While I Facebook I noticed an old high school friend joined the group "Atheist, Agnostic, and Non-Religious" and it got me thinking of the questions I always want to ask an Atheist again. As for the "non-religious" part, that brings up a whole sub-topic of wondering if Atheist have ever been introduce to Jesus Christ, or if they were brought up by their parents in a denomination that was more about "church" and less about "relationship". I am still amazed at the number of people I speak with who tell me they are "X" denomination because that is what thier parents brought them up as and they never explored any other denomination or a non-denomination church. More on that topic at a later date as time permits.
For the Atheist (that would be all non-believers)what are your answers to these questions:
If you believe we are all here today by chance, who made the Big Bang? For something to happen (a reaction) something had to be made (a action).
If there is no God, how do we have morals and know right from wrong?
Science today still cannot prove there is no God, but many scientists today will tell you thier research leads them to believe there is a God.
How do you explain how cells in our body can produce a human being?
If I asked you to make me a human eye could you do it?
If God did not create the universe who did?
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Since this seems to be aimed at me, I thought maybe I should answer them. I'm not a cosmologist, so I don't really feel qualified to answer what was here before the Big Bang, or how that all came about. One thing I do know is that we are not here by chance. Evolution by natural selection is the exact opposite of chance. Again, I'm not qualified to speak on this. Read Richard Dawkins' book Climbing Mount Improbable.
ReplyDeleteWe have morals because our society has decided what is moral and what is not. Native Americans, before the arrival of whitey, had no concept of private property or that they "owned" their land. Their society was also matriarchal and family lineage was based on the mother, not the father. The Bushmen of the Kalahari desert in Africa still don't recognize individual proerty. Just a couple of example of how different societies have very different ideas of what is right and wrong. (i.e., no concept of "stealing" because people don't own things)
One cannot prove a negative. It's a logical impossibility. Indeed, some scientists believe there is a god, but most do not believe Yahweh, or his equivalent, as an individual conscious entity that drives the actions of humans or controls natural processes. Usually, however, the burden of proof lies with those who make extraordinary claims. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Read Carl Sagan's "The Varieties of Scientific Experience" for more information.
Well, Harry, when a mommy and daddy love each other... But seriously, reproduction is a well-understood scientific process.
I personally could not make a human eye, but I'm not a surgeon. Evolution can and has produced eyes, and intermediate versions of the eye. It is not irreducibly complex, despite claims to the contrary.
The lord Odin created the world from Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life, and it is only through his constant efforts, every night as it gets dark, that keeps the Midgard Serpent from swallowing the earth and plunging it into darkness. Had we been born 1000 years ago in Norway, this would have been the literal truth. Had we been born the same time, but in Saudi Arabia, we'd believe the god of Abraham dictated a holy book to an illiterate man and ordered him to spread His holy word throughout the land. It is only by accident of our birth that we believe how we do. My personal belief is that the universe has always been, and will always be, independent of human conceits and constructions.
Hope you had a great Christmas!
Scott
While I have not read any of Richard Dawkin's books, I have seen a number of his debates, and I must say in every case he cannot prove God does not exist and in most cases his "arguements" lead right back to God rather than further away. Dawkins has debated John Lennox and I would suggest two books by John Lennox: Christianity Opium or Truth? and God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?. A brief description of God's Undertaker: Intended to provide a basis for discussion, this captivating study evaluates the evidence of modern science in relation to the debate between the atheistic and theistic resource addresses such topics as the origin of life; the genetic code and its origin; the nature and scope of evolution; and the scope and limits of science. Gripping and thoroughly argued, it is an illuminating look at one of man's greatest debates. I have heard John Lennox in person and he is a professor at the University in Oxford and if you get a chance to read or see his debate with Dawkins it will be time well spent.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your comment "We have morals because our society has decided what is moral and what is not" - what gives us the ability to "decide"? What causes us to know what is right or wrong?
I am not sure if owning property or recgonizing a land where know one own's property is a good discussion topic as that does not really reflect a built-in moral. What keeps you or me from raping a young women, killing her and moving on to the next victim?
Regarding your comment "Usually, however, the burden of proof lies with those who make extraordinary claims. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - I agree with you on this point and if you have read the entire bible I believe you will see the world we live in today is told in the bible. But let's get back to the basics. For a re-action to happen, an action had to take place - agreed? So we still need to go back to who made the "big bang" or any other theory? I cannot believe the whole universe and complex man just happened. I truly believe there is a God, the Creator. I am open to your discussion however if you have any thoughts on if it was not God, who created all this?
"Well, Harry, when a mommy and daddy love each other... But seriously, reproduction is a well-understood scientific process." Really? can a scientist start from scratch and make a single cell that will multiply and produce a living being with functioning body parts?
I have never heard of a human eye being reproduced as it is so complex, but I will look into that for you, to justify my comment.
I agree there are many different concepts of relgions and beliefs in the world, but I also believe in the bible and that we are to go out and spread the Gospel - so all people everywhere here the Good News and the truth of the bible.
Good stuff Scott - we did have a wonderful Christmas and I hope you did to. If you would be interested, I would be interested in a series of letters with you that you could state your case and questions and then I would reply and then we would switch and I would state my position and questions and you would reply. Shoot me an email if you are interested (you can get my email from my FB Info page). It was really great to hear from you. I apoligize for the short answers, but time is short as well.
take Care!
Oh, I love these discussions!
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