I am an Apologetics student and need earnest help?

[BigMattSr]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?
   
     A. Are we an accident?
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

    A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?
    B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

[Plu]

1) You can fill books on this subject alone. In fact, people have. I'm not going to explain what we know about the subject through science, that would take too long. Anything about the subject we haven't figured out through science means nothing to me and is probably wrong, too.

2) I don't understand the question. We're a species of Homo sapiens, if that's what you mean.
a) No, we're a bit too complicated for an accident. We're more like the final result of billions of years of complicated natural chemical processes.
b) Subjectively, yes. We matter to ourselves and to those we know. Objectively, you probably won't get any worthwhile answers, because there's no way to test if those answers are correct.

3) Depends on who you ask. Mine is to have fun and make people smile, usually. If you mean from an objective point of view, you'll not any real answers. See above; there's no way to test any objective answer for correctness.

4) Stuff that worked throughout the ages. People with a self-destructive moral system aren't around anymore, because it's hard to build a society if your people keep killing each other. Which explains why all sorts of groups throughout history ended up with comparable moral systems; the current one happens to be the one that has worked best so far.

5) Usually they are either buried or cremated.
a) no
b) N/A

6) I judge them like any other human being. Human beings that try to force their world view on others usually don't rank very high. Human beings that do so without any kind of evidence for it rank even lower. Human beings that don't force their world views on others are usually a bit higher.

7) Very specific evidence that proves the existance of their god to the exclusion of all other gods ever conjured up. Which they don't have, because all "evidence" they come up with works for at least a few dozen other gods as well, and that's before you randomly start making up your own that also explain the "evidence" just as well.

[Sal1981]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

(emphasis mine)

although I'm skeptical of your motives, your reasoning for determining what is a "true worldview" (whatever that's supposed to mean) is an Appeal to (misleading) Authority.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?

Evolution for the former and cosmology for the latter.
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?
   
     A. Are we an accident?
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?

2. uhm ... we're human? I don't understand this question.
2.A. No. I don't believe in randomness, but that's me.
2.B. Nope. "Value" is a human construct, so there's nothing intrinsic* about it.

***I'm using the epistemological definition for being intrinsic.

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

To create meaning is the meaning of life. There is no purpose to life, i.e. it isn't goal oriented. That's my take on it.

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

Ethical philosophy.

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

    A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?
    B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

5. We rot. If you're specifically wondering about after-life or some sort; I'll say what I think happens: After we die, the person we were, the mind ceases to exists because our mind is a "function" of the brain, and since the life ceases, so does the brain.
5.A. No.
5.B. N/A

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

They're wrong about the applicability of "faith". Everything else about them I would have to get to know them (person to person).

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Brain damage.

Just kidding. It would take some repeatable laboratory test on the efficiency of faith, as per described in the Bible. That or a floating mountain.

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

No problem.

[the_antithesis]

What the hell is it with people coming here to make us fill out a survey for some mythological school work?

[Sal1981]

What the hell is it with people coming here to make us fill out a survey for some mythological school work?

IDK, I just consider it has a mental exercise.

[Moralnihilist]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?
 Big Bang and evolution

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?Semi sentient apes
   
     A. Are we an accident?most likely
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?no

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?There isnt one

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?Who is in charge at the moment

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?Rotting in a hole of some sort

    A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?No
    B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?nobody

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?silly

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?Their god coming down from the heavens and proving its existence

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

[La Dolce Vita]

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?

There's no need for an origin story. If we had no knowledge of how the universe, earth and us came about it would not only be completely unproblematic but the only honest option to say "We don't know" and then wait until said information is discovered and confirmed to a reliable degree. Religions cannot prove their hypothesis of how the world was created so they are on the same basis as any other unsupported hypothesis. Often they are even worse off as their creation stories have been shown to be incorrect. Your religion for example has a creation story that has been disproved - so you got to view that as allegory or deny fact/lie to support this aspect of your religion.

Luckily we have discovered most of the pieces of how our earth came about, we can track the history of the universe up to seconds after the big bang, we know how humans evolved and how abiogenesis could have occured (i.e. ways it's possible - though we have not confirmed that the abiogenesis we could prove in the lab was the one that started life on earth). If you want to share this knowledge simply do a quick google search.


2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?

A. Are we an accident?
B. Do we have intrinsic value?


These questions have no meaning as far as I'm concerned. It's like asking what the color of greed is. These questions also depend entirely on your definitions of them, but no matter how you twist and turn it it's a word salad - at the very best poorly defined concepts and ideas.

