Indeed, even Dawkins usually makes sure to say ‘there probably is no God’,
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And yet, no one challenges him to produce his statistical calculations for claiming that as a “probability.”
Is he simply practicing a polite diplomacy when he speaks thusly in public, or does he have other forms of proof to back up such an assertion?
I do know he was one of two featured debate opponents in a DVD I own, entitled “There is no God.” Haven’t watched it in a while.
Huh, cute, I’m a 2.
What can change your mind?
Hell if I know.
The Guardian, that bastion of conservative Christian values (NOT) explores the topic, somewhat uncharitably, here. Seems there’s plenty of “nastiness” to go around, depending on peoples’ perspectives.
I share this, not by way of endorsement, but for purposes of comparison to the attitudes and, by contrast, only mild invective in view here on the forum.
Why are you asking me???
I… don’t know, I’ve never actually seen you write about your beliefs. I don’t know why I just assumed.
I apologize if I offended you.
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Depending on the particular brand of God, I’m somewhere between 5 and 7 on that scale. Though I don’t believe absolute 100% certainty (in anything other than an emotional sense) is possible for anything other than that I exist (I think - therefore I am).
For most mainstream christian denominations, I’m a 6 on that scale, for the more nebulous deistic-ish versions, I’m a 5, for the more ludicrous versions with literal talking snakes, parting seas, and rivers turning to blood, Norse and Greek mythology, new-age religions, Scientology, Mormonism and so on, I’m (say) 1% away from a 7.
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Isn’t claiming to know that God exists also, by that reasoning, a deadening of wonder? Isn’t, in fact, claiming to know any fact whatsoever a similar deadining? Still not understanding the reasoning.
I believe Dawkins puts himself at 6.9 or thereabouts, and I would concur. Customary scientific caution; there is no such thing as P=0. You can’t get to certainty when your wonder is deadened.
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Thanks, it was offensive. I accept your apology.
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What’s stronger than the wondering that inspires one to dedicate a career to learning about the wonders of biology?
Lots of things, like raising a special needs child, or loving your lifelong spouse, or “loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind.”
Kudos to you for having a good and driving passion, but I’ll bet that, even to you, it’s not your dearest passion.
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You are changing the goals posts, Guy. Your original claim was that atheists lack a sense of wonder. Now you are replacing that with “dearest passions” associated with doing good. And why are you trying to relegate atheists to a strata below your own?
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No, because it doesn’t “greatly reduce the possibilities.”
Didn’t change the goalpost at all. My statement was about those who claim to know that God doesn’t exist.
It seems to me that virtually everyone here has distanced themselves from taking that position.
As regards following one’s dearest passions, they do outweigh the lesser ones, though they are also good. I was asked a “what could be stronger than…” question and I answered as cogently as I could, with a few examples of my own, that could be added to by each of us individually. Not trying to distance at all, but to clarify by differentiating reasonably.
I think I can confidently say that nobody has any idea what you are talking about here.
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It was in answer to your question here, if you follow the arrow link.