There were a lot of precursors, but having children really prompted me to reflect on innocence, guilt, and the love between Creator and created.
Childlessness is a big cause of Atheism and Hedonism today. :)
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Might be the other way around.
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Yeah, it might very well be the other way around.
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Or the other way 'round, again.
Correct me if I'm off, but this answer makes it sound like you came to recognize the utility of a belief in god rather than became convinced through evidence that there actually is one.
In other words, do you believe that even if there actually is no god, the belief itself is simply a useful delusion to subject yourself to? A fantasy that you choose to engage in (faith) that helps a person manage the extreme difficulty of life.
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That's a good point, I tried to be concise in my answer but I was indeed convinced both by the utility of belief and by logical + empirical evidence. The clearest evidence to me was introspective observation of the existence of my own soul, its relationships, and its reactions.
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As an atheist, I think that's perfectly fine.
Although I think that standard of evidence can equally support any of the thousands of varieties of religious beliefs that currently exist throughout the world.
To each their own. Freedom of religious expression and consequently from religious laws that are not your own is a critical part of what makes America great.
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I’m a little confused as to what “standard of evidence” you are using. By what standard are you standing on to make that claim?
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They probably meant introspection. It is usually considered poor evidence in science and is therefore seldom used.
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Yes.
The clearest evidence to me was introspective observation of the existence of my own soul, its relationships, and its reactions.
This is a statement that someone of literally any religious or spiritual belief can make. Because it can be used to support any belief, it makes it a worthless piece of 'evidence' for anyone who exists outside your own head.
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