We have done our best to fill this place up with good quality material. Note that it's never too late to add your two cents to an old thread, as a response, critique, or anything else. We hope the community will step up and offer some more contributions.
Welcome! :D This is a chance for anyone to ask others to defend a specific position, whether or not the responder agrees with that position!
While our main goal is the aforementioned, we are in the early stages here! So at this point, you are welcome to ask others to make any type of argument - supporting, refuting, or qualifying. Try to post some sort of thesis, but open questions are fine for now.
Anybody can post any thesis, any response, and any constructive criticism. Feel free to contribute in any way!
NOTE: Don't assume OP necessarily agrees with his/her thesis.
QUICK GUIDE:
An Original Poster (OP) posts a thesis arguing a specific position on a specific topic and asks responders to justify that argument (anybody may post on any topic). OP should provide background info if needed, some starting points/ideas (min 2-3) and some informative resources (min 2-3). If OP want, s/he can ask for any type of response (support, counter, qualify) or make any other specifications. Click here if you'd like a Ready-made/Formatted Outline for the message field.
THE CHALLENGE:
The Responding Poster (RP) must try to defend the OP's thesis, again, whether or not RP actually agrees with the thesis. Try to come up with your own points! Use/cite reliable sources as needed. Consider including talk of counter-points as well, whether you refute, qualify, or concede them, as doing so can strengthen your writing.
BLAH BLAH BLURB: SO WHAT?
We tend to hold fast to our beliefs, nearly to the point of blinding ourselves. This forum is a way to get people to try to understand a different perspective and think deeply. It can allow us to challenge each other (and ourselves) and practice rational, well-informed arguments.
Please do make suggestions, requests, ask questions, etc.
Offer, imbibe, and enjoy yourself! :D
Reminder: OP's thesis does not necessarily reflect his/her opinion, unless otherwise specified.
Sort: Top
[–] [deleted] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
[–] tazmanian [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Sure, it is a bit satirical.
I get the ritualistic nature of praying. What I don't get is the repetition. If I repeat the same thing everyday, a few times a day... then my god will be happy with me. He will know I really like him ... if I don't I am bad. My curiosity is why? We all hate nagging children... wouldn't this be the same?
[–] omegletrollz 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
I'm not sure this is exactly what @MissiPersekSwal had in mind but I think it could be: the repetition is trance-inducing. The repetitive chanting, dancing, praying... is trance-inducing and it can be seen in rituals from south and north-america tribal dances to buddhist mantras and rock-and-roll concerts.
Many think that this altered state of mind is "closer to God" and others say that it just makes it easier to brainwash the faithful since they are more open to suggestion when hypnotized. This is similar to "traditional" hypnotism where a repetitive motion or sound puts the target in a trance before the hypnotist can start making suggestions to the person's subconscious.
[–] Stavon 1 point 1 point 2 points (+2|-1) ago
That's what the human mind works, what it sees or hears over and over again it starts believing is true. Advertisements work the same way.
[–] privacy_policy 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Bingo. There are no gods without a human thinking one up. It's a basic human desire to understand and explain the world around us. When the unexplainable event occurred, say an eclipse, an eruption, and earthquake, etc. they rationalized it as an angry entity and promptly began offering what they had to appease that entity. Of course, the event was usually a one-off or it subsided after a short time without happening again so they thought, "wow, I guess <insert deity name here> really listened and made up more rules.
[–] tazmanian [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
True.. availability cascade and all that.
But this is different. Because this come way after the belief that a certain myth is true. Most religions believe that if you pray a lot god will be happy. So repetition makes god smile..