The basic premise of this thread is who has to prove what not why did you click on this thread if you don't agree with me. Yes?
Why does an atheist have to disprove anything?
by digderidoo 69 Replies latest jw friends
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serotonin_wraith
Yes, it's about who has to prove their position. Regardless of who brings the topic up, it's still the believer who has to prove their position, and if they don't want to, nobody will force them to.
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Xena
Well we will agree to disagree then. I still contend it's up to the person who starts the discussion to prove their point initially.
Btw the whole "don't click on this if you don't agree with it" would make for a very boring discussion board.
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Awakened07
What a world it would be.
Scientist #1: "I assert that a giant blue - but invisible - Garbloch is spinning the planets with his hands. You can't disprove it. If you challenge me, that's what you'll have to do. Besides, I have the data on my side showing how the planets are in fact spinning. Now give me my Nobel prize."
Scientist #2: "Well, I assert that a large number of undetectable cube shaped, intelligent entities reside in the asteroid belt, and are responsible for the occasional hurling of rocks at us. You can't disprove it. If you challenge me, that's what you'll have to do. Besides, no one disputes that asteroids hit the earth from time to time. Now give me my Nobel prize.""
Scientist #3: "I have personally been told by an invisible entity that it blew the earth up like a balloon a few hundred million years ago, and that's the reason the continents drifted apart, not plate tectonics. Any 'proof' to the contrary were planted there by the invisible entity. So you can't disprove it. If you challenge me, that's what you'll have to do. Now give me my Nobel prize."
(continue this a few thousand times for all the other scientists)
Scientific community and Nobel institute:"You are all right of course, and we won't check into your assertions; we probably can't disprove them anyway, and furthermore we wouldn't want to step on your feelings. Here are your Nobel prizes (ouch, this'll be expensive...)."
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Mental patient:"Yes, there is an invisible elephant-like creature flying around outside my window. You can't disprove it! Do you know everything there is to know about the universe!?"
Psychiatrist:"Oh - yes, you're right of course, what was I thinking. You're free to go. Sorry we kept you here."
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My point here is not that God is an imaginary construct, just that things don't work by people asserting wild things and being right simply because others can't disprove them. If you tell me something extraordinary, you at least should have ordinary proof; preferably extraordinary.
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logic&reason
I don't think atheists have to disprove God (or prove God doesn't exist) but it doesn't really matter. Some people want to believe, some don't.
It reminds me of the line from the movie The Prestige: "Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it because you're not really looking. You don't really want to know the secret... You want to be fooled."
I know many Theists (mostly JW) who will completely ignore facts and evidence because they want to continue to believe... it is like a security blanket, and they want the comfort of being fooled.
On the other hand, I don't know many Atheists or Agnostics that would categorically reject a loving God if he were to reveal himself openly to humans.
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trevor
I don't think atheists have to disprove God (or prove God doesn't exist) but it doesn't really matter. Some people want to believe, some don't.
Unfortunately it does matter.
Many peoples lives are ruined by people's obsession with the God of their choice.
We all have to share this planet and suffer the consequences of other peoples actions. The lengths believers go to in an attempt to appease their bloodthirsty Gods, affects non- believers despite their abstinence from such insanity.
Trevor
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logic&reason
Trevor - You make a good point.
I didn't mean to imply that religious extremism doesn't matter (pose a threat) to humanity, rather I meant that it doesn't matter what you prove or disprove. People who want to believe WILL believe without regard to the evidence.
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real one
We all have to share this planet and suffer the consequences of other peoples actions. The lengths believers go to in an attempt to appease their bloodthirsty Gods, affects non- believers despite their abstinence from such insanity.
Trevor
you are kidding. if it wasnt for believers this earth would be in anarchy
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Galileo
you are kidding. if it wasnt for believers this earth would be in anarchy
I guess you've never heard of the dark ages, or who made them so.
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Galileo
you are kidding. if it wasnt for believers this earth would be in anarchy
I realize I've already responded to this, but I don't think my previous response was adequate. This is literally one of the stupidest remarks I've ever read. Was it atheists that flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon? Was it atheists that released poison gas in the Tokyo subways? Was it atheists that burned witches in Salem? Was it atheists that justified slavery with the Holy Scriptures? Was it atheists that slaughtered tens of thousands in the Crusades? Is it atheists that practice female circumcision? Honor killings of girls because they have been raped? Spread Aids by denying condoms to the third world?
You are a total moron.