I don’t know

[Cloudbase]

I don’t know


1) I don’t know if the existence of the universe requires the existence of a supreme being.

2) I don’t know if a supreme being created the laws of nature, set the universe in motion and does not participate.

3) I don’t know if a supreme being is actively watching over us and influencing events.

4) I don’t know if my existence is the result of billions of years of natural selection or intelligent design.

5) I don’t know what happens after death.

6) I don’t know if I existed before birth.

7) I don’t know why ancient religious writings are believed to be the word of God without question, disregarding the possibility of errors in translation and human intervention.

8) I don’t know if there is a judgment period following death that dictates reward and punishment based on your behavior during life.

9) I don’t know the true rules of this judgment period. There are so many.

10) I don’t know what the value of prayer is when the pattern of response appears to be random.

11) I don’t know why the frequency of religious miracles has diminished with the rise of scientific awareness.

12) I don’t know why so many people believe in a god when there is no proof of his actual existence.

13) I don’t know why so many religious practitioners blatantly disregard their own rules of conduct (child molestation, criminal cover-ups) if they truly believe in what they teach.

14) I don’t know why so many bad things are done in the name
of a god.

15) I don't know why religious institutions horde wealth.

16) I don’t know why so many people believe their religion is correct and all the others are wrong, particularly when so few people select their religion.

17) I don’t know how to determine the difference between a ‘legitimate’ religion and a cult.

18) I don’t know why an omnipotent and benevolent god would require you to believe and threaten punishment if you do not.

19) I don’t know why some people only go through the motions and think its ok.

20) I don’t know the difference between ‘believer’ and ‘sucker’.

21) I don’t know how to believe, even if I wanted to.

[Upchurch]

Welcome to agnosticism.

[Dancing David]

That is the basis of scepticism, I think some things might have an explanation but hard to find an ultimate cause.

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by Dancing David
That is the basis of scepticism,
Not to be contrarian, but is it?

In my mind, if your going to boil skepticism down to a catch phrase, shouldn't it be "How do you/I know that is True?"

[Dancing David]

Touche, perhaps I don't know that to be true.

Show me!

Peace

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by Dancing David
Show me!Hold up. I thought I was the one from Missouri :confused:

[Dancing David]

Sorry :
Land of Lincoln doesn't sound sceptical.

[Upchurch]

Poor lousy-motto'ed b*st*rds...

;)

[Dancing David]

There is the Simpson where Bart proposes the
'Learn to Fart' state....

[justsaygnosis]

Welcome to the beginning of all true learning.
That which can be corroborated via demonstration and evidence can be regarded as most accurate.
There are many beliefs that are widely held but can they be tested and produce consistent results?

[Mercutio]

"Live free or die", here. (all other mottoes can now just give up)...

I read somewhere (I really wish I knew where) that when they award the Ph. D., they take away your ability to say "I don't know." I have told my students this, and also have told them that the ability to say "I don't know" when, in fact, you don't know, is a wonderful thing. (Many of them tell me that I am the only prof who has ever told them "I don't know", and that I appear at the same time to be the one who actually knows more.)

Just one caution. "I don't know" is a great phrase if it is followed by some attempt to find out. Do not confuse the term "unknown" with the term "unknowable." The latter is an end-point, the former a beginning. I love to hear "I don't know." Even from myself. I love hearing it from you.

Now what?

[SquishyDave]

Cloudbase

It can be scary, and lonely, when you ask these questions.

It was even scarier for me when I found evidence that supported certain answers to most of those questions.

But as Christopher Brookmyre (http://www.brookmyre.co.uk/) said in not the end of the world (http://www.brookmyre.co.uk/book3.htm) it's scary, but it has more dignity.

I am not quoting coz I can't remember exactly how he put it, but knowing you are responsible for you and your actions and nothing else is, to me anyway, does have a certain dignity about it.
Lucky for me it does, coz it's the only shred of dignity I can get out of life ;)

[Lalande]

I don’t know if the existence of a supreme being requires the existence of the universe .

But I know what is after death:D
I... I am not going to tell you. That true belongs to me!

[St_Hereticus]

To say "I don't know" is the beginning of wisdom.

[Frostbite]

Well this turns out to be a very interesting thread. :)

[Dancing David]

Mecrutio,
thank you!

How can we find the difference between unknown and unknowable?

There is also the dichotomy of the european 'ignorace is bliss' and the buddha's 'ignorance is sorrow'.

Peace