So, why even discuss it?

I just have to ask. Why, if you have no belief or desire to believe, would anyone want to post over and over about religion when it is of no apparent interest to you?

Is this just to jab at anyone that might have some sort of faith in more than the phyical life? Is it due to the need to try to convince others that they are too silly to figure things out for themselves?

I think perhaps it is just to try to get a reaction and start an arguement more than a discussion of the possiblity of a God or a creation of the Universe by anything but pure chance.

Science is a great thing, I have great interest in it. I read what interested me concerning all the new ideas about everything. But science too changes its mind about things very quickly and yesterdays truth soon becomes today's fantasy and just makes you smile. But it is funny how that science was so certain about yesterdays truths, they preached it, taught it and endlessly discussed it and disregarded anyone elses ideas that conflicted with their truth.

Is this so much different from religion? Perhaps you could call science the religion of the 20th century?

I just have to ask. Why, if you have no belief or desire to believe, would anyone want to post over and over about religion when it is of no apparent interest to you?

I suspect that the reasons the "non-believers" post are the very same reasons that the "believers" post, to reach out and share.

Myself, I consider myself to be interested in religion, in the religious aspects of life and the fundamental questions that religion addresses. I am quite sure that one does not have to be a "believer" in the supernatural to be committed to including religion as an important part of one's life. Rather one has to be committed to living a life that is in harmony with ones beliefs.

My fundamental beliefs are in humanity and wonder that surrounds us in every moment. My fundamental beliefs are every being is of value and I need to treat each one as I would hope to be treated.

This is a different view of religion than a belief in the supernatural but it is certainly a belief fundamental to some of the "great religions."

So why do I post... If posting is just preaching to the choir, then it is trivial and not worthwhile. But posting is more than preaching to the choir. It can be sharing what might be a different view and just maybe giving someone open and interested a glimpse of another way of living and believing.

Jon Isaacs

Great question. Strident atheists, strident christians, strident whatever, they're all so damn positive that they're right, Even worse, they all seem determine to convert anyone not in their camp. They deserve one another. Rather than foster discussion, they manage to kill it. That goes for all of them.
Somehow the concept of live and let live seems to beyond their grasp. And we wonder why the middle east is a mess.

Ok, let's just close this forum. If no one is allowed to question, to posit ideas or beliefs, to share their discoveries, then there is no point to this forum.
I would guess that this forum was born out of a need to divert religious discussions from the Astronomy-oriented forums. It always comes up in discussions about cosmology, so perhaps this forum serves to de-clutter the more science-oriented discussions. It would seem that the believers want to reserve this forum for mutual affirmation. You have church for that. This a public forum, and if you want to post your beliefs here, expect to have them challenged, just as believers are free to challenge my non-belief.
Personally, I have learned a lot by jousting with the true believers here. I think I have softened my approach somewhat, although certainly I have shown my frustration at times. When I first arrived here, I came into this forum with six-guns blazing, but I've learned that one can be forthright and honest about his beliefs and attack the ridiculous without assaulting anyone, and that a calm, reasoned approach is more effective (and friendly) than personal attacks. If there is nothing else, I think the forum served a noble purpose in teaching me to be more accepting and a little less arrogant, (even if you can't tell it's had that effect on me). I certainly don't mince my words, but I try not to hurl too many insults. Often, the point of view of an atheist just sounds offensive to believers even if it isn't intended that way.
As for science as a religion, I'm sure it has that effect on some, but I get really tired of the old saw that science is always changing its mind, so you can't trust anything they say, while religion is rock-steady. Well, Floyd, are you ready to say that we shouldn't trust the theory of heliocentrism? How about atomic theory? Maybe since we used to think the earth was flat, that we should be wary of calling it spherical. Personally, I trust a system that refines its knowledge and understanding and is open to radical change before I would trust a system that clings to ancient beliefs no matter what the physical evidence indicates. And, it should be pointed out that science and religion are really asking different questions. It is only when religion ventures into attempts to explain the physical world, or makes claims of miracles that there is a conflict with science. Science has nothing to say about the supernatural, as by definition, it is the study of natural systems.