What is the purpose of life?

[Valleygolfer]

Off to church so that I may pray for the souls of all the heathens in this thread.

"My ball is on top of a rock in the hazard, do I get some sort of relief?"

[14ledo81]

[QUOTE name="Gator Hazard" url="/t/84340/what-is-the-purpose-of-life/198#post_1199146"] Off to church so that I may pray for the souls of all the heathens in this thread.

-Matt-

"does it still count as a hit fairway if it is the next one over"

DRIVER-Callaway FTiz__3 WOOD-Nike SQ Dymo 15__HYBRIDS-3,4,5 Adams__IRONS-6-PW Adams__WEDGES-50,55,60 Wilson Harmonized__PUTTER-Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II

[boogielicious]

@9wood

Please use multi-quote. I've read about 25 instances of you not using it. It is easy.

[Valleygolfer]

@9wood

Please use multi-quote. I've read about 25 instances of you not using it. It is easy.

Amen to that...

[turtleback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turtleback

I completely agree.  But some folks are just so threatened by the very thought that there might be a God that they feel compelled to crap on religion.  Maybe they will take your words to heart.

No, they feel compelled to "crap on" the beliefs of people that would be rejected by a seven year old after five minutes of contemplation. And are then outraged and offended by comments like I just made.

That is why they are frustrated. They are not threatened. If my dog doesn't learn a simple (to me) command and keeps making a mess, it frustrates, it doesn't threaten me.

They are frustrated that believers never defend their beliefs, because they can't. They just resort to dogma. I really don't think that any people think there "might be  a God". 2000 years ago -it was understandable. But we have progressed.

I would love to see some of you in a discussion with Christopher Hitchens, were he still alive. Saying "the bible told me so" doesn't cut it, I'm afraid.

And BTW, I don't think there are any atheists who expect to change the minds of Christians here. But it would be nice if the would engage in the debate.

They could start by doing the following: Please supply ONE piece of information that would support the existence of God. They don't because they can't.

Now THAT is what I call tolerance.

[Abu3baid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty

I am trying to have a dialogue, but you refuse to engage.
Again - why are you so offended that people ask for extraordinary evidence to support extraordinary claims?

Pleas - I am more than happy to be convinced.
Do you not think it strange that a "belief" held by millions can not be justified by ANY of them?

I can justify my beliefs rather easily. I believe that no human could have ever come up with what is written in the Quran that was revealed to the Prophet Mohammad a little over 1400 years ago.

Since I have come to that conclusion then by default I believe everything in it, including Noah's Arc, the virgin birth of Jesus and the splitting of the sea by Moses and it is where I got the purpose of life from as well by the way.

This is rather a simple conversation actually.. Because the Quran is available relatively easily to everyone (the original is in Arabic (in which it was revealed) and in any other language it is considered the translation of the meaning of the Quran and not actually considered the Quran, but we don't need to get into that untill later) and people can read it and decide for them selves there is only one question to be debated, and that question is who is the author of the Quran...

Now.. this isn't the thread to discuss this, and actually more than 75% of the thread is not on topic so no need to dive further off topic. However, I do want to quickly mention very important so that you understand that I'm not merely throwing things out there, and I am willing to engage in scientific discourse regarding the author of the Quran.. I am sure you know what a falsification test is, so I won't go into details about it, but I will mention 2 of them that were put fourth in the Quran.

Quote:

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” [Chapter 4, verse 82]

Say, “If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants.” [Chapter 17, verse 88]

Now, I don't want to get into the details of each right now, but what I do want you to notice and concentrate on is the strange method used in the Quran.. it is challenging the reader to go ahead and prove that it is the work of someone other than GOD.. i.e. Allah is the arab name of the LORD and it is still used by the Christian and Jewish Arabs of today.

Finally, just another piece for you to ponder over..

Quote:

“Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allaah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby” [al-Baqarah 2:79]

Before you jump and tell me how the Prophet Mohammad wrote the book, I want you to pay attention to the fact that he would be basically cursing him self if it has ever been discovered that it was him who was writing the book.. Very strange don't you think?

---

If you are serious about engaging in a good civil discourse where things are discussed objectively without letting your emotions get the best of you then I have no problem doing that, if you are not then I'm fine with that too.  However, if you are not I request you stop saying things like please show me one shred of evidence ect ect unless you are willing to go the whole way.

I will put it on you to either open a thread to discuss this topic, or just leave it as is and don't challenge anyone to prove anything to you in this thread, as it is about the purpose of life and not proving ones beliefs one way or another.

[newtogolf]

As an agnostic I subscribe to no religion but leave open the potential that there is a superior being that many here refer to as God.  I've found these discussions in my past and here quite mundane because the discussion quickly devolves into "prove there is a God".   One cannot prove there is a God any more successfully than one can prove there isn't a God.  That is what faith is, the belief in something even though it's not tangible.

