Originally posted by Holden McGroin
Because no evidence exists to prove something, all it logically proves is that there is no evidence. The leap to the conclusion that something does not exist is illogical and therefore is a faith.
There is no evidence of extra-terrestrial life, and yet I have confidence that in the vastness of the universe life exists elsewhere. Because I have no evidence supporting my contention does not prove that ET life does not exist.
Atheism does have a modicum of faith associated with it; the faith (not logic) that a deity does not exist.
I disagree. Atheism from my point of view IS logic.
The Christian teachings and arguments for the existance of god are full of illogical arguments. The most fundamental always breaks down to "who created god?". If god was created then that leads to conclusion that there is yet a higher being, and god is in fact not the ultimate deity. Another angle, for god to exist does this require the existance of the universe? What existed first? The deity or the universe?
Going past the theological stuff theres the factual stuff. The age of the universe, the earth, the planets, lifeforms. All proven by various scientific methods. Yet these facts clearly disagree with statements of creation in the bible. So do we believe in deity based on the teachings on a book with such dubious statements? Then theres the old fallback when what you say doesn't make sense... faith.
I often get the doorknockers asking about my beliefs. Yet all I see is words, not real faith, not real belief. There was a really good quote from one of the Dune books about religion and its reliance on words, I must dig it up. But essentially, take away words and what is Christianity - real religion, real faith should be able to exist without words - can Christianity do this?
And who is really right? The Christians? The Muslims? The Budhists? The Hindus?
Arguments like the earth not being flat, or the earth orbiting the sun were also hard to prove at the time, yet eventually they were nailed down.
God has 'its' function, political, psychological, social - for some of us (but not me).
