Comments on: PBS’s The Question of God: Suffering & Death http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/ books, essays, columns, reviews, and multimedia clips of famed skeptic Michael Shermer Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:27:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lewald Marshall http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Lewald Marshall Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:31:12 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-570 More Comment------ When I read what others say they believe I am troubled by the lack of reason or knowledge about the physics of life. Not that it is any business of mine what others choose to believe or how little they understand, but if we adults decide to talk about life and death, it seems to me it would be more helpful to document our feelings. To me it is obvious that when I die and all my organs cease to function, there is no more life. Life means movement, functioning, growing, multiplying, etc. I don't see how there can be an 'afterlife' when life stops. A woman cannot be pregnant part time. Either she is or she isn't. The idea of 'spiritual life' to me can only be memory of the living. Beyond that it can only be imagination. More Comment——
When I read what others say they believe I am troubled by the lack of reason or knowledge about the physics of life.
Not that it is any business of mine what others choose to believe or how little they understand, but if we adults decide to talk about life and death, it seems to me it would be more helpful to document our feelings.

To me it is obvious that when I die and all my organs cease to function, there is no more life. Life means movement, functioning, growing, multiplying, etc. I don’t see how there can be an ‘afterlife’ when life stops. A woman cannot be pregnant part time. Either she is or she isn’t.

The idea of ’spiritual life’ to me can only be memory of the living. Beyond that it can only be imagination.

]]> By: Lewald Marshalll http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Lewald Marshalll Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:52:34 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-569 No further comment. No further comment.

]]> By: Lewald Marshalll http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-568 Lewald Marshalll Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:50:51 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-568 My comment to your policy is that morality, good and bad, is natural to humans and does not rely on any religeon or philosophy. God is a human concept that varies a great deal from one culture to the next, and has nothing to do with what good and bad mean. My comment to your policy is that morality, good and bad,
is natural to humans and does not rely on any religeon or philosophy. God is a human concept that varies a great deal from one culture to the next, and has nothing to do with what good and bad mean.

]]> By: Lewald Marshalll http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-567 Lewald Marshalll Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:42:02 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-567 The idea of good and bad applies only to what it is for the subject. If the subject is the earth, it is the same for the earth as it is for you or I, although what is good for us at the moment may not be good for the earth. The idea of good and bad applies only to what it is for the subject. If the subject is the earth, it is the same for the earth as it is for you or I, although what is good for us at the moment may not be good for the earth.

]]> By: Alex Vander Weide http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-551 Alex Vander Weide Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:21:23 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-551 I wish they would have explained Lewis' quote better about the problem of pain being only a problem for people of faith. It's only a problem for people of faith because we have a moral law. We have a good, an evil, and a viable means to distinguish them. In an atheistic or agnostic worldview, how do you define what is good, what is evil, and how to tell the difference between them? I wish they would have explained Lewis’ quote better about the problem of pain being only a problem for people of faith. It’s only a problem for people of faith because we have a moral law. We have a good, an evil, and a viable means to distinguish them. In an atheistic or agnostic worldview, how do you define what is good, what is evil, and how to tell the difference between them?

]]> By: Eric Stietzel http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-546 Eric Stietzel Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:02:18 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-546 I taught philosophy for decades. Many of my students wanted to know if I believed in God. I really didn't think it was any of their business and even more that knowing would color their ability to think the matter through for themselves. I always said that they'd need to tell me what they meant by the word, "God" before I could tell them. Well over 95% would give up right then. Some would say something like "the creator of the universe." I'd have to say, "That assumes that the universe was created and didn't always exist. What evidence do you have for that?" Never did get anyone to tell me what they meant by the word. How can I tell if suffering is evidence is for or against the existence of something if I don't know what that thing is?! I'm an igtheist. I'm just ignorant of what theistic talk is about. I taught philosophy for decades. Many of my students wanted to know if I believed in God. I really didn’t think it was any of their business and even more that knowing would color their ability to think the matter through for themselves. I always said that they’d need to tell me what they meant by the word, “God” before I could tell them. Well over 95% would give up right then. Some would say something like “the creator of the universe.” I’d have to say, “That assumes that the universe was created and didn’t always exist. What evidence do you have for that?” Never did get anyone to tell me what they meant by the word. How can I tell if suffering is evidence is for or against the existence of something if I don’t know what that thing is?!

I’m an igtheist. I’m just ignorant of what theistic talk is about.

]]> By: Jim Challender http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/comment-page-1/#comment-528 Jim Challender Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:45:08 +0000 http://www.michaelshermer.com/2004/06/the-question-of-god-suffering-and-death/#comment-528 I stopped believing in fairytales when I was 6 years old. I refuse to lower myself to acknowledge, let alone speak to, the morons that buy the religious nonsense that is all about us. All religions are cults and should be treated as such. Religion is the bane of mankind. I suspect that the above statements answer the "Question of god" etc. I dislike even using the word that refers to a deity let alone wasting time discussing the subject. I stopped believing in fairytales when I was 6 years old.

I refuse to lower myself to acknowledge, let alone speak to, the morons that buy the religious nonsense that is all about us. All religions are cults and should be treated as such.

Religion is the bane of mankind.

I suspect that the above statements answer the “Question of god” etc. I dislike even using the word that refers to a deity let alone wasting time discussing the subject.

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