We can give you a really comprehensive account of the human species evolution, history, how the body and organs work, etc. But I doubt that's what you are looking for.



3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

As far as I can tell there's no purpose or meaning in life except what we make for ourselves.

Life itself tends to have the function that it procreates, but that's not, as far as we can tell, a designed purpose or meaning, it's just that if life didn't procreate there wouldn't be any.


4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

- Evolution has instilled empathy in most if not all adbvanced species as this was a trait likely to lead to the species survival.

- This empathy in practice within human beings make us come together and make laws and social conventions they think better the world.

- As for concepts of what betters the world this is 100% subjective, and can come from anything:

Many people like yourself find them in ancient myths, luckily morality adapts so you read scripture through modern morality's glasses and gloss over the most violent stuff.

Others try to disern what's good from a rational perspective not bound by supernatural claims, often with a focus of human well-being.

However, though it's subjective, and various cultures have had completely different morals and ideas of what is right and wrong, societies with ideas that makes it too hard to live and procreate disappeared.



5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?
B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

Nothing suggests that anything happen after our deaths. I find it most likely that we simply cease to be.


6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

Most seem like perfectly nice people, as long as they don't truly believe and practice the bible (i.e. kill and rape children, murder homosexuals, label people as witches, etc.) they are fine by me. I do not think their belief in christianity stands scrutiny however, and I do think they have been brainwashed and/or tricked into their position.


7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Anything that would show me that it's not faith. I despise faith. It's definition is belief in the absence of evidence or even belief despite the evidence. It's the most dishonest position you could ever have, and an utterly useless one at that. If the christian could show any verifiable data supporting their beliefs I'd be interested.



Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

Sure, you're welcome.

[the_antithesis]

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?

I don't because I do not give a shit about it and neither do you.
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?

Assholes
   
   

A. Are we an accident?
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?

You know what. Fuck this. Your questions show very inside the box thinking. You need to experience more of the world outside of your homeschooling textbooks before you can ask relevant question, kid.

[pr126]

Plu wrote:

People with a self-destructive moral system aren't around anymore, because it's hard to build a society if your people keep killing each other.

LOL. You don't get out much, do you?

Postcard from Syria:

[spoil:3vyoybih][/spoil:3vyoybih]

[BarkAtTheMoon]

What the hell is it with people coming here to make us fill out a survey for some mythological school work?

A Christian in a Lying For Jesus class comes to ask the mean old atheists the usual string of questions, the answers of which will likely be ignored and/or mocked back at said Lying For Jesus classroom. I'm sure this will go well.

[Bibliofagus]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?
 

I don´t. I´m not retarded. These are two different questions an the answer to the first one is evolution. The answer to the second one is I don´t know, and neither do you nor anyone else.

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?

We could be "we". Religion stands in the way of that ever happening however, sad but true.
   

A. Are we an accident?

No. Accidents do not exist, exept in the eye of the beholder. Stuff just happens, and some of it sucks.

B. Do we have intrinsic value?

What's this 'intrinsic value' you speak of?

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

Define ´meaning of life´ please.

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

Well. It´s older than christianity so that one is out.
Where do you think it comes from?

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

Some of us decompose, some get burnt, and there's even a lucky few that get laid after they die.

A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?

Of course not. These concepts are deeply immoral, completely unproven and they are inconsistent with your 'omnibenevolent' god.

Do you believe in that shit? I mean really?

B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

I'm told that your sadistic hellbuilding god decides about that shit. And he doesn't look into merit before deciding...

Do you realise that your theology says that your god sent Ann Frank to hell?
Just some girl who devoted her short life to your god. And got martyred for it by christians. Whom is being torturerd forever by your god right now, while he with his omniscience cannot help but look at the poor girl being burnt for all of eternity.

No problems there right?

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

All people who claim to be christians? Erm... Only thing I can come up with is that christians all appear to be willing to accept deeply immoral stuff because it makes them feel good about themselvers.

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Well... It would take me forgetting almost everything I know about it. Ever considered that?

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

Happy to oblige.

[_Xenu_]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?

In strictly biological and cosmological terms.
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?

Apes that evolved higher intelligence.

   

A. Are we an accident?

Depends on how you think about it. If you're asking if we were designed by a higher power, then yes.

     

B. Do we have intrinsic value?

Only what we assign ourselves.

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

There's more than one way to answer this. In a strictly biological sense, its only to pass on your genes. In a broader one, you have to find your own meaning.

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

Morality evolved from the need for group cooperation, you'll see it in any social species. Solitary animals, say Great White Sharks, have no need for it.

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

Depends on their wishes.

   

A. Do you believe in heaven and hell??

No.
   

B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

n/a

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

Deluded in religious matters, but not bad people overall.

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Anything that requires faith is not worth considering. Only reason matters.

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

Glad to help.

[Plu]

Depends on how you think about it. If you're asking if we were designed by a higher power, then yes.

This sounds really weird and probably does not come across as you meant it... :P

[mykcob4]

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?
   
     A. Are we an accident?
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

    A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?
    B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

1)There isn't a definitive answer, but it is a fact that mankind derived from a long evolution that came from single celled animals, propably coming from excited ammino acids.
2) The question is too ambigious and leading, asking for a preconcieved conclussion. Not valid!
3) There doesn't have to be a meaning or purpose to life assuming there is is the falacy.
4) Morality comes entirely from society not a god. All societies human and nonhuman develope a moral code.
5) 1st of all calling things destine or having a destiny is invalid. It assumes that conclussions are predetermined. As far as what happens to people after they die, you have to be more specific. Their bodies decompose unless preserved.
5A) Absolutely not.
  B)Obviously the people who made up the lie that there is a heaven and a hell!
6) Christians? Well I take every christian on an individual basis. I have a problem with christiantity because it has never been proven to have anything tyo do with facts and christianity is used to create prejudice and all maaner of societal ills and crimes against humanity and nature.
7) Real proof, not just some ambigious story but varifiable independent proof from more than one source. Facts, facts, facts! Thats all it would take, and for more than 2000 years christianity has failed to provide one shred of real evidential proof.

[Mister Agenda]

Welcome, Big.  :-D

I am asking if anyone could earnestly answer the following for me, I am Christian and need to know what other people of different religions think or those whom have no religion that they follow. the only way I can have a true worldview is to know what the world thinks, so please only those whom want to really share, this is important to me.

Fair enough, it certainly can be helpful to be exposed to a variety of worldviews.

1. (Origin question): How do you describe the origin of the human race and the world?

To make a potentially extremely long answer short, I am willing to accept the science on these matters.
 

2. (Identity question): Who are "we" as the human race?
   
     A. Are we an accident?
     B. Do we have intrinsic value?

I'm not sure those are mutually exclusive. Yes, we are an accident, and even though my parents were hoping for a baby, it was an accident that they got me (that particular time of conception, one out of millions of sperm involved), genetically speaking. If we hold humans to have intrinsic value, than they do, as we are beings capable of deciding whether and how to value something. Diamonds are often spoken of as having intrinsic value, but if humans didn't want them, they wouldn't cost a dime.

3. (Meaning/purpose question): What is the meaning and purpose of life?

Life has different meanings for different people, and those people have to find their own purpose in life. It's what we all do anyway, even if we find meaning in a religion, we're the ones who find that meaning.

4. (Morality question): Where does the idea of right and wrong come from?

Evolutionarily-derived pro-social sentiments coupled with culture, experience, and reason. It's a short step from good or bad for me and mine to right and wrong for everybody.

5. (Destiny question): What do you think happens to people after they die?

Our minds go out like a light, never to come on again. Our bodies decay into their basic components and eventually get recycled. We're remembered for awhile, and our influence may affect future generations, but even that will be lost in the static of everyone else's remembrances and influence in time. That's why one of the purposes I've found for my life is making the most of it while I can, there's no do-over, and it's not just a prequel to another life.

A. Do you believe in heaven and hell?

No.

B. Who decides or how does one get to heaven versus hell?

No one. The only heaven or hell we get is what we make of our lives.

6. What is your opinion of Christians in general?

Most of them are decent people who don't have a cow that someone in America doesn't believe the same things they do. The exceptions tend to be vocal, though.

7.If a Christian were to sit down and talk with you about their faith, what would it take to convince you that it was worth looking into or accepting?

Good reasons to believe that it's true. An argument that was based on sound premises and wasn't fallacious would get my attention, but ultimately, you can't argue something into existence. There has to be convincing evidence. And since we're specifically talking about Christianity, it would have to be evidence that Christianity in particular were true, not just that some vague creator being exists, else I'd just become a deist.

Thank you to any that can help me, Matthew

You're welcome, I hope that was helpful.