Not really. Things aren't always so black and white, Xerxes.
As I said, it could be an invisible god exists, but you can't expect logical people to take it seriously, unless you can give demonstrable evidence, same goes with the sun demon example.
And it's not a black and white issue. You can accept this god. You can deny this god based on lack of demonstrable evidence. You can take a neutral stance. You can say one can never know. Many options, but I think one is the most logical.
It's amazing that humans demand so much evidence for everything else, but when it comes to gods they are so willing to have *faith*.
You think that everyone that disagrees with your way of thinking is an inferior moron.
That's the mark of a small person, in my opinion.
I don't think that, you're thinking I think that.
Are you 100% positive man has set foot on the moon?
Despite the evidence, there are people that are CONVINCED that it never happened, and they are CONVINCED that the moon shots were taken in some desert in Arizona. In that case, you and I both know the truth, but there are people who see it differently.
Steven Pinker, experimental psychologist and cognitive scientist, has said, "It is only the orderly mirroring between a system that processes information (a brain or a computer) and
the laws of logic or probability that explains how rationality can emerge from mindless physical process in the first place."
When it comes to any claim we use logic, demonstrable evidence, and probability in relation to both. Some matters are more probable than others. According to the historical method, based on logic and texts, we determine how probable past events are and if the person even existed. The probability of George Washington existing and his deeds are higher than the probability of Socrates existing when we use such methods.
Can we know for sure? Not fully, but we can reasonably say what most probably is the case. And so it goes with certain ideas of a god.
So there may be people that think the sun IS indeed a fiery demon. Can you PROVE that a fiery demon doesn't live within the sun? No, you can't.
Therefore, I must conclude this is probable and reasonable and must be open to it? Sorry, I'm not playing stupid for anyone.
You have to open your mind a little bit, and consider all possibilities, no matter how far fetched they are. Not to change your mind... but to learn how other people think. It helps to understand people better. And you never know - you might learn something.
No, I don't. You can be open to far-fetched and absurd ideas. And by your own logic, you have to be open to Allah being the one true god. As has been said,
"Be open minded, but not so much your brain falls out." And some of these ideas are wrongly called *possibilities*.
And I have a fair understand of the Christian mind and basis of beliefs, being a past Christian, being raised in a large church, where I was faithfully taken, being around scores of Christians, and even studying to be a minister at one point. Before coming to this forum, I was in Fort Worth, Texas, pursuing Christian studies, which I took seriously. The pride and madness observed in seminary professor, pastor, etc., was enough to aid in my disillusion.
Livewire, I'm curious... Have you ever studied Eastern philosophies, peoples, and cultures. Like what the Hindu's believe, their sacred texts, their culture; as well as the Buddhists? In your studies, have you ever examined their sincerity, and why and what they believe? Also, have you experimented with and examined their spiritual experiences, as they call them, and what exactly they are and what's happening and why?
Do that and compare it to your understanding of the Christian mind, reasons for belief, experiences, etc. It may enlighten you to a different understanding of belief and experiences.
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Topic: Use and Abuse of Logic (Read 3294 times)
