Why is YOUR religion (or atheism) better than any one elses?

[JustAlex]

BTW, to be an atheist there is only ONE rule....You can't believe in god.

That's it, if you think all atheists automatically believe the scientific explanations to our origins, then you're wrong.

The reason the majority DO accept it is because science is the best method we have towards explaining our surroundings.

One more thing....why is it that most theists can accept all the great things about science and the many theories that it has EXCEPT when it comes into conflict with their religion?

Most theists accept the theory of gravity, atoms, and germs.....because it doesn't conflict with your religion.

But once it does....suddenly science is junk or wrong?

Why the double standard?

[Wickabee]

Ok...

1. Sure, I'll agree that people don't like to admit they're wrong. However, science eventually discovers bad science.

For example, the flat earth model, the geocentric model, and several false transitional fossils are occasions where science has rectified bad science.

That's the beauty of it.....science is ever changing, if new evidence comes in, it has no option but to change, this is where it differs from the religious dogmatic principle where ideas never change, no matter how much evidence it's up against!

How long does it take for science to find bad science? Better yet, when bad science is found and it turns out that bad science is the basis for a lot of good science, is there a push to ignore the findings?
Can you honestly answer that?

2. Fine, I have no reason to avoid it.....I am speculating or better yet, I'm assuming that alien life would have the same or similar characteristics of life on earth. This assumption is based on evidence I already have.

I can't give god any characteristics because I don't have any examples for magic....it's just that simple.

You don't have any examples of alien life, either. You're speculation is based on what exists here? Guess what, so are the characteristics man attributes to God. That's where "made in his image" comes from. But you knew that, right?

[tpeichel]

Ok, I guess I have to spell it out....

#1 Do you believe in Bigfoot or Leprechauns? (I"ll assume you don't)

#2 Why don't you believe in Bigfoot or Leprchauns?

#3 So by your original logic, it takes equal amount of faith to not believe in bigfoot than it does TO believe in bigfoot.

You don't see a problem with this?

Does it also take the same amount of faith not to believe Elvis is alive as it is to believe that Elvis IS Alive?

C'mon, this isn't even a hard one.

I watched the video, you don't need to parrot the arguments. You are equating supernatural beliefs to big foot and leprechauns. I'm equating your belief that there is a physical, scientific explanation for how the earth and humans were created to big foot and leprechauns. You have no evidence for your belief, so you rely on FAITH.

[JustAlex]

How long does it take for science to find bad science? Better yet, when bad science is found and it turns out that bad science is the basis for a lot of good science, is there a push to ignore the findings?
Can you honestly answer that?

How long does it take?

It depends on when the new evidence comes in.

Is there a push to ignore the findings when bad science is the basis for good science?

I don't know, but as a skeptic, I tend to not take things on face value and it is up to me to hear out the claims, examine the evidence behind those claims, and come to a conclusion of whether or not to accept it.

For example, I accept the theory of evolution because there is so much evidence to back it up.

Abiogenesis though, is still a theory on it's infancy and it's not as widely accepted as evolution, it could be completely wrong!

That still wouldn't matter though....saying that "X" theory is wrong, doesn't mean I'm going to say that "god did it".

At the end of the day, even if there was no theories for the origins of humans or this universe, I STILL wouldn't believe in god because there is no reason to believe in god when there is absolutely no proof for him.

You don't have any examples of alien life, either. You're speculation is based on what exists here? Guess what, so are the characteristics man attributes to God. That's where "made in his image" comes from. But you knew that, right?

Yes, I know I don't have any examples of alien life, that's why it's an assumption.

I had previously (in another thread) told you that I believe that alien life is POSSIBLE, however since no evidence is available, I don't believe in it.....especially not the hollywood aliens nonsense or the conspiracy theories type either.

The reason why I can say that alien life is more probable than god is because we have a standard for life....life on earth.

There is no standard for god, there is no characteristics we can put on god because there is no examples of the supernatural attributes that religions give him.

How can I say that god is the creator of the universe when there is no evidence that this universe was created in the sense that religions say that god created it.

For example....we have proof that our universe is expanding, this is an attribute of the big bang.

The Christian religion says that god SPOKE the Universe into existence.....HOW?

That doesn't even make sense.

[JustAlex]

You have no evidence for your belief, so you rely on FAITH.

First of all, my beliefs are not mutually exclusive to being an atheist, I want to make that clear.

Secondly, there is PLENTY of evidence for the Big bang and Evolution......you should really look into it, it might surprise you.

[Wickabee]

How long does it take?

It depends on when the new evidence comes in.

Is there a push to ignore the findings when bad science is the basis for good science?

