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 03:02:43 GMT
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Reply-To:
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johnneal@uswest&saynotospam&.net
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Viewed:
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1282 times
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David Eaton wrote:
> 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?
I would simply define God as a single Entity which created the universe. We
all instinctively long to be united with that Entity.
I would then go on to state that that Entity entered time and space in the
human form of Jesus Christ, in order to reveal God's true nature in a way
humans could comprehend. How would you define God?
> 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'.
Dude, you are one serious skeptic! :-)
-John
>
>
> DaveE
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