After I asked my last question, I felt as though they were in denial. It is as though their mind will not allow speculation regarding various situations and their God. I can place my self in made up scenarios to answer their questions, but they seem to lack the ability to do it.
This was my question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20060903084047AAiDZvD&r=w
Notice their answers.. This is where I am currently drawing my conclusion from. I will note that not all Christians are this way, but there seems to be quite a few on this board that are.
2006-09-03 05:09:12 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sandy,
My question was not unintelligible, it is that some Christians are not able to think "Outside of the box". The parameters were clearly stated, and if the Christians did not want to answer then they were not forced to.
The majority of the answers I received were not intelligible.
I do not believe I can make God. There is vastly more evidence to show that God does not exist, so I choose not to believe in him. Christians are the ones that attempt to create one. While that is not possible, I do think that Christians can enforce the laws of their Bible and create a virtual God.
2006-09-03 06:10:36 · update #1
There are some subtleties at work, which seem to escape the notice of most people. They have to do with the nature of 'belief'.
A rational person might say "I believe in the Big Bang." A religious person might say "I believe in creation, as described in Genesis." But these statements are not even remotely similar, with respect to what is meant by the word 'believe'.
For the rational person, the statement of 'belief' in the Big Bang means that they understand that the concept provides a scientifically and mathematically consistent explanation, congruent with the evidence, which accounts for the evolution of the universe from a fraction of a second after the initiating event, up until the present. When the 'inflationary model' came to the fore, rational people said "Well, good... that clears up a few questions and makes things even more coherent." NOBODY threw up their arms and wailed "Oh, no... oh, no... ain't so... ain't so... the Big Bang is the inerrant truth... not this ridiculous, atheistic 'inflationary' model."
See... when we say "I believe in the Big Bang", we don't really mean the same thing as the religious person means when he says "I believe in creation, as described in Genesis," or "I believe in God." Our 'belief' in the Big Bang (or anything else) isn't really a 'belief'... it is more properly a 'paradigm'... a useful way of looking at something, or thinking about something. If additional information is uncovered that adds to the conceptual model, that is a good thing... not a disaster. If part of the conceptual model is discovered to be incorrect, and must be tossed in the trash and replaced with something completely different... that is also a good thing... not the end of the world as we know it. And often, no matter how highly confident we may be of the accuracy or completeness of a particular paradigm, we may have reason to apply a DIFFERENT paradigm to the same thing, in an effort to tease out new insights; for example, we might want to contemplate the potential implications of a change to a theory from the perspective of the Tao Te Ching, the Gaia hypothesis, or ecological homeostasis. We KNOW that all theories are approximations... and that is OK. We KNOW that we don't have all the answers... and that is OK, too. There is nothing wrong with saying "We don't know... yet; but we're working on it."
But these modes of thinking, perceiving, contemplating and understanding are utterly alien to the 'religious' mind. For the religious mind, a 'belief' is not a paradigm... not a useful way of thinking about something... it is an internalized conviction that one knows the absolute 'truth' pertaining to some aspect of existence and/or fundamental reality. 'Beliefs' are one of the key interpretive component filters of the religious person's 'self-description'... a part of what DEFINES them as a person... the very thing that creates their world-view... an underpinning of their 'subjective reality'. Any challenge to one of these internalized 'beliefs' is perceived and interpreted as a vital threat... an attack upon the 'self-description'... and an assault upon their subjective reality.
And here is the key difference: When there is a change in one of the paradigms dealing with a scientific concept, or a new insight into the workings of the universe, to the 'rational' person it merely constitutes an interesting new piece of knowledge and understanding... a new insight. However, if that same new insight, or piece of information (a feature of the universe, for example) seems to threaten a tenet of Christianity, everybody goes to battle stations, goes into 'damage control' mode, for fear that the whole edifice will come crashing down... and ultimately, it will.
So, when a fundie disparages evolution, for example, it really has nothing to do with a genuine, intellectual dispute regarding scientific details... they are generally scientifically illiterate, anyway. Any 'scientific' arguments that they present are inevitably not even understood... they are just lifted from the pre-packaged lies, misrepresentations and pseudo-science that are found on dozens of 'Liars for Jesus' (LFJ) web sites, and parroted. They are in a battle. They are trying to sink science before science sinks them. They are desperate... and science is (mostly, and unfortunately) oblivious to the fact that they are even in a fight, and that somebody is trying to sink them. They are just blithely bopping along, doing what science does... figuring out how nature works.
No... none of this has anything to do with a mere disagreement pertaining to evidence and understanding. It has to do with minds that deal with fundamental issues in an entirely different way. It has to do with a flexible, open-minded (willing to honestly consider alternative possibilities), intellectually honest (willing to question and doubt one's own presumptions) curiosity about the universe, contending with a rigid, unyielding world-view that depends from a conviction that certain delusional faith-based (willful ignorance and magical, wishful thinking) 'beliefs' represent the absolute 'truth' of reality.
We might as well be talking to an alien species, from a distant planet.
