Re: What will it take to shake/strengthen your belief in God? (merged)
Im far from being sure of anything actually, but it seemed much of your skepticism was on pretty vague terms, thus my desire for specificity from you. You seem to have backed off from those arguments completely so I'll let it rest.
As I understand it, your "questions" are just:
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72 virgins in the afterlife.
Improved variety in sexual partner in the afterlife, yes, let's provide some quantifiable information about that. Thanks.
While at it: please provide proof of the after life. Also evidence that "judgment" will take place. Also, define what's "judgement" cuz a lot of religion peddlers frighten simpletons into doing "good" deeds. Also, define "good" deeds. Thanks.
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72 virgins: No proof, not convinced whether you will actually get 72 or 30 or 15 or 2 or 18 virgins, nor are all Muslim ulema, as has been stated on this board many times.
Proof of the afterlife or God or any purely religious idea: None, and scientific proof is usually never attempted (not since the middle ages anyway, post those the religious discourse evolved beyond this question), and any attempts usually failed. Quran appeals to your observation of the world, the order, the fate of civilisations in the face of posterity, the flow of history, the wonder of little things. In some people this inspires a sense of awe and a feeling that a creator might be responsible. In others it wouldnt, but that really is the best "proof" anyone could give you, but such proof is always meant to be at an emotional level, and never meant to be published in a research journal (nor would it be admissible there).
Judgement: Judgement is the final settling of accounts, and people will be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their actions while they were alive.
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It is all relevant chanda. I'll make it easy for you: Why is fornication and drinking 'haraam'? Why has 'god' forbidden those acts?
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I meant relevant to your earlier arguments about "improving humans". I dont really know why fornication and drinking are haram. I have a cultural aversion to both promiscuous fornication and boozing, but I also have a cultural aversion to sanctioned forms of sex such as sex with maids and sex with 4 wives, and many sunnies would have a cultural aversion to the sunni sahih hadies of proscribed drinking of camel urine. But I do know that Islam has sanctioned forms of conduct preferred by Allah. It could just be a spiritual expression of living life in accordance to Allah's wishes, or there could be a deep sociological/biological/mental/scientific reason. For a believer, there isnt really a difference between the former reason and the latter, as far as the end result is concerned, which is just living according to the rule.
Assuming you were the creator of a simple species, assuming for now much much much infinitely more simple than you are, suppose you laid down a set of rules for them to adhere to, would you expect them to understand the rationale of every rule? Im not saying thats a direct analogy for Allah though, but that is one example where reasonless diktats make sense.