Posted on 01/04/2014 5:24:40 PM PST by dennisw
Professor Richard Dawkins dismissed his hard-earned reputation as a militant atheist - admitting that he is actually agnostic as he can't prove God doesn't exist.
The country's foremost champion of Darwinist evolution stunned audience members when he made the confession during a lively debate on the origins of the universe with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Professor Dawkins is a dedicated admirer of Charles Darwin, regarding the Victorian pioneer of evolution as the man who explained everything we know about life.
But when Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams suggested that Professor Darwin is often described as the world's most famous atheist, the geneticist responded: 'Not by me'.
He said: 'On a scale of seven, where one means I know he exists, and seven I know he doesn't, I call myself a six.'
Professor Dawkins went on to say he believed was a '6.9', stating: 'That doesn't mean I'm absolutely confident, that I absolutely know, because I don't.'
The two men were debating whether Biblical writers 'got it wrong' by not saying that the universe is billions of years old.
The Archbishop said: 'The writers of the Bible, inspired as I believe they were, were not inspired to do 21st century physics, they were inspired to pass on to their readers what God wanted them to know.
'In the first book of the Bible is the basic information - the universe depends on God, humanity has a very distinctive role in that universe , and humanity has made rather a mess of it.'
This latest admission by Professor Dawkins comes after he was left lost for words name the full title of his scientific heros most famous work during a radio discussion last week when accused Christians of being ignorant of the Bible.
In his frustration, he resorted to a helpless: Oh God.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
“Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
You can never prove that something doesn't exist.
Saying that God doesn't exist is as empirically impossible to substaniate as is the belief that God does exist. In either case it requires the scientific validation of something wholly beyond the realm of science.
You don’t have to be confident God doesn’t exist to be an atheist, you just have to be confident you’re not going to worship Him any time soon.
Dawkins, you can’t prove a negative, nor are you required to.
A man on trial doesn’t have to prove he didn’t commit the crime he’s accused of(how do you do that anyway). The prosecutor has to prove he did.
You can’t prove a negative. But you can decide it’s good enough.
>>Athiests cant prove there is no God, they have to take it on faith.<<
That is pretty accurate. I think every atheist is in fact agnostic. Of course, the obnoxious a-holes are, as noted above, one who not only believe in God but are angry at Him.
ping
It took Dawkins years to make that big step ... for a person of normal intelligence, it takes 5 minutes of cogent thinking.
There are no true atheists, only agnostics.
Progress.
Why in the world do Christians care so much about atheists?
yes, atheism has never seemed a viable position to me
agnosticism makes sense as it means the person is open to discussion and may even be searching for better answers
there may be atheists but there are surely very few atheists in foxholes ....
“Why in the world do Christians care so much about atheists?”
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A very dangerous question, so dangerous that even one such as I will leave it untouched.
Not really. One doesn’t have to prove anything to believe in God or not believe in God. Atheists believe God doesn’t exist and are thus atheists. Christians can’t prove God exists. They believe it through faith. No proof required.
Yep. And atheists even have their own special annual day; April First, April Fools Day.
An agnostic is open to the possiblility of God, just doesn't know...A good discussion can be had with them...not saying you could convince them, but at least they would be fine in a discussion...jmho.
Years ago, when our kids were small, we camped a lot. Up in the mountains, with a clear night, looking up in the heavens one cannot help but believe in a Creator. Its awesome to look at, just as truly looking at a beautiful flower. Misquitos suck...
Mathematics and DNA embedding are among the many things that persuade me God is real.
It a move in the drirection of intellectual honesty. .to say you know for sure God does not exist is an act of faith
God exists- Sometimes He wears a Habit
Obama Versus the Nuns: Threatening to Take Away Their Religious Freedom
“Those who do not believe in God think of Him more earnestly than those who do.”
... who said it? I dunno.
I guess he still hasn’t gotten past that whole ‘How the Universe was Created’ bit.
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