| Creation & Evolution Forum for the discussion of this important topic. This forum is open to non-believers. There is a Christians-only forum in the Christians-only section too. |  | | 
1st February 2005, 08:54 AM
|  | Ace2whoa - resident geneticist 30  | | Join Date: 21st September 2004 Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 2,596
Blessings: 95,656
Reps: 9,921 (power: 19) | | | Argument from incredulity I speak as a Christian here, please bear that in mind.
It amazes me that YECs and so on sometimes argue against ToE on a premise of incredulity ("do you know the chances..." "how likely...").
And yet the alternative provided is that an invisible, omnipresent, omnipotent being described to us in a book written thousands of years ago created us in our current form from sand.
Now I believe in God ( as those who know me will know, I also accept the ToE) so don't think I'm arguing against God. However, given the above summary, how can YECs not realise that incredulity is a fairly poor position to argue from?
h2
__________________ "This isn't right... This isn't even wrong" - Wolfgang Pauli "Yes, the long war on Christianity. I pray that one day we may live in an America where Christians can worship freely! In broad daylight! Openly wearing the symbols of their religion…. perhaps around their necks? And maybe — dare I dream it? — maybe one day there can be an openly Christian President. Or, perhaps, 43 of them. Consecutively." - Jon Stewart | 
1st February 2005, 09:07 AM
|  | Quis custodiet ipsos custodes 25  | | Join Date: 9th October 2004
Posts: 2,992
Blessings: 91,221
Reps: 5,546 (power: 0) | | You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to h2whoa again.
Nice post | 
1st February 2005, 09:21 AM
|  | Legend 59 
| | Join Date: 9th February 2002 Location: Ohio
Posts: 25,410
Blessings: 220,509
Reps: 12,682 (power: 0) | | Originally Posted by h2whoa created us in our current form from sand.
Adam was created from the "Adamah" or the ground, translated earth in some verses. It means red faced or ruddy. To represent the blood. | 
1st February 2005, 10:35 AM
|  | Senior Veteran
 | | Join Date: 11th July 2003
Posts: 5,808
Blessings: 1,076,788 My Mood
Reps: 110,752,247,190,129,088 (power: 110,752,247,190,143) | | Originally Posted by h2whoa .
And yet the alternative provided is that an invisible, omnipresent, omnipotent being described to us in a book written thousands of years ago created us in our current form from sand.
Now I believe in God ( as those who know me will know, I also accept the ToE) so don't think I'm arguing against God. However, given the above summary, how can YECs not realise that incredulity is a fairly poor position to argue from?
h2
So because there is no other alternative we must accept ToE? What if we throw out God all together...what other alternative could there be? I am not arguing for YEC you know that I don't adhere to that interpretation and you know that I don't totally dismiss ToE. But you must admit that ToE has many areas of incredulity in itself.
If you are a Christian and know that God exists then why does it seem so incredulous that God didn't step out of the picture and had more to do with it all than what you seem to expect? Just curious. | 
1st February 2005, 10:52 AM
| | PhD in Blasphemy
 | | Join Date: 4th November 2004
Posts: 506
Blessings: 90,042
Reps: 1,642 (power: 9) | | Originally Posted by Oncedeceived If you are a Christian and know that God exists
No one knows whether god exists or not. | 
1st February 2005, 10:58 AM
|  | Redistributor of wealth 39  | | Join Date: 18th January 2005 Location: Thirty thousand light-years from Galactic Central Point
Posts: 739
Blessings: 90,524
Reps: 4,042 (power: 12) | | Originally Posted by Oncedeceived So because there is no other alternative we must accept ToE?
I don't think he's saying that at all. He's saying that one tactic that YECs use against evolution--the so-called Argument from Personal Incredulity (or the "Holywha?!" Defense, as I sometimes think of it)--is undermined by its own unbelievability. A deity, in and of itself, is even more incredible and impossible a thing than evolution. If you are a Christian and know that God exists then why does it seem so incredulous that God didn't step out of the picture and had more to do with it all than what you seem to expect? Just curious.
Which is a fair counter: if you accept the existance of a deity, and have faith in it, than the incredulity of its existance ceases to be incredulous. | 
1st February 2005, 01:03 PM
|  | Ace2whoa - resident geneticist 30  | | Join Date: 21st September 2004 Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 2,596
Blessings: 95,656
Reps: 9,921 (power: 19) | | Originally Posted by Oncedeceived So because there is no other alternative we must accept ToE? What if we throw out God all together...what other alternative could there be?.
Hi Oncedeceived, how you doing? I feel that Dennis Moore has pretty well answered this part. It was a comment on the futility of trying to attack ToE because of incredulity (or more likely, lack of understanding) by appealing to a deity, which many perceive with complete incredulity. Originally Posted by Oncedeceived If you are a Christian and know that God exists then why does it seem so incredulous that God didn't step out of the picture and had more to do with it all than what you seem to expect? Just curious.
Good question. I wouldn't be incredulous of said event, if the evidence actually supported that that's what happened. However, the evidence doesn't support that description of events. It's a simple matter of evidence.
h2
__________________ "This isn't right... This isn't even wrong" - Wolfgang Pauli "Yes, the long war on Christianity. I pray that one day we may live in an America where Christians can worship freely! In broad daylight! Openly wearing the symbols of their religion…. perhaps around their necks? And maybe — dare I dream it? — maybe one day there can be an openly Christian President. Or, perhaps, 43 of them. Consecutively." - Jon Stewart | 
1st February 2005, 02:18 PM
|  | Senior Veteran
 | | Join Date: 11th July 2003
Posts: 5,808
Blessings: 1,076,788 My Mood
Reps: 110,752,247,190,129,088 (power: 110,752,247,190,143) | | Originally Posted by kahri No one knows whether god exists or not.
I don't know about anyone else but I do. And before you are tempted to say that there is a difference between believing and knowing...I know that too. | 
1st February 2005, 02:23 PM
|  | Senior Veteran
 | | Join Date: 11th July 2003
Posts: 5,808
Blessings: 1,076,788 My Mood
Reps: 110,752,247,190,129,088 (power: 110,752,247,190,143) | | Originally Posted by Dennis Moore I don't think he's saying that at all. He's saying that one tactic that YECs use against evolution--the so-called Argument from Personal Incredulity (or the "Holywha?!" Defense, as I sometimes think of it)--is undermined by its own unbelievability. A deity, in and of itself, is even more incredible and impossible a thing than evolution.
But see it isn't incredulous to us God is not impossible nor is He in the same scope incredible. Granted it is to you. But as being more incredible or impossible that only rests with you. Do you see? So on our side of the fence your agrument of the ToE is perhaps seen in the same light as "Holywha??" in yours. Which is a fair counter: if you accept the existance of a deity, and have faith in it, than the incredulity of its existance ceases to be incredulous.
I'm not sure that is true. | 
1st February 2005, 02:25 PM
|  | with a Touch of Grey 48  | | Join Date: 31st October 2003
Posts: 10,996
Blessings: 3,083,336 My Mood
Reps: 56,658,641,732,305,168 (power: 56,658,641,732,324) | | Originally Posted by h2whoa how can YECs not realise that incredulity is a fairly poor position to argue from?
h2
Because they just can't believe that it is.
__________________ It is an established maxim and moral that he who makes an assertion without knowing whether it is true or false is guilty of falsehood, and the accidental truth of the assertion does not justify or excuse him.
-- Abraham Lincoln
They that would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-- Ben Franklin |  | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | | | |