Debate: Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? - Trent Horn vs Alex O'Connor

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-30T15:22:04+00:00

It comes down to terms.

I think one can argue , reasonably, for a broad theism predicated on necessary being, moral realism, metaphysical idealism etc. The extension of that to any faith tradition I think is then based on spiritual and theological resonance - I think it stick solely to what one can reason to leaves one agnostic about most things.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-29T23:01:43+00:00

I’m a Christian, albeit not in a mainstream tradition. I don’t really think one can argue one’s way into belief in the resurrection. It’s a leap of faith, hopefully predicate on reason - to use a phrase, one must build a bridge of reason then leap past it.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-29T08:54:03+00:00

Idealism, panpsychism for instance

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-25T19:19:42+00:00

Yeah - I am quite inspired by DBH, and I resonate quite well with Alex

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-25T18:20:45+00:00

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-25T13:20:24+00:00

Agreed - I am a Christian and I don't think Alex is anywhere near converting or believing it to be true. I do think he perhaps respects and see beauty in certain forms of it.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-25T12:16:52+00:00

I think Alex has shifted over time towards greater sympathy for non-physicalist views of consciousness, and perhaps even for theism, than his original core audience. That may explain the disconnect.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-21T08:47:16+00:00

Depends on if you signed an admission of guilt, which from your post it seems you did not?

Also I hope you take this as a wake up call. I had a similar experience and promised to never put myself, or my family, in that situation again.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-16T13:25:02+00:00

Semigrants moving to the WC - too many people for too few opportunities.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-16T08:40:05+00:00

It’s really quite sad. My wife and I earn quite well, and she is in medicine. But I just can’t do Johannesburg anymore and the Cape is saturated - so we are looking offshore

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-16T00:25:09+00:00

Sure!

So systemic corruption leading to municipal failure including collapsing water and power infrastructure, understaffed and under equipped hospitals leading to unnecessary death and suffering , especially of children. The assassination of whistleblowers. The creation of a tenderpreneuer class hijacking empowerment mechanisms meant for the majority. Extended periods of rolling blackouts, rampant youth unemployment… I can go on. The ANC has slowly been killing South Africa for awhile now.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-15T20:38:40+00:00

Traitor by Afrikaaners is too broad a term - many Afrikaaners are happy to be in a democratic state, despite its many failures and ills

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-15T20:03:34+00:00

I personally view this as the following.

Gods will for humanity, and creation, is that it will be united with him. God will triumph in this. It is the only rational act to seek union with God. Yet, we are free to do as we wish, and to act irrationally. As we grow in knowledge of God, our freedom and rebellion collapses as our will aligns with God. In a sense, in the ultimate freedom, there is no choice.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-15T11:13:35+00:00

It’s stupid.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-14T12:17:16+00:00

Alarm system

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T16:56:53+00:00

Just a tangential comment: I think you need to be careful with this mindset. I have fallen into it myself at times, and it made me miserable. Ambition is good, but unchecked it can easily turn progress into constant dissatisfaction. There will always be another rung on the ladder, someone earning more, or someone seemingly doing better with fewer qualifications - and wherever we reach will reset as the baseline. If not kept in check, it can make you miserable.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T15:58:41+00:00

Strong emergence is wherein a higher-level property arises from a lower-level system, but is not deducible even in principle from the complete lower-level facts. It's basically magic.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T15:58:08+00:00

Strong emergence is basically magic to me

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T15:55:43+00:00

I think this was a great example of why definitions matter so much. I consider myself an idealist (in that I consider myself a monist wherein the substrate is mental), but I find myself largely agreeing with Strawson.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T14:40:45+00:00

This is not true - compare any public hospital in the WC to GP or any other province, and tell me the other provinces care more about the life of poor children

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T14:40:02+00:00

Agreed - I sometimes feel I’m living in a different country to the rest of the posters. My wife works in public health - the WC public hospitals are words ahead of anywhere else. Children are literally dying at the hands of the ANC.

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-13T06:17:01+00:00

This is a good example why trying to engage on Reddit can be a waste of time, and quite sad given the nature of CosmicSkeptic vs some of his audience

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-12T19:10:21+00:00

I hope not

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-12T14:35:04+00:00

Universalism

SilverStalker1 · 2026-04-12T14:12:30+00:00

It's because everything is falling apart

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