http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheist

'a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings'

(September 28, 2011 at 9:50 am)Jesuslovesyou Wrote: The concept of the 'Atom' was created by man - through pure imagination. No such things have ever been seen, only actions attributed to them.

Atoms were detected. Now we can see and mess around with them. Now it's funny isn't it, we cannot see atoms but we detected them and now we are capable of splitting them and change the most dangerous of chemicals to harmless ones.

God, and his so called "creation" has not been detected.

(September 28, 2011 at 10:02 am)ElDinero Wrote: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheist

'a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings'

You've just proved me correct, thank you.

(September 28, 2011 at 10:07 am)Ace Otana Wrote: Atoms were detected. Now we can see and mess around with them. Now it's funny isn't it, we cannot see atoms but we detected them and now we are capable of splitting them and change the most dangerous of chemicals to harmless ones.

God, and his so called "creation" has not been detected.

But it's all just theory. No one has ever seen or held an atom, you only see the results of splitting it etc. God is no different - you can't experience it with your senses but you can see it's effects on the universe (laws of physics, existence of life and humans, existence of the universe itself).

There are so many things we don't know about the universe, until we understand the very fabric of time and space why can't we assume it's God(s)?

If everything is evidence for God, you should have no trouble focusing on some specific thing and elaborating upon the evidence that you leverage to reach this conclusion. When we say "everything" as an explanation, it is identical to "nothing" in practice.

For example, if "everything" is evidence for the existence of god, than my morning erection would fall under that header. Unfortunately we have a simpler and much more well demonstrated cause for this phenomena. Assuming god until we know everything is a god of the gaps and an argument from ignorance, and why not assume that my Vienna Sausages are the creator instead, if that's the entire argument?

Quote:But it's all just theory. No one has ever seen or held an atom, you only see the results of splitting it etc. God is no different - you can't experience it with your senses but you can see it's effects on the universe (laws of physics, existence of life and humans, existence of the universe itself).

We can detect, test, measure and yes, observe atoms. We have the technology to do that. If we didn't, the collider in Europe would never have been built.
Unlike god, we can detect atoms.

Quote: why can't we assume it's God(s)?

Because it wouldn't make any sense. We don't start with an assumption then look for the evidence, we look for the evidence and reach a conclusion. You're doing it back to front.
We wouldn't assume Santa created the universe and we shouldn't assume god created it either. We should state what we know right now, which is we simply don't know.

(September 28, 2011 at 10:19 am)Rhythm Wrote: If everything is evidence for God, you should have no trouble focusing on some specific thing and elaborating upon the evidence that you leverage to reach this conclusion. When we say "everything" as an explanation, it is identical to "nothing" in practice.

For example, if "everything" is evidence for the existence of god, than my morning erection would fall under that header. Unfortunately we have a simpler and much more well demonstrated cause for this phenomena.

All things are caused by a 'prime mover', called by some the 'big bang'. If all things/events/actions radiate from this 'prime mover', like ripples in a pond after a stone has been thrown into it, we can say this 'prime mover' is our creator and all things are it's will. We are part of it's 'plan'.

The laws of physics are finely tuned, allowing for life. While it could just be chance that we are lucky enough to live in a habitable universe, there is no evidence of other universes. Therefore if we assume this is the only universe we can assume it has been made especially for us to live in. The only force capable of such a feat would be God(s).

There was no incentive for humans to evolve sentience - if anything it is a burden to us. We could have lived in perfect harmony with nature as clever monkeys, instead we destroy our environment like a virus. No other living thing has evolved sentience - why not if it's such an advantage? Therefore the fact that evolution has favored something not beneficial to us indicated that some other force pushed us in that direction - God(s).

If there is no evidence suggesting God(s) don't exist we should assume God(s) do exist - to not do so would risk angering it/them.

Ok, I'm convinced. Poe.

Quote:we can say this 'prime mover' is our creator and all things are it's will. We are part of it's 'plan'.

Or we can say that this "prime mover" is unknown. Because it is.

Quote:The laws of physics are finely tuned, allowing for life. While it could just be chance that we are lucky enough to live in a habitable universe, there is no evidence of other universes. Therefore if we assume this is the only universe we can assume it has been made especially for us to live in. The only force capable of such a feat would be God(s).

Uh-huh. There's around 500 million life capable planets in our galaxy alone, and there are around 120 galaxies spotted so far, though there may be over 10 trillion since we've only glanced a tiny fraction of space. All of a sudden we don't seem to special anymore. Not extraordinary or special, just one tiny insignificant dot like millions of others.

70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 planets in this galaxy alone and there are way over 120 billion galaxies. Can't help but feel small.
Wanna feel smaller?
-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jymDn0W6U

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I think I'm going to kill myself now... These guys are really annoying me.

He's a Poe. I don't think anyone could be that willfully stupid & still use a computer.