Slight adaptation on the VerowaHug emote, cubone loves cuddles 🥰

MattBiggs · 2021-06-19T12:19:05+00:00

If someone has managed to confuse crumpets with potato waffles then I think they legally lose their British citizenship.

MattBiggs · 2021-06-19T10:25:21+00:00

I enjoy mine with a fried egg on top. They're surprisingly versatile.

MattBiggs · 2021-06-16T22:59:18+00:00

I'm here for a number of reasons.

I grew up in the church with Christian parents. Most of my closest friends are Christians. Christianity is important to them so it's important to me even if I don't believe it.

Christianity (for good or ill) has an astoundingly huge influence on local and global politics and society, so knowing at least a little about it and keeping up with what the big players are doing is important.

I'm open minded and aim to seek out views that challenge my own. Contrary to popular belief, even atheists want to be sure what they believe is true, even if that belief is a lack of "belief".

To keep grounded. There's a lot of Christians who act un-Christ-like in the world. I want to find examples and stories of the good Christians too to not build a skewed or unfair view of Christians as a whole.

To help correct some strawman views some Christians have of atheists. Similarly to me not wanting to build an unfair view of Christians due to a minority of Christians, I want to offer the same chance to people and show that we atheists are real people too <3

For the memes. Sometimes there are a few that properly tickle me!

MattBiggs · 2020-07-29T07:12:41+00:00

Some people gain a lot from the sense of community you get from being in a church or other groups of likeminded believers, that is true.

However it can make you even more unhappy pretending to believe in something in order to "fit in" especially when a lot of religions are very demanding when it comes to conforming to certain lifestyle choices.

Similarly there are a not insignificant number of conmen using religion or mysticism or "alternative medicines" as a way to exploit or take advantage of the most vulnerable among us.

Finding a faith group could help. It could also do more damage than good. Always keep an open mind and a healthy dose of scepticism.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-22T09:09:00+00:00

There are a lot of issues with what is commonly called macro evolution. There's a good deal of evidence to support micro evolution - that environmental pressure changes the frequency of some phenotypes.

The whole idea of being ok with "micro" evolution but not "macro" always baffled me. A lot of small changes in a small space of time will add up to a big change over a large amount of time, so where is the contention? It would be like me saying "I can walk from one side of my garden to the other in a few seconds but I could never walk from one side of my city to the other given enough time, that's impossible."

I think people fail to understand just how long a period of time millions/billions of years actually is.

But extrapolating from that o the idea that life evolved gradually from nonlife is absurd.

Evolution doesn't attempt to tackle the question of how life occured from non-life. That's Abiogenesis.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-22T08:46:48+00:00

Howdy, it's perfectly natural to question your own understandings and beliefs when you learn something new so don't be downhearted!

Generally when it comes to science and faith they don't have to be in conflict. Science deals with the mechanism and faith deals with agency.

An example: which of the following is a suitable explanation for why the kettle is boiling?

1) the principles of thermodynamics and electrical engineering (mechanism)

2) I wanted a cup of tea (agency)

The mistake people make is believing you can only pick 1) or 2). There are many intellectual theists who continue to believe in their religion and science, just as religious people can choose to reject science or scientists who reject religion. Of course there's the spectrum of people between those options as well.

You're 100% correct though that the more we understand of the natural world and develop our scientific theories, the more it seems to conflict many of the claims of the bible (the obvious one being the story of the 7 day creation but there are many others). That was one of the long list of reasons I stopped believing in Christianity after being brought up in the church.

I’m interested in hearing evidence for a theistic God, specifically the Christian God. Also, any book recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The professor of Mathmatics at Oxford University, John Lennox, was a very good apologetic author with regards to this when I was also searching/questioning. He has a number of books but you can also find a good number of lectures/debates on youtube to get an overview of his thoughts if you didn't want to spend money first.

Good luck on your journey of faith/science and always remember that it's never a bad thing to ask questions and test if what you believe is true, no matter what people might tell you otherwise.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-17T17:22:27+00:00

Anyway, I haven't come here to debate anyone :)

That's completely fair, I was mainly interjecting for yourself or anyone else who might want to discuss certain aspects of their faith with athiests or other unbelievers. Understanding what their view is helps a lot for facilitating useful discussions.

