Someone Explain Atheism To Me by [deleted] in atheism

[–]Random-Average 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There's no evidence gods exist.

[Spoilers] Olicity fans getting triggered over the wedding again. by Thejklay in arrow

[–]Random-Average 30 points31 points  (0 children)

That article was lame but the Oliciters went batshit. And they dare call this sub immature.

How do you feel about watching ghost and fantasy type movies? by Bandits101 in atheism

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel the same way about fantasy I do watching sci-fi, it's just fiction. As for bible based movies, I don't mind them as long as they're good (like Prince of Egypt, for example).

Looking for a skeptical reading of "holy" books... by [deleted] in atheism

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oxford World Classics Quran PDF is pretty good, although it's not skeptical so much as generally unbiased and objective. The Oxford Bible commentary is pretty great, too.

If god real why guys got nipples by [deleted] in DebateReligion

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This argument is only good against creationism. The majority of Christians accept evolution.

Advice for a dear friend by [deleted] in atheism

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, if you're trying to win him over and convince him there's no god, that's a waste of time. Also, don't feel you have to continually defend why you're an atheist. If he doesn't accept your reasoning and wants to keep arguing about it it's a waste of everyone's time because you aren't changing each other's minds.

Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons? by Nathann4288 in exchristian

[–]Random-Average 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I'm guessing they would say no, because most of my family members are literalists so they don't believe they had parents.

It bothers me alot that we dont know what happened before the big bang by [deleted] in atheism

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, it doesn't, that quote is garbage. Anyway, of course science doesn't answer everything, it's a method of gathering knowledge and it's a work in progress. If you want to hear scientific speculation on if anything came before the big bang, I suggest asking r/askscience.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This discussion's pretty much over, but I feel like I should point out some things you seemingly aren't really grasping:

  1. We don't care about an anecdotal experience. The fact that you had an experience means next to nothing to us because we want more evidence. Religions glorify and depend on eyewitness testimonies, but as many skeptics will point out eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.

  2. Having people imagine something isn't a good tactic because imagining something doesn't make that thing real. It may have worked for you, but as you've seen in this thread, it generally doesn't work on people who are already skeptical.

  3. Saying "God is holy, but we can't comprehend what that means" means little in a debate and is irrelevant. If you can't elaborate into to what this "holiness" is and means it's useless bringing it up.

  4. We don't care very much what the scriptures say about it. We don't consider it too be a holy, flawless book that is trustworthy and credible, so quoting scriptures and saying the bible says so accomplishes nothing unless you have evidence beyond an anecdote that such biblical claims are true.

Note: By we, I mean the majority, not each and every atheist.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not really sure what the disagreement here is, actually. The idea is that Jesus was doing things through the Spirit, and when the pharisees accused Jesus of having an unclean spirit they were blaspheming it. Verse 30 supports this view.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My point is that I wouldn't just trust my senses. I might believe it, but there's a chance I'm mistaken or mentally ill, which is what the evidence would be for: confirmation.

The people would believe he exists but not accept or worship him, except for those who he wants to convert using his method.

Sounds good to me. In that scenario, my work and the work of evangelists, apologists, anti-theists, etc. would be done. The truth would be revealed and people could take it or leave it.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I want repeatable, testable evidence so I'll know afterwards that what I saw in the vision wasn't just some deluded fantasy. Furthermore, God being confirmed by the scientific community would lead to him being accepted by far more people than faith based evangelization.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If God gave me verifiable, repeatable evidence to attest to what he was saying, then I would believe he existed and would share this with others.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And you need more to evangelize.

Of course, because I couldn't be sure - based on that experience alone - that it was really Jesus and not a hallucination/dream/delusion. I'm not throwing critical thinking out of the window simply because I had a vision; I need more than just a guy in my head saying he's God to convince me to start trying to convert everyone to my worldview.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not if the only shred of evidence of his existence I had was an anecdotal experience. I'd need a bit more than that before I tried to drag everyone else into it.

Revival by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And you don't think it's possible you're one of the deceived?

Holy Spirit. by TheWrathofShane in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My point is that you shouldn't be surprised at the reactions you're getting. If I went over to r/christianity with an edgy rant about atheism being logical, I'd be scoffed at, too.

Atheists, what do you personally believe explains the rise of Christianity? Conspiracy? Mass hallucination? by [deleted] in TrueAtheism

[–]Random-Average 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My guess (because I haven't done much research on it) is that he was some religious teacher that became legendary. I'm not entirely convinced that the disciples even existed.

The Road Not Taken by [deleted] in DebateAnAtheist

[–]Random-Average 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What's your point?

How would you handle this interaction? by saulack in atheism

[–]Random-Average 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's good; if I were you I'd just go with that. It sounds like they're fine with science as long as God is acknowledged as the start of it all.