When the religious enter a venue like this one, they are (generally) NOT seeking answers, or new information... these might cause them to QUESTION their beliefs, or might put their beliefs at risk. No... they are closed-minded, seeking only VALIDATION of their beliefs... and hence, of their self-description.
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"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." ~ Robert M. Pirsig
2006-09-03 05:19:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
That previous question seems like an excellent topic.
If I could, yes I would make God real in the sense of being able to prove the existence, not only to others but to myself. But, that is the wonderful thing about belief in God. If you already completely knew him, what would be the desire to know him better?
Now to answer this current question:
"How do you think the christian mind works?"
I think that being a human with an intillectual mind, we (not only Christians) are constantly in search for answers. Even though we believe in something very strongly, we need to reassure ourselves constantly. It doesn't matter what belief we hold, it will never be 100% proven, even if claimed to be, for the simple fact is that we will never know 100% of that which we believe in.
Some people just have a problem (and I do not mean that in a bad way) with their grasp on their beliefs, so when another point of view pops up they feel it as a threat.
Belief is as personal as we are individual. No one person is 100% exactly the same as you or I, and the same goes for beliefs not matter how close they ressemble one another.
Hope this helps.
2006-09-03 05:32:15 · answer #2 · answered by Kelly S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's been messed around with and all they know is what has been brainwashed into them since birth. They always come up with a defensive response when you put them on the spot. Half of them don't go to church yet claim to be something that they are not. They do live in denial I agree and they live like lemmings unable to think for themselves. Get rid of Christianity and all other religions what are you left with? A lot of very confused individuals that wouldn't know what to do... all babbling away and clinging to each other for reassurance.
2006-09-03 05:20:13 · answer #3 · answered by lollipoppett2005 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well I think they fear thought, that if they think that some part of the bible is made up to fill the gaps, they think it's a sin, but not to think may also be a sin, since god would want us to use common since when reading an out dated book and trying to apply it to today's society. Another thing is the supposed personal relationship ship with Jesus, to me it seams you would be able to ask Jesus, questions like " Why did you allow this to happen when you could have sent your servants to prevent it" in a personal relationship all question and thoughts are allow and if there are no hidden thoughts from Jesus, but his thoughts and will are hidden a person is merely guessing and being judged by his piers. So I would like to see Christians more open to the possibility's of truth that their God wants them to think
2006-09-03 05:23:19 · answer #4 · answered by man of ape 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I can not speculate about God or about some made up speculation from you. I consider it to be disrespectful and will not go there. Perhaps you can because you don't believe in God, and feel no disrespect. I afraid we will never come to a truce on The God/ No God issue. We as Christians believe we are to tell the world about God and his teachings, non-believers find us foolish and unrealistic. We won't stop, you won't stop, so here we are today, and will be tomorrow, See Ya then!! Same Place, Same Time?
2006-09-03 05:27:02 · answer #5 · answered by Annie Red Head 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Your last question is unintelligible. It prescribes certain parameters that one must answer it in, and yet it is impossible to answer within those parameters if one has faith in God.
I think the problem is that you yourself believe that one can choose to make God real, and so you cannot grasp a mind that knows this is not a choice.
2006-09-03 05:59:23 · answer #6 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i'm going to surely get bashed many times via numerous human beings for what i'm approximately to assert yet i'm hoping i'm able to assist you, the author. The logic you're pointing to is the right reason i won't be in a position to deliver myself to view Christianity as a faith of affection and peace to not point out certainty. to assert that sturdy human beings can't "get into heaven" except they settle for Jesus as their savior and God as their God is honestly ridiculous. that may not love, era. i used to be an Evangelical Christian and that i bear in concepts being advised that a criminal could desire to commit crimes for years and then settle for Jesus Christ "into his coronary heart" and he might get into heaven and the Social worker down the line who facilitates human beings all their life yet isn't a Christian would not. Is that love? I say no. If God, if there is one, loves all and sundry and forgives all as Christians say he does then there may be no hell, it is not logical. below that logical a sinner using on his thank you to church to repent and develop right into a Christian yet is killed in a vehicle twist of fate on the way is going to hell using fact he only did not particularly make it. heavily, does that sound logical or only? No. the project is the e book, the bible. It grew to become into written some years in the past via adult adult males with intentions and motivation unbeknown to us. come across a theory equipment that works for you, do not enable persons assist you be responsive to what to believe.
2016-10-01 06:26:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One time I asked a question and a xtian answered it with "look, it's simple, believe." I responded with "Look it's hard, think." The advantage of Christianity esp in its more hardline versions is you don't have to think much. Just stay within the lines of good behavior and wait for the big sky daddy to come down with the cosmic lollypops. Thinking is hard work and they don't wanna do it.
2006-09-03 05:18:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think it is a form of denial. It's a way of preventing themselves from being exposed to ideas that might tend to undermine thier beliefs.
Plus, they're probably afraid god will be pissed if they admit the system he set up sucks.
2006-09-03 05:15:11 · answer #9 · answered by lenny 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Christian mind primarily works as a filter to prevent reality from getting in.
2006-09-03 05:11:50 · answer #10 · answered by Gallivanting Galactic Gadfly 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