Subject:
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Re: What Would It Take? (was:Re: Problems with Christianity)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 23 Dec 2000 01:59:58 GMT
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Viewed:
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1254 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:
> A question (which I think I posed to TomS whose answer I can't seem to find
> in the slew) I would like any atheist or agnostic to discuss would be: what
> would it take for you to believe that God exists? The reason I ask is
> because, after having heard all of the arguments presented here, I am left
> with the impression that there is *nothing* that could make one believe in
> God. Is that a fair assessment?
Sadly, I fear the answer is just about yes, going by what I think you define
as God.
But really what we've got to do is define 'God' first, because I may be
wrong. In fact, depending on what you define as 'God', I may in fact already
believe in His existence. Perhaps you could expound?
But in the meanwhile, I'm forced to say no, no event could "convince" me
100% of what I think you mean by a God. I cannot conceive of an event that
would make be believe so, as I would be inclined to believe an alternative
explanation remaining unknown was the cause. Lar suggested miracles, but to
quote someone-or-other, 'Technologies yet unknown and unconcieved of by
someone are indescernable from magic.'
However, there could be events that would make be BELIEVE, without being
100% sure. For instance, let's say that God, because He wanted to, sought to
prove to me that He existed. And so he appeared in front of me, and asked me
to test his existence by making me fly or making me read someone's mind, or
letting me travel through time, or by Him making me suddenly think something
or some such ridiculous event. But again, even this wouldn't convince me
100%... One could still argue the absurd that my brain is sitting in a vat
somewhere with sensory inputs in it making me experience whatever it is I
experience without the existence of a Christian 'God'.
DaveE
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