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Originally Posted by Boogster
You and others seem preoccupied with this misinterpretation of 'faith', and persist in placing it in opposition to 'empirical reasoning', 'evidence', 'proof'. I would argue that you misuse the word 'proof' in this context. For example, empirical reasoning in science is based upon judgements of probability rather than certainty: 'scientific knowledge is a body of statements of varying degrees of certainty - some most unsure, some nearly sure, but none absolutely certain' (McGrath, Dawkins' God, 2005). And science is clearly not infallible. I mean, what was all that stuff with ether about? At the end of the 19th century phycisists were insisting that there was nothing more to be done in their field.
Religious belief is a essentially akin to a moral judgement.
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Yes okay science doesn't always lead to the best answers the first time, but so what, it is still based on rational exploration of observable phenomenon, unlike Christianity which is just nonsensical fantasy.
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Originally Posted by Boogster
The question of whether God exists lies beyond demonstrative proof. It is more like the question of whether democracy is better than totalitarianism. This is itself no reason to dismiss any conclusion. It is still possible to make a rational judgement.
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I don't see a connection between debating the existence of God and a preference for a style of government. On the latter at least you can create some kind preferred outcome in place of 'better' such as 'improved economy' 'higher morale' and then do a study, you can do no such thing with the other. What rational answer, in the face of overwhelming evidence, can you come to except 'what a bunch of hogwash' ?
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Originally Posted by Boogster
Do you ever question the things you believe in? You cannot disprove the existance of God.
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And that's the problem, isn't it. It's not falsifiable. I can invent a million things that you're not going to be able to disprove, are you going to begin believing in those things too?
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Originally Posted by Boogster
Nor can you explain the origin of the universe.
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Actually I believe some headway is being made here.
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Originally Posted by Boogster
How is faith in a God any more irrational than atheism, for example? To pass from agnosticism to aetheism is as much a leap of faith as religious belief.
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This is a much abused concept. No actually, considering that all the evidence practically speaks for itself, it takes a lot less faith to recognize that the history of the Earth as explained in the Bible is impossible, that much of what is discussed in the Bible is impossible. The loss of credibility of this resource, has been thorough and complete. If you choose to believe what it says, you're either ignorant, or compartmentalizing and re-interpreting as you see fit.