Questions to God.

[Alc]

It is amusing to me that you still cling to this argument, even though it has been explained many times on this forum that this is not true. I think "stuck" accurately describes your state of mind. To recap the many many many many posts on this subject, and to add just one more for the heck of it:
1. What is "higher" life form? Without a definition, this argument is meaningless. I wouldn't necessarily agree that humans are the most intelligent creatures even on this planet. Again, without definitions, adjectives like "highest" and "chief intelligence" are completely meaningless.
2. None of the atheists I know deny the possibility of life on other planets that would probably be very different than us if they existed.
3. The question of whether different life forms exist on other planets is completely irrelevant to the question of whether there is a god or not, unless your religion is scientology. If your religion is scientology, you have much bigger problems.
4. To be an atheist, all you have to do is acknowledge that we don't know. We don't know how everything came to be or what happened in "the begining" or even whether there was a begining at all.

He's going to ignore all bar the last point and say that you're an agnostic.

 

[Alisa]

He's going to ignore all bar the last point and say that you're an agnostic.

I know, but it's been awhile since the last time we argued this point, and we are stuck under a blizzard here, so I figured, what the heck?

 

[Alc]

I know, but it's been awhile since the last time we argued this point, and we are stuck under a blizzard here, so I figured, what the heck?

In that case, just to try to force a new direction, I'll use up the words 'chimpanzee', 'DNA' and 'animals see us as gods'.

 

[Alisa]

In that case, just to try to force a new direction, I'll use up the words 'chimpanzee', 'DNA' and 'animals see us as gods'.

I was watching an old episode of House, and Cameron answered the argument by saying that penguins don't have any business worrying about nuclear physics, so humans don't have any business worrying about whether there is a god or not. Do you think he would like that one?

 

[Mike375]

4. To be an atheist, all you have to do is acknowledge that we don't know. We don't know how everything came to be or what happened in "the begining" or even whether there was a begining at all.

If you acknowledge the possibility of more advanced life forms than human (intellegence) then athiesm is thrown open to doubt.

 

[Alc]

I was watching an old episode of House, and Cameron answered the argument by saying that penguins don't have any business worrying about nuclear physics, so humans don't have any business worrying about whether there is a god or not. Do you think he would like that one?

It's a nice one-liner , but doesn't really lead anywhere.

How about if there's a god and everything was intelligently designed, how do Christians account for the Wayans brothers?

 

[Alisa]

If you acknowledge the possibility of more advanced life forms than human (intellegence) then athiesm is thrown open to doubt.

Wow, you fulfilled Alcs prediction perfectly. Way to go Mike.

 

[Alc]

If you acknowledge the possibility of more advanced life forms than human (intellegence) then athiesm is thrown open to doubt.

Ha!
Alisa is an agnostic, Alisa is an agnostic.

 

[Mike375]

He's going to ignore all bar the last point and say that you're an agnostic.

Because it is obvious.

Atheism is similar in principle to the Bible/Christian "born agains" There are no shades of gray.

As soon as other possibilities are acknowledged then you are agnostic.

 

[Alisa]

It's a nice one-liner , but doesn't really lead anywhere.

How about if there's a god and everything was intelligently designed, how do Christians account for the Wayans brothers?

That's the beauty of religious belief, you only account for the things you feel like accounting for. Everything else is due to god's unknowable will. I love how believers get this huge loophole for everything they can't explain, but if there is one tiny gap in a scientific theory that is still undergoing research, then that invalidates the whole theory. Must be nice.

 

[Alc]

Wow, you fulfilled Alcs prediction perfectly. Way to go Mike.

For, lo, did I prophesee it would be so, and so did it come to pass.

Is mine the true Word? That is for others to say.

 

[Mike375]

Ha!
Alisa is an agnostic, Alisa is an agnostic.

Well, that is what she said.

 

[Mike375]

That's the beauty of religious belief, you only account for the things you feel like accounting for.

What is your definition or if like description of religious belief.

 

[Alisa]

What is your definition or if like description of religious belief.

It is a mass delusion that causes people to believe that fairytales are real.

 

[Alisa]

Because it is obvious.

Atheism is similar in principle to the Bible/Christian "born agains" There are no shades of gray.

As soon as other possibilities are acknowledged then you are agnostic.

I totally respect your right to have your own personal definition of atheism. I just want to point out that your definition is completely different than the generally accepted definition of the word. I think that since you yourself are not an atheist, you should defer to those who are for the actual definition of the word.

 

[Alisa]

For, lo, did I prophesee it would be so, and so did it come to pass.

Is mine the true Word? That is for others to say.

Clearly.

You better start prophesizing the answers to everyone's questions right away.

 

[Mike375]

I totally respect your right to have your own personal definition of atheism. I just want to point out that your definition is completely different than the generally accepted definition of the word. I think that since you yourself are not an atheist, you should defer to those who are for the actual definition of the word.

How would describe atheism.

 

[Alisa]

How would describe atheism.

a meaning without
+
theism meaning belief in a deity

= without belief in a deity

 

[Mike375]

1. What is "higher" life form? Without a definition, this argument is meaningless. I wouldn't necessarily agree that humans are the most intelligent creatures even on this planet. Again, without definitions, adjectives like "highest" and "chief intelligence" are completely meaningless.

A life form more advanced than us at the integellence level and perhaps physically. Is it true that the defining factor of a god or gods is to possess abilities above man?

2. None of the atheists I know deny the possibility of life on other planets that would probably be very different than us if they existed.

That also applies to the ones I know. However, they apply atheism to God, after life and so on. That is those things normally thought of as religion. But they agree in they are in reality agnostic. In terms of the common use of "atheism" I wouod probably be classed as an atheist.

3. The question of whether different life forms exist on other planets is completely irrelevant to the question of whether there is a god or not, unless your religion is scientology. If your religion is scientology, you have much bigger problems.

As I just posted a god is a being with abilities beyond us. I think you confuse "a god or gods" with God.

 

[Mike375]

a meaning without
+
theism meaning belief in a deity

= without belief in a deity

Then how would describe diety. Would you include the various gods from ancient Greece etc.?