Finally it is on line, this is a great read, enjoy!
Article, Can a Skeptic believe in God?
by Beans 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Cicatrix
Thanks for posting the article, Bean. It's a very interesting read.
Quantum physics and string theory are two reasons of several why, although I'm a skeptic regarding the existence of God, I'm not an outright atheist.
The only thing I saw in the author's argument that could be challenged is the notion that believers think that God is eternal and outside of the realm of creation, therefore not subject to natural laws of creation. While this is true of many, many other people who believe in a God or Gods think that deities DID have a beginning, and in some cases, an end. The myths of many cultures describe the creation and destruction of their various Gods. And there is also the position that all creation IS God.
I love the inclusion of the scripture at the end:)When I was coming to the realization that I no longer believed what I was being taught by the organisation, this scripture repeatedly popped into my head. -
truthseeker1
Skeptics have a similar way of thinking, not religious beliefs. Sure a skeptic can believe in God, anyone can be tricked J/K
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RandomTask
Belief in God is based merely on faith and not fact. As long as you can keep it in the realm of "faith" then I have no problem with that. As soon as you start trying to prove God exists thats where we get problems.
And just because someone is a skeptic, it does not mean that they cannot have faith. They can even not believe in the bible, religion or any texts about God, but still have faith in some kind of higher power.
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funkyderek
And just because someone is a skeptic, it does not mean that they cannot have faith.
Hmm, I thought that was exactly what it meant. Faith is belief without good reason. Skepticism is refusal to believe without good reason. They're not compatible.
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Beans
It's all relavent, but it is an awesome read! My fav part is his how he talks about the argument and how both sides feel victory!
Beans
Canadian District Overbeer
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drwtsn32
My fav part is his how he talks about the argument and how both sides feel victory!
I enjoyed that part too!
Good read; thanks for posting the article.
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logansrun
I think one of the errrors that occurs in people's thinking on this matter is the assumption there are solid differences between a "good reason" and a "bad reason" to believe in something. In my view it's not black and white but a continuum. On one far side of the continuum are beliefs that I view as being extremely improbable, ie the existence of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. On the other side are beliefs that I apply a high degree of truth to, ie that I exist, that the world is round, etc. There are PLENTY of beliefs that lie between these two extremes: Darwinian evolution, the Big Bang theory, the falseness of the Watchtower, etc.
Is believeing in God more likely or less likely to be true? Which side of the continuum is it on? I don't know, personally. I think certain conceptions of a Deity are more believeable than others. For instance, I highly doubt that Zeus exists. I also highly doubt that the Biblical God exists in the way He is interpreted by literalists. But other conceptions of deity I can attribute a higher degree of feasibility to.
I'd like to add that Martin Gardner is a skeptic par excellance. He was (is still?) on the editorial board for Skeptical Inquirer magazine and is a former writer for Scientific American. He also considers himself a fideist and has written extensively on this in his book, "The Why's of a Philosophical Scrivener."
B.
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LittleToe
Derek:
Sorry to be pedantic, but you just know it's a shared wontFaith is belief without good reason.
Somehow I don't think we'll find that definition in a dictionary
Bradley:
I'd say that was a fairly balanced responsePS. I'm gonna have to stop winking - these guys will be starting to wonder about me...
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logansrun
To add to my initial response:
In my opinion, everything we believe or "know" requires a leap of faith. Some leaps are tiny others are gargantuan (and therefore, quite possibly irrational). So there is no getting around the fact that we all use faith in some way.
B.