I was thinking you were simply quite young.  but here is what that is really about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

http://www.venganza.org/

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=350306

 

Well I don't know about you but my ashes are going over my favorite trout pond so I'm hoping to be food for thought for the big one that got away.

Bottom line:  The 'experiencing' or 'knowing' g-d, (or not) are both subjective and personal expressions.  Objective proof of g-d's existence (or non- existence) does not exist in humanity's current data set.  So, the only rational position to take is that of the agnostic:  In the absence of objective proof regarding the existence, (or non-existence of g-d), I must say, "I don't know if g-d exists, or not."  Whether I am a person of faith (or not) has nothing to do with rational, objective evidence, and everything to do with my (shared) experience of my 'invisible friend.' 

Harvey, or no Harvey, (tongue planted firmly in my cheek), if faith empowers a person to do and be better, great!  If, however, faith warps them into a place where they strive to make everyone agree with them about faith, no matter how well intentioned, - well, "Danger, Will Robinson!" a move towards tyranny is afoot. 

Oh, lets hope the flying spaghetti monster does not move to Sheybogen...  the monster that ate Sheybogen is still hungry (more humor).

 

 

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notes:  Harvey = a 1950 film based on Mary Chase's play of the same name, directed by Henry Koster, and starring James Stewart and Josephine Hull. Well worth a watch. 

Monster (or creature?) that ate Sheybogen =a 70s a 'beer and pretzels' board game where one person plays the monster and tries to 'eat' all of sheybogen city.  The other player controls the police, civil defense, fire department, and with some luck, a late arriving detachment of National Guards.  Fun little game...   now I'm hungry...

 

What does that even mean? I fail to see how I worded that wrong.

That is rational for you but "reasoning" has everything to do one's own personal experiences. All three positions are rational. It is simply a matter of who is doing the reasoning.

what does religion have to do with a supreme being? Ever seen a fire burining in a bush yet the bush doesn't burn? Now I suppose you'll say Moses was doing drugs when he saw that or his mind was shot.

There is obviously something you don’t understand about proof? My beliefs are dependent on what I think I know (right or wrong), what I can prove to myself and what I have discovered through my personal investigations … and they are just not for sale. Don’t play the ‘what if game’ … it is childish.

Excellent point! But I do not think you are going to get away with it, hahaha.

Let me explain this using science.

 

Laws are things that have been proven. (This is where I'm coming from)

Theories are well thought out ideas. (This is where you're coming from)

Laws are postulations that are as yet not disproven.

Theories are [only sometimes] well thought out postulations which have not yet been proven.

This is a well-known philosophical enigma, and it's called a noseeum argument.   There's also a legal term for it, I forget.   Plenty of theistic debates go on and on about this principle.  In law, it's basically that you can prove you were not at such-and-such a place on the night of the murder, but you cannot prove that you were never at such-and-such a place, ever.

 

If you break down science to its essence, that is the scientific method, which is:  1)  formulate hypothesis,  2) run experiment,  3) amend hypothesis based on experimental data.   A theory, by definition, is a collection of 1...many hypotheses.   There are theories which are completely disproven, as well as theories that are proven.  The Pythagorean Theorem, for example:  it is a collection of 1 hypotheses.  Plenty of experimental data to prove it.  It is a known true theory, yet it remains called a theorem. 

As far as what does religion have to do with a Supreme Being....  

So I was thinking today, and came to the conclusion, mammals and humans are quite similar. Now I know most of you believe that as common knowledge, but I have finally discovered this for myself. I realized, that both humans and mammals, fear what they don't understand. If you saw a person flying like Superman in your neighborhood, you would most likely be frightened, or shocked at the most. If a dog saw the same thing, they would bark at the person. The government would most likely want to take the person into custody to try and understand them.

So both mammals and humans fear what they don't understand.

 

I understand this probably has nothing to do with the topic, but I thought I would share my discovery with you guys.

I don't bark at flying people ergo either you are wrong [mammals and humans are quite similar] or I am not human....

I'll ignore the FACT that humans are mammals too, anyway..... ...

Maybe I haven't thought hard enough, but it seems that you can only prove the existence of God[/quote]This is the first in a series of more than +20 clips that may help you to understand why and what the real battle’ is over. Creationism is beyond resuscitation now, except in the minds of some and ID has already been thrown out as a feeble clone of that. I digress … the question of science and theories are answered by a scientist at minute mark 3:18, but I recommend the whole series, lots of good stuff to mull over.  I didn’t want to post it here … but this one section will help you understand. This is from the ‘scientists’, remember that … they promote science.

1. Evolution vs. Creationism: Listen to the Scientists.

Ultimately ... but what do you base all your other opinions on? Someone told you so, you read it somewhere or on the facts you accumulate over your life?

tetleytea; Good reference (Evidence of absence). Going to have to read it again slower I think … but interesting, thanks. That one sure sounds like a slippery barrel of monkeys at first glance.

I've got no class so I usually ignore that I'm a mammal as well