Which Truth" Is Superior?

tardis

Well-Known Member
We all base our lives on a series of beliefs we hold to be true about the nature of the world and other people and situations we are in.

Now is it better to believe what benefits us to be true, even if its off and delusion, or is it better to seek actual truth even if it provides us no benefit and may even cause detriment.

Is truth thats real the superior one, or false truth thats beneficial to our function in situations and life? What is truth?
 

Hum215

Active Member
Truth is a human construct. It doesn't exist outside the boundaries of the homo sapien's brain therefore is just more "human lore".
 

mindphuk

Well-Known Member
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
~ Carl Sagan
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
~ Carl Sagan
How true.

However human beings have evolved to perceive things that simply are not true, but because it is part of their evolution it works to their advantage. Take time. Humans percieve time naturally as being at the same rate throughout the universe, that common sense instinct in humans make their lives better because the inconsistencies with time are not relevant to us living here on earth in our 80something years. believing time is consistent and watches always match, and that GPS doesn't need to reset itself every so often so as to match the rate of time on earth, you get more done and more thngs fall into line with your life.

However understanding the truth about the way time works functions against mans instincts and serves no benefit and possible detrement if they don't buy into the idea of time moving at a consistent universal pace. Yes it is a small example and odd, but relevant.

Look at religion, wheras religion does a lot of evil to the world, moreso than good, on an individual basis someone believing in God may benefit their life and allow them to mentally handle problems in their life by thinking the next life will be better, or that there is some sorta plan going on. That core belief may make the suffering they pointlessly go through bearable if they can't get out of it.

So is it better for those people to know the truth and live horrible unhappy lives, or is it better for them to spend their 80something years happy tho deluded?
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
~ Carl Sagan
I guess it all comes down to social policies of childhood with society.

Buy into the delusion like everyone else seems to, or be considered an outcast despite being right.
 

budsmoker87

New Member
i'm gonna go out on a limb here....and say that the truth people chose to believe in, whether right or wrong or for better or worse, is usually tied directly to their personal value system...and most of the time when ppl don't get along, it's because of a difference in values
 

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
So is it better for those people to know the truth and live horrible unhappy lives, or is it better for them to spend their 80something years happy tho deluded?
Know the truth and live an unhappy life. Why? Because them believing in a fairy tale affects more than just themselves. If you can't live a happy life without being shielded from reality, you should blame your parents for sheltering you the whole time.

And if you can't find beauty and happiness in reality, look harder.
 

snape

Active Member
ive been an athiest for 6 years now

and this past year...im starting to think there just may be a god or some sort up there watching over me.

so many times i almost died from oding, going to jail for a long time, surviving a car wreck even though the doctors are telling me "im very lucky

that it wasn't something other than a motorcycle that hit you guys."

so yeah i actually think there maybe an actual god or someone up there, keeping me alive, outta jail thats trying to say im supposed to

be around still to do something with my life. guiding my path to whatever it maybe.
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
i'm gonna go out on a limb here....and say that the truth people chose to believe in, whether right or wrong or for better or worse, is usually tied directly to their personal value system...and most of the time when ppl don't get along, it's because of a difference in values
You and everyone else have very valid points. Such as find out what you believe is important adn then throw your lot in with those who share those specific life fullfilling conscious structures. To maintain or reach ones best this would be the best choice. Are answers about the universe and everything in it worth loseing perspective of the future survival of our species?
 

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
ive been an athiest for 6 years now

and this past year...im starting to think there just may be a god or some sort up there watching over me.

so many times i almost died from oding, going to jail for a long time, surviving a car wreck even though the doctors are telling me "im very lucky

that it wasn't something other than a motorcycle that hit you guys."

so yeah i actually think there maybe an actual god or someone up there, keeping me alive, outta jail thats trying to say im supposed to

be around still to do something with my life. guiding my path to whatever it maybe.

I'm curious how you came to be an atheist to begin with.

