What atheists fail to understand

[mindlight]

Again, I think you are trying to cookie cutter, the reasons people either form belief, or non-belief.

People believe for different reasons and people get to a point, where they no longer believe, for different reasons.

Yes there are different paths to stupidity or wisdom. The point is to be honest about what we experience. If we witness miracles in ourselves or others then we know that a merely naturalistic explanation does not work.

 

[mindlight]

Perhaps not, but it's definitely a foundation that many never shake.

When we're young we're hardwired to listen and mimic our parents. It's a matter of survival not unique to our species. Being told something is true repeatedly and having that opinion reinforced by the adults around you is something that sinks in and sticks.

A Christian family gives a head start and a predisposition for the truth, but the last mile is always the work of God directly in the believer.

 

[mindlight]

To be more correct, I'd say that the Rock is as much a part of Life as are you and I. It's the animating life force manifest in the natural world that infuses all creation with moisture and vitality that I worship. Hildegard called it Greening Power. From that perspective, which I fully endorse, the very nature of the Universe is Creativity. In that power of Creativity, the Universe does need to Create. It can not help itSelf from doing so. Atoms combine to from molecules, and so forth.

Rocks are dead - the Universe knows how to kill far better than it knows how to give life. Show me one example where life springs from nonlife!

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

Thats not what believers are doing. It just happens to be that believers have come to the conclusion that God is the best explanation for the cause of what we see and experience called life. Atheists have not come to this conclusion but believers coming to this conclusion is not irrational and is at least possible.

So tell me: what is the difference between the following -

1. These basalt pillars are so complex and structured: they must be the remnants of a bridge built by giants.

2. These snow flakes are so intricate and artistic: they must have been crafted by snow fairies.

3. Life is so complex: it needs a Divine designer!

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

So tell me: what is the difference between the following -

1. These basalt pillars are so complex and structured: they must be the remnants of a bridge built by giants.

2. These snow flakes are so intricate and artistic: they must have been crafted by snow fairies.

3. Life is so complex: it needs a Divine designer!

The problem you have and other nonbelievers is you have been told that God of the bible = fairies but its not true. In fact in your very own mind you know they do no equal each other so why try?

 

[High Fidelity]

The problem you have and other nonbelievers is you have been told that God of the bible = fairies but its not true. In fact in your very own mind you know they do no equal each other so why try?

That isn't what she's saying. She's saying each are equally credulous and incredulous at the same time.

Any claim can be made on the basis of faith, so long as that's all it's considered. To claim it's truth is to claim it's incontrovertible and objectively true to the point it's obvious and apparent to anyone who views the evidence; this is not the case with any religion.

We can never truly know. Christianity doesn't have anything Islam or Hinduism etc doesn't, they ultimately rely or faith. If that's the system you choose to have faith in then that's fine, but it's still just faith, it isn't knowing and never can be.

 

[High Fidelity]

A Christian family gives a head start and a predisposition for the truth, but the last mile is always the work of God directly in the believer.

It doesn't give a predisposition to truth, it gives a predisposition to belief and belief without question where the burden of proof isn't necessary.

There are a billion Muslims equally convinced as you are that they're right and you are wrong.

People see what they want to see and in systems where objective truth is absent and faith is the last bastion between submission and disbelief, it's all that matters to most. It's no surprise the average person in America or the West grows up Christian and the average person in the Middle East grows up Muslim. In addition to that, it's no surprise when a Sunni or Shia Muslim family raise children to believe their sect is true, as is the case with most denominational Christians.

 

[mindlight]

So tell me: what is the difference between the following -

1. These basalt pillars are so complex and structured: they must be the remnants of a bridge built by giants.

What giants?

2. These snow flakes are so intricate and artistic: they must have been crafted by snow fairies.

What fairies

3. Life is so complex: it needs a Divine designer!

God demonstrated who he was in Christ. He said He created life in His scriptures. The other explanations do not work.

 

[High Fidelity]

Wh

What giants?



What fairies



God demonstrated who he was in Christ. He said He created life in His scriptures. The other explanations do not work.

At if we wrote a book that relied on hearsay as evidence?

 

[mindlight]

It doesn't give a predisposition to truth, it gives a predisposition to belief and belief without question where the burden of proof isn't necessary.

There are a billion Muslims equally convinced as you are that they're right and you are wrong.

People see what they want to see and in systems where objective truth is absent and faith is the last bastion between submission and disbelief, it's all that matters to most. It's no surprise the average person in America or the West grows up Christian and the average person in the Middle East grows up Muslim. In addition to that, it's no surprise when a Sunni or Shia Muslim family raise children to believe their sect is true, as is the case with most denominational Christians.

