What is the best argument for an atheist?

[gnomon]

Actually the argument from evil is only good if one is arguing against a benevolent god.

It really isn't a decent argument against god/gods in general.

I find it pretty weak in fact.

Thank you!

I got into a lot of crap years ago on this forum for stating exactly the same. The argument from evil is a crap argument. I'm glad I'm not the only atheist who realizes this fact.

Just check out Sumerian mythology!

 

[ButTheCatCameBack]

If you are asking me to provide a definition of God, you won't get one. That's what I asked first. So technically, you are the one dodging, not me. (I know you, specifically, are not the one who started this discussion, but you've superimposed yourself in anyway).
Besides, your point is void if I do in fact not have a definition of God, which I don't. You do, so your point now applies to you.

Then either the person who posted that you posted "God is not science." mis remembered or is lying or YOU are lying. And actually, in the thread on strong/weak atheism. I detailed exactly why I am a strong atheist and how this relates to the failures of supernaturalists to provide either an empirical defined deity or how Christians cannot provide a defintion of God. So when you are done question dodging let me know.

Either you made the statement, which means you DO have a definition and are dodging requests to provide one. Or you didn't make the statement and can post, "I didn't make that statement." Put your money where your proverbial mouth is.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

Then either the person who posted that you posted "God is not science." mis remembered or is lying or YOU are lying. And actually, in the thread on strong/weak atheism. I detailed exactly why I am a strong atheist and how this relates to the failures of supernaturalists to provide either an empirical defined deity or how Christians cannot provide a defintion of God. So when you are done question dodging let me know.

Either you made the statement, which means you DO have a definition and are dodging requests to provide one. Or you didn't make the statement and can post, "I didn't make that statement." Put your money where your proverbial mouth is.

I was asked to prove the existence of 'God'. First I asked what prove meant, and was told it meant empirical evidence, then I asked what 'existence' was and still haven't gotten an answer for it.
You asked me what my definition of God was. Remember what I said about definitions? Not the thing itself, but our perception of the thing. That includes God. So, though I have my definition, it won't make any sense to you, because it's my perception of God. But if you insist, I can give it to you.

 

[Wotan]

I was asked to prove the existence of 'God'. First I asked what prove meant, and was told it meant empirical evidence, then I asked what 'existence' was and still haven't gotten an answer for it.
You asked me what my definition of God was. Remember what I said about definitions? Not the thing itself, but our perception of the thing. That includes God. So, though I have my definition, it won't make any sense to you, because it's my perception of God. But if you insist, I can give it to you.

And ultimately all that dodging comes down to ultimate skepticism. You have no objective definition of god, have no sense of objective reality, no reliable method of determining IF there is a reality independent of your perception of it. And if that is what you believe you might have just SAID SO.

 

[Autodidact]

Copernicus,

Your #1 about some part of us carrying our consciousness outside the brain after it has been declared medically dead, has been proven to be incorrect. Recently, scientists have discovered the most minute particles exiting the brain after it had just showed no electrical activity.

source?

 

[Wotan]

source?

Slightly below the waist and posterior.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

And ultimately all that dodging comes down to ultimate skepticism. You have no objective definition of god, have no sense of objective reality, no reliable method of determining IF there is a reality independent of your perception of it. And if that is what you believe you might have just SAID SO.

That is your subjective opinion.

 

[ButTheCatCameBack]

:help:

And ultimately all that dodging comes down to ultimate skepticism. You have no objective definition of god, have no sense of objective reality, no reliable method of determining IF there is a reality independent of your perception of it. And if that is what you believe you might have just SAID SO.

That or an appeal to mystery. "I have a definition...but you wont understand it!" lol.

 

[gnomon]

I think the best argument for an atheist is because we are superior!

And with that..........I leave you and am going to the bars tonight.

 

[Copernicus]

Your #1 about some part of us carrying our consciousness outside the brain after it has been declared medically dead, has been proven to be incorrect. Recently, scientists have discovered the most minute particles exiting the brain after it had just showed no electrical activity.

They weren't, by chance, Christian Scientists, were they? That would not prove that the mind continued to exist after the brain had died, and there is plenty of reason to believe that all mental functions are dependent on healthy brain activity. But your point would begin to appear more interesting if you would provide some source for this claim, as others have asked.

However, this thread is concerning the strongest Atheist argument. That being natural evil. 'God cannot exist because of all the horrible deadly storms, earthquakes, and floods, that occur taking so many lives and ruining so many others.'

This is an argument against an all-powerful benevolent god, not gods. Atheism is rejection of belief in all gods, not specific gods.

The OP assumes that there would be a single, most powerful argument that atheists had for rejecting belief in gods. The problem with that assumption is that atheism is not predicated on a single argument. It is an opinion--usually a pretty strong conviction--that gods are too implausible to merit belief. There is no credible evidence for them. But there are a lot of arguments from people who do believe in gods, so the real question is how atheism responds to all of those arguments. What I tried to present was a list of positive reasons for considering gods to be implausible beings. I was not concerned about knocking down the plausibility of particular gods like the Christian "God". That god is much easier to argue against than the general proposition that gods exist, and it is the general proposition that atheism addresses.

