Do you think Atheists are stupid?

[Astreja]

You don't have physical evidence for the existence of gravity. Do you think gravity is real?

(picks up paintbrush from left side of desk, and drops it)

(paintbrush falls)

(picks up small clay sculpture, and drops it)

(sculpture falls)

I dunno, Ahriman - something clearly physical is going on here, and it's pretty consistent, so I'm inclined to believe that the phenomenon of gravity is real. What it actually is doesn't really matter at the moment. If there's a Gravity Faerie pulling things down and she wants something from me in exchange for her services, I'm sure she'll be in touch; otherwise, I'm proceeding on the assumption that there's a non-supernatural cause.

[Ahriman]

You don't have physical evidence for the existence of gravity. Do you think gravity is real?

(picks up paintbrush from left side of desk, and drops it)

(paintbrush falls)

(picks up small clay sculpture, and drops it)

(sculpture falls)

I dunno, Ahriman - something clearly physical is going on here, and it's pretty consistent, so I'm inclined to believe that the phenomenon of gravity is real.  What it actually is doesn't really matter at the moment.  If there's a Gravity Faerie pulling things down and she wants something from me in exchange for her services, I'm sure she'll be in touch; otherwise, I'm proceeding on the assumption that there's a non-supernatural cause.

And where does gravity come from? Why do things fall when you drop them?

[Astreja]

And where does gravity come from? Why do things fall when you drop them?

Doesn't currently matter to me, because it works consistently and repeatedly.

Unlike prayer.

[Ahriman]

And where does gravity come from? Why do things fall when you drop them?

Doesn't currently matter to me, because it works consistently and repeatedly.

Unlike prayer.

Prayer works, albeit not consistently or repeatedly. But it does work.

[Astreja]

Doesn't currently matter to me, because {gravity} works consistently and repeatedly.

Unlike prayer.

Prayer works, albeit not consistently or repeatedly. But it does work.

If it's not consistent, I don't think that it's wise to depend upon it for anything important.

[Ahriman]

Doesn't currently matter to me, because {gravity} works consistently and repeatedly.

Unlike prayer.

Prayer works, albeit not consistently or repeatedly. But it does work.

If it's not consistent, I don't think that it's wise to depend upon it for anything important.

You're right. It's not dependable. But since it does work, in some capacity, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and do it anyway.

[Astreja]

You're right. It's not dependable. But since it does work, in some capacity, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and do it anyway.

Me, I wouldn't bother. I'd know that there was no faith behind it. It might be different for someone with faith - it might give them the morale boost they need to get through a bad situation - but they should also try to resolve the problem through their own efforts as well.

[Nay_Sayer]

Doesn't currently matter to me, because {gravity} works consistently and repeatedly.

Unlike prayer.

Prayer works, albeit not consistently or repeatedly. But it does work.

If it's not consistent, I don't think that it's wise to depend upon it for anything important.

not consistent being interchangeable with 0% success rate.

[Ahriman]

You're right. It's not dependable. But since it does work, in some capacity, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and do it anyway.

Me, I wouldn't bother.  I'd know that there was no faith behind it.  It might be different for someone with faith - it might give them the morale boost they need to get through a bad situation - but they should also try to resolve the problem through their own efforts as well.

It doesn't require faith. Prayer is prayer. Some seemingly lousy little shit prayer, that you recited with honest intent, will have some kind of effect.

[Angrboda]

"God exists" *is* a religious claim, and I've never had faith in the existence of any god.  In order for me to believe in a god, it would have to be real in a tangible sense - actual physical evidence of the god itself.

You don't have physical evidence for the existence of gravity. Do you think gravity is real?

What exactly do you think the evidence for gravity is?