Original Sin?

I don't think that. Atheists are illogical and their philosophy of life is not grounded in reality or any objective truth, but thank God they don't really live informed by atheism because as you said it is really nothing and just an intellectual exercise.

Quote: FrGamble

I don't think that. Atheists are illogical.. not grounded in reality or any objective truth,

Atheists are the epitome of logic. You have
it backwards. Atheists are completely
grounded in reality and truth, and not
bogged down in myth and superstition
like you and other Christians obviously
are.

Let's see atheists think there is absolutely no God without any evidence, proof, or logic to back them up. They hold to this in the face of logic itself, usually based on emotions, desire, or bad experiences they have had in the past. Atheism is nothing other than a crazy idea people dream up to avoid reality and imagine they are free from what they view as the tyranny of God, judgement, and the fear that there is something more powerful than themselves. It is the ultimate and ancient myth.

Quote: FrGamble

Let's see atheists think there is absolutely no God without any evidence, proof, or logic to back them up. They hold to this in the face of logic itself.

Actually, when there is no evidence for
something, believing it doesn't exist
is the very definition of logic. Believing
something exists when there is zero
proof is the opposite of logic.

It's very clever of the Church to try and
have it both ways, but it's very silly also.

Quote: Evenbob

Actually, when there is no evidence for
something, believing it doesn't exist
is the very definition of logic.

Oh come on, you already know that this is not the definition of logic. In fact it is the opposite. If you have no good reason to believe something doesn't exist then it is illogical to believe it absolutely. Before you bring up the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny again let me remind you that there are many good reasons not to believe that these things do not exist. Please remember that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Now in the case of God you are in an even worse position because there are many logical reasons and evidence (which you deny) that point to God's existence. So as an atheist you are left with no reasons for you believing that God does not exist and you are confronted with the logical arguments and evidence of His existence. Atheism is an illogical folly.

Quote:

Believing
something exists when there is zero
proof is the opposite of logic.

If you replace the word "proof" above with "evidence" then I would agree with you.

Quote: FrGamble

there are many good reasons not to believe that these things do not exist. .

Good enough for you does not mean
they're good reasons. A bad man can
think of many good reasons to beat
his wife, and truly believe he's justified
in doing so. When he goes to trial he'll
find his reasons are lacking in credibility.

Quote: Evenbob

Good enough for you does not mean
they're good reasons. A bad man can
think of many good reasons to beat
his wife, and truly believe he's justified
in doing so. When he goes to trial he'll
find his reasons are lacking in credibility.

I think you are starting to get it. This is how we discover truth, real objective truth. You can't just make up what you want to believe and declare yourself an atheist. On closer inspection and with an open mind you find that your reasons are lacking in credibility.

Quote: FrGamble

You can't just make up what you want to believe and declare yourself an atheist. .

What have I made up. I see no evidence
for a god, so for me no god exists. There
is no other choice unless evidence all of
a sudden shows up that we can throw
all natural law out the window and start
living like like they did in the 12th century.

Quote: Evenbob

What have I made up. I see no evidence
for a god, so for me no god exists.

This is making up out of nothing a statement of fact, which is illogical and fantasy. You might as well as be living in a time when people didn't know what lightning was so they said it was Zeus throwing lighting bolts.

Quote: FrGamble

This is making up out of nothing a statement of fact, which is illogical and fantasy. You might as well as be living in a time when people didn't know what lightning was so they said it was Zeus throwing lighting bolts.

That is exactly what the church does when they certify miracles. There is no known (or accepted) natural phenomenon to explain something, so god did it.

Same thing for demonic possession, except the devil did it.