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PaulFXH · 05-11-2007

I really don't have any formal religion but am extremely interested in the background to, and reasons for (if any), our existence.
Up to now, I have not found it necessary to invoke the existence of a unique superior being whose principal (if not the only) concern is our welfare.
If this makes me an atheist, then fine, that's what I am.

However, I think it is almost inevitable that there must be other living beings in the unimaginable immensity of our universe who can be considered in at least some respects superior to us. Where I fall short of bringing this to a belief in God is that I believe there is virtually no chance that these beings have the slightest interest (whether positive or negative) in us. Indeed, given that light (or information) would take 30 billion light years to travel from one edge of the known universe to the other, it seems almost impossible that they would be even aware of our existence.

Another important point is whether or not we are mentally capable of coming up with a well-founded explanation for our existence. I have very severe doubts on this. It's like the proverbial dog trying to figure out how a television works. Hard as the dog may try to rationalise on this, the cerebral ability just isn't there and any conclusion arrived at is likely to be pure, (probably self-serving) nonsense.

I will say that I have many friends who are very sincerely religious and enjoy discussing these matters with them. Nevertheless, to me the whole concept of religion is a consequence of our helplessness here on earth and in particular our concern for what happens after death. (Indeed, this conflict between the inevitability of death and our intensely instinctive desire to live is a major factor in our need for religion).

So, rather than throwing our hands in the air and concluding that we just haven't a clue about these matters, it is much more satisfying to accept that a blind faith in a just and loving father-like figure who is passionately concerned about what happens to us is a justifiable direction for our life's purpose.

05-11-2007	#20 (permalink)
PaulFXH Commentator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Belo Horizonte, Brazil Posts: 38	Re: What's your religion and why? I really don't have any formal religion but am extremely interested in the background to, and reasons for (if any), our existence. Up to now, I have not found it necessary to invoke the existence of a unique superior being whose principal (if not the only) concern is our welfare. If this makes me an atheist, then fine, that's what I am. However, I think it is almost inevitable that there must be other living beings in the unimaginable immensity of our universe who can be considered in at least some respects superior to us. Where I fall short of bringing this to a belief in God is that I believe there is virtually no chance that these beings have the slightest interest (whether positive or negative) in us. Indeed, given that light (or information) would take 30 billion light years to travel from one edge of the known universe to the other, it seems almost impossible that they would be even aware of our existence. Another important point is whether or not we are mentally capable of coming up with a well-founded explanation for our existence. I have very severe doubts on this. It's like the proverbial dog trying to figure out how a television works. Hard as the dog may try to rationalise on this, the cerebral ability just isn't there and any conclusion arrived at is likely to be pure, (probably self-serving) nonsense. I will say that I have many friends who are very sincerely religious and enjoy discussing these matters with them. Nevertheless, to me the whole concept of religion is a consequence of our helplessness here on earth and in particular our concern for what happens after death. (Indeed, this conflict between the inevitability of death and our intensely instinctive desire to live is a major factor in our need for religion). So, rather than throwing our hands in the air and concluding that we just haven't a clue about these matters, it is much more satisfying to accept that a blind faith in a just and loving father-like figure who is passionately concerned about what happens to us is a justifiable direction for our life's purpose.