A question for aethists (and Sklansky)

[Shoe]

What if aliens landed on earth tomorrow and they also turned out to be Christian (or the same as any other religion currently worshiped on earth).

How would you feel about that? Would it change your views? Of course this is only in theory.

[David Sklansky]

That would be stong evidence that the religion is true. Why do you ask such an obvious question?

[Shoe]

Perhaps, your beliefs are so strong that you would still not believe. But your right, now that I think about it more the evidence would be pretty overwhelming.

Or some might think these are the same aliens that started religion and built the pyramids while they were at it.

[akudlac]

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps, your beliefs are so strong that you would still not believe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you have this whole thing backwards?

Christians as a group ignore evidence due to their strong beliefs. Unless they can fit aliens into the Bible somehow(reinterprete an parable maybe?).

Atheists are the group open to convincing.

[ QUOTE ]
But your right, now that I think about it more the evidence would be pretty overwhelming.


[/ QUOTE ]

Any evidence would help.

[Snoogins47]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps, your beliefs are so strong that you would still not believe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you have this whole thing backwards?

Christians as a group ignore evidence due to their strong beliefs. Unless they can fit aliens into the Bible somehow(reinterprete an parable maybe?).

Atheists are the group open to convincing.

[ QUOTE ]
But your right, now that I think about it more the evidence would be pretty overwhelming.


[/ QUOTE ]

Any evidence would help.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm no religious type, but to say that Atheists as a group are open to convincing is a broad generalization that is just not true. I will grant that there's a huge number of folks that will close their ears at any insinuation that the Bible is false (it's well, extremely short of possible to deny this), but there's also a huge number of folks who profess staunch Atheism with reasoning along the lines of "The Bible is a fairytale," or "I listen to Tool."

I compare it personally to the political "debate" these days. Find me an ignorant neo-con, and an ignorant neo-lib, and while I'll probably agree a good deal more with what the liberal says, they're both morons.

I think really that the problem with the whole religious "debate" is that the most powerful weapon either side uses is the shameless thrusting of the burden of proof onto their opponents.

[akudlac]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps, your beliefs are so strong that you would still not believe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you have this whole thing backwards?

Christians as a group ignore evidence due to their strong beliefs. Unless they can fit aliens into the Bible somehow(reinterprete an parable maybe?).

Atheists are the group open to convincing.

[ QUOTE ]
But your right, now that I think about it more the evidence would be pretty overwhelming.


[/ QUOTE ]

Any evidence would help.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm no religious type, but to say that Atheists as a group are open to convincing is a broad generalization that is just not true. I will grant that there's a huge number of folks that will close their ears at any insinuation that the Bible is false (it's well, extremely short of possible to deny this), but there's also a huge number of folks who profess staunch Atheism with reasoning along the lines of "The Bible is a fairytale," or "I listen to Tool."

[/ QUOTE ]

How does saying listening to Tool demonstrate close mindedness? Actually sounds like you're agreeing with me that they could be swayed, if their position comes from a song.

[ QUOTE ]
I compare it personally to the political "debate" these days. Find me an ignorant neo-con, and an ignorant neo-lib, and while I'll probably agree a good deal more with what the liberal says, they're both morons.

I think really that the problem with the whole religious "debate" is that the most powerful weapon either side uses is the shameless thrusting of the burden of proof onto their opponents.

[/ QUOTE ]

What burden of proof do atheists need?

1. They're making no claim.
2. You can't prove a negative.

Try this: Prove to me invisible pink unicorns don't exist.


You seem to confuse a lack of a belief with a belief.

[BZ_Zorro]

The majority of atheists I know (I am one myself btw) hold their beliefs for reasons which are neither cogent, consistent, or particularly compelling. Further, they can rarely express these beliefs in any "common sense" way, instead referring to concepts they don't really tackle the issue being discussed.

But of course, they do have the benefit of being right. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Shoe]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you have this whole thing backwards?

Christians as a group ignore evidence due to their strong beliefs. Unless they can fit aliens into the Bible somehow(reinterprete an parable maybe?).

Atheists are the group open to convincing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Your wrong. Hard-core aethists are just as bad as hard-core Christians these days.

[akudlac]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Don't you have this whole thing backwards?

Christians as a group ignore evidence due to their strong beliefs. Unless they can fit aliens into the Bible somehow(reinterprete an parable maybe?).

Atheists are the group open to convincing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Your wrong. Hard-core aethists are just as bad as hard-core Christians these days.

[/ QUOTE ]

By definition I'm right. Show some evidence and you'll get believers, it wouldn't be too hard.

Those that have so much invested in a belief system, those are the tough sells.

[Little Fishy]

agnostics are the group open to believing, athiests are the group that don't believe in anything but what they can touch, and then again not even that