Conversational Challenges

[Oceanian]

So this is my first thread. 

I've been having fun challenging christians on the internet in sites such as omegle, but I always come across christian arguments that are hard to answer, if I don't answer and remain silent, they would respond by saying: "Ha! See?", or feel a victory atleast. 
This has been bothering for me a while and I'd like to ask for advice on how to answer them.

Arguments such as: 

"How do you explain how you come from a rock?"

"What came before the big bang?"

"You can't proof the big bang occured!" 

"How do you proof god did not exist?"


These are just examples of what I've come across, but I would like them answered.

Also, if you've seen other arguments which you've succesfully answered, I'd like to see them as well to prepare me and the other readers.

Much thanks!

[Exian]

Some of those are "We don't know." And some are just a google search away.

For the last one, you need to understand the burden of proof and why it rests on the person making the claim.

[Oceanian]

Some of those are "We don't know." And some are just a google search away.

For the last one, you need to understand the burden of proof and why it rests on the person making the claim.

I'm sorry, but "We don't know." is a very weak argument against close-minded christians.

Also, google isn't such a reliable place to search for atheist arguments.

[robvalue]

Heya, welcome to the forum You've come to the right place, we love dismantling theists' arguments here.

"How do you explain how you come from a rock?"

No one is claiming "we came from a rock". This is confusing evolution and abiogenesis. We evolved from other life forms. The study of how life originated in the first place, abiogenesis, has not yet totally found an explanation. But they are getting very close. It seems like being "alive" is more of a sliding scale than a binary state, so going from a rock to what we generally consider a life form is not even being proposed. It appears to have happened very gradually. And no one has even said "a rock" is necessarily what it started from either.

Not having the exact answer to a question such as how life originated is not an invitation to make up your own unsupported explanations.

"What came before the big bang?"

No one knows. Several hypotheses have been put forward, but as yet the evidence has not been found to validate any of them. Again, not having the answer doesn't mean any made up nonsense becomes valid.

"You can't proof the big bang occured!

Wrong. It wouldn't be called the Big Bang Theory if it wasn't supported by evidence. Your friend has obviously done no research into the subject. Whether you personally can prove it is irrelevant, if that's what he means.

(Edit: as Thump says below, prove is the wrong word to use when dealing with physical reality; you can only demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt with evidence. And logical arguments alone are not evidence.)

"How do you proof god did not exist?"

You don't. There is no need to. The person who makes a claim, such as "God exists" has the burden of proof for providing evidence for that claim. If no evidence has been presented for or against the claim, all that means is that the answer is unknown. It doesn't mean it's true. Using this method to try and prove that God exists is called the argument from ignorance, the most common logical fallacy (error of thinking). Check out my website here for more details on why it's a terrible argument.

You'll find other awful arguments all over the forum, getting smashed up daily by those versed in logic. If you have any other specific ones, let us know!

You may want to check out the rest of my website for more information on common logical fallacies, which are usually the weak link in theistic arguments.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Arguments such as: 

"How do you explain how you come from a rock?"

"I don't know. But us not knowing does not mean your god is the answer."

"What came before the big bang?"

"I don't know. But us not knowing does not mean your god is the answer."

"You can't proof the big bang occured!" 

"Proof is in the realm of mathematics and logic. Science deals with evidence. Here's some for BB theory:

http://space.io9.com/have-physicists-det...1545591865

http://www.universetoday.com/106498/what...-big-bang/

Now, do you have any evidence for your god that has been confirmed by scientists?"

"How do you proof god did not exist?"

"If you wish to change my mind, you must demonstrate that he does exist."

These are just examples of what I've come across, but I would like them answered.

Also, if you've seen other arguments which you've succesfully answered, I'd like to see them as well to prepare me and the other readers.

Much thanks!

The amount of bullshit spewed out by believers, and successfully answered by non-believers, is such that this last invitation could lead to a book or three from a more diligent writer. My suggestion, though, would be to poke through the older threads here.

[Hmmm?]

Many times Jesus answered not a word. (Proverbs 10:19, he that refraineth his lips is wise) ...not every question has an answer, and even if it did you are under no obligation to respond. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him Pro 26:4

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Questions like "how do you explain how you come from a rock" are nonsensical. They're the kind of gish gallop questions that are thrown out there to try and obsuficate in a debate. Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of evolutionary biology or even intellectual debate per se can see the ploy and dismiss it with ease.

As rob says above, this is effectively a strawman as nobody is claiming that. 'Matter' would be a more appropriate field for discussion but even then, your opponent would likely see unknowns as a gap they can fit their god(s) into and thus claim a victory.

Welcome to the site all the same

[Crossless2.0]

As Exian said, the honest answer to some questions such as the one concerning abiogenesis or question 2 (assuming it is even a sensible question, which I doubt) is "We don't know -- yet." Furthermore, even if we never know the answers to some of these questions, that doesn't make their position any stronger or validate their belief in their invisible friend. It's just God-of-the-Gaps bullshit.

Question 3 is, as Exian also said, a google search away.

The important thing for you to understand is that theists use such questions to change the subject and shift the burden of evidence. When they ask for your "proof" that their god doesn't exist, they are simply trying to make you forget that they are the ones making the claim "My god exists" and that they must supply evidence for that claim if they expect to be taken seriously. Of course, they don't have a damn thing, which is why they try to pin the burden of evidence/proof on you. Don't let them. Call them on their ploy, insist that they provide evidence for their god's existence (aside from indulging in circular reasoning by quoting their holy book), and don't let them off the hook.

[robvalue]

Seriously, "we don't know" is the best and sometimes the only honest answer to a question.

You may want to ask your friend why he is so uncomfortable admitting we don't know something, so much so that he has to plug the hole of knowledge with the nearest available mythology.

Also, this is my favourite question to ask any theist: "Why should I care if there is a god? I'm not looking for things to worship."

I generally get no response, some utter gibberish, or "you'll go to hell if you don't worship it!"

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Some of those are "We don't know." And some are just a google search away.

For the last one, you need to understand the burden of proof and why it rests on the person making the claim.

I'm sorry, but "We don't know." is a very weak argument against close-minded christians.

Also, google isn't such a reliable place to search for atheist arguments.

What Christians or indeed anyone view as 'weak' when that's the only intellectual honest (and truthful) statement is their problem. There are countless, probably infinite subjects out there in the Universe that we as humanity know next to nothing about. Admitting this is not a vice, indeed it's the only way to open up those subjects to investigation.

If the answer is that you don't know, then you don't know.

It's much, much worse to make stuff up in lieu of admitting one's ignorance. That's what theists do.

I would also query what you mean by 'atheist arguments'?