able to escape the mormon cult. And I am intrigued as to why some do and some don't. And I'm here because of various relationships with mormons, none of whom got out to my knowledge, but most of whom seemed tormented by it. I suppose I would suggest your time in wasn't a waste since it was part of what got you to where you are today. Maybe without the experience you'd be in a better place than mormonism but a worse place than where you are.
Most of the time that I ask a question or challenge someone's post isn't because I disagree, its just my way of trying to figure out what I think . . . get someone's view, ask them to explain it by asking a question - and then sometimes I get personal (my emotions get the best of me, which I'm sure could be scientifically explained).
So, I do apologize for offending you.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2011 06:47PM by thingsithink.
It's just a variation of "I think you exmo's don't believe in ANYTHING" since you don't believe in __________ (fill in the blank with your own thing). So prove that you believe in something."
No thanks. I've engaged with you before, and I don't think you really listen.
Are we talking about an observable truth like, I have an arm. A provable truth like, there is a bone in my arm. Or a subjective truth like, my arm is strong.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Anyone who would say that the earth does not revolve around the sun would need to provide an extraordinary amount of evidence.
Here's a hard truth: Make-pretend heavenly beings have no use for gold plates. They don't even have a use for plates that have the appearance of being gold-like in color.