Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – just another response to a christian who evidently has never encountered an atheist

yep, just one more response since these christians often don’t allow any comments on their posts.

Another christian fancies himself to know all about atheists and as as par for the course, doesn’t. It is neither “thoughtful” or “kind”. As usual, nothing much new.

Dear christian, I do wonder if you’ve ever encountered an atheist.   From here, it seems you use a lot of long failed claims. 

There is indeed no evidence for the claims of any religion, including the many versions of Christianity.  Trying to appeal to Einstein doesn’t show your god exists or is needed at all.  That there is order, doesn’t mean there is “design”, and it certainly doesn’t show your particular god is the designer.  All you have is a vague claim with again, no evidence.

The cosmological fails to support theist claims since it never needs a god and you can’t show your god necessary or real.  Science does not support the idea that your god is needed at all.  What science does do is show that it is possible to get something from nothing. 

The myth of creation in your bible does not resemble the big bang theory at all.  That is a common false claim by those who don’t know what the big bang theory is.  Any other religion can make the same claims yours does. So how do you propose to show it’s your particular god? 

The problem of evil is indeed an issue for any religion that claims their god supposedly cares about humans.  Christianity has the odd problem where their god is shown to claim it creates evil.  Lewis, a dodgy character, makes that claim and then assumes a god is needed and that morality is objective, which not a single theist can show is true. 

Humans invent their own idea of a “straight line” by their empathy and self-interest.  No god needed at all.  Curious how christains don’t agree on what morals their god wants. 

Christianity can’t agree if it’s free will or predestination, so your claim is false that it only teaches free will.   Your bible doesn’t even do that with both jesus and paul shown as stating that this god has already chosen who it will allow to accept it and then it damns the rest for no action of their own, Matthew 13 and Romans 9. 

You also have the problem that if the Christian claim of heaven is true, there must be evil there per your argument.  And you have the problem that Christians commit suicide like everyone else, so this god certainly doesn’t seem to be interested in human suffering at all.  Claiming some afterlife is a poor excuse for its inaction. 

Yep, it is noticeable that the world’s religions, including all of the versions of Christianity, can’t agree on the most basic things, and yet each claims it is the one and only truth with no evidence at all. 

Christianity, thanks to all of those versions, doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.  History doesn’st support any version of the christain message, with no one noticing this supposed messiah or any resurrection.  Wright has made claims has not one bit of evidence.  Other religions make similar claims with the same failure. 

No archaeological discoveries have confirmed any of the essential events in the bible.  At best, they show that there were indeed jews and Christians, not that any of their beliefs are true.  That manuscripts are consistent doesns’t mean they are true either.  If that were the case, the qu’ran is more consistent than your bible and that would mean it’s the true faith. 

As for prophecies, you have stories of prophecies being made and stories of them being fulfilled, with no evidence for either. 

Isaac Newton was an antitrinitarian Christian, so are  you going to claim he was right in that?  Claims that scientists are Christians and that means that christnaity is true is simply an appeal to authority logical fallacy.  Scientists who are muslims, hindus, etc see their work as revealing Allah’s / Brahman’s, etc handiwork.  Are they correct? 

You assume a “why” is needed.  No need to at all.  Your religion, and all religion’s are threatened by science since it shows that the claims in your various religions are false.  Stars aren’t little lights in a solid dome.  Disease isn’t caused by some supernatural entity being angry. 

As always, Christians are terrified of the burden of proof to show that their god exists.  If you had actual evidence, you wouldn’t constantly try to shift that burden.  Theists make the positive claim “My god exists”.  It is up to them to support that claim.   For example, if I said