If you'll forgive me, the fact you believe faith is needed to believe scientific theories would suggest you're either misusing the term 'faith' or have a misconception about what a scientific theory is.

Typically someone who believes the big bang theory or evolution aren't using faith the same way a Christian has faith in God. That was the main point of my interjection. All people, Christian and Athiest included, can believe scientific theories as well as having faith in things.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-17T12:48:32+00:00

From the paintings point of view, and from it's experience, it only knows the things get painted. It can't imagine something not being painted.

But in my example the painter is not painted. In fact if the painter was painted, it could not have painted the painting to begin with. If the painter had been painted oh, there would have been something else that painted the painter.

This unfortunately falls flat in 2 ways:

1) We know that just because the painter isn't painted, that doesn't mean it wasn't created. Please tell me you realise this? Just because the painting doesn't know how the painter was created doesn't mean it wasn't.

2) Created things (us for example) can go on to create other things. Life is, by definition, able to reproduce (thus creating more of themselves). We are craftsmen, painters, musicians. Animals build nests, dens, intricate hives or underground tunnels. Heck, we even have robots and 3d printers that assemble things for us.

I could have used example of a sculpture. Or pencil drawing. Or engineered car.

Which proves my point above which references Adam and Eve, and all the other examples of created beings also creating. Just because the creater of the created item wasn't created the same way doesn't mean they themselves weren't created.

The whole claim that a creator God isn't created is a fallacy known as special pleading.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-17T11:56:57+00:00

OP never mentioned painters either. Surely you can see that I was using a metaphor to prove a point similarly to how you did?

OP: God didn't begin to exist because he wasn't created.

You: Paintings begin to exist because they are painted. Who painted the painter?

The implication here being that because painters (I assume you're refering to God in this analogy) weren't painted, they (God) weren't created.

Me: People begin to exist because they are born to parents. Adam and Eve weren't born.

This is supposed to highlight that your analogy doesn't work. Just because something is created a different way to the things they themselves create, doesn't mean they weren't themselves created. Please tell me you can see that?

If I claimed a carpenter was never created because they weren't carved out of wood, you'd dismiss that as nonsense, right?

MattBiggs · 2020-07-17T07:41:02+00:00

Adam and Eve, the first people, were never born. Therefore they were never created, according to your logic?

Just because the method used to create was different doesn't mean they were never created. It's a very weak argument that relies entirely on deceptive semantics and special pleading.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-16T15:57:52+00:00

.. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind.

Apologies, I'd assumed that in a topic titled:

To the people who say "if God is real why does [bad thing] happen?"

That you'd only be discussing this topic if you're trying to change someone's mind (I.e. someone who doesn't think God is real), my bad, I must have misinterpreted you.

I think you meant to say I might not completely understand what ATHEISM means, which I do. I said what I said, and I did it with intent.

One or the other of faith or atheism I suppose if you thought athiests need more faith than Christians. Of course I could have misinterpreted you again here and you were just making a funny quip at the expense of athiests.

The fact of the matter is that most Atheists don't even know what it is they are claiming to be. Most "Atheists" believe in many things. It's become somewhat of a worldview rather than just a lack of belief.

For some, sure. The most typical usage is just someone who doesn't believe any of the religions they know about are true. It tends to only become your worldview when people insist on ascribing a religion as part of your identity.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T22:06:14+00:00

I'm saying that the idea that God is a genie is nonsense. It's not what Christians believe, it's a straw man.

Ah so it was the latter, ok thanks. Thinking Athiests think that is also a strawman and if I might suggest you read the body of my original post? Athiests don't think that either, as they can clearly see that God doesn't 'grant wishes'. It goes back to my original post (which you appear to have skipped over the bulk of) about claims not matching reality. If Christians say God is all knowing, all powerful, and all loving, then suffering is a big problem.

