A fortune cookie gives you something to believe in, and it nourishes the body. Kind of like Holy Communion, but tastier. I'll take the cookie.

Mia Farrow found nude photographs Allen had taken of her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, 22. Farrow says Allen admitted to a relationship with Soon-Yi. After Allen and Farrow separated, a public battle for the custody of their three children began. During the proceedings, Farrow alleged that Allen had sexually molested another daughter, who was then seven years old. The judge eventually concluded that the sex abuse charges were inconclusive, but called Allen's conduct with Soon-Yi "inappropriate." The case never went to trial and Allen was never indicted.

Brad Hirschfield

You asked, "But are those who believe really deluded?"

Seems as if there are some that believe nothing unless it is "scientifically proven", believe that those, who believe that God Is, are deluded even those this has not been "scientifically disproved".

You then asked, "If the faith they have keeps them going and makes them happier, why is not real?"

Why do so many people seem to think that having faith necessarily makes one happier?

Having "faith in God" or "knowledge of God" may not make one "happier" but could make one "more hopeful".

Having faith/knowledge does not mean that one "puts on a pair of rose-colored glasses" but can mean that one takes a honest look at the "world" beyond one's back yard.

Having faith/knowledge may also have one look beyond "one's personal salvation" to "humanity's salvation".

Having faith/knowledge may mean looking beyond being God's child to ALL OF US being God's children.

I would think that there have been times that God has rewarded, so to speak, someone's faith with knowledge, I do know that this has happened at least once.

Sometimes it can be rather "eye-opening" to take a leap of blind faith with your eyes wide opened.

You then asked, "Must something be scientifically true to be real?"

Do you mean "scientifically provable"?

You then asked, "Is love real?"

Actually, LOVE Is a Being and This Being of LOVE created everything except for God because God Is LOVE and even became a member of creation and the only member of creation that was both created and non-created, He was a Jew named Jesus.

One could say that LOVE is the "Image" that we are created in and when Love shines thru us then God's Image is shining thru us.

You also asked, "Is compassion real?"

There are plenty of things that are not quite "quantifiable" that are "real".

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

cornbread;

Drunks might feel better than sober people. But it doesn't mean that being drunk IS THE WAY TO GO. And feeling warm and snuggly with irrational beliefs doesn't mean the beliefs are in any way true. But you've hit on the reason why religion still exists despite being totally irrational; it feels so good.

As if the prospect of sickness, old age and death did not cause Woody Allen suffering. Perhaps his works are pure misdirection.

Woody's right; religion is a delusion. It's a feelgood delusion that is afraid of reality. and pretends we never die, and after death we go to the holy father in the sky.
Most scientists scoff at this absurd nonsense. Even Stephen Hawking - perhaps the smartest man alive - writes that a god was not necessary in the process of creation, billions of years ago.

As time goes by - more and more of us realize that there is no god, and no heaven. Show us some evidence and we might change our minds.

"Must something be scientifically true to be real?"
_______________________________

The scientific truism when I was in primary and secondary school was that all life depended on the sun. That was a lie.

But are those who believe really deluded?

Yes, especially yourself, Mr. Hirschfield.

Woody, where are you when we need you?

"But are those who believe really deluded? If the faith they have keeps them going and makes them happier, why is [it] not real? Must something be scientifically true to be real? Is love real? Is compassion real?" BH

Of course feelings of love, compassion and happiness are real. The pertinent question is: Are these real feelings based on truth ? If they aren't, then they're based on delusion.

What's the harm in delusions if they make us happy? Could believing I've won the lottery cause problems if my endorphins start writing checks that my creditors can't cash?

Must something be scientifically true to be real?
_____________________________________________

ANSWER IS YES, YES, YES. If not it is unreal and most likely a lie.

I CANT BELIEVE THIS!!!!
First of all no one has defined "FAITH"
There are a lot of faiths...
I can have faith that the Dodgers will win or I can have faith in God!!
What is the difference?
First of all Faith is an expectant hope. As good a definition for starters ...
Now on to religion...
Faith in God is simply put " believing in the promises of God,,, God said it I believe it. That is faith,, Now the question of whom we choose to believe is completely another question for another time.
The Bible gives us many examples of Gods message of faith, and even tell us that God gives us it to us to help us believe and its free.
He also says that with out faith it is impossible to please Him ( Heb 6:11)
The question asked here is, Are Faith and fortune cookies equally true, ... well unless you are the Pillsbury dough boy, depends what kind of faith you are talking about!
There is a promise of salvation in the Bible, I can to be saved from what I actually deserve to pay a penalty or debt for...
I chose to believe Him and just say thank you

The founder of the particular sect of Buddhism to which I subscribe claimed that there are three proofs of the validity of a religion or philosophy. Rabbi Hirschfield writes about the most powerful, actual proof, in which if it helps a practitioner and others, validity is upheld. Documentary proof is another so that the practices of the individual or group must be in accord with founding documents. The third is theoretical proof and if the claims of the religion are not in accord with reason including science, that would be a problem.

It sounds like Woody Allen has changed his religious views radically in the past two decades. Crimes and Misdemeanors was very heavily anti-atheist, promoting the hateful idea that only belief in a god keeps people from turning into murderous, lecherous beasts.

the organized religions to which Mr. Allen compares them should also connect us to things beyond ourselves and our own immediate needs.

Since "things beyond ourselves" doesn't necessarily have to mean gods, I see no reason why religion should have an exclusive title to that type of connection, which is what Hirschfield seems to be implying. That phrase is too vague, and Hirschfield needs to be more specific.

Must something be scientifically true to be real?

In my world, I find it important that the things I believe in be factually true...or at least true to the level we can determine it to be. Once one stops caring whether something is true or not (particularly in matters of import like ethics and morality), then one is vulnerable to believing anything. There may be personal comforts that come from God-belief and the disparate narratives, how much personal comfort makes up for one child being raped by clergy, or one suicide bomb in a cafe.

I task believers with demonstrating any unique truths to their religious myth. So far, none have.