So yeah, techskeptic is wrong, but only because there’s more than one definition of “fact” floating around.

Looking forward to your post on belief in God.

actually I should rephrase, because its not like any of his atoms have left the planet (which by the way is my favorite conception of reincarnation). Perhaps, the person who was Adams is no longer on the planet.

but point taken, perhaps there are a couple who are willing to use lack of evidence as evidence. We all can’t be critical thinkers.

There is not an atheist on the planet who will say “I know for a fact there is no god!”. I would go so far as to say, that there is not even one who would say that.

Does Douglas Adams saying he is convinced there is no God count?

Lifewish –

I’ll be writing something soon about why I believe in God. I also suspect that you’re correct in your last statement.

I must’ve asked this before, but… I’d be interested to know if there’s any particular reason why you feel so strongly that God exists.

I’ve been asking this question of a Christian friend of mine, and we’ve just about thrashed out what the root cause is in his case: he feels that weak evidence in sufficient quantities can take the place of strong evidence. I disagree, because that logic would “prove” stuff like homeopathy that is demonstrably dodgy. What’s interesting to me, though, is that this is a seriously low-level (in the computer sense) piece of epistemological machinery that’s behaving in a fashion I hadn’t expected.

I do have some trouble accepting your claim to know that God is real, and it occurs to me that the impasse might be of a similar sort: something basic, to do with how we judge truth and falsehood, rather than a discrepancy in the facts and arguments that we build on that foundation. Any thoughts?

What’s so Amazing about Grace is the one people often recommend most, but I think any of his books are excellent!

There is not an atheist on the planet who will say “I know for a fact there is no god!”. I would go so far as to say, that there is not even one who would say that. It is never an outright rejection. Its only a statement of evidence, something like “there is no evidence that god exists”.

However, I will never understand how critical thinking and belief in god can go hand in hand (with respect to matters concerning god), the former requires only evidence and no faith and the latter requires only faith and no evidence. In your search for truth, you use your critical thinking skills, you used them when you realized that teaching that the bible is the inerrant word of god is simply bunk.

All a critical thinker requires is evidence, not even outright proof. Your search for truth leads you to look for evidence. you will probably find your evidence in a beautiful view, a sunrise, or childbirth, or good things happening to you (or even bad).

Unfortunately this is not evidence as they are all guided by our emotions in reaction to things and events.

So while I totally agree that you can critically think you way through life and how to deal with events and those around you while having faith in god, I dont think you can critically think about god, it would require real evidence, something so big that only an all powerful god could have done it. I would suggest a giant hand coming down and moving a mountain over by a foot or two (the hand should have a name on it so I know which god to pray to). This action would convert every single atheist on the planet (although some may suggest an very powerful alien species!).

The creation of the universe, the development of man, the complexity of nature, are also things that are explainable more and more each day. God is not a default theory, it is a theory that requires evidence on its own, just like every other theory.

I’m not looking to do what everyone else is doing. I’m not a lemming. I’m a girl who is searching for meaning. You find meaning without God; I don’t. That makes us different, but not enemies.

Of course you are not a lemming, you took the big bold step of realization that one can only admire. writing about it publicly and exposing yourself to potential attack is a further sign of strength that is quite admirable. I would never call you a lemming (although there are many).

All I am suggesting is that your search for meaning may be more fruitful if you question what is making choose to have faith in god at all, rather than trying to understand what your new relationship with him is. Having that answer, it seems to me, should provide the foundation for your new relationship with him (although there is that tiny chance that you may see things my way )