Why are some people not Christian?

[flipdeadshot22]

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Why did there have to be a beginning?

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This has a physical basis (wiki thermodynamics), or I can give the simplest explanation in five words as: Entropy is a monotonic function

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Entropy isn't a function at all (it's a property of a system), much less a monotonic one.

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admittedly, it's been about two years since my last class in thermo, so I may be a little off, but as to it not being monotonic, are you trying to tell me that at the scale of the universe, it isn't constantly increasing?

[Silent A]

I'll just add that monotnic funtions in time don't need to have a beginning.

y = hyp_tan(t), for example, is monotonic, exists from t= (-inf,+inf), and is bound by y = (-1,+1).

[ramsclub]

the red one definatly the red one

[PuppyFridayYall]

Have yet to see a single good argument here.

Jake

[Lurker.]

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Have yet to see a single good argument here.

Jake

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that pickle is bad news.
On to your post.
"i have yet to see a single good argument"
you haven't even given a good argument. The only part of the OP that makes any sense at all is the psychological part.
The earth formed over time, just like the other planets in the solar system which is in the universe. It was NOT created by some higher power in seven days yada yada yada.

Sidenote: If you're so religious you shouldn't gamble.
That is all.

[ChrisV]

You didn't advance any new arguments to start with.

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1. It doesn't make psychological sense.
2. So the earth was made by whom then? ;- )
3. Why wouldn't you be? You have nothing to gain buy not following the word of God as he set it out.

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1) is a subjective judgement. God not existing makes plenty of sense to me.

2) is a version of the cosmological argument, which has a number of problems, the most glaring of which is that it begs the question of who made God. Christians usually respond with a smug "Nobody - he's always been there!" as though that answered the question. The idea that the universe didn't require a creator is no different to the idea that God didn't require a creator. Both are a rejection of the idea that everything needs to be created or caused.

3) is Pascal's wager. The thing I've never understood about that old chestnut is the idea that you can choose to believe. I believe that the sky is blue. If my life depended on believing that the sky is red, I couldn't do it. I can say I believe that, but the fact is that I don't.

[Piers]

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Why are some people not Christian

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It doesn't make psychological sense.

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That’s debatable. But on general principles, variation is desirable for flexible evolution. Who knows maybe things will change so that it does make psychological sense.

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So the earth was made by whom then?

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No one knows, and know when will ever know. However many people have a need to believe they know and answer to this.

Edit: Sorry I misread earth for universe. Check out an Astrophysics textbook for an explanation of the formation of the earth.

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Why wouldn't you be?

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Why do you believe it’s a conscious decision? Maybe for some people it is.

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You have nothing to gain by not following the word of God as he set it out.

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Eh? What dose “the word of God” mean?

[SixT4]

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This has been something that has pestered me lately and I just don't think it makes sense inuitively to not be. Even more important and what I'm truly getting at is why do people not believe? I know there are satanics and other religions who do not believe in God but there are also people who do not have ANY FAITH whatsoever and my question is why?

1. It doesn't make psychological sense.
2. So the earth was made by whom then? ;- )
3. Why wouldn't you be? You have nothing to gain buy not following the word of God as he set it out.

I'm sure there are more people who can add to this in detail but this is what I could come up with on a moments notice.

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I believe in a God, but the proof that Jesus was the Son of God is in rather sketchy, biased and unreliable accounts that were written an awful long time ago.

Also, the church is full of [censored].

[MidGe]

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1. It doesn't make psychological sense.
2. So the earth was made by whom then? ;- )
3. Why wouldn't you be? You have nothing to gain buy not following the word of God as he set it out.

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1. God not existing is a relief to me. At least there is a limit to the possible evil he/the universe is capable of.

2. So, god was made by who then? Moran!

3. You have everything to gain by not taking the bible seriously. You may hit on a better solution than the one promoted in it.


Sorry, this was really addressed to the poster you answered! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[bunny]

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3) is Pascal's wager. The thing I've never understood about that old chestnut is the idea that you can choose to believe. I believe that the sky is blue. If my life depended on believing that the sky is red, I couldn't do it. I can say I believe that, but the fact is that I don't.

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My understanding is that Pascal never suggested you could choose to believe. His argument was that if you immersed yourself in Christian culture and acted like a believer (even though you began an atheist) you would eventually come to believe for real. The claim then being that if you dont actually believe at the end of your life or if God doesnt actually exist, then you have lost nothing.