Human arrogance never ceases to amaze me.  Why do we assume that within the vast reaches of multiple solar systems that we are the most "superior" being.  The "God" many refer to could be a more evolved human race, it could be alien life forms, it could be a spiritual presence.

Throughout history we've assigned natural occurring events to Gods because we couldn't explain them so in turn we defer to a higher power but the current generation has become so arrogant that we no longer defer things such as how the first single cell organism came to "life" to a "God".  Our generation is too "smart" (I consider it arrogance) to defer to a higher being so the explanation is it's not God we just haven't figured it out yet.

Those who do believe are written off as uneducated, sheep, misinformed, yet those who demand there is no God still can not prove there isn't one nor accept that there are many things far beyond our intelligence to comprehend or explain.  Our scope of the world is very limited, on a planet that's been around for over 4.5 billion years some of our greatest minds claim that in less than 100 years we've destroyed the planet with our carbon emissions.   We are a mighty species considering that a planet that has sustained life for 3 billion years could be wiped out in a few hundred years.  Science tells us what we should eat, how much we should sleep, what we should do to be healthy, what is normal and what is not.  Maybe the new religion is "science", we seem to believe everything "science" tells us, without any tangible proof, except some research documents which much like the manuscripts and narratives of the past can't be proven or disproven by the average layman.

Was there an Adam and Eve, or Noah?  Of course not, the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, and other religious books are a collection of stories that teach the basic fundamentals of what should exist in society so that society may survive.  The stories provide examples of where society went astray and the punishments that were associated with it.  One only needs to refer back to the Roman empire to see what happens to a society that loses its way.

[turtleback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Well written bunkerputt.

Any other religion could make a similar case. No reasonably intelligent person has converted to another religion because of a post they read on the internet. Let's leave it at that.

No one is trying to convert anyone, except for the atheists.  No believer here has prosleytized.  It is (some of the) the atheists who are so upset at the thought that someone might have faith that they have lost all sense of civility.  Look at the messages and see who is losing their minds and who is answering calmly.  Who has just talked about what they themselves believe and who has felt compelled to attack OTHERS' beliefs?

Serious question here: have you ever taken a logic course in school?

Is that where you learned how to use misplaced hyperbole, red herrings, and appeals to authority, among other various other logical fallacies?  That is absolutely hilarious.

@Duff McGee

Your last couple of posts are total cop-outs. I'm a "non-believer" too, although I do believe in the broader aspects of most religions which could and should be boiled down to "thou shalt not be an arsehole".

Notice which side in this discussion is violating that one.  One guy links his purpose in life to a creator and takes a bunch of crap.  Someone else (me) points out how religious answer gets such different treatment than the other answers including the silly ones, and then BOOM! the attack of the pigpiling of atheists.

[Duff McGee]

As an agnostic I subscribe to no religion but leave open the potential that there is a superior being that many here refer to as God.  I've found these discussions in my past and here quite mundane because the discussion quickly devolves into "prove there is a God".   One cannot prove there is a God any more successfully than one can prove there isn't a God.  That is what faith is, the belief in something even though it's not tangible. Human arrogance never ceases to amaze me.  Why do we assume that within the vast reaches of multiple solar systems that we are the most "superior" being.  The "God" many refer to could be a more evolved human race, it could be alien life forms, it could be a spiritual presence. Throughout history we've assigned natural occurring events to Gods because we couldn't explain them so in turn we defer to a higher power but the current generation has become so arrogant that we no longer defer things such as how the first single cell organism came to "life" to a "God".  Our generation is too "smart" (I consider it arrogance) to defer to a higher being so the explanation is it's not God we just haven't figured it out yet. Those who do believe are written off as uneducated, sheep, misinformed, yet those who demand there is no God still can not prove there isn't one nor accept that there are many things far beyond our intelligence to comprehend or explain.  Our scope of the world is very limited, on a planet that's been around for over 4.5 billion years some of our greatest minds claim that in less than 100 years we've destroyed the planet with our carbon emissions.   We are a mighty species considering that a planet that has sustained life for 3 billion years could be wiped out in a few hundred years.  Science tells us what we should eat, how much we should sleep, what we should do to be healthy, what is normal and what is not.  Maybe the new religion is "science", we seem to believe everything "science" tells us, without any tangible proof, except some research documents which much like the manuscripts and narratives of the past can't be proven or disproven by the average layman. Was there an Adam and Eve, or Noah?  Of course not, the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, and other religious books are a collection of stories that teach the basic fundamentals of what should exist in society so that society may survive.  The stories provide examples of where society went astray and the punishments that were associated with it.  One only needs to refer back to the Roman empire to see what happens to a society that loses its way.

As usual, people don't seem to understand the difference between "evidence" and "proof." It is a straw man when theists say "atheists wouldn't believe in god was right here talking to them." No. We are actually asking for just ONE PIECE of actual evidence. Show us evidence of a miracle. Just one. There have apparently been millions, so..... Oh and are you guys considering becoming Muslims now? I mean, didn't you see the post with all that "proof?"

