RE: Scientist Makes Organic Matter out of Inorganic Matter
July 1, 2010 at 4:12 pm
(July 1, 2010 at 9:07 am)rjh4 Wrote: (June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: I've argued with theists and read creationist literature for years... "understanding it incorrectly": when "the word" of an omnipotent deity is hard to understand, maybe it's not the word of an omnipotent deity?
Some of the things I have read from atheists make it hard for me to believe they have even tried to read with understanding (not you as we have never had such a discussion). They seem to hold to the position that if it is mentioned in the Bible, God must condone it. Quite a shortsighted view, in my opinion. For example, I have read that the Bible in Judges chapter 21 is evidence that God condones rape, murder, etc. I don't see it. While what it says may provide an indication that rape and murder occurred, I do not see anything indicating that God condoned it. In fact, if you read the last verse of Judges 21 there is an indication that this behavior was NOT appropriate. (To understand the whole story, you also need to go back and read chapters 18-20.)
well... there is a verse about stoning homosexuals. isn't there? that would be 'condoning murder', but that's probably not the best example of a contradiction. I think a better example is how the gospels aren't consistent on what day Jesus was born or died.
(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: Give me some reasons why you think the Bible is the word of a deity.
Quote:rtjh: Why are you so interested? ...Especially since the likelihood of me saying something you have not heard before is unlikely and would probably include "personal evidence" that you wouldn't find convincing anyway.
I'm interested because maybe you do have a reason I haven't heard and if you have reasons I have heard then maybe you'll be interested in my opinion about those reasons. If all you have is 'personal evidence' i'm not interested in a story that can be explained by a placebo effect or depression/anxiety induced hallucination or a plastic bag floating around...
(June 30, 2010 at 10:24 pm)The_Flying_Skeptic Wrote: Metaphysical Naturalism aside, if there was evidence for supernatural things -- even if they were completely inconsistent with the laws of physics --- I would believe supernatural things exist, but there isn't (mostly anecdotal or 'personal evidence').
Quote:How would you distinguish something supernatural from something natural that you just don't have an explanation for yet?
hm... that's a good question. I've heard that Newton thought that certain aspects of the solar system were supernatural because he could not explain certain orbits and that would be the same mistake I could be making if i say that ghosts are supernatural because they contradict certain aspects of physics or i simple don't know how to explain their existence (if they did exist). But, it really depends on the context of the supernatural occurrence: if a pastor prays in the name of his deity on an amputee and the leg reappears, whether it's supernatural or natural, the phenomena is evidence that belief in that deity has physical affect.
