Does God need to prove He exists?
in [Physics]
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From: James Burns on 10 Jul 2008 18:50 Antares 531 wrote: > On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:56:23 -0700, ben_dolan_III(a)reet.com > (Ben Dolan) wrote: [...] >>Of course there's evidence for my deep feelings about my >>wife, but in case you've forgotten, we were talking about >>evidence of existence, not evidence of devotion. >>Not the same thing at all. [...] > Transferable in both cases? That was the question. > Is all evidence transferable? Gordon Non-transferable evidence makes as much sense as dehydrated water. Evidence is the common ground between two sides in a disagreement, the ground from which both move toward one side or the other. If something is not part of the beliefs common to both sides, then what is the point of mentioning it? Clearly what counts as evidence can vary wildly depending on how much in agreement. If Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton could argue about the nature of gravity, they might find so little in common between their points of view that they would be forced to start with statements like "The dial labeled 'VOLTS' reads 4.376." Two Republicans might disagree over whether President Clinton had Vince Foster killed, but be in agreement that Bill is evil. The evilness of Bill Clinton is evidence within their personal argument, even though it's easy to imagine other situations where it would be disputed -- and therefore not evidence. The only constant seems to be that evidence is common to both parties or, as you put it, transferable. Jim Burns
From: rbwinn on 10 Jul 2008 19:04 On Jul 9, 7:31 pm, "Steve O" <nospamh...(a)thanks.com> wrote: > "rbwinn" <rbwi...(a)juno.com> wrote in message news:db1c5671-b400-4028-8821- > > >> IME, children are naturally credulous. �We pick explanations that fit the > >> available facts. �If our environment acts as if Santa Claus is real and > >> we > >> have no evidence to doubt that assertion, we believe.- Hide quoted text - > > >> - Show quoted text - > > > Or, like Steve O's little boy, if the parents say there is no God, > > they try to believe what they hear their parents say. > > Robert B. Winn > > You obviously weren't listening. > I haven't told him there is no God. > I'm sure, like his sister, he can make his own mind up later on that. > I just hope I can equip him with the critical thinking skills required to > come to that decision. > > -- > Steve O So you are saying that you son does not know you are an atheist. That is certainly very open minded. Robert B. Winn
From: rbwinn on 10 Jul 2008 19:08 On Jul 9, 7:33�pm, "Steve O" <nospamh...(a)thanks.com> wrote: > "rbwinn" <rbwi...(a)juno.com> wrote in message > > news:6611e060-1646-451f-9f3c-714336fde501(a)d1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com... > > > > > Atheists control the education system. > > Stop lying. > My daughter attends a faith based school which is partially funded by the > church. > What makes you think atheists are in control of it? > > -- > Steve O All schools are subject to laws passed by this atheist controlled government, not just public schools. Robert B. Winn
From: rbwinn on 10 Jul 2008 19:09 On Jul 9, 7:35 pm, "Steve O" <nospamh...(a)thanks.com> wrote: > "rbwinn" <rbwi...(a)juno.com> wrote in message > > news:f5efb864-36d1-4874-8bac-19bf4bc3d755(a)z72g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > > > > > > > On Jul 8, 8:11�am, The Natural Philosopher <a...(a)b.c> wrote: > >> Steve O wrote: > > >> > "Alex W." <ing...(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message > >> >news:6dh49mF2hjcqU1(a)mid.individual.net... > > >> >> "Steve O" <nospamh...(a)thanks.com> wrote in message > >> >>news:6dg2m3F2d900U1(a)mid.individual.net... > > >> >>> "rbwinn" <rbwi...(a)juno.com> wrote in message > >> >>>news:7b8ae166-6369-43d9-9a73-74e6975c43c2(a)e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com... > > >> >>>> On Jul 6, 9:42 pm, BuddyThunder <nos...(a)paradise.net.nz> wrote: > >> >>>>> rbwinn wrote: > >> >>>>> > On Jul 6, 5:06 pm, BuddyThunder <nos...(a)paradise.net.nz> wrote: > >> >>>>> >> rbwinn wrote: > >> >>>>> >>> On Jul 6, 11:02?am, The Natural Philosopher <a...