Religious faith in videogames

[Original_Name]

@Original_Name
I get what you are saying about calling people morons. I just tell it like it is and I am very open, honest and blunt about things.

Part of the reason God was created was to give people an answer to the big questions "Why are we here? How did the Earth start?, etc". There are theories such as the big bang and whatnot, but nothing is known for certain. The thing is, we simply do not know how we all got here and how the universe began. I don't claim to have an answer for this and that's perfectly OK. Some people just have to have an answer for everything, even if it means clinging to some random bullshit that has no proof whatsoever. Advances in science and technology have helped up solve mysteries before so maybe one day the really big questions can be answered.

Pardon me, I had thought I had read you at some point or another flatly referring to yourself as an Atheist, thus I treated your ideology as such. And yes, there's a value to being honest, but there is a point in which you must realize that you are only proliferating your own problems. Because yes you're correct, there are people who cling to absurd explanations for truth in the universe, such as a Sun God and Moon God being in a literal battle for supremecy (but keep in mind, even the most scientific explanations for things may be limited in understanding -- who knows what elements like dark matter and dimensions might play in what we think to know everything about) -- but disrespecting that will only build up their walls; or even just plain permanently ruin their security in the universe, and I see no reason to follow through with an action like that if they're not hurting anyone. I'm hep with your jive in alot of cases actually (we have differing opinions on a number of things to be certain, but I can usually understand where you're coming from and don't just assume you're a philosophical troll), but man... we've been over this, but you have GOT to be more respectful in debate, because it just makes people go, "Oh shit, it's that asshole Inazuma" instead of listening to points you have that are actually very intelligent, just poorly presented. I just made a point on a possible perception of the universe that has not gotten flak (a single quasi-refute on a point that I'll admit to not being particularly knowledgeable about yes, but that's hardly what I'd call "flak") and may have opened some minds a bit. Patience and respect are the most effective tools at your disposal, so use them wisely -- and always bear in mind these words of wisdom from Gorilla Biscuits: "It's not who's right or wrong, it's how we get along." We're going for unity here, not uniformity.

[J T]

Here is a good list for this thread:

The top 15 videogame religions:
http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-religions

[pepharytheworm]

Of course you could argue anything. But in truth have you met anyone personally and truely believe they live there life without faith. I highly doubt you know anyone who doesn't trust anything including himself. Possibilty and reality are two differnt things. Even if you know such a man who lives his life by probability math and game theory you never truely know they are not basing anything on faith, you would have to have faith that they are telling the truth. Plus wouldn't they have to have faith in the probability math and game theory. After all its only a theory

First off, please understand the meaning of theory in science and math. A theory is a VERY strong thing in those contexts. They are testable and verifiable. The reason they're called a theory is that there might be another way of explaining phenomena in the world. For example, Newton's Theory of Gravity was supplanted by General Relativity, but in the macroscopic world Newton's Theory is a perfectly good approximation.

Remember, faith isn't just trust. Faith is trust without anything to back it up. I trust my coworkers to get their work done in a timely manner based upon past observation. That's not faith.

My last comment in my paragraph "after all its only a theory" was more or less a joke. People often state theories as "fact" when they are not. Theories change all the time as new facts are brought out. No one still believes in spontanious combustion do they? And I better not get more religion bashing jokes from that statement. I do know the differences in the meanings of theories and Math. But the truth is no one lives there life by probabilties alone, of course its a factor in anyones life. Lets get more philosophical (is that even a word ). Can you prove your own death will eventually happen? Not to me, but to yourself? How does probabilities help there? Do you have to understand or know how everything works for you to use anything or do anything?

My point being is everything you learned you learned from someone else, who also learned from someone else. Some form of faith has to be there. You can't prove the speed of light is constent in a vacum can you? Do you even understand all the concepts that prove it? If you can, just place something you don't know but someone else does in its place. Now tell me why you believe it.

Mrpopo are you telling me you have no faith in your life at all or is your arguement only for the purpose of debating others can live there life without some faith or at least the possibilty?

@limewater
I find it a compilment to be called misinformed from someone who thinks date rape isn't rape. Even if your statement was intended as a joke, about rape that is. Everthing else you said is find though I know math theories are different than other forms of theories. I did say -- + -- = ---- is a definate.

[pepharytheworm]

Here is a good list for this thread:

The top 15 videogame religions:
http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-religions

Sorry JT for being part of the people that brought the topic off track. i will stay on track from know on. I don't want the thread locked.

We should all join the church of Happy Happiness. Now lets all go paint the town blue.

[classicgamer5]

I just read the whole thread and...wow

[MrPopo]

Can you prove your own death will eventually happen?

