In order to understand religion or atheism, you have to understand how people work.

That's my opinion.

People have something that will allways try to stop them from seeing or understanding evidence or any indication contrary to that of their beliefs.

It's something like the way the Chinese government works, that blocks netsurfers in China from visiting any sites that may have ideas other than communism.

This object we have, works the same way. I've seen people (including relatives) walk right out the door, right before they announce something on tv or the radio that validates, paranormal phenomena or mind power, or when such a conversation comes up. They "accidentally" miss every detail that would threaten their beliefs.

Or they will refuse to read stuff, like scientific articles that will treaten their beliefs. Religious people have this strongly and atheists also have this. I notice this almost every single day here on ATS, and I notice it daily here on my island and when I used to live in The Netherlands.

I even notice it on myself, because there are things that I know I can't see or don't understand. (Sometimes, months or years later I end up saying, duh!!!:duh

This thing I'm talking about is the subconscious mind. It doesn't like change at all and it will do anything it can to fight it.

We have to understand such things when we have "is not", "is too" discussions on the forum.

Choosing to believe in 'a' God or God is like "labeling" what is "good" or "bad"..."wrong" or "right"...."good" and "evil"....its basically subjective judgements based on a personal value system that incorporates one's experiences, things they read, see, been taught, etc.

The thing with God is that it has been said....seek not what is unattainable but what is unavoidable....

regards
seekerof



[Edited on 17-9-2003 by Seekerof]

Nicely said Seekerof...