If someone says to me "consciousness, therefore god", what's the best way to respond?

[paulpablo]

paulpablo, thank you for your detailed reply, albeit a late one. His friend is called Sabour Ahmed in case you were wondering; when Hamza is too afraid to debate a particular person (like in the case EscenceofThought) he puts forward either Sabour Ahmed or Imran Hussain so that they take the hit instead of him.

Anyhow, I have to agree with your post. I hope we do come to fully understand consciousness, and not just because it will make Hamza appear even more stupid than he already is. I do wonder though: Is there a better way of phrasing "argument from ignorance"? If I use that term, the Theist might feel that I've just insulted them (called them ignorant), especially if they don't understand the term. Perhaps there is a way I can dance around the term but still get my point across?

God of the gaps I have no problem with I guess, but it might cause them to be defensive nonetheless. Maybe I'm being too paranoid though, and I shouldn't actually shy away from using such terms. I realize that some people will never be convinced, not matter what you tell them, but I certainly don't want to get them defensive.

The thing about the god of the gaps argument is that it is old, atheists do often bring it up, it is a cliché.  I hate using it.  I shy away from using those terms but that is what it is.  He's making an argument about something he has no reasonable knowledge about.