Indeed.
When I was just a baby Public Servant, we had to clock on and off. Clock on was 8.45 . Clock off was 5.06, making a work day of 7.21 or 36.45 a week. By 5.03 there was a long line waiting for 5.06 to clock off. Happy days? Not really, I was bored out of my scone.
They say to be careful for what you wish.–I ended up at Social Security, in a high pressure job where I worked my arse off.
One of my favourite Goon quotes: “Is there any danger of work today?”
Social Security? You have my respects. I worked for two years with the Taxation Office PAYE Section, in the age of the rubber stamp (no computers at all)…dreary, boring, tedious. I quit to take up a real job digging holes in the ground around construction sites; most rewarding. Mother was so happy.
Been trying to recall another quote from Terry Pratchett that reminds me of my public service days, I am sure I misquoted this elsewhere this week but you have jogged my memory, "The wages of sin is death, but so is the salary of virtue, and at least the evil get to go home early on Fridays.”
The bible was written by man trying to explain our existence at a time we did not know. At a time which science wasn’t as advanced as it is now. The bible does not explain the separation of land for instance.
And then you need to remember for nearly every culture on earth there’s a different creation story, and beliefs in other gods. Christianity is one in many beliefs, and none of what is in the bible can be proved.
There’s a problem just with the six day theory that everything was created in six days. It took the universe like over 9billion years just to get to the Milky-way galaxy. Earth itself is 4.5 billion years old, and the human race is something like 50 million years old.
Go back in time just 10,000 years bc, mention Christianity to people back then even in the so called holy lands, and no one would know what the hell you would be talking about.
Christianity is fairly new compared to how many millions of years we have in our past. Christianity came from multiple beliefs in other gods and traditions. Christianity is also only around 6000 years old, am I to ignore the millions of years which existed before anyone ever thought up the bible?
And besides that there’s more than one bible in this world, all claiming that that particular god is the only god. No one seems to want to do real research into whether or not a deity actually exists at any level. FACT. Only Christian websites claim that the Christian god is the right god. Wikipedia doesn’t place god as fact if you bother looking this up.
All I want really is solid evidence that any deity exists.
Me to you too.
Redgum have song in which it tell of a person "who has reached the lofty heights of a class class six in Social security .Over the bleeding bodies of his work mates "
My wife was a six at DSS. On hearing the song she commented “If you’re a woman there’s a lot more blood” She was right.
I worked for Centrelink for two years before taking a package. It was getting steadily worse. I’ve had dealings with them for my age pension. I could not believe it. From what I’ve seen, they’ve chosen efficiency over effectiveness and achieved neither.
I loved that, first thing I’ve smiled at in days, well done…
Hello. No one remembers the entire bible but many believe in parts of the bible simply because memory fails us. The parts of the bible that you believe is what plays out in your head like a record player turning round and starting over. You need to identify what the exact words/stories are playing in your head first in order to know what to question. However I get the feeling that it is not so much the stories as it is the fear you have inside which makes you question your doubts. That is totally normal and no one can tell you how much time it will take for you to come to a conclusion that makes you happy. Every atheist who was a theist all did it in different time frames.You can’t force it and don’t take crap from those that are impatient with you. that is their problem not yours. You have nothing to prove to anyone. Love yourself.
Does it sound reasonable to believe a deity exists because human writers managed to get some of the bible right? I’d expect that to have happened without any deity existing.
I think some of the howlers in Genesis would be enough to put most sane people off. Of course it was cutting edge technology when it was written, by nomadic bronze age goat herders .
You are misjudging my beliefs. My response to Italianish has nothing to do with my beliefs but his/hers…can’t recall that right now. What is reasonable or not that others believe is none of my concern in any judgmental way. I have no clue why complete strangers believe what they believe. I cannot assume their state of mind as fact or all the variables that leads one there.
You didn’t answer my question though, is the premise reasonable or not?
By your standards it does not seem reasonable. Everyone is unreasonable in some way or another and more so if we apply standards that must be met. Personally I do not fuss over such matters on what people believe or not no matter how ridiculous it may be. Their actions are more relevant to me.
Beliefs and opinions drive decisions and actions.
You read my mind…
I don’t recall mentioning any standards, only responding to a claim.
Well that would depend on the context and the standard, I can’t see how you can make a sweeping generic claim like that tbh.
As David has pointed out, beliefs are often a motivation for actions. However I don’t go looking for people to comment on their beliefs, but if they come here and offer them then this is an atheist debate forum after all…
Edit…I should add the caveat that many ridiculous beliefs are demonstrably pernicious. Many of them justified by the bible or koran, racism, homophobia, slavery and misogyny among them. However if people keep their ridiculous beliefs to themselves, then I won’t comment.
As the Hitch said, I don’t mind if they want the toy , I don’t mind if they play with their toy, but don’t bring the toy to my house, don’t show me the toy, and never try to insist that I must play with their toy…
Really.
I guess a cynical man might argue silly beliefs often used to justify any behaviour whatsoever, from burning heretics alive to gassing Jews.
Because I’m a cynical man, that’s exactly what I do claim.
IMO ,you have to go long way to read anything loopier than say “Mein Kampf” Or the risible humbug in the anthologies of myth called “The Bible”
I stand ready to be corrected.The instant somebody picks a belief and proves the truth of it.
Humans do not act on every belief and every opinion. I’m basing my reply on my own experiences.
Mein Kamp was a belief taken into action. My statement still stands that I do not fuss over what people believe.
Not every, agreed. But when one votes, they select a candidate based on their beliefs. That elected official will promote laws and practices, such as banning abortion clinics, denying gay marriage, and the restrictions of teaching science in the primary classrooms.
If I believe in the welfare of animals, I may intercede when I witness someone beating their dog.
Almost all of our actions are driven by our personal beliefs.
Indeed.
The old emotion vs reason dichotomy,
I have no idea which of the two motivates us more, but suspect it’s emotion.
You mentioned Mein Kampf. Not a very good example of reason leading to action.Hitler poured his irrational paranoid fears and hatreds into that book
As far as I can tell, the Third Reich was built on irrational fears ,hatreds and self serving rationalisations. The same things which motivate most humans most of the time, it’s only a matter of degree.
We humans can and do rationalise literally any behaviour what so ever to accomplish our desires. In my opinion, the reasoning/rationalising tends to come after the act, if indeed there is any conscious thought. IMO much of our daily behaviour is a matter of habit and ritual (In the broad sense of the word)
I unconvinced that human beings are actually cable of constant objectivity.
Sorry but I will keep this short and not make any further replies to the others because this website stops my replies from being posted and I have wasted 30 minutes already so here goes to see of this one works.
Mein Kemp is a good example of reason leading to action. What I should have said is that once taken to action it is no longer just a belief .
I totally agree