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Please explain why if it wasn't due to an eternal multiverse or succession of universes that it could only have been a god. Perhaps if it wasn't an eternal multiverseor succession of universes the answer is that you don't know?
As an ignostic atheist, I am not even on that chart.
What other data might you have access to that I don't?
That would put the "atheist" in the impossible position of firstly defining what is meant by "God", then positing that such a thing does not exist.
Bad analogy. "Dark energy" is a tentative label put on the working hypothesis for certain behaviors of astronomical objects in independent verifiable observations. Evidence for its existence is not in dispute, while the mechanism (or necessary rewrite of the laws of physics) has yet to be determined.
Indeed, such as your definition for "atheism".
You would first have to define "miracle" is some testable, falsifiable manner. Examples, as well: Were you able to find your missing car keys? Did you get that perfect parking spot in front of the theatre? Or did your foot grow back after it was bitten off by the shark?
The word does have negative connotations. Would you consider yourself "deluded" by optical illusions?
What does that mean?
I haven't witnessed spectacular or undeniable miracles, but have heard of many who have. Consider near death experiences, in which people met God, and learned things they couldn't have known naturally (like who was outside the operating room, etc.) You won't convince them there is no God. Some are probably making it up, but I find it unreasonable to say all are. One doesn't counterfeit money that doesn't exist, rather what is in currency.
Everybody knows roughly what is meant by God. I think most atheists would say that none of the common definitions match up to an existing entity, which would be a truth statement.
Is theism being unconvinced of the proposition that there is no God? I think it more reasonable to assign the term agnostic to those who are unconvinced of either proposition.
I think it's a fairly good analogy. God is a tentative label put on the hypothesis of a personal origin of the universe, the mechanism of whose existence has yet to be determined.
Yes. While your first 2 examples may possibly be miracles, they may not and are not testable, as the last one is.
I agree, the vast majority of religious people have not been reasonable in their approach. I don't see that as meaning religion can't be reasonable. Most appeal to direct revelation, and while I believe there have been some revelations, I don't see that any are certainly from God or totally reliable. What is certain is that if God designed the universe and the human soul, there is much that can be deduced about his nature from the natural world and from history. Sure there's some uncertainty, but at least plenty of material to work with. I recently read in Rousseau's Emile, in his section called 'confession of a savoyard vicar' an interesting bit of reasoning along those lines. Unlike Rousseau, I deduce God's goodness from his wisdom rather than his power (and the latter two attributes from his creation of the universe). I agree with Sam Harris' understanding of the ground of morality, and say the wellbeing of all conscious creatures is the only moral system that can be consistently applied, thus the only one God would choose.
Yes, how about you? Of course, 100% proof almost never is available, and probability and values are both involved in forming our beliefs.
As near as I can tell, those are the only other possibilities, and I wonder why atheists don't try to defend them, unless it's that they don't want to make any potentially falsifiable claims. True, we don't know everything and I could be wrong, but since we have the need to explore and seek truth, and tend to believe something, I won't let the lack of 100% certainty stop me from reasoning and theorizing.
I have heard of many people that have been abducted by aliens, and returned. Are you concerned about being abducted by aliens? Testimony without corroborating evidence is of little value.
Provide one case in which this "learned things they couldn't have known" has been independently verified.
?
God is a character in a book. I do not speak for everyone.
I find attempts to shift the burden of evidence to others to be intellectually dishonest.
The terms are not mutually exclusive. Theism is the belief in deities, agnosticism is a position on knowledge. Why are you so hung up on labels?
Your analogy fails at your presupposition of a "personal origin of the universe". The "dark energy" label is applied to *actual* observed motion, not presupposed motion.
Define "miracle" in a testable, falsifiable manner.
Define "soul".
Atheism is only a position on the existence of deities.
When you get to reasoning and theorizing, let me know.
No, claims are shown to be true when they can be demonstrated to others as not simply being the result of personal experience, such as self deception, coincidence, and confirmation bias.
