There is no evidence for God, so why do you believe?

[Sheldon]

Nope, only on how things work, not why the laws of the universe even exist.

This is quite a common misconception of scientific laws used in creationist propaganda. Scientific laws were created by humans, as explanation for why and how the universe appears as it does. They are descriptive, not proscriptive. I and others have already shown that you were wrong, and that science does in fact answer why questions.

 

[Sheldon]

Our faith answers all the questions of the soul.

A pretty obvious circular reasoning fallacy, you have used a begging the question fallacy to assume the exitance of a soul in your argument here, to create a circular reasoning fallacy. You might not care of course, but it makes the claim irrational by definition, and those who understand this will see how weak this makes the assertion.

 

[Sheldon]

You don't understand. Those are still " how" questions. All it answers is how things function. It doesn't answer why they should even exist or why laws of science exist. Why is there order instead of chaos? Why do we desire God?

So you meant science can't answer all the why questions you can think of, but it certainly does answer why questions, so you just worded it poorly, and of course no one even tries to claim that science is omniscient so something of a straw man. It's also the case that some why questions, are a form of begging the question fallacy, since they make the unevidenced assumption there is a why answer, when there might not be a reason.

 

[Sheldon]

Those are still just how things function. Not why they exist or why they have to function as they do.

You said science does not answer why questions, two posters just listed why questions science answers, you were wrong. You are simply moving the goal posts now, because you worded your errant assertion very poorly.

 

[Sheldon]

Wildswanderer said: ↑
Our faith answers all the questions of the soul.

Yes, but how do you know if those "answers" are correct? When your religion and another religion disagree how do you determine who is right?

Other people use faith, and come up with very different answers for very different deities, so that suggests its "answers" are merely subjective bias.

 

[Sheldon]

I consult God or the book I believe to be his words. And yes, there's faith involved, similar to the way the atheist has faith that evolution has the explanation for all life when he knows full well that it has huge gaps in it. What we can't know by experience we accept by faith.

I would abandon my acceptance of species evolution, and any other fact, if new evidence ever demands it. That's the difference between your faith, and my acceptance of species evolution. So no it is not faith based at all.

Scientific facts even those like species evolution that are so well evidenced the likelihood it will be substantively reversed is effectively nil, must remain tentative, and open to revision in the light of new evidence. It is one of science's greatest strengths, and one of religion's greatest weaknesses. In the astronomically unlikely event the fact of species evolution were entirely reversed tomorrow, and the fields of biology and medicine set back to naught, it would not lend any credence whatsoever to unevidenced archaic creation myths, this is what you fail to understand.

 

[Sheldon]

I don't care if the laws are explained. That still doesn't tell us why there are laws.

Humans created them, they are descriptive not proscriptive, this is a very common misconception among creationists and theists.

 

[Sheldon]

You will never find the answer with "faith". That is not a pathway to the truth. So your objections do not appear to have much in the way of merit.

He doesn't even understand what he's asking, Like asking a painter why his painting exists, when he is really trying to ask why what the painter painted exists. Note the question has an inerrant begging the questions fallacy as well, as one cannot assume there is a why for existence, this would need to be demonstrated. Of course theistic arguments don't demonstrate they assume, it is a core tenet of their beliefs that they are held on faith.

 

[Sheldon]

Well yeah even Jesus said that:
“When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
I was sick and Jesus healed me, I repented, received forgiveness, a better way to live and Eternal Life.

We cannot substantiate anything Jesus is claimed to have said, it is hearsay.

 

[Sheldon]

because the quotes showing Einstein as a panentheist are more convincing

The original claim the example was used to refute, was that only theists have wisdom. Einstein did not believe in a personal god that intervened in the universe, so he was not a theist, and by any objective standard Einstein had wisdom, ipso facto the claim is wrong. Though I knew as soon as I used that example it would be misconstrued, so I also posted a list of Nobel laureates, who have publicly declared themselves atheists, Quod erat demonstrandum.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

What do you think is actually true, TM?
.

That which corresponds to the evidence of reality.

 

[Sheldon]

he ended his life as a theist

Rubbish, and handy little pithy pieces of hearsay, plucked from unknown students is risible.

However why do you care? Why are theists always trying to give prominent atheists and agnostics posthumous conversions, even Christopher Hitchens wasn't immune from such idiocy.

 

[Sheldon]

Ok, the questions of why we exist, who we are meant to be, how the universe got here, what gives life meaning, whether we are truly loved by anyone. . I can go on. Want to find the answers? Start with scripture, asking God for discernment.

You are assuming things in tandem, and that includes your assumption about the bible providing answers, when what it provides are unevidenced claims.

 

[Wildswanderer]

The 'real life' questions are mostly matters of opinion.

They are the universal questions everyone wants an answer to, unless they are mentally unstable or just dishonest with themselves.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

They are the universal questions everyone wants an answer to, unless they are mentally unstable or just dishonest with themselves.

I answer them as me as an individual. What does that make me?

 

[Wildswanderer]

I answer them as me as an individual. What does that make me?

I have no idea what that means.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I have no idea what that means.

You answer for a we and and a them. I answers as me and leave our answer to you.

 

[Wildswanderer]

We are not talking about your life. But sure a life without purpose is sad. It appears to me that you do not have one.

Where do you get such an absurd notion? God is the only one who can give life meaning.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Where do you get such an absurd notion? God is the only one who can give life meaning.

To you that is so. That is different for me.

 

[Wildswanderer]

You answer for a we and and a them. I answers as me and leave our answer to you.

Sounds like a doctor Suess riddle.
I still don't know what your answer is.