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There is plenty of solid evidence which SUPPORTS the theory of evolution.
Evolution is happening all the time right now. Bacteria have been observed to evolve into antibiotic resistant strains through the process of natural selection, for example.
What do you have? "An invisible man in the sky created everything"
Here's a question I've been dying to ask: Where do you think dinosaur bones come from? Do you think Satan planted them there?
Seriously, don't bother, it's not worth it. It's like trying to argue with a 9/11 truther, everything you say, no matter how rational, will be denied.
Is it ever rational to believe something you have no evidence for?
In almost all cases, it's not rational to believe in things without evidence, especially when people claim said thing is beyond the pale of evidence. When that happens, your BS meter should be ringing very loudly.
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Well, I have no evidence for or against life on other planets, but I believe that extraterrestrial life exists. I suppose that's irrational, but I don't think it's a sign of mental illness.
However, you do have evidence life exists. You also have evidence other planets exist around other stars and that some of these planets are in zones that are capable of supporting life. You also have evidence that planets around other stars isn't all that uncommon. You have evidence that at least 100 billion stars exist in our galaxy alone, and it's but one galaxy existing in a known universe that contains around 200 billion galaxies. By inference and a meager understanding of probability, it's highly rational to believe life exists on other planets.
Last edited by NOTaTHEIST; 07-11-2013 at 07:06 PM..
^ So are you saying that no things beyond the pale of evidence exist? Surely that is not necessarily the case. For many years people did not know atoms existed, but they do. Would you have said it was crazy for someone to believe in atoms before they had the technology to support their existence?
^ So are you saying that no things beyond the pale of evidence exist? Surely that is not necessarily the case. For many years people did not know atoms existed, but they do. Would you have said it was crazy for someone to believe in atoms before they had the technology to support their existence?
What I'm saying, probably not well in the first writing, is in the case of most god concepts (because of their non-natural existence) people claim there can be no evidence for them. They are basically beyond the realm of evidence and never will be in the realm of evidence. Does that mean they automatically do not exist? No, but it should cause us to highly doubt the people who place their claim in a realm that's perpetually untestable.
In the case of atoms, they were never believed to be beyond the realm of evidence. When they were first proposed they were beyond the realm of human observation, just as many other natural hypothesis are; multiple universes for instance (even though there is data to suggest other universes exist, dark-flow for instance). There's a large distinction between a claim which can have no evidence, and one that is simply beyond the current realm of human observation.
In the case of a natural hypothesis it's safe to suspend belief (a rational position) until the evidence presents itself, but no self-respecting scientist would ever place a natural hypothesis beyond the realm of evidence, as people do with their god claims.
Is it a coincidence gods are commonly thought to be supernatural? I think not. It's much too convenient place for the believer to continue hiding them.
No it is not. It is irrational. If it were anything else besides religion, any mentally healthy person would call it delusional, even a mental illness itself.
And I believe it. But I'm just taking their word for it. I can't travel into space to authenticate any of the reports I read about all the amazing things out in the Universe.
It doesn't seem irrational to me to believe in God because that is really the only way we humans have to deal with the problem of evil. Science is not going to help us deal with the reality of evil being present in this realm we're in. But faith does help me to accept that it is not a permanent condition. And considering the scientific fact that everything is constantly changing, I find it likely that that same "law" of change will carry over into the spiritual realm as well.
Well, I have no evidence for or against life on other planets, but I believe that extraterrestrial life exists. I suppose that's irrational, but I don't think it's a sign of mental illness.
I think maybe we need to define and differentiate between the terms irrational and insane. I say that because of the responder who mentioned that belief in God is a "mental illness". I think it would be more accurate to say that belief in God is a mental CONDITION or a personal PERCEPTION ... nothing more. Some people have faith in a spiritual realm - it's just the way it is.
Is it a coincidence gods are commonly thought to be supernatural? I think not. It's much too convenient place for the believer to continue hiding them.
Spiritual things are invisible by their "nature". Can you see LOVE, FEAR, HOPE, FAITH with your natural eyes? Your argument is moot. Just because people have done all sorts of wacky and horrible things in the name of their religion does not mean there is not a spiritual realm. Most religion IS bad because people who ARE BAD (or who ACT BADLY) desire to have power over other human beings and they have used religion to exploit people's fear of the unknown. That still doesn't mean there is not a PURE form of religion which is apart from organizations, names, and rituals.
They're not just invisible, they're completely beyond the realm of testability. This "nature" is far to convenient to be mere coincidence.
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Can you see LOVE, FEAR, HOPE, FAITH with your natural
eyes?
Sure, we can't "see" (well, you can directly observe these behaviors by how they manifest in actions) this stuff, but this doesn't mean there's isn't a way to observer the natural phenomenon that causes these reactions in the human brain. We can show evidence for what we call "love, fear, hope, faith" as the bio-chemical reactions occur. These emotions are certainly not supernatural in nature as most theists claim their god to be.
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