(March 31, 2014 at 10:35 pm)Doggey75 Wrote: So, I go into a huge debate with a bunch of religious people. I think I started off strong but sucked at the end. Here is the argument http://www.christianforums.com/t7812141/
I was wondering if you can tell me what I can do to improve myself.
I am with all of the above posters. read, learn, listen and keep an open mind.
Intelligence is not learning by rote and regurgitating, you need to apply that learning, adapt and sometime be prepared to change your view. Looking at your post you made some fundamental errors;
1. There are no absolute truths, even in the field of scientific endeavour
2. Think very carefully about the position you put yourself in, as much as there is no evidence for the existence of any deity, there is no evidence against the existence of any deity. Your decision to use scientific reasoning as your rationale for the Universe is just as arbitrary as a religious persons' decision to reason a deity as the cause of the Universe. Science is a philosophical discipline not an absolute truth even though to you it might seem like one.
3. Find out what circular reasoning is.
4. Find out what logical fallacies are.
5. Sometimes when you ask the question, 'why do you believe in god' you will get the answer, 'because I do', that's a valid answer. You are in no position to say it is wrong, but you can argue and debate why you believe your own position and why you believe it is a better position but you should not contradict it just for the sake of it.
6. Know your own position on the issues inside and out. Practice debating with other agnostics/atheists, get a wider view of the different types of thinking. Pick your opponents wisely, don't allow yourself to get dragged down into pointless insults and contradiction.
7. Be patient.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