2 incompatible positions cannot both be right. Either Jesus is God and he died on a cross or not.

Having met numerous people from the Middle East who are Christian and many converts to Islam from European backgrounds your point is moot anyway.

An honest person will find a way to the truth and a dishonest one will prefer the lie is the principle here. Cultures molded by truth are more susceptible to it while cultures molded by centuries of lies and oppression are far less so. Faith is in something that is regarded as true and trustworthy. It cannot really be separated from this consideration. When someone chooses to accept a lie for fear, advantage or convenience that is different from someone trusting their lives to someone they regard as true.

 

[dlamberth]

God is the source of life , nature is broken.

God IS Love. And God isn't broken.

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

That isn't what she's saying. She's saying each are equally credulous and incredulous at the same time.

Any claim can be made on the basis of faith, so long as that's all it's considered. To claim it's truth is to claim it's incontrovertible and objectively true to the point it's obvious and apparent to anyone who views the evidence; this is not the case with any religion.

We can never truly know. Christianity doesn't have anything Islam or Hinduism etc doesn't, they ultimately rely or faith. If that's the system you choose to have faith in then that's fine, but it's still just faith, it isn't knowing and never can be.

I don't think a fairy is equal to the God of the bible in any way and if it was then atheists would go on tours titled Fairys are dead. Even sam harris said all Gods are dead but one of the abrahamic faith. So even your leaders don't believe fairy= God because they don't go around giving talks on fairies.

 

[dlamberth]

I don't think a fairy is equal to the God of the bible in any way and if it was then atheists would go on tours titled Fairys are dead. Even sam harris said all Gods are dead but one of the abrahamic faith. So even your leaders don't believe fairy= God because they don't go around giving talks on fairies.

In all honesty, God as depicted in the Bible that is judgemental, separate and apart from this Creation? I think Faries have more of a chance of reality than that God.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

What giants?



What fairies



God demonstrated who he was in Christ. He said He created life in His scriptures. The other explanations do not work.

And *another* supposedly holy book clearly states that the cosmos was created from a milky ocean stirred by the Hindu gods. Krishna's speech to Arjuna clearly establishes him as the supreme being.

Another tells us that God is from Planet Kolob, and black skin the result of a Divine curse.

Yet another tells us Hailie Selassie is the messiah, hiding until the final battle that will squash "Babylon", that is: the western world.

There is nothing that sets Christianity apart from any other religion or ancient myth, whether people still believe in it or not.

 

[Noxot]

I think that concepts such as "infinite goodness" are alien concepts to many atheist and which probably won't make much sense in their understanding of reality but I think that the outer appearance of what they are is only a superficial comprehension of them because appearances can't fully account for their spirit or "the inner person of the heart" which is the one God judges.

often their outlook on what constitutes truth or the ways they pick which they feel are valid to judge what reality is are different than some religious types.

I kind of fear that most of them will tend to think that a mere construction of social goods is enough for humanity due to the lack of focus on ideas such as "the immortality of the soul" might lend them. but even individualism is largely an idea from the USA as far as i know.

anyways, even in the same religion there are extremes that lead to very different world views. for instance not all Christians believe in the souls immortality. some think that some souls will be deleted due to incompatibility with Gods desires.

 

[dlamberth]

And *another* supposedly holy book clearly states that the cosmos was created from a milky ocean stirred by the Hindu gods. Krishna's speech to Arjuna clearly establishes him as the supreme being.

Another tells us that God is from Planet Kolob, and black skin the result of a Divine curse.

Yet another tells us Hailie Selassie is the messiah, hiding until the final battle that will squash "Babylon", that is: the western world.

There is nothing that sets Christianity apart from any other religion or ancient myth, whether people still believe in it or not.

And another that this world was created on the back of a Turtle.

 

[High Fidelity]

And another that this world was created on the back of a Turtle.

There are something like 330 million recorded gods.

 

[Noxot]

there is a possibility that the more popular religions are what they are because they struck deeply enough into the heart of humanity to stay relevant to some measure even though that is not the full reason as to why things are the way they are.

other factors such as the evil actions of humans that try to bite and devour each other in a war for dominance and safety or the progressive historical symphony leading to further and further development and revelation are also at play.

 

[Robban]

There are something like 330 million recorded gods.

Not more, no wonder some people feel left out.

We are around 7 billion.

 

[dlamberth]

Not more, no wonder some people feel left out.

We are around 7 billion.

Which gives us around 7 billion images of God.