what would it take to convert you to the other side

Hey, iano--did you get married? Are you respectable now? If God used empirical means to persuade me of his existence, I'd count that as a pretty hearty validation of empiricism, not a destruction of it.Empiricism isn't a cult, so the choices wouldn't be "God is dead" or "Empiricism is dead." My brain surgeon can persuade me of the need for an operation by empirical means--or he can simply slip me a mickey and proceed.I'd rather be persuaded than magicked. After I am persuaded, I might want the magick; but after I am magicked, what I wanted prior to that becomes irrelevant.

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Have you ever been to an American wedding? Where's the vodka? Where's the marinated herring?!
-Gogol Bordello

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Real things always push back.
-William James

I would need two things: omnipotence and simultaneous proof of my sanity.

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Dost thou prate, rogue?
-Cassio

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Real things always push back.
-William James

Congratulations!Your bride is lovely and no doubt better than you deserve: my experience is that if you keep that in mind, your marriage should go swimmingly. I wish you both every happiness.I'll reply to the rest of your post later, and let these good wishes go out unmixed.Edited by Omnivorous, : you

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Dost thou prate, rogue?
-Cassio

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Real things always push back.
-William James

That's certainly not my demand.I merely demand that theists who claim they have evidence for the existence of God present their evidence in a valid form--especially when believers attempt to insert their beliefs into public policies and institutions. Theists who concede they have no empirical evidence for God's existence and who agree their beliefs should remain in the private sphere are fun to talk to, but I have no demands to make of them.I don't care if they worship Bambi as long as Bambi stays out of our laws, schools, and bedrooms.As to worship? None of the gods I've heard described sound like entities I'd want to worship: frankly, I don't understand the worshipful stance in any creature who has evolved beyond the dog. And I prefer cats.As far as I can tell, only cultural ascendancy distinguishes our modern crop of gods from their own devils.

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Dost thou prate, rogue?
-Cassio

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Real things always push back.
-William James