(June 22, 2014 at 1:14 pm)Arthur123 Wrote: Right, most of you are weak atheists. Understood, but it is a belief nonetheless in the sense that inherent in the statement atheism is you believe in your lack of belief concerning God(s). A few questions, besides the obvious( God showing up saying he is real act.) what evidence would sway you? For example, if the universe was designed what would that look like? Secondly, where does cognitive dissonance play a role in the phenomena that is atheism. If you are an atheist because you see no reasons to think otherwise what happens when you loose a debate against someone who has stronger reasoning for an argument than you? Do you instantly switch sides? Or stubbornly continue in your belief?
Chad, it sounds like your more open to deism, than theism. Am I correct in this assessment?
I'm not sure that 'belief in lack of belief' makes logical sense. Anyway...
As for evidence that would sway me, I'd accept a natural phenomenon for which there is no possible explanation other than gods. I'll give you the test I've given countless other theists. I lost my left eye at the age of 17. Pray to your god that my eye grows back. If this occurs within 30 days, I'll join whatever church you like and take up preaching.
As to cognitive dissonance, I don't think that's much of an issue. Losing a debate with a theist means that you've lost a debate with a theist, it doesn't mean atheism is false. By way of an example, there is an anecdote (very likely untrue) about the encounter between Diderot, a free thinker, and Euler, a devout Christian. Euler declaimed, 'Sir, (a + b^n)/n = x, therefore, God exists. Answer, please!' The story goes that Diderot was non-plussed and hideously embarrassed by the joke. He 'lost' the debate, but Euler hadn't disproved atheism.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
