One of the things I have been pondering for a while now is whether or not indulging in conversations with theists is a complete waste of my time and theirs.
It is extremely rare that you actually change someone's mind - I did it once and it scared the bejesus out of me (as I thought I had left the unfortunate guy suicidal).
Basically faith is not based on evidence. In fact you can argue that faith is a denial of evidence, as in:
God demands faith.
Faith is meaningless in the face of definite proof.
Therefore faith denies evidence.
At the same time confronting a theist with evidence to the contrary of God's existence is usually greeted with a "My faith is being tested" shield.
Now it appears to me that most "true believers" have some sort of personal experience that they ascribe to the intervention of their deity.
Personal experience is a powerful support.
On the flip side as an atheist I am not expecting to get a personal experience of God and thus far I have to report it hasn't happened.
As faith denies evidence I am equally unlikely to come across something that can only have come from a God. I can always find another, usually more plausible explanation.
Of course this does make you wonder what the likes of William Lane Craig think they are doing. If they do find incontrovertible evidence of God then it must be of a fairly incompetent God.
It is extremely rare that you actually change someone's mind - I did it once and it scared the bejesus out of me (as I thought I had left the unfortunate guy suicidal).
Basically faith is not based on evidence. In fact you can argue that faith is a denial of evidence, as in:
God demands faith.
Faith is meaningless in the face of definite proof.
Therefore faith denies evidence.
At the same time confronting a theist with evidence to the contrary of God's existence is usually greeted with a "My faith is being tested" shield.
Now it appears to me that most "true believers" have some sort of personal experience that they ascribe to the intervention of their deity.
Personal experience is a powerful support.
On the flip side as an atheist I am not expecting to get a personal experience of God and thus far I have to report it hasn't happened.
As faith denies evidence I am equally unlikely to come across something that can only have come from a God. I can always find another, usually more plausible explanation.
Of course this does make you wonder what the likes of William Lane Craig think they are doing. If they do find incontrovertible evidence of God then it must be of a fairly incompetent God.
