Re: The Problem with Religion
Reply #14 –
I note an ongoing constant in these types of discussions, which is one reason why I, a Pentecostal believer, choose as a general rule not to spar with the atheist community.
The atheist will, very often angrily, demand PROOF that God exists, and when the believer can't provide the proof that the atheist requires-- mostly because the atheist has "refuted" any proof that might go against his theory-- the atheist then claims that lack of proof is proof of lack, or words to that effect.
The flip side of the coin doesn't get much play here, but any atheist who is the least bit honest will admit he has a problem--- proving that there is, indeed, no god. The problem is that in order to provide such proof you would have to be in possession of all knowledge, and since you aren't in possession of all knowledge there has to be an admission that there might, possibly, just maybe, be a god out there somewhere. In claiming dogmatically that there is no god and not being willing to entertain any thought to the contrary, the atheist becomes just as religiously fundamentalist as the very worst fire-breathing bible-thumper he rails against in his anti-god tirades.
As long as this situation continues, I personally see little purpose to these kind of discussions beyond throwing dust in the air and shouting at the top of your lungs to get your aggressions out. It may vent your spleen but beyond that it seems to me to be pointless.