The reasons you listed for believing in a god are logically inconsistent.
 

snape

Active Member
ive never cared about relgion, god, etc.

ive always thought that most, or all of it was just made up.

but as i keep getting my self stuck in a bad situation that would affect my life,

or even dying from an overdose. i some how manage through everything

scott free, no serious injuries, nothing.

so im starting to believe that there maybe a god, or something...sorta protecting me..

so i can follow in my path in whatever my life is gonna be lead too.
 

snape

Active Member
so thats why i have been an athiest.

but i dont understand what you mean by "my reasons in believing a god are logically inconsistent"
 

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
ive never cared about relgion, god, etc.

ive always thought that most, or all of it was just made up.

so im starting to believe that there maybe a god, or something...sorta protecting me..
so thats why i have been an athiest.

but i dont understand what you mean by "my reasons in believing a god are logically inconsistent"
Not caring about it is sort of similar to being a weekend Christian, and I wouldn't really call that an atheist. I was in the same position "not really caring about it" but labeled and self identified as Christian till I was about 17 and started thinking about it, that's when I realized I was an atheist. You realize logically it just can't exist the way they say it does.

Accidents are just accidents. You're circumstances are what you might consider lucky. If this changes the way you proceed into the future for your benefit, attributing it to a god would be a mistake.
 

snape

Active Member
i thought god or whatever is made up. since i was in 6th grade ive always gone around saying f$%@ god or god free. making fun of god, n making him look dumb.

why all of a sudden would he start helping me as if he is real(no offense to you)?

im not saying i all of a sudden believe in god, and start going to church and be a more faithful christian.

i simply was saying that i might have an idea that he might exist.

but im no christian. trust me. i personally think that instead of god, i think that their is just something more like a spirit...like kinda, in a way is similar to buddhism

you know what im trying to say?
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
Not caring about it is sort of similar to being a weekend Christian, and I wouldn't really call that an atheist. I was in the same position "not really caring about it" but labeled and self identified as Christian till I was about 17 and started thinking about it, that's when I realized I was an atheist. You realize logically it just can't exist the way they say it does.

Accidents are just accidents. You're circumstances are what you might consider lucky. If this changes the way you proceed into the future for your benefit, attributing it to a god would be a mistake.
Oddly enough I believe that "Luck" is a genetic trait, at least in function. I think there absolutly is soemthing that makes some people more "lucky" than others. I could be completely wrong as this doesn't make total logical sense so I accept any attacks because I don't knwo the logical reason WHY I believe this, but I definetly see this. I think there is some genetic leaning towards luck, but I do not have any idea how it would work so I don't accept it as a truth despite noticing a long pattern of luck in my life... I should be dead, I should be poor, I should be a lot of things i'm not... And when I feel someone is wrong to me I usually wind up getting everything they want without wanting it so I always get a sorta I toldya so win, even when I know Nothing but luck could make this always the case.
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
i thought god or whatever is made up. since i was in 6th grade ive always gone around saying f$%@ god or god free. making fun of god, n making him look dumb.

why all of a sudden would he start helping me as if he is real(no offense to you)?

im not saying i all of a sudden believe in god, and start going to church and be a more faithful christian.

i simply was saying that i might have an idea that he might exist.

but im no christian. trust me. i personally think that instead of god, i think that their is just something more like a spirit...like kinda, in a way is similar to buddhism

you know what im trying to say?

I hear you. You see a pattern that in your perspective looks like you've seen something true. The question comes down to do you believe it is a pattern the human brain sees which you feel your inner core self is trying to manifest for some need it feels it has to fullfill, or is it something that is undeniably odd that you would be negligent to look away and write it off without further investigation?

Who you are depends on how you should answer that question. The Red pill, or the blue pill?
 

snape

Active Member
yeah i agree with what your saying about how luck is genetic trait. because there are people who are very lucky and people who are pretty much not lucky.

and yeh im sorta seeing a pattern cause literally everytime im in a very bad situation i get away free n easy with not having to pay for it.

im constanly craving or wanting certain things, like for example heroine, harder drugs in general, attention. and when i dont get what i want or what im craving, i begin to suffer physical and mentally. so i went to rehab to get rid of my cravigs of heroine/harder drugs so some of my suffering would go away. and im still trying to figure out a way to work on my cravings for attention and try to stop wanting it all the time.

so basically what im sorta getting at is that, ive been looking for a answer on how to solve most of my main problems is that i might start practicing certain traditional buddhism ways and beliefs.

do you know what im sorta getting at or trying to explain here..?

and if you dont quite understand what im getting at then i can explain it in a better way.
 
Top