Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by River Otter on March 28, 2009 at 11:08pm

Wow!! Well written Nelson!

Thanks for the great ideas, facinating read. :D

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by oldboy on March 30, 2009 at 3:43am

it seems well "silly" that any god if their is one floating around somewhere could be comprehended by man and if their is one i would feel he, she, it or other, would rather watch the grass grow than man destroy itself from the inside out or from the outside in, it all depends on how you see it

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Caleb Simmons on April 14, 2009 at 3:03am

Nelson didn't answer the question of what if he is wrong. Sure we may have spent time believing a God that doesnt exist, but 1 side has to be wrong. So if that is you Mr Nelson, does the thought of hell bother you at all..if you know what the Bible says about it?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nelson on April 14, 2009 at 3:09am

the question is meaningless Caleb. i might as well ask you how wet water feels. that's what i was pointing out.
but since you asked, if i'm wrong, i'll face the consequences while demanding an explanation for why your loving god refused to make his existence plain during my life like he did for so many people in biblical times.

i notice that you didn't address a single one of my points though. interesting. what if you're wrong Caleb? what if you've chosen the wrong god or the wrong sect of Christianity and so you find yourself in the hell of another of the thousands of gods? do you mean to suggest that, in light of the supposed penalty for being wrong, i should adopt the cover your ass style belief implicit in the "what if you're wrong" question? do you really respect your god that much that you believe he'd fall for that? do you really find him that vain that he would rather that style of belief over honest skepticism in the face of the lack of all evidence?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Johnny on April 14, 2009 at 12:11pm

Why "1 side has to be wrong?" This seems to imply that you only thing there are 2 sides.

As Nelson points out, what about the hundreds/thousands of other gods/religions/sects?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kirk Holden on January 24, 2010 at 3:07pm

To further bolster Nelson's point #1 in his prior refutation, see this video (shorter version in TA video bucket) where Neil degrasse Tyson enumerates the lessons of history where "god stops further investigations".

There are bad consequences for theism, they are measurable. Pascal's logic is invalid.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Celeste Logan on May 30, 2009 at 4:38pm

Awesome post, Nelson. Two thumbs up.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wesley on January 24, 2010 at 9:17pm

I think you hit upon the most important and troubling point. MOST theists believe that an extremely large number of theists are wrong.

Think about that for a second....or even a minute or two.

Most believers in God believe that other believers in God...are wrong... They either worship the wrong god or the wrong way.

They believe that others believe the wrong book...Why?.... because Their book says that IT is the only, best, last interpretation of the truth.

When you have multiple books and faiths that lay claim to the sole truth....they can't all possibly be right... BUT... They can certainly all be wrong.

These theists aren't just against the skeptical mind.. they are against the believers mind if they don't follow in theological lockstep with themselves.

so what we have is theological opposition with no way to determine the veracity of truth claims. Each have their miracles, saints, prophets, visions etc.

Is God playing the field? How do you judge between miracles of one faith vs miracles of another? Prophecies of one faith vs prophecies of another?

Is the Devil granting prayers and miracles to fool people so that they believe the wrong religion? (I have actually had this argument put before me)

Its not enough to just 'believe' a God exists.... but you have to believe in THEIR 'definition' of God otherwise you are just as bad off as the atheist.

Think about that. Even if you DO believe in God.... its not enough. You have to believe in the correct definition and follow the correct religion.

If the hypothetical god does exist and asks 'Why did you not believe'.... you can seriously answer ' Because there were too many choices and not enough evidence to judge between them.

They all make the same claims... all claim the same evidence and proofs...and all ultimately fail on the same grounds.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MightyMateo on March 5, 2009 at 7:37am

What if YOU'RE wrong? lol

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pam on March 5, 2009 at 9:48am

Pssh! I'm never wrong! ;-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rev. James Thomas Hicks, D.D. on March 5, 2009 at 1:18pm

I'm always wrong. I get by on other people's ideas.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Aric on March 7, 2009 at 10:37pm

Personally, if I'm wrong, which I am most probably not, I'd rather burn in hell than sit in heaven with the people I used to sit in church with.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• …
• 6
• Next ›
• Page