The philosophy class

Scorpion

A college student was in a philosophy class which had a discussion about God's existence. The professor presented the following logic:

"Has anyone in this class heard God?" Nobody spoke. " Has anyone in this class touched God?" Again, nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class seen God?" When nobody spoke for the third time, he simply stated, "Then there is no God."

One student thought for a second, and then asked for permission to reply. Curious to hear this bold students response, the professor granted it, and the student stood up and asked the following questions of his classmates:

"Has anyone is this class heard our professor's brain?" Silence. "Has anyone is this class touched our professors brain?" Absolute silence. "Has anyone in this class seen our professor's brain?" When nobody in the class dared to speack the student concluded, "Then according to our professor's logic, it must be true our professor has no brain!"

(...The student recieved an "A" in the class.)

Dutchie

It's not the same thing though is it? It is conceivable that the professor's brain could be seen as it is not a spirit, it is not invisible and if the professor's head were opened his brain would be visible to the naked eye. God though is invisible' he has never been seen and will never be seen and he is only visible with eyes of faith.

Satanus

That's pretty good for a kid, but let's take it a little further. Through the ages many people, usually dead, have had their heads opened and been found to posess brains. And so it has become accepted that all people have them. On the other hand, millions of people have claimed to have gods. Yet, upon investigation, none have been able to show their gods, either while alive or dead. Hence, many people have become skeptical.

SS

Moxy

the story of a brave, good christian student standing up to an intimidating, atheist professor and soundly trumping his logic is a popular one, having made the rounds extensively and in various forms as an urban legend, as well as numerous jack trick tracts. (also see http://www.snopes2.com/religion/chalk.htm)

mox

$2.50 for a highball and a buck-and-a-half for a beer

Scorpion

Moxy,

The story you posted is bogus. I have seen it before.

Also, I do not, nor have ever heard of jack trick. Do you mean Jack Chick. I am aware of chick publications, I remember seeing them years and years ago.

The point of the original post, just because one does not see something or believe in something does not mean it is not there or does not exist.

Scorpion

Larsguy

Nice little story, but actually, post 1992, the JIOR(anointed ones) have been seeing more miracles and, of course, some of us, like myself have had personal interviews with the Heavenly Father. This doesn't help the masses but it sort of leaves us out of the position of denying God.

One recent physical miracle occurred with imagery in clouds that was photographed, some of which match a consistent image shown to the JIOR anointed that has a representation in one of the WTS publications on page 198 of the "Revelation Book".

So now, in fact, some of us are seeing a bit more direct evidence of God and certainly holy spirit and it does affect the "blind faith" aspect of believing that most persons know.

Again, as I said, this doesn't help those who have not had these extracorporal experiences, but it leaves those of us who have out of the debate. Which is okay, we were all believers anyway.

L.G.

Introspection

It may have been more interesting to twist it around by asking "Has anyone seen Mickey Mouse? Has anyone touched Mickey Mouse? Has anyone heard Mickey Mouse?" and then conclude "Therefore, Mickey Mouse must exist."

I'm going to Disneyland.

P.S. This has nothing to do with Dutchie's cute signature

(edited for PS)

Abaddon

Er... sorry, is this the Reader's Digest? Or "Watching the World? Chicken Soup for the Soul?"

Purlease.

You can cut open the professor's head and prove he has a brain. You can scan his head and show blood flow through his brain. You can attach it to a machine and record electrical activity. You can x-ray it and see it's structure.

You can scan, study, disect, probe and otherwise investigate the entire Universe, and come up with no reliable evidence of god, not of the sort that would be considered 'beyond reasonable doubt' in a court of law, at any rate.

Can we leave intellectually lame platitudes behind please? Haven;'t we had enough of that stuff?

Larsguy, have you, are you, or will you seek professional help? I mean, it's amusing and all you think you are Jesus, or whatever, but that aside I think it's time you sat on a comfy leather chair and talked to a nice man or woman for an hour or two every week, maybe had some nice meds. I wouldn;t want your dellusions to get to the point where you harmed yourself or worse, someone else. Walking on water and scourging the money-changers out of the temple are liable to be damaging to your health or liberty.

Moxy

Moxy,
The story you posted is bogus. I have seen it before.

you mean you have seen the events of the story first-hand? or you have seen the story before? my point (and the point of the snopes article) is that these stories are very popular and tend to evolve and spread over time (like an urban legend does) and are therefore nearly impossible to verify.

Also, I do not, nor have ever heard of jack trick. Do you mean Jack Chick. I am aware of chick publications, I remember seeing them years and years ago.

oops, yes. i meant mistyped chick. check out his website http://chick.com sometime for a laugh.

The point of the original post, just because one does not see something or believe in something does not mean it is not there or does not exist.

well, i think thats obvious. but the idea of the student stupefying the professor into silence with this simplistic logic is laughable. but due to its very nature, the story will live on.

mox

ashitaka

"if I only had a brain" (singing)

I don't belive in God anymore, but I don't care enough to debate about it.

The analogy on the student's part was poor, pure and simple.

No awe-struck glances here from the student's simplistic answer. There's at least a science to the human body....God doesn't have one as far as I now (an accredited science, at least).

UADNA-New Jersey Chapter-"OUR REACH IS FAR, OUR CAUSE IS JUST"

The philosophy class

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