Original Sin?

None of the miracles in the bible can be recreated today. Now, miracles are attributed by searching the past - as in the canonization process.

No one can say that "I am going to perform a miracle" and then perform one.

What do you think would happen if the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal were recreated? I am confident that no fire would be produced.

Why can't the power of prayer be scientifically confirmed?

The more I read about these things, the more I believe that the stories of the bible are all made up, with a smattering of names of real people and a few historical facts.

All of those pages that I linked to say it far better than I can. One of them claims the bible contains outright lies.

My disbelief continues to be reinforced.

It wouldn't be hard to get believers if anyone could do any of the miraculous things that all of those people did.

You would certainly get more believers if the power of prayer could be scientifically verified.

The dice influencers should pray. Kill two birds with one stone.

Quote: FrGamble

Rxwine, I can't really tell but I think you seem to be saying that love and by analogy the existence of God might just be a trick of the senses. Are you saying that life gives the impression that there is a God but that does not make it true?

Not just god either. You probably know people continue to believe they can pick patterns from random. That's seeing order where none is ever proved. No one has done it, yet many people continue on and on to believe it.

I sure wish I could see the next lotto numbers from following all the past results. (and if you can, it's because something is broke or they screwed up the design)

Quote: FrGamble

I hear Face and EB saying that atheism is a "no-thing".

I don't think a grown adult can fail to understand Face's clear explanation. Your persistence in using name-calling better suited to a school yard than a discussion board, leads me to believe your pretense to misunderstand is based on bigotry.

Quote: Nareed

I don't think a grown adult can fail to understand Face's clear explanation. Your persistence in using name-calling better suited to a school yard than a discussion board, leads me to believe your pretense to misunderstand is based on bigotry.

Quote: Face

But that's a "thing". Atheism is a "no thing".

Atheists accept evidence if it is reasonable.

Someone tells me there is a dragon in a cave.

Okay. Let's go see it.

It's invisible.

Okay. Does it do anything we can see the results of?

It's fire breathing.

So we can see the fire?

No.

So, we can see burned things if we want to?

No. .

Okay, then, can we get it to burn something if we go there, or move an object.

No. It doesn't perform on demand.

???

But we have people who know it is there and have experienced it.

So, they have evidence then?

Well, not really anything physical. But they will assure you it happened.

~

Yup, that's where atheists are left. And we are considered unreasonable?? Heh.

I fail to see how this imaginary dragon even remotely connects to the person of Jesus Christ. For what its worth I wouldn't believe in such a dragon either.

Quote: FrGamble

I fail to see how this imaginary dragon even remotely connects to the person of Jesus Christ. For what its worth I wouldn't believe in such a dragon either.

Figures.

I didn't even get to the part where the invisible dragon wants a tithe.

Quote: FrGamble

It is not based on evidence. It sounds like a decision .

It's not a decision, as I've said a
dozen times. I never weighed all
the facts, there are no facts. I
just realized one day I was an
atheist. Just like I realized one
day I'll never play the piano or
date Sophia Vargara. There
was no work involved, god
doesn't exist. Move on.

You're in what some call the
'god trap'. You put yourself
there willingly and you can't
be happy with that decision
until everybody is in there
with you. Deep down you know
there is no god, so your insecurity
forces to you to convince others.
You think it's god doing this to
you, that's why it's a trap. One
you set for yourself.

Quote: rxwine

Figures.

I didn't even get to the part where the invisible dragon wants a tithe.

What I mean is in response to your first two characteristics of this dragon. We know Jesus was a historical person who was seen, documented, and written about. Secondly His impact in the past and still today is very visible, those who have been touched by the fire of His love are noticeably changed.

Again your posts and comments border on the unanswerable because you continue to tell me what I believe. I don't know if you are hoisting on me your own insecurity or doubt but I assure you that you are very wrong about what I deep down believe.

Quote: Evenbob

It's not a decision, as I've said a
dozen times. I never weighed all
the facts, there are no facts. I
just realized one day I was an
atheist. Just like I realized one
day I'll never play the piano or
date Sophia Vargara. There
was no work involved, god
doesn't exist. Move on.

I will happily move on if you are logically consistent. If you say you just realized something without facts you can't then at the same time claim definitively that there is no God. I think I finally understand what you and Face mean when you use the term atheist. You mean a-theist with "a" as a prefix in the same way we would say amoral, meaning without morals. You really are saying that you are without God because you just came to that realization without evidence or facts because it felt right to you. This type of "atheism" I think you will agree is more akin to agnosticism or indifference. If you want to continue to posit that there is no God, I'm sorry but you are going to have to back that claim up with facts and evidence - I'm sorry but I didn't make the rules of logic. If however you would like to say that for no particular reason you don't want to believe in God then I don't really have a response for you.