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Author Topic:   Atheism: an irrational philosophical system
NosyNed
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Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 92 of 171 (81876)
01-31-2004 8:19 PM
Reply to: Message 91 by scottyranks
01-31-2004 8:14 PM


Faith and Reason
Just as I can not prove his existence, so can no one prove the contrary
And most of the non-believers here don't have any problem with your faith. It is a personal thing that you share with some of the rationally minded individuals here.
In that view it is completely up to you. That which you come to through faith has nothing to do with what we learn with observation and reason.

Common sense isn't

This message is a reply to:
 Message 91 by scottyranks, posted 01-31-2004 8:14 PM scottyranks has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 93 by scottyranks, posted 01-31-2004 8:28 PM NosyNed has not replied
 Message 97 by scottyranks, posted 01-31-2004 9:01 PM NosyNed has replied
 Message 100 by Transcendasaurus, posted 02-02-2004 2:13 AM NosyNed has replied

  
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 96 of 171 (81885)
01-31-2004 8:54 PM
Reply to: Message 94 by crashfrog
01-31-2004 8:41 PM


Is it?
I should remain mysterious as to what the true deep meaning of my signiture is.
(your first guess is the original meaning, but it has to be apparent to most that the second is more truthful )

Common sense isn't

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NosyNed
Member
Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 99 of 171 (82068)
02-02-2004 1:55 AM
Reply to: Message 97 by scottyranks
01-31-2004 9:01 PM


Reasoning
Per your reply, Ned, does that mean I am less observant and not as skilled at reasoning?
No that wasn't the point at all. As I noted some of the real scientist here have faith as well.
What I was saying is that the faith side is separate from the reasoning side. It doesn't seem to make for good theology to try to use reason and observation. And it doesn't make for good science to try to use faith.

Common sense isn't

This message is a reply to:
 Message 97 by scottyranks, posted 01-31-2004 9:01 PM scottyranks has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 109 by scottyranks, posted 02-02-2004 6:27 PM NosyNed has replied

  
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 104 of 171 (82109)
02-02-2004 11:00 AM
Reply to: Message 100 by Transcendasaurus
02-02-2004 2:13 AM


Re: Faith and Reason
That might go down smoother if this forum wasn't called Evolution versus Creationism
And of course it is. Creationism (that is a literal interpretation of Genesis and an attempt to say that it is stating scientific facts) is not an issue of faith. It is much more an issue of lack of faith.
Those who are making the most noise about it try to suggest that there is scientific 'proof' for the young age of the Earth, a flood and that life didn't evolve. They can't seem to hold on to their faith if these things aren't proven with scientific processes to be true. That isn't faith.
It is that form of "creationism" that some here are "versus". And this includes both unbelievers and believers.
The mature Christians (and others) don't have this problem.
This statement presumes that facts speak for themselves. Even your signature "common sense isn't" [so common] expresses the notion that all evidence is interpreted.
Then to make your position clear you need to pick specific observations and show a reasonable and different interpretation that explains all that we know.

Common sense isn't

This message is a reply to:
 Message 100 by Transcendasaurus, posted 02-02-2004 2:13 AM Transcendasaurus has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 113 by Transcendasaurus, posted 02-02-2004 7:29 PM NosyNed has replied

  
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 111 of 171 (82277)
02-02-2004 6:49 PM
Reply to: Message 109 by scottyranks
02-02-2004 6:27 PM


Reasoning
Is it not possible that you arrive at faith through reasoning.
As I take the meaning of the word 'faith', no. If you mean by 'reasoning' evidence based reasoning. I've been lead to understand that faith is exactly what you believe without evidence or reasoning to it. You accept something because you, personally believe it not because anything has demonstrated to you that it is true.
Tell me if this assuption is correct. Most "non-believers"(for lack of a better term) have problems with the bible, not God. Christians who take the Bible literally, without reasoning make most here upset.
Is that a correct statement?
The first part is partiall correct for some and very incorrect for others. Some here that disagree with literalists still have no problem with the Bible and in fact are devote Christians. However, it is the literal interpretations that many here, both believers and not, have a big problem with.
Even then most of us have little problem with the literal interpretations until the fundamentalists start to try to damage science education based on that.
To go further, What do you think of a person who believes in God, the virgin birth, and the 2nd coming of Christ but thinks the Bible includes many truths, but also many stories that support God and Jesus teachings but may or may not be 100% accurate.
I don't have a problem with that. I don't see how one can expect such stories to get the history and very especially any natural facts anywhere near 100% accurate. I don't see why it matters if those parts aren't accurate.
The majority of Christians fall into this group and some are friends and family to me. Why should I have any problem? What I think is that they are the Christians with real faith and don't need natural evidence to suport their faith unlike those with a weaker "faith" that need concrete support. I think the majority of Christians are the ones who really know what the intended message of the Bible is. I think the creationists (as the term is usually used) are the ones who have some sort of exaggerated worship of the Bible itself. It seems to be some sort of warped, misplaced devotion.
Those that think that if the Bible isn't 100% true it is all wrong are on very shakey theological ground and seem to be just asking for the kind of attacks by atheists that we see here. In fact, they seem to be intent on handing the weapons to the atheists to attack Christianity. Very odd that is.

Common sense isn't

This message is a reply to:
 Message 109 by scottyranks, posted 02-02-2004 6:27 PM scottyranks has replied

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NosyNed
Member
Posts: 9004
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 115 of 171 (82300)
02-02-2004 7:38 PM
Reply to: Message 113 by Transcendasaurus
02-02-2004 7:29 PM


an example of different interpretations.
One school of thought believes a young earth, the other an old. That's what they bring to the table when viewing the world, and fossils in particular. When examining the evidence, one sees the fossil as having been laid down over millions of years while the other views the same evidence as having been buried under a catastrophic flood. The evolutionist sees the evidence as proof of an old earth, while the creationist sees the same evidence, as proof of a young earth that was recently judged by God. Both sides find the evidence as supporting their views on origins, and they view it as "obvious", matter of fact and "common sensical".
These two issues (age of earth and the flood) need to be taken to the threads already discussing them.
In general, we find that one of the positions can not explain the data. Eg, a flood can not order the fossils the way they are found. When asked to explain this the creationists make assertions that are obviously wrong. Go to the threads on that topic and see what happens.
So you are right that both sides have their own interpretations. However, one of them doesn't explain what we see so it is not correct. If you think that the two are really equivalent interpretations then you can try to defend one where others have given up and/or been unable to supply any back up for their assertions.

Common sense isn't

This message is a reply to:
 Message 113 by Transcendasaurus, posted 02-02-2004 7:29 PM Transcendasaurus has replied

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