Biology textbooks are not evidence that theism is false. The Pope and the rest of the Catholic church is responsible for the cover-up and aiding-and-abetting child molesters. The deity known as God cannot exist due to logical contradictions. In order to prove that a deity exists, the burden of proof lays at the feet of the one claiming that a specific entity IS a deity at all and what “deity” actually means.
There. I answered to the sudden explosion of this thread. 
You just lost your credibility…
Also, I account for the large number of religious beliefs amongst any educated group to social trends. I think it is interesting the implication being made though. I’m not sure religious folks would take to kindly to the idea that they are religious because they are uneducated. I’m not saying that has been said or implied here, but it is a common argument, and if you think about it the underlying implication is that because someone is educated, they should then become an atheist.
As for “prove that no pixies exist”, I would have to ask for the definition of “pixie” and how I can know one when I see one. And the burden of proof lay not at the feet of those claiming that it doesn’t exist since you don’t need to have faith to disbelieve in things that haven’t demonstrably been shown to exist.
“I have a cat” is easily proven. “I have a cat that can sing the Michigan Rag while dancing in a top hat and cane”? Well, that requires a bit more evidence and requires zero faith for anyone to say that I don’t have a cat that can sing the Michigan Rag while dancing in a top hat and cane.
At least a cat, the top hat, the cane, and the Michigan Rag have clearly defined definitions and characteristics. “God” and “pixies” do not.
We cannot prove that no god or god-like creature exists in this our universe. Science, however, has clearly proven that Nature and the Universe don’t need a creator to function.
From all we know today about the laws of Nature, we can conclude that, if there was a god, he would not in the least be similar to the gods described in any given holy scripture of mankind. Because he clearly has no interest in humanity at all, let alone single humans. Therefore, we can conclude, religion serves no other purpose than self-perpetuation. Which renders it worthless.
On the other hand, we are now living in a time where we clearly see the atrocities people are driven to commit by religion. Catholicism? Sexual abuse of children (by priests living in celibacy), discrimination and even physical threatening of women (by so-called “pro-life” activists) and homosexuals (by hate-mongering fundamentalists), dismissal of scientific knowledge and deliberate miseducation of children (in the Bible-Belt).
Islam? Don’t get me started. You all know about it already.
Judaism? Just have a look at Israel.
So it is clearly proven that the damage religion inflicts on humanity outweighs its benefits. The logical conclusion would be to abandon it and move on.
But humans refuse to be logical.
feels bad man
So noted! Thanks for that, now I am free to look for fairies.
hahaha
Of course I DON"T believe in fairies - Nor am I going to bother trying to video the tap dancing cat. (Though that could make a really groovy Youtube vid)
It is enough to try and sort out what we CAN know about the universe and the laws of nature that we can understand around us - I do think this conversation is worth having (As potentially silly as some of the examples may be) because there are those who have NEVER been presented with the wonderful and reasonable views that have been stated thus far. (as in that counters this sort of thing)
Why not look to faries? After all, some of the those old wives tales are wonderous. Faries helping around the house and looking after folks - Why not look to the old wives tales, superstitions and not challenge claims of faith?
Because we do well to look at what is, not to what could be. The important part, is how do we do that.
https://www.corsinet.com/trivia/scary.html
This is a good example of why this discusion is important - The idea of trying to defend a position that advocate the silly is sometimes fun, but at some point, when reality set in, guilty pleasures have to be abandon.
I use to hold to a young earth creation - Science blows that so far out of the water, it is air born. The question is, at what point (If any) can faith in God (at/in any level) be justified? Should that not be dependant upon if there is a god? That is worth the discusion… As much as the discription of God in the bible is discredited, the only question left in the digression, is “is there a God of any kind”?
The answers so far in this discusion are intelligent (as far as responses to said far flung offerings) and are reaspnable to consider I think…
If there is a God, then that God is remarkably not interested in what we are doing to this planet or to each other. He is not interested in governing the behaviour of man ETC. (If one holds to a traditional view)
(Shrugs)
Define “fairies”. Define “God”. Please give them a clear list of characteristics so that I know them when I see them. Please show how these can only be “fairies” or “God” and not some other creature.
Back to God, how do I know that these entity that you will be showing me is the deity known as “God” and not just some alien creature with phenomenal power?
Watch the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Devil’s Due” for more on what I mean here.
Yes Danielsangeo - A person would be hard pressed into defining such things.
That is part of the problem isn’t it.
As we were talking about before… “define added information into the genome”
The moment we have boundaries in definition, we have something to track - or not as the case may be.
As for the Devil’s due - Part 5 is rather well done.
It has a haunting familiar ring to it.
I think I’ll just throw this in here: even the religions that seem entirely harmless if not good have bad sides. I was talking to a girl whose Buddhist parents force here to go to a Buddhist school. She says that they Buddhists tell the students that girls who get pregnant at 13 will die. Also, they are forced to go to a meditation class: 45 minutes of saying and doing nothing.
In order to create an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. Carl Sagan said that, and I think he knows a little more about science than YOU do, pal, because he invented it, and then he perfected it, so that no living man could best him in the ring of honor.
Wow that’s terrible, those evil Buddhists forcing young girls to learn truepropaganda about teenage pregnancy - and mandatory prayer at a religious school, that’s truly shocking!
Prayer, sure, but 45 minutes of absolute stillness is just ridiculous. and none of this is even her choice it’s all because her parents believe in some ridiculous spiritualism she doesn’t agree with.
Also, if you had even read the link you posted you would have noticed that the article was talking about 3rd world countries where disease and malnourishment run rampant and births occur in dirty shacks. So it may be technically true but really it’s just a twisted statistic. And who says simply because you’re pregnant means you have to go through childbirth? There’s such thing as abortions and Plan B.
It’s all just trying to scare girls into being obedient. If you don’t want children having sex then tell them the true risks and let them weigh the pros and cons, but once you lie to them you lose any credibility and your advice/threats whether or not towards a good cause mean nothing.
That’s a lot fucking shorter than catholic mass, throughout which you’re berated and forced to pay attention to something stupid and incoherent instead of just clearing your mind.
Way to be close-minded. It may be ridiculous to you, but it’s definitely not ridiculous to Buddhists. And how do you know the girls in question don’t agree with their parents “ridiculous” spiritualism.
He assumes that all children despise their parent’s religion obviously.
clearly sufficient grounds to condemn thousands of years of religious tradition.
Well, I know at least one dislikes it, and friend’s who went to the same school didn’t seem to like it either.
Actually, quite the opposite, the only reason religion still exists is because kids don’t like to go against their parent’s beliefs. Look above.
That and modern science; religion/spiritualism is obsolete.
I’d so much rather be preached to for an hour+ than sit perfectly still for 45 minutes.
Thats TWO out of many millions.
My mistake, I thought we were making quick judgements without proper evidence.
Maybe, but it’s not like entire religions are going to just lay down and die.
ADHD, case closed.
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