Posts by passwordprotected

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

Therefore, as we don't know how the universe or life came to be, the most probable answer is "it just did".

Would I be churlish to suggest this is absolute reductionism? We've to accept evolution is the ultimate answer until we reach the end of evolution (in reality, the start of evolution), then we're presented with even bigger questions as to how life itself began but we've then to accept "it just did" as the answer? Have we to accept that as the answer because science has no other?

Of course, going back to the OP, if we take Gould at his word, science can't be used to prove or disprove God. Therefore I'd suggest that atheism is a faith and a blind one.

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

What's so intellectually hard about not knowing, and not needing to know, the existence of a Creator?

Please refer to the OP. I'm not suggesting it's intellectually hard. I'm surprised you've decided to use a strawman.

75

Why Do people think they need A GOD to be good people?

by LucyA in

i decided after much study and soul searching that i dont believe in god.

ive noticed recently (not on the forum but others) some people seem to think that if i dont believe in a god that im obviously morally bankrupt.

i dont feel this way as i give a portion of my income to charity and i have never set out to harm anyone else.

passwordprotected

Perry, if God ever chooses to communicate to all, once and for all, what is "good", then we certainly won't need you to speak for him.

Does the Moral Law communicate what is "good"?

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

Password - I respectfully repeat my request for some examples of the evidence you referred to in your last answer to me

The fantastic intricacy of evolutionary threads could point to absolute randomness. Or it could point to an incredibly intelligent and complex supernatural being called God.

Unlike others on this forum, I'm not from a scientific background, but I thought this statement summed up what I'm trying to get across;

You can be a theist, believing that behind the veil of randomness lurks an active, loving, manipulative God, or you can be a materialist, for whom everything is matter and energy interacting within space and time. Whichever metaphysical club you belong to, the science comes out the same.

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

If you believe there is a God, then bless you. Now go your own way and stop being an ass just because some people disagree with you.

That's the sum total of your argument? I've to stop this debate and cease being an ass?

32

Is Life a Blind and Pitiless Existance?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if we're merely animals, controlled by greedy, selfish genes, if life is just a blind and pitiless existence which perfectly reflects the universe in which we live, what is the purpose of it all?.

passwordprotected

If we're merely animals, controlled by greedy, selfish genes, if life is just a blind and pitiless existence which perfectly reflects the universe in which we live, what is the purpose of it all?

25

Human Animals?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

inspired by this comment (post 16581 from satanus), i dug out a quote from richard dawkins;.

i wonder whether, some 60 years after hitler's death, we might at least venture to ask what the moral difference is between breeding for musical ability and forcing a child to take music lessons.

or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them.

passwordprotected

You seem to have a large amount of irrational fear. How many evolutionists talk about killing people?

Again with the straw man.

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

How would you answer a member of the LDS church who believes God spoke through the Book of Mormon and through Joseph Smith?

From a Christian perspective I'd point to Jesus as being the absolute last word. If Jesus is not front and centre of any post-Messiah revelation then I'd have to reject it and question where the voice of God actually came from.

Galations 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

Back to the OP;

Steven Jay Gould said ;

"Science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature. We cannot affirm nor deny it; we simply can't comment on it as scientists."

Taking Gould at his word, and removing anything science may have to say on the subject - which would mean that atheists cannot point to empirical scientific evidence or anything pertaining to science - how does a person have proof that God doesn't exist?

232

Is Atheism a Form of Blind Faith?

by passwordprotected in

jw
friends

if god is outside of nature and therefore cannot be proved or disproved by science, is atheism a form of blind faith?

after all, it cannot be defended on the basis of pure reason.. steven jay gould said;.

"science simply cannot by its legitimate methods adjudicate the issue of god's possible superintendence of nature.

passwordprotected

What I have brought up is that at best, that can only be good enough for you. Share it, I expect you to share it.

So, that's the experience of God and faith. You feel the presence of God in your life. Belief in God comes from personal experience. For some, that through seeing a stunning sunset. For others it's being healed.

If a person doesn't see God or hear God in their life, I wouldn't expect them to believe in him. If a person does see and hear God in their life, I would expect them to believe in him.