No joke, I've pretty much convinced myself I'm going to live forever, as I see no reason why I should die someday. There's always the chance that one of you Sega fans will track me down and kill me after I make one too many stabs at your beloved company, but I'm assigning that a low order of probability.

Do you have to understand or know how everything works for you to use anything or do anything?

Are you asking whether or not I allow myself to use black box abstractions? Of course I do. I don't know the exact configuration of the circuitry of my TV. But I do know that over the last thousand times I've pushed the power button it has always toggled the state between off and on.

My point being is everything you learned you learned from someone else, who also learned from someone else. Some form of faith has to be there. You can't prove the speed of light is constent in a vacum can you? Do you even understand all the concepts that prove it? If you can, just place something you don't know but someone else does in its place. Now tell me why you believe it.

I base my belief on reports of large numbers of scientists all coming to the same conclusion based upon numerous different experiments. Yes, they could all be lying, but I consider that to be a low order of probability.

[pepharytheworm]

Can you prove your own death will eventually happen?

No joke, I've pretty much convinced myself I'm going to live forever, as I see no reason why I should die someday. There's always the chance that one of you Sega fans will track me down and kill me after I make one too many stabs at your beloved company, but I'm assigning that a low order of probability.

Do you have to understand or know how everything works for you to use anything or do anything?

Are you asking whether or not I allow myself to use black box abstractions? Of course I do. I don't know the exact configuration of the circuitry of my TV. But I do know that over the last thousand times I've pushed the power button it has always toggled the state between off and on.

My point being is everything you learned you learned from someone else, who also learned from someone else. Some form of faith has to be there. You can't prove the speed of light is constent in a vacum can you? Do you even understand all the concepts that prove it? If you can, just place something you don't know but someone else does in its place. Now tell me why you believe it.

I base my belief on reports of large numbers of scientists all coming to the same conclusion based upon numerous different experiments. Yes, they could all be lying, but I consider that to be a low order of probability.

I am not saying they are lying, but you not knowing how they do what they do, how do you know they did their experiments right. If everyone was trained to do something one way as the right way and it turns out wrong it doesn't mean they are lying. The experiment was tainted to begin with. Now if we go by probabilty than they will eventually be proven wrong. I bring back spontanious combustion, if you lived during that time you would have believed that, I assume because of all the experiments that proved it during that time. You don't believe it now do you. Man should always question what they learn or progress stops. But you don't need to fully understand everything, thats when some form of faith comes in alot of times, not always. You didn't go to school with all the scientist or even know how they learned what they learned. But you have faith that their experiments were done right. You weren't there were you? Probabilty would say that all experiments weren't done the most complete way possible, perfection does not exsist. Probabilty will be proven improbable I am starting to confuse myself.

But I got off topic by you again. I promise I will stop now.

[GSZX1337]

Can you prove your own death will eventually happen?

No joke, I've pretty much convinced myself I'm going to live forever, as I see no reason why I should die someday. There's always the chance that one of you Sega fans will track me down and kill me after I make one too many stabs at your beloved company, but I'm assigning that a low order of probability.

Shit, gotta pull back.
*goes back home and sharpens knives*

[Limewater]

My last comment in my paragraph "after all its only a theory" was more or less a joke.

Well, that answers that question.

People often state theories as "fact" when they are not. Theories change all the time as new facts are brought out. No one still believes in spontanious combustion do they? And I better not get more religion bashing jokes from that statement. I do know the differences in the meanings of theories and Math. But the truth is no one lives there life by probabilties alone, of course its a factor in anyones life.

I think it's also worth noting that no Mathematical theory can exist without prior axioms that have to be accepted without proof.

My point being is everything you learned you learned from someone else, who also learned from someone else. Some form of faith has to be there. You can't prove the speed of light is constent in a vacum can you? Do you even understand all the concepts that prove it? If you can, just place something you don't know but someone else does in its place. Now tell me why you believe it.

I think this is a very good point, and one that seems to often be overlooked.

@limewater
I find it a compilment to be called misinformed from someone who thinks date rape isn't rape. Even if your statement was intended as a joke, about rape that is.

OK, just in case there is any doubt in anyone's mind:

My statement about date-rape not being rape was indeed a joke, and I had a point with it. Actually, I had two points. It came up during an argument over piracy. My statements were meant to:

1. Parody the sense of entitlement that that I saw in the arguments advocating piracy as if everyone had a right to whatever software they wanted.

2. Parody the argument that had been put forth that piracy was not stealing because they were different words.

I know math theories are different than other forms of theories. I did say -- + -- = ---- is a definate.

I'd actually disagree with you on the point about -- + -- = ---- being definite, but that is a much deeper and longer discussion than is probably reasonable.