Javierdude22: [quote author=GottaBigOne link=board=meetgreet;num=1080412487;start=0#6 date=03/29/04 at 07:45:35]So if marriage and matrimony are two separate things then anyone should be able to marry legally, i just think the use of the word "marriage" is a little misleading and implies a religious tradition.[/quote]
WEll, strictly speaking, anybody can engage in matrimony in a church that accepst all types of relationships. Judging from the latest lawsuits, not everbody can get into marriage, before the city. So, in general, at this moment, I think gay couples have more chance of getting matrimony in a liberal church, than marriage in fron of the city. But I might be mistaken.
[quote author=GottaBigOne link=board=meetgreet;num=1080412487;start=0#6 date=03/29/04 at 07:45:35]
I do not deny that religion doesn't serve some purpose some of the time and may help people feel better about their lives or their deaths, or whatever, but that doesn't make it true, that makes it wishful thinking. Bullshit is not decided by what is good ro bad, it is not a value judgement. it is a judgement on the veracity of an argument and its possibility of being true.
Now I don't want to get involved in a theological debate but I will say that it is not possible to prove the existence of a god using reasoning and evidence. A lot of people will say that I can not prove that one doesn't exist. That is true. But it is not my responsibility to refute religion, it is the religionists duty to support his claims, when he cannot, then his claims must be dismissed. The burden of proof lays with the one making the assertion.
I for one would like to believe in God, the idea makes life more existence more meaningful, and makes accepting death a whole lot easier. But no matter how much I want to believe I can't make myself believe, because if its not true, its not true. Theres no way around it.[/quote]
The thing is, that religion is all a matter of perspective. Atheists refer to religion as if it was a way of life, some sort of Yoga seminar, with the ultimate goal to lead a fuller and happier life. You guys start from life and work yourself upto the reason for why we have -created- a God. Christians work the other way round. To us, it is no question about whether He exists or not. It is a given. Our life is something to enjoy in the best way possible, but it is also a means to do good, so you can have an even fuller life when this one is over.
Reasoning could prove the existence of God, but it depends on the interpretation. But speaking for myself, without sounding all to dramatical, I have evidence in my heart.
You say "no matter how much I want to believe I can't make myself believe, because if its not true, its not true." Maybe I am getting a bit filosofical now, but what you have just done by saying that sentence, is creating a truth for yourself. As I have my truth where God is real, you created your truth by saying there is no God, there are no Gods. But then it is valid to ask you the question of proving that. You assert it is simply not true that there is a God, it is an assertion, so how do you know. I am not trying to be a smartass here, simply trying to maybe make you look at things differently.
Well...in conclusion, yes, religion is something very difficult. But that's why it is called 'faith'. Not seeing, yet believing. But it's there.