[No Mulligans]

To believe in God takes faith in something that can't be proved.

To believe their isn't a God also takes faith in something that can't be proved.

[Abu3baid]

As usual, people don't seem to understand the difference between "evidence" and "proof." It is a straw man when theists say "atheists wouldn't believe in god was right here talking to them." No. We are actually asking for just ONE PIECE of actual evidence. Show us evidence of a miracle. Just one. There have apparently been millions, so..... Oh and are you guys considering becoming Muslims now? I mean, didn't you see the post with all that "proof?"

Is that supposed to be insulting? Not that it matters, but I am interested why you have so much disdain for what others believe in.. I said in my post that I am willing to engage in a discussion (a civilized one). You must have not read what I wrote, or didn't understand what I said and for that you are excused.. When we get over the childish "hey did you read that ha ha ha" stage let me know and we can have a scientific discussion on the subject I mentioned.. Until then please keep your mockery to your self as it reflects poorly on you.

[Gator Hazard]

I spoke with God about this thread at church. He says anyone going forward who doesn't post pics of women in yoga pants will be cast into the eternal pit of misery aka Rosie Odonells lap

[newtogolf]

As usual, people don't seem to understand the difference between "evidence" and "proof."

It is a straw man when theists say "atheists wouldn't believe in god was right here talking to them."

No.

We are actually asking for just ONE PIECE of actual evidence. Show us evidence of a miracle. Just one. There have apparently been millions, so.....

Oh and are you guys considering becoming Muslims now? I mean, didn't you see the post with all that "proof?"

You're a lawyer but your reading comprehension is very poor.  I clearly stated that I don't subscribe to any religion, so why would I become Muslim?

Again, I can no more prove that a miracle occurred than you can prove a miracle didn't.   You seem to like these straw man arguments.  What's to say when an entire village is wiped out by an earthquake or tsunami and a few people survived that it wasn't a miracle they survived.   How about when a child is born with a birth defect in their skull formation and doctors project that the child won't live beyond two years old and instead goes on to have a wonderful life and still healthy at 28 years old?

You don't want to see these things as miracles so how can anyone prove something is a miracle when your mind is already closed.

[JonMA1]

Can't believe I'm joining the fray, but here goes...

I want to first state that I'm not a Christian, Jew, Muslim, or part of any other organized religion. But I will always defend people of faith up to the point where they become intolerant to those who believe differently.

For those who believe in the Big Bang Theory or at least scientific theories that would disprove religion, I've alway wondered if their opinions don't require a bit of faith as well. Unless you have a complete (or at least a very advanced) understanding of physics, geology, astronomy, organic chemistry and biology, how can you possibly know what is fact and what is theory?

Granted, science is quite a bit easier for me to believe than the Vatican, for example. And I understand why the desire to keep alive the memories and soles of lost ones, as well as the desire to prevent humans from resorting to what can sometimes be horrific nature, might kindle the need to invent religion.

But life is so incredible and complex that it seems almost as hard to believe in the concept that it just occurred by chance, as is the concept of a red guy with a pitchfork making soles miserable for eternity because they didn't go to confession. Ok, maybe not quite as unbelievable, but you get my point.

I am honestly sorry if this opinion offends or pisses off anyone - that's not my intention. This is one of my favorite subjects to discuss with reasonable people, but even the Grill Room is probably not a good place for me to share my opinions on religion and science.

Back on topic... the purpose of life, it seems, is to spend ridiculous amounts of money, time, thought and effort on a game I have little chance of getting very good at.

[Valleygolfer]

I spoke with God about this thread at church. He says anyone going forward who doesn't post pics of women in yoga pants will be cast into the eternal pit of misery aka Rosie Odonells lap

How about Jesus in yoga pants?

[Lihu]

To the OP and any other people of no faith, golf with purpose. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors drive. . .:-P

[Ernest Jones]

How about Jesus in yoga pants? [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/131925/] [/URL]

LMFAO. We have a winner, close the thread!

[Duff McGee]

Is that supposed to be insulting? Not that it matters, but I am interested why you have so much disdain for what others believe in.. I said in my post that I am willing to engage in a discussion (a civilized one). You must have not read what I wrote, or didn't understand what I said and for that you are excused.. When we get over the childish "hey did you read that ha ha ha" stage let me know and we can have a scientific discussion on the subject I mentioned.. Until then please keep your mockery to your self as it reflects poorly on you.

That's great and all, but I was actually defending you. Christians act like their religion is so unique and advanced. Yet they would discard information like yours about Islam or any of the other thousands of religions in human history as rubbish. Because it is about Islam, no one is actually giving your claims any consideration. Yet they demand that atheists give their beliefs some kind of special treatment.