(a)b.c> wrote: > >> >>>>> >>>> rbwinn wrote: > >> >>>>> >>>>> My definition of sin was willful disobedience of God. > >> >>>>> ?Bearing >>>>> false > >> >>>>> >>>>> witness about me would fall under the category of willful > >> >>>>> >>>>> disobedience > >> >>>>> >>>>> of God. > >> >>>>> >>>> In that case you are totally guilty of that exact sin. > >> >>>>> >>>> We have already established by your own definitions that you > >> >>>>> are a > >> >>>>> >>>> sinful person (onkl Jesus is free of sin you said) , and your > >> >>>>> lack >>>> of > >> >>>>> >>>> charity excommnunicates you as a Christian. (you wont talk to > >> >>>>> God >>>> on > >> >>>>> >>>> anyones behalf..) > >> >>>>> >>>> I think you are in deep trouble, dude. > >> >>>>> >>> No, I am fine. I say a little prayer every once in a while > >> >>>>> >>> about > >> >>>>> >>> atheists. > >> >>>>> >> That one ever get answered? ;-)- Hide quoted text - > > >> >>>>> >> - Show quoted text - > > >> >>>>> > Well, I know one atheist who became a Christian. > > >> >>>>> Ah nice. I was just such a man. I eventually grew out of it though. > >> >>>>> :-)- Hide quoted text - > > >> >>>>> - Show quoted text - > > >> >>>> Well, you were just an atheist working undercover. > >> >>>> If you were going back to atheism, you were never really a believer. > >> >>>> Robert B. Winn > > >> >>> Every single atheist in this newsgroup started out as an atheist. (so > >> >>> did every Christian too, for that matter) > >> >>> Some of us converted to Christianity from atheism, then back again.. > >> >>> I have a two year old who is an atheist, he has absolutely no belief > >> >>> in God whatsoever. > > >> >> I'm not sure that counts, seeing as he believes in Santa Claus, the > >> >> Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the Monster Under The Bed. > > >> > Actually, he's also asantaist, abunnyist, afairyist and amonsterist > >> > too. > >> > He's only two years old, Alex, he doesn't even know what those things > >> > are yet, plus, we're very careful about what sort of fairy tales we > >> > tell > >> > him anyway. > >> > Besides, kids aren't dumb. > >> > Any parent could see that kids operate on two levels anyway. > >> > On one level, they like the fantasy/monster stories and enjoy being > >> > scared by them, and on another level they are fully aware that it's > >> > only > >> > make- believe. > >> > They're not stupid but they enjoy the exciting pretence of it all > >> > The only time it becomes stupid is when they carry that over to > >> > adulthood and start believing that the magic stories are real. > > >> >> IME, children are naturally credulous. > > >> > Naturally trusting, not credulous. > >> > There's a difference . > > >> >> We pick explanations that fit the available facts. �If our environment > >> >> acts as if Santa Claus is real and we have no evidence to doubt that > >> >> assertion, we believe. > > >> > It all depends on what Mom and Pop tell us, right? > >> > When we're telling them about Jack and the beanstalk, they know we're > >> > not being serious, but still go along with the story. > >> > The problem occurs when we tell them about Jesus walking on water and > >> > raising the dead, and they naturally assume we are being serious about > >> > that, because we always make the distinction either directly or > >> > indirectly between one magic story and the other. > >> > "Now forget about all of those silly magic stories we told you - here's > >> > some REAL magic stories" > >> > The Santa story is simply training wheels for the God story any way. > >> > It amazes me that at my daughters school, she can have science lessons > >> > one minute, where she is taught to examine facts using the scientific > >> > method, and in the next Religious Education lesson straight afterward, > >> > she is told to abandon any critical thinking skills and simply believe. > >> > Why does the education system insist on trying to confuse our children > >> > like that? > > >> No problem, provided she realises there is a sign over the RI classroom > >> saying 'abandon reason, all ye who enter here'- Hide quoted text - > > >> - Show quoted text - > > > She is only going to that class so that you will have something to > > complain about. > > Robert B. Winn > > What are you talking about? > She has no choice as to whether she attends those classes or not - they are > part of the school curriculum. > Fortunately, she's a smart cookie, because she still gets top marks in her > R.E. exams but understands it is all a load of baloney too. > > -- > Steve O > a.a. #2240 (Apatheist Chapter) > B.A.A.W.A. > Convicted by Earthquack > Exempt from purgatory by papal indulgence- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - It sounds to me as though you send you daughter to this particular school so that you can complain to other atheists about how the school is run. Then atheists can work together to try to control what this private school teaches. Robert B. Winn
From: Alex W. on 10 Jul 2008 19:51
"rbwinn" <rbwinn3(a)juno.com> wrote in message news:29490a24-1365-458b-9eba-9a8196e5834d(a)d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... I have never been to Las Vegas. Anyway, Las Vegas was built by organized crime and Howard Hughes. =========== Mormons were the first white settlers of Las Vegas, in 1855. They still make up around 12% of the population. |