Subject:
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Re: Critical Thinking
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 2 Dec 2000 18:17:30 GMT
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Reply-To:
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johnneal@uswest.netIHATESPAM
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Viewed:
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642 times
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Dave Schuler wrote:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:
>
> > Hey Dave!-- I just thought of a question to which I would like to hear your
> > response: What do you think about scientists who believe in God? Does
> > believing in something unprovable put into question their worthiness as
> > scientists? Or is there some sort of "out" from adherence to the scientific
> > method with respect to religion?
>
> Lar was already kind enough to answer before I had a chance to respond,
> and he summed it up pretty nicely for me (thanks, Lar!) I'll elaborate just
> so I'm not guilty of a "me too" post.
> Many scientists certainly do believe in a god or ultimate something-
> or-other, even if it doesn't adhere strictly to Christian, Hindu, or Animist
> principles. Two of the most famous quotes by Einstein himself are, to
> paraphrase (at the risk of slightly misquoting):
>
> "I want to know God's thoughts--the rest are details."
> "I refuse to believe that God plays dice with the Universe."
>
> Interestingly, Hawking has countered this latter quote (which was an
> expression of distaste for uncertainty) by stating that God not only *does*
> play dice with the Universe; he plays them at every moment for every event.
> In addition, Hawking has declared outright that his work is not intended to
> disprove God's existence, and in fact he alludes to "God" being revealed
> through the equations of physics.
> I would say, therefore, that science and religion are not mutually
> exclusive, in that one can pursue actual science with vigor while
> maintaining devout Faith in God. I would further qualify that statement by
> saying that science and religion do not fit in one another's realm; the way
> science seeks to explain things is not the way religion does, and vice versa.
Then WHY do atheists and agnostics try and hold religion up to the scientific
method? Seems to me you can't have your cosmic cake and eat it too. Anyone
stating that they need some sort of proof or evidence that God exists is
inconsistent, when we all agree that that is *by definition* not possible.
And what does it mean to all of you atheists and agnostics out there that some
of the brightest minds in science believe in God? Do you "know better" than
Einstein or Hawking? I'm not saying that you should believe *because* they
believe, but perhaps there is more merit to the existence of God than you
"thought".
-John
>
>
> Dave!
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Message has 5 Replies:
 | | Re: Critical Thinking
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| (...) Which atheists are you referring to? Certainly not me, since I've never demanded any proof of God's existence. I *have* demanded proof of miracles such as prophecies, because these are terrestrial in effect, and therefore part of the natural (...) (24 years ago, 2-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Critical Thinking
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| (...) Dave! already answered this quite well (thanks, Dave!) but I want to elaborate/restate a bit in hopes that if the christians understand this point they will cease and desist in their hijacking of every topic that comes along. Let us be clear (...) (24 years ago, 2-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Critical Thinking
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| (...) Wait! I missed this whole discussion :-) We don't all agree with Dave! I only agree that proof of God's existance isn't possible, because His existance isn't possible. I hold up all things to the scientific method because it has proven itself (...) (24 years ago, 16-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Critical Thinking
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| (...) Wait! I missed this whole discussion :-) We don't all agree with Dave! I only agree that proof of God's existence isn't possible, because His existence isn't possible. I hold up all things to the scientific method because it has proven itself (...) (24 years ago, 16-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Critical Thinking
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| (...) Lar was already kind enough to answer before I had a chance to respond, and he summed it up pretty nicely for me (thanks, Lar!) I'll elaborate just so I'm not guilty of a "me too" post. Many scientists certainly do believe in a god or ultimate (...) (24 years ago, 2-Dec-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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