Actually the argument from evil is only good if one is arguing against a benevolent god.

Absolutely correct. However, it is a pretty good argument against an all-powerful benevolent god such as the Christian "God".

 

[linwood]

Absolutely correct. However, it is a pretty good argument against an all-powerful benevolent god such as the Christian "God".

Or maybe just the common Christians unfounded perception of their God.
I've read the canon, I don't see much benevolence in that particular God taken at face value but your point is correct that once a god is defined as benevolent the argument from evil is a good argument.

 

[Orias]

What is the best argument for an atheist?

Usually the first thing and only thing that comes to mind is prove it! Prove god exist!

Is that the only argument atheists have or is there something better? When I see this argument I see an argument that isn’t very well thought out or designed. Since an atheist has no grounds of belief to stand is it normal for them to criticize other people’s religion to buff up their own lack of philosophical views and beliefs?

Also if you can think of some other atheist arguments go ahead and add them to this thread. I would like to see some other out of the ordinary arguments made by atheist.

How about...

Why should I believe in God when he denies all others?

 

[logician]

What is the best argument for an atheist?

Usually the first thing and only thing that comes to mind is prove it! Prove god exist!

Is that the only argument atheists have or is there something better? When I see this argument I see an argument that isn’t very well thought out or designed. Since an atheist has no grounds of belief to stand is it normal for them to criticize other people’s religion to buff up their own lack of philosophical views and beliefs?

Also if you can think of some other atheist arguments go ahead and add them to this thread. I would like to see some other out of the ordinary arguments made by atheist.

A moot argument, since asking for proof from a faith based religion is nonsensical, as their faith is not based upon evidence.

 

[Gloone]

How about...

Why should I believe in God when he denies all others?

Why should you “believe in God” or “A God”?

 

[Blackdog22]

I just joined this topic, but will throw out my 2 cents.

The prove it stance is definitely not the only one an atheist can take. There are many more, at least for me. I just simply look at the world around me. For instance, did you know that there are berries that are very tasty that kill you? Well, there are and there are lots of them. I have to ask, what kind of parent puts a tasty cake(berry) in the middle of a kids house(world) with poison in it? Wouldn't the energy put into making tons of poisonous plants be better used to, oh I dunno, make more edible plants for the starving? Think about the millions of people who died from bad plants through the centuries and God never thought it important enough to give them a plant guide.... Poor people, bad God.

Secondly, how can God be all loving while putting poisonous plants on the Earth? His book is full of contradictions, he commanded mass genocide of people, he floods the earth and chooses insane people to spread his message(John the Baptist and Paul were not very good candidates).

Just consider your teeth for a second. God made our teeth strong and capable of chewing, he gave up grinders in the back and front teeth strong enough to move the food to the back. Then God decided to give us wisdom teeth hmmm, then he decided that plaque was necessary, then he created gingervitus.

If you still fail to see that the "show me proof" argument isn't the only one, I suggest you shadow a doctor in any hospital. He will give you about a million reasons why he doesn't think a loving God exists.

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

Best argument, why is he/she so indiscriminate with suffering in the event or natural disasters, like for instance on the so called holiest day on the Christian calendar he let Lisbon get devastated by a magnitude 9 earthquake on Nov 1st 1755. And being the holiest days its churches were packed with worshippers. In large masonry buildings such as Gothic Cathedrals as you could imagine is an extremely dangerous place to be as the violent shaking brought the rooves down on the heads, burying believers in piles of rubble. Up until that point of time it was generally believed that natural disasters were instruments of God's punishment and as such many Jesuit priests were blaming the Lisbon population for their "sinfulness" and "wickedness" but Marques Pombal saw things differently. He took God out of the equation altogether and had run the Jesuits out of town. At last more naturalistic explanations were been used to explain many such natural events and this gave rise to the modern science of seismology.

Other natural phenomena such as the definitive link between lightning and electricity discovered about four years earlier by Benjamin Franklin were at last taken much more seriously as naturalist causes rather than the divine; especially in the wake of that great disaster at Lisbon breathing new vigour into the Enlightenment. The tide was at last turning on the archane goddidit arguments for explaining the natural world.

 

[Midnight Pete]

What is the best argument for an atheist?

"Look upon my works, ye Faith Heads, and despair!"

(You can have that one.)

"Let's open up our skulls and compare for size."

(You can't have that one. It's mine.)

 

[Willamena]

Thank you!

I got into a lot of crap years ago on this forum for stating exactly the same. The argument from evil is a crap argument. I'm glad I'm not the only atheist who realizes this fact.

Just check out Sumerian mythology!

Well, to give you more crap --more properly, it is a good argument, it's just not an argument against the existence of god/gods.

 

[Renji]

I'm not sure if this is a sort of argument. This 'question' was actually asked to Richard Dawkins:

What if you're wrong? What if there really is a God?

I think, it would be interesting to ask though....

 

[Orias]

Why should you “believe in God” or “A God”?

It is what we are. Man has willed thousands of Gods into existence. They are pure reflections of our selfs and desires.