"There is a reason most sane lucid adults...do believe in a Creator of the universe and humans... It's because in part it's the best explanation for why we find ourselves alive and in a universe that allows our existence."

Hardly; at most it's the best explanation for someone of a certain educational level or mindset. It's especially great if one is frightened, lazy and ignorant. "God" isn't an answer; it's an excuse for not asking questions.

"Most define it as nothing more than a 'lack of belief in the existence of God' they prefer this definition because then they can insist that only the theist has a burden of evidence."

No, we prefer that definition because that's what it is. Defining atheism your way is an attempt to set up a Straw Man argument. I don't say there's no God. I say I don't believe in a God. I'm not making any statement that requires proof. I know of a certainty what I believe. I extend you the same courtesy. If, on the other hand, you unequivocally state "There is a God," you might well be asked for evidence.

"We should just assume that natural forces did it somehow. I'll leave it to atheists to persuade me such did happen or such could happen. After all we're not supposed to just take things on faith."

Natural forces exist. No faith is involved in my reliance on gravity. It hasn't failed me yet, so I believe in it. At any rate, it's not our job to persuade you of anything. Speaking for myself, I don't care what you believe. I only care if your belief infringes on my life, rights or freedoms, or denigrates valid science without an equally valid viewpoint. And there's nothing wrong with taking some things "on faith," as you put it---that's another of your Straw Man arguments. The bigger and more outrageous the claim (such as an all-powerful invisible being), though, the less we can "take it on faith." I have a quarter in my pocket. I also own the deed to the Brooklyn Bridge. Which do you believe?

I've no interest in addressing whatever gibberish you lifted from Wikipedia (a pretty lame source for any serious discussion of anything); a quick glance indicated it was a specious tangent. You don't even seem to accurately understand the atheist's viewpoint, so how can you pretend to dispute it? I suggest you read Bertrand Russell's "Unpopular Essays," and "Why I'm Not a Christian," plus Carl Sagan's "The Demon-Haunted World" and Richard Dawkins's "The Blind Watchmaker" for a primer foundation on the relevant subjects.

Moderators please note: I'm not Russell, Sagan or Dawkins, so this isn't spam. He doesn't have to buy them, he can get them from the library, so this isn't a commercial announcement.

(March 5, 2013 at 7:10 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: You sort of sound like an agnostic-theist or some such. Also a lot of this reads like you are making the case of agnosticism rather than theism. When I picture a universe with a God in it, it is very different. Mainly I see no reason that any type of God would keep himself hidden from everybody.

He didn't until sin came into the world.

(May 8, 2013 at 10:33 pm)Godschild Wrote: He didn't until sin came into the world.

Convenient excuse, nothing more.

(May 8, 2013 at 10:33 pm)Godschild Wrote:

(March 5, 2013 at 7:10 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: You sort of sound like an agnostic-theist or some such. Also a lot of this reads like you are making the case of agnosticism rather than theism. When I picture a universe with a God in it, it is very different. Mainly I see no reason that any type of God would keep himself hidden from everybody.

He didn't until sin came into the world.

And the OT. Didn't hide in the OT either. Why did he explicitly reveal himself so much in the OT but now that humanity has a decent grasp on science he is hiding?

(May 8, 2013 at 9:12 pm)cneron Wrote: Hardly; at most it's the best explanation for someone of a certain educational level or mindset. It's especially great if one is frightened, lazy and ignorant.

Just because someone disagrees with you does not mean they are ignorant, stupid, or lazy. That idea sounds arrogant to me, me being both educated and intellectually curious.

(May 8, 2013 at 10:33 pm)Godschild Wrote:

(March 5, 2013 at 7:10 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: You sort of sound like an agnostic-theist or some such. Also a lot of this reads like you are making the case of agnosticism rather than theism. When I picture a universe with a God in it, it is very different. Mainly I see no reason that any type of God would keep himself hidden from everybody.

He didn't until sin came into the world.

If his 'creaton' let Him down perhaps He should have created us better. When you claim your Guy is all powerful, you can't make excuses for him when things go awry. They went exactly the way He wanted or else you don't understand the God you believe in.

cneron, first learn to use the quote function. It makes reading what you're replying to so much easier!!
The "Reply" button, automatically quotes the entire post from the person you wish to quote, then you simply have to remove the bits you don't care about and do some cosmetic service... and voilá!

(May 8, 2013 at 9:12 pm)cneron Wrote: Moderators please note: I'm not Russell, Sagan or Dawkins, so this isn't spam. He doesn't have to buy them, he can get them from the library, so this isn't a commercial announcement.

LOL! We'd be hard pressed to believe you're Sagan or Russel.
Although, I wouldn't mind having Dawkins around... nor would I mind having the pope, nor banana-man. Those awesome public figures would bring a much welcomed perspective in here... even if incognito.

(May 9, 2013 at 1:51 am)whateverist Wrote:

(May 8, 2013 at 10:33 pm)Godschild Wrote: He didn't until sin came into the world.

If his 'creaton' let Him down perhaps He should have created us better. When you claim your Guy is all powerful, you can't make excuses for him when things go awry. They went exactly the way He wanted or else you don't understand the God you believe in.

I'm not making excuses, your comment is just another tactic of your ignorance, I'm telling it like it is, sorry you are not able to handle the truth.

(May 9, 2013 at 8:32 am)Godschild Wrote: I'm not making excuses, your comment is just another tactic of your ignorance, I'm telling it like it is, sorry you are not able to handle the truth.

Merely claiming something is true without actually demonstrating how you know it's true (or just regurgitating a bible thump), doesn't make it true (but we know how common this is for you apologists to do - "The bible is the word of God b/c I say so!").

In case you hadn't noticed, we don't care what the bible says because the bible hasn't been demonstrated as being an authority on any supernatural claim (anymore than any other holy book of the ancient past). Why should we care what the bible says?

To state that there is a case for theism is akin to stating that there is a case for murder. Granted, murderers often get acquitted during trial, and in such an imperfect world with an imperfect justice system one cannot expect perfection in matters of intelligence when related to matters of religion. In a perfect world, there would be no murder, there would be no religious people. In an imperfect world where murderers are free to continue killing, one must expect that religious people are also free to continue spreading their ignorance.