Latest British Social Survey finds 52% of the Country are non Religious

[RonnieBird]

I didn't state that religions are barbaric and misogynistic per se. I used the words 'sometimes' and 'when' in that sentence. As for your reference about polar bears it is fair to say that the evidence we have is backed up by science. How many religions can have the same said about them? And do you think that your god is the right one and all the others are wrong? (which is a claim held by many believers whatever their chosen deity/deities is/are? How do account for the multitude of Abrahamist schisms and if your own religion is of that ilk how do you know that you are on the correct version. Let's be honest, most religious believers don't choose their religion by careful analysis and having investigated thousands of religions: they take on the religion passed down to them as a child and defend it as the only true religion that exists.e
Had you been born in a different bed on this planet you would probably be a believer in a different deity. It's rarely about free choice, I'm afraid.

It's always about free choice, and that's the answer to your other questions about which religion to choose.

As for the usual stuff about scientific proof, well you can't dispove God with science despite so many people trying for so very long.

I doubt that you personally understand all the science you rely upon, repeat the experimentation and calculation or check it in any other way. I'm not picking on you here - no one else who quotes science so freely does either- but the fact is you require just as much faith to reach your conclusions as anyone needs to form their religious beliefs. It's just that you place your faith in something else.

Unless you did the above , it's not just faith in science either, it's faith in the truthfulness of whoever told you about the science.

You've developed faith through personal choice then, just as I said, and so you've got your religion just as others have. It's a different religion based upon the primacy of the human mind in the Universe in terms of intelligence and the idea that this universe could have come about randomly and without any reason. Your scriptures are the repeated conclusions and theories of scientific research and your prophets are Brian Cox and David Attenborough. Make no mistake though, you are no more questioning of your religion than anyone else is of theirs.

I'm very sorry if the above seems rude or intended to diminish you personally. It's not meant to make you angry, but rather to make you think. Is it possible that there exist in the Universe things which we cannot measure of weigh because our "science" doesn't understand them, or are you satisfied that as a species we have mastered all knowledge ?

[Baloo]

It's always about free choice, and that's the answer to your other questions about which religion to choose.

As for the usual stuff about scientific proof, well you can't dispove God with science despite so many people trying for so very long.

I doubt that you personally understand all the science you rely upon, repeat the experimentation and calculation or check it in any other way. I'm not picking on you here - no one else who quotes science so freely does either- but the fact is you require just as much faith to reach your conclusions as anyone needs to form their religious beliefs. It's just that you place your faith in something else.

Unless you did the above , it's not just faith in science either, it's faith in the truthfulness of whoever told you about the science.

You've developed faith through personal choice then, just as I said, and so you've got your religion just as others have. It's a different religion based upon the primacy of the human mind in the Universe in terms of intelligence and the idea that this universe could have come about randomly and without any reason. Your scriptures are the repeated conclusions and theories of scientific research and your prophets are Brian Cox and David Attenborough. Make no mistake though, you are no more questioning of your religion than anyone else is of theirs.

I'm very sorry if the above seems rude or intended to diminish you personally. It's not meant to make you angry, but rather to make you think. Is it possible that there exist in the Universe things which we cannot measure of weigh because our "science" doesn't understand them, or are you satisfied that as a species we have mastered all knowledge ?

You can of course apply that argument to many things not just the Christian God. For example, Science has not disproved the existence of fairies nor the multitude of Greek Gods.

From my point of view if people’s beliefs, whether religious or non-religious, help them to live happier and more productive lives then we should ‘live and let live’. Freedom of belief is important and when accompanied by an absence of religious privilege safeguards our human rights. And as such I try not debate with people regarding their beliefs.

[RonnieBird]

You can of course apply that argument to many things not just the Christian God. For example, Science has not disproved the existence of fairies nor the multitude of Greek Gods.

From my point of view if people’s beliefs, whether religious or non-religious, help them to live happier and more productive lives then we should ‘live and let live’. Freedom of belief is important and when accompanied by an absence of religious privilege safeguards our human rights. And as such I try not debate with people regarding their beliefs.

It's not a debate but a discussion. I'm sure it's not wasted as long as it evokes thought.
Here's a thought though - is it possible that both fairies and Ancient Greek idols did or do in fact exist, but are some other lesser spiritual beings ?
Both are explainable within both the Christian and Moslem religions in fact.

Your point is taken about the invisible pineapple theory though. ( if I say you've got an invisible pineapple which floats a few feet above your head and moves out of the way of any physical contact, you can't actually disprove that).

Nonetheless , the study of religion is a lot more complex and logical than most people today understand , and the fact that you obviously have a good mind and a good nature leads me to suspect that you'd find it interesting and productive if you maintained an open mind - it's not as daft as you may have been led to believe.

[Baloo]

It's not a debate but a discussion. I'm sure it's not wasted as long as it evokes thought.
Here's a thought though - is it possible that both fairies and Ancient Greek idols did or do in fact exist, but are some other lesser spiritual beings ?
Both are explainable within both the Christian and Moslem religions in fact.

Your point is taken about the invisible pineapple theory though. ( if I say you've got an invisible pineapple which floats a few feet above your head and moves out of the way of any physical contact, you can't actually disprove that).

Nonetheless , the study of religion is a lot more complex and logical than most people today understand , and the fact that you obviously have a good mind and a good nature leads me to suspect that you'd find it interesting and productive if you maintained an open mind - it's not as daft as you may have been led to believe.

Thank you. And I would extend the same invitation towards Humanism which encourages us to develop our own views and understanding of the world and live our lives in the here and now.