Failed Conversion

[David Boots]

Belle this is the last post I am going to make on this because I do not want you to feel like you are being attacked.

Humans are incredibly intelligent. We make associations and patterns where no other species can. This allows us to survive and prosper. But this incredible ability to make patterns can lead us to draw connections where none exist.

Have you ever read or seen a story where people see – for example – an image of jesus on a fence/tree/wall/sheet/grain of rice etc? Putting aside the fact that there are no photos of jesus and no images drawn by an actual witness to jesus; people see what they want to see. They make connections and patterns and coincidences where none exist.

Despite the brilliance of our minds they are fallible. For instance a placebo can make you feel better. Our mind can convince our body that an inert substance has beneficial effects. And our minds are easily fooled by optical illusions. Mostly however, humans are open to suggestion. The enormous advertising industry shows that we can easily be lead to buy things by recommendation and by subtle suggestion.

[Rodney Harris-George]

JadeBlackOlive wrote:

“I am still genuinely curious as to how people can maintain a delusion in the face of so much evidence to the contrary. It is sort of like the last remaining kid in the class who believes in Santa Claus.”

I accept that there is no evidence that god(s) exist but what evidence is there that god(s) don’t exist?

Maintaining delusions is something all humans are good at, that particular bad habbit is not unique to religions.

 

[JadeBlackOlive]

Odd, I don’t think that post is mine…….

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Welcome to the site Rodney.

…. but what evidence is there that god(s) don’t exist?

That is usually what theists ask. Atheism is a lack of belief in the existence of gods, not a denial of the possibility that they may exist. It is the total and complete lack of any evidence for any god that suggests they don’t exist.

The onus is on the theist who asserts that god(s) exist to offer some objective evidence for such an extraordinary assertion. As Hitchens put it, “What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence”. This is now called Hitchens’s Razor.

[.]

It’s really just a bs cop out.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

It’s really just a bs cop out.

Where is it wrong?

[.]

On so many levels. When asked “What evidence would be required?”….

blank stare.

it’s a cop out

[Simon Paynton]

“asserts that god(s) exist … can be dismissed without evidence”

– in other words, the assertion that God exists is dismissed: the assertion becomes that God does not exist.  So, there is pressure to say why there is an assertion that God does not exist.  How come people are so sure?

“the assertion becomes that God does not exist”

– at best, the assertion is that we don’t know.

[.]

But Simon – NO one can Prove God’s existence. I can’t prove God to you. You either believe in God or you don’t. I do.

[.]

So all the intellectual psycobabble is just a smoke screen to the real issue.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

On so many levels…

No, a fart in an elevator is wrong on so many levels. It smell like BS too.

There is no evidence required to show gods don’t exist. As stated numerous times in the past, it is not possible to prove a negative. I don’t need evidence to not believe there are purple pigs flying around Pluto. However if someone suggests that they exist in reality then I will ask for evidence. If none is forthcoming then I will not waste my time on it and dismiss it. The onus is on the theist making the positive assertion that their god is real. It is their cop out when they refuse to offer any.

What are the other levels?

I will except the pure mathematicians here might disagree with me on not proving a negative but that is not the same thing.

[.]

But there is evidence. There is TONS…..of evidence…..you just don’t choose to see it as such. It’s not at ALL the same thing as purple flying pigs galloping around Pluto.

[.]

So the whole “onus” is just an intellectual bs cop out.

[Dang Martin]

There is no visible evidence that any gods exist, regardless of whether or not they are available for purchase.

I’ve heard someone say, “Well, what about a beautiful baby? That’s evidence of god!”

To that, I would ask, “What about the UGLY baby? What about the baby born with all of its organs on the outside of its body?”

But we can take the beautiful baby, and then ask HOW this is evidence of Yahweh. Why is it not evidence of Allah? Vishnu? Is it not a trick put forth by Satan? There is no signature on the beautiful baby. No “made by” stamp. Therefore, it is not proof.

[Dang Martin]

The Might ODIN promised us mere morals an END to the Snow Giants.

Does anyone see ANY Snow Giants? No?

There. Proof that ODIN exists.

[Author]

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