[Onetwothree]

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

I say it's correct because it feels right for me.

Many people would say that, and one of you are very likely to be wrong. I think it's safe to say that there are many belief systems that cannot be reconciled with one another; Christianity and Islam are probably the most obvious. Still, your belief that something is correct because it feels right seems intellectually dishonest at its best, and at its worst, downright ignorant.

Something feels right because it is a chemical reaction in your brain, akin to sneezing, or perhaps getting a pick-me-up from a cup of coffee. I don't think it's anymore complicated than that. It's not a mind-shattering, life-altering epiphany sent from the holy one and all his angels, but you getting a little surge of doctor feel good. Since that is more likely true, what are you going to believe? I'm almost positive you are going to dismiss this. I still suggest you think about your 'choice' a little more, but it's still yours to make.

But I'll be damned if what I believe is the "One True Path".

Well, a lot of beliefs claim to be the correct one as I stated earlier. How do you know yours isn't the 'one true path," Kontan?

That would be skirting that whole accept Jesus as your savior kind of talk that would simplify many people. I think it's vulgar to speak in absolutes.

That's why no intelligent person does.

It's folly to do so because, given enough time, anyone can be made a fool that way. My beliefs do not require others to believe them. Kinda like Crowley, "Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." Essentially, the reason I seem like I do is because I can really give a shit about the enlightenment of others. I'm no messiah or messenger of god/dess and don't claim to be. Hey, whatever helps you feel at peace with yourself.

But is feeling at peace at the price of real knowledge worth it? A lot of the answers to your question are right in front of your face. They may seem less than epic at first, but you will soon grow to appreciate them if given time, and they are concrete, empirical, and if you are like me, your affinity with nature might just bubble over into a teary-eyed secular-spiritual moment.

As for science having the answers... well, I'm not a scientist. Things work, but logically, can I say that science is a possible absolute for me when I don't even have the time to experiment with the laws of gravity and such? I can take their word on so many things, but there's logically a line I have to draw.

Then draw the line, and test it yourself. Why ignore science because you can't do every single theory on earth? The law of gravity is a simple one to examine, and the reason it is called a law is because it has been tested and proven 'true' as close as 'true' can get for the past two hundred years. Thusly, it's most likely true everywhere in the universe. Why don't you want to listen to something that has proven something to the same level of the Copernican system? It seems insane not to listen to such wisdom and powerful knowledge. I don't recall the bible ever telling me that energy is equal to its mass times the speed of light squared.

Science has created and answered many questions. Has it proven that atheism is the only real means of spirituality? No. It's all still an unanswered question and I doubt it'll be answered in our lifetime.

It's as unanswered as if the sun is going to rise. There is a slim, almost impossible chance the sun will not rise, but if it does, I believe we will all cease our 'belief' that the sun will rise, and reform the theory.