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Author Topic:   Choosing to believe
nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 37 of 90 (397477)
04-26-2007 8:19 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by New Cat's Eye
04-03-2007 5:04 PM


quote:
The common atheist answer is that you can't distinuish between the supernatural and sufficiently advanced technology. So, you could just (choose to?) believe that it was not god and that it was aliens or something.
And, given no other additional distinguishing evidence, it would be the most reasonable, rational conclusion.
Occam's Razor and all.
Edited by nator, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by New Cat's Eye, posted 04-03-2007 5:04 PM New Cat's Eye has not replied

  
nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 38 of 90 (397482)
04-26-2007 8:33 AM
Reply to: Message 22 by Phat
04-05-2007 9:59 AM


Re: Too general
quote:
I suppose that technically I could be wrong, but I look at it much the same as I look at my belief in you. I don't know for a fact that you are who you say you are.
Although I have talked to you and received answers, there is a small possibility that you never existed and that either an impostor or a sophisticated computer program really provided me with a dialogue. The chance is so small, however, that I don't consider it. Its the same way with God. How can I have a personal relationship with someone that I am unsure exists?
The difference is, Phat, that you can check all of those things about any of us here on the board, if you wanted to.
Can't do that with God, can you?
(And, BTW, if you have interactions with God that are similar to those you have with us on EvC, that is pretty cool. Can you get Him to post here?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 22 by Phat, posted 04-05-2007 9:59 AM Phat has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 41 by Phat, posted 04-26-2007 9:37 AM nator has replied

  
nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 39 of 90 (397484)
04-26-2007 8:48 AM
Reply to: Message 36 by ikabod
04-26-2007 8:02 AM


quote:
What we are also dealing with is the desire for the "false" to be true even if we know its not
Sure.
It was, as one time, fairly common for mothers to simply choose to not believe her children when they told her that her husband had been molesting them. Families can remain amazingly inobservant to the reality of mental and physical abuse, mental illness, and substance abuse within their own close circle.
Avoidance of emotional pain is a VERY strong incentive to lie to oneself and to others.
This is, I think, a big reason creationists like ICANT are so incredibly resistant and closed to learning. It is far too frightening, since their church has taught them that they must give up their faith if they change their understanding of the Bible.
To me, that is more Bible worship than God worship, but that is for another thread.

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Replies to this message:
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nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 43 of 90 (397504)
04-26-2007 9:46 AM
Reply to: Message 41 by Phat
04-26-2007 9:37 AM


Re: Too general
Go for it, I'll pop in.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 41 by Phat, posted 04-26-2007 9:37 AM Phat has not replied

  
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