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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
I agree that atheists are sometimes overbearing, but as the videos of the referenced debate ardegee posted shows, the author of the article in The Daily Telegraph fails to make his case against Dawkins. There was no bullying in evidence by Dawkins, just soft-spoken and well reasoned argument.
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Overall I also did not see any bullying displayed by Dawkins.
However, I did count no less than a dozen times in which he either rolled his eyes or threw his head back in a dismissive manner. I heard him give many a sarcastic comment at the start of his replies. I also agree with a couple of the panellists that he quite clearly did comment in an entirely disrespectful manner in answer to one question and when called out about his lack of respect he quite clearly changed his words and claimed to have responded in a completely different manner to that which he actually did respond. Anyone who wont man up to his own words looses some respect in my eyes regardless of their views.(and mind you I am not debating his views at all. he may or may not be entirely correct, I don't know)
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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
As for those who imply that all believers somehow lack intelligence or discernment, I have to disagree. No one knows how the universe came to be, but to assume it had a cause, and to suppose that intelligence was involved in the causation, poses no contradiction with known facts.
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Well said and entirely correct in my opinion.
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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
It's when the traditional attributes of God are ascribed to the proposed Creator that contradictions arise. Attributes such as omniscience, omnipotence and omnibenevolence have long posed a problem for believers. In a quote ascribed to Epicurus (341–270 B.C.E.), the problem of evil is summed up thus:
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Totally agree again.
Personally I don't think we humans, whether through faith or science, can, at this time, know much if anything at all about the specific attributes of "god".(assuming there is one)
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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
Personally, I think that if this Universe has or had a creator, the creator was more of an experimental scientist than an all-knowing and all-powerful deity, for the Universe seems to be more in the nature of an ongoing experiment rather than a finished and perfected work.
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An interesting way of looking at it.
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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
Those who are curious to see how rational their views of God are may like to check out The Philosophers' Magazine's "Battleground God" at http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.php. Sure, it isn't the final word on one's rationality, but is is a fun quiz. I took it years ago and if I remember correctly I answered all but one of the questions "correctly." |
Unfortunately at work now and can't access the quiz but I look forward to doing it when I get home.
Cheers,
PKFFW