I don't know, but as a skeptic, I tend to not take things on face value and it is up to me to hear out the claims, examine the evidence behind those claims, and come to a conclusion of whether or not to accept it.

For example, I accept the theory of evolution because there is so much evidence to back it up.

Abiogenesis though, is still a theory on it's infancy and it's not as widely accepted as evolution, it could be completely wrong!

That still wouldn't matter though....saying that "X" theory is wrong, doesn't mean I'm going to say that "god did it".

At the end of the day, even if there was no theories for the origins of humans or this universe, I STILL wouldn't believe in god because there is no reason to believe in god when there is absolutely no proof for him.

Please, alex, get it out of your head that I'm trying to get you to say "God did it." As long as you're arguing that, we'll be having two different conversations. Talking to you gets really frustrating because you treat everyone as if they're trying to trick you. Stop that.

Yes, I know I don't have any examples of alien life, that's why it's an assumption.

I had previously (in another thread) told you that I believe that alien life is POSSIBLE, however since no evidence is available, I don't believe in it.....especially not the hollywood aliens nonsense or the conspiracy theories type either.

The reason why I can say that alien life is more probable than god is because we have a standard for life....life on earth.

There is no standard for god, there is no characteristics we can put on god because there is no examples of the supernatural attributes that religions give him.

How can I say that god is the creator of the universe when there is no evidence that this universe was created in the sense that religions say that god created it.

For example....we have proof that our universe is expanding, this is an attribute of the big bang.

The Christian religion says that god SPOKE the Universe into existence.....HOW?

That doesn't even make sense.

You have examples of life on earth. That says absolutely nothing of life on another planet. The same conditions aren't necessary unless you think alien life could only be exactly like us (which would be a very arrogant assumption).
Also, the same argument could be made for God. God (if real) is a life from. We are life forms. Therefor our characteristics must be the same.

Don't like that logic? Too bad, it's yours.

[tpeichel]

First of all, my beliefs are not mutually exclusive to being an atheist, I want to make that clear.

Secondly, there is PLENTY of evidence for the Big bang and Evolution......you should really look into it, it might surprise you.

Do you believe that evolution explains how complex human bodies and minds developed from tiny specks of life that suddenly sprang into existence?

[JustAlex]

You have examples of life on earth. That says absolutely nothing of life on another planet. The same conditions aren't necessary unless you think alien life could only be exactly like us (which would be a very arrogant assumption).
Also, the same argument could be made for God. God (if real) is a life from. We are life forms. Therefor our characteristics must be the same.

Don't like that logic? Too bad, it's yours.

No, it's not my logic.

I'm assuming that alien life forms would be similar to earth's life form based on our understanding of our universe and the theories behind it.....especially Abiogenesis and Evolution.

If abiogenesis occurred in other planets, then it's completely possible that evolution could have also occurred and thus we can have life forms similar to the ones on earth.

You are talking to me as if I'm a scientist myself, I am not an expert nor do I profess to be.

But you seem to forget that if the question being posed to me is....."do you believe in Aliens"?

It is the exact same answer as "Do you believe in god".

No, I don't believe, but I can't say for sure that god/aliens does not exists.

[JustAlex]

Do you believe that evolution explains how complex human bodies and minds developed from tiny specks of life that suddenly sprang into existence?

Again, you're mixing more than one theory together.

Evolution is the diversity of life once it's already here. (Evolution is both a theory and a fact and I fully agree with it)

Abiogenesis is a theory on how life COULD HAVE arose form non-organic life. (Abiogenesis is still in it's "infancy" and it is not a sound as evolution.....the current consensus is that we simply don't know yet.)

And I'm perfectly fine with the answer "I don't know".

[Wickabee]

No, it's not my logic.

I'm assuming that alien life forms would be similar to earth's life form based on our understanding of our universe and the theories behind it.....especially Abiogenesis and Evolution.

If abiogenesis occurred in other planets, then it's completely possible that evolution could have also occurred and thus we can have life forms similar to the ones on earth.

You are talking to me as if I'm a scientist myself, I am not an expert nor do I profess to be.

But you seem to forget that if the question being posed to me is....."do you believe in Aliens"?

It is the exact same answer as "Do you believe in god".

No, I don't believe, but I can't say for sure that god/aliens does not exists.

Yet you talk to Christians as if they're experts. No one is.
You talk to anyone who believes in God the same as you do right wing neocon extremist Christians though they're not.
So I'll speak to you as a scientist if I see fit.

And if that's your answer, you are not an atheist. An atheist doesn't entertain the thought of God existing any more than you or I entertain the thought of Santa Clause existing.