(September 26, 2013 at 8:54 am)John V Wrote:(September 26, 2013 at 8:31 am)FallentoReason Wrote: Your metaphysical interactions with your god are no different to metaphysical interactions with unverifiable lawn-growing gnomes. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you still can't grasp that thought, but there it is as plainly as I can put it. Now, I would also assume that to a rational person, such a realisation would be rather grim, because applying belief to a gnome just like you apply it to your god is... well... *insane*.... unless you have reasons for why you believe in God in such a way that you might as well be believing in unverifiable lawn-growing gnomes. Can you explain yourself please?My arguments so far have had nothing to do with metaphysical interactions, whatever that is. My arguments have been based on examination of the originators of the different concepts and their claims, possible motivations, and behaviors. So far, no one has been able to even show me a serious claim regarding the existence of gnomes. For all I know, the originators of gnomes were admittedly making them up and had no intent that anyone believe gnomes are real. Some Biblical authors OTOH specifically said that they were reporting actual occurrences with the intent that the readers believe. Again, rational people place a higher probability on the accuracy of books from the history or biography sections than books from the fiction section. Doesn't mean that the histories or biographies are necessarily accurate, but when an author admits the works is fiction, we're nearly certain that it isn't accurate.
By "metaphysical interactions" I mean the way in which you "engage" with your god specifically when it comes to belief/faith. Philosophically speaking, you might as well believe in gnomes.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" ~ Aristotle