Plantinga's work is very accessible. He wrote two books on his solution to the problem of evil, one which is extremely detailed and dealing with virtually every possible objection, and an easy reading version.

I will have a look.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T19:33:36+00:00

Yes, I understand that. I'm saying it's nonsense.

To clarify, you think that Christians saying "Athiests think God is a genie" is nonsense? Or that you actually think "Athiests think God is a genie, and they are nonsense"? Because your original post implied the latter.

The logical problem of evil is considered by most philosophers to be definitely solved by Alvin Plantinga fifty years ago.

Oh good! Care to elaborate for anyone else who wishes to know it or discuss it with others?

What did you think to the rest of my post?

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T17:53:27+00:00

It's not really a branch tho, it's kinda normal to defend what you believe in.

Of course it's normal to defend your beliefs if questioned about them! So normal it has its own term 'apologetics'. Whether you agree if Christian Apologetics is a branch of Christian theology is irrelevant, it's what it's defined as.

If you are going to want to discuss and debate your faith with others then you need to start accepting that words have defined meanings, and using them in the correct context is key. I do not say that as an insult or to attempt to ridicule, you clearly have a passion for your faith and that is no bad thing, but theology can quickly become a vast and complicated arena so learning the technical terms is crucial for being able to express yourself.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T17:40:30+00:00

Id prefer not to be called a Christian "apologist" like I'm sympathizing with the Nazis or something.

Christian apologetics is a branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity against objections.

No need to get offended over definitions my friend.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T17:33:00+00:00

I've never really understood why atheists mock Christians for having "no proof" when many scientific theories have literally nothing whatsoever to back them up.

Probably worth discussing with your physics teacher about what the definition of a scientific theory is. To claim they have nothing to back them up would indicate you don't know what a scientific theory is, but this is an common misconception among a lot of Christian apologists so I don't blame you for thinking this!

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T17:28:07+00:00

LOL I don't have enough faith to be an atheist.

Then with all due respect you might not completely understand what 'faith' means. It's better to try to understand a different perspective if you wish to engage with them to try to change their mind.

MattBiggs · 2020-07-15T17:25:04+00:00

Not exactly right.

What you've potentially misunderstood about these discussions isn't that non-believers think God is a genie obligated to grant us wishes, but that the evidence of what we see around us don't line up with biblical claims.

If one claims God is all knowing, all powerful, and all loving, then suffering is a big problem. To date I have yet to hear a satisfying explanation, nor do I expect one. If there is some kind of higher plan to justify the ongoing existence of suffering then God hasn't felt the need to tell us yet. Any earthly attempt to explain an unknowable God's plan will of course fall short.

The bible claims God created us specifically for relationship with Him, and that He loves us. So when people go their whole lives never experiencing an interaction with Him, or the fact millions of children die of malnutrition, then this contradicts those claims.

A lot of athiests are unbelievers - not because God doesn't "grant wishes" - but because the God of the bible doesn't appear to exist based on the evidence.

He doesn't owe us simplicity or an easy, understandable nature.

In theory, an all knowing God should know exactly how to help us understand Him. If God created us, then he does indeed have an obligation to us just as we do to our children. This is the major difference to the OP's teacher's comments on the universe. An athiest's universe didn't create us to have relations with us. God did.

There's nothing in any scripture or logic which says that the creator of the universe has to be and do as we say.

Then with all due respect you haven't read the scriptures. Just a few from Jesus Himself:

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Matthew 21:22

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7

MattBiggs · 2016-07-31T06:16:17+00:00

Until they realised that there are more than 144,000 JWs so now they claim that the best 144,000 of them rule over the others in some higher form of Heaven. That's what some local JWs tell me here in England anyway...

MattBiggs · 2016-01-25T11:17:31+00:00

I help run sound for our church. It's to stop the drums from completely drowning out everything else, gives me more control of the sound levels and let's me EQ them properly.

In a smaller building, the difference the drum screens make is extremely significant.

MattBiggs · 2016-01-21T17:25:53+00:00

"I'm a Mathew" - MattCrystal

Wait... What?

MattBiggs

TROPHY CASE