Christians and atheists start a calmer dialogue

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 05/13/07 | Jane Lampman

[Clemenza]

Wednesday night on ABC-TV, two televangelists took on nonbelievers from the Rational Response Squad in a bid to prove the existence of God (see "Nightline Face Off" on ABCNews.com).

The TV polemics come in the wake of a rash of bestselling books by atheists challenging religion.

[kinoxi]

Re #117: I guess I could respond in two parts. First it’s axiomatic in virtually every scientific model used to explain the physical universe that the fundamental particles don’t create themselves. Secondly it would boil down to how one defines God. The primordial energy from which matter sprang in many models could easily be labeled as ‘God’, (an unimaginable energy/creator of everything). Considering the fact that no working model of the physical Universe currently exists it’s highly arrogant (and fundamentally incorrect) to imply that the faith of others is invalid when espousing one’s own ‘scientific faith’.

[tickmeister]

I believe that you have just suceeded in creating a sequence of words that read forward, backward, or starting in the middle, have no meaning whatever. I can only reply that if a chicken was axle grease, a bicycle would roll backward.

I’m outta’ here.

[adiaireton8]

I believe that you have just suceeded in creating a sequence of words that read forward, backward, or starting in the middle, have no meaning whatever.

They do have meaning, but you don't have the philosophical training to understand them. Start with Aristotle and then go to Boethius and Aquinas.

-A8

[Elsie]

If anything can exist without a cause, God included, then why can’t something else exist without a cause.

I suppose it could; IF your logic is correct.  (how can we test it?)

 

 

Even stating that God is not material and doesn’t need a cause is invalid.

Why not?  Who is to SAY it's invalid?

 

 

 How do you know he is not material?

I don't.  I take it on faith.

 

 

How do you know the universe is material for that matter?

As far as I know, there are only two possiblities: material and immaterial.   We can sense the material.

 

 

I say again to all theists, the fact that you are puzzled does not prove the existance of God.

I say again to all searchers, the fact that you are puzzled does not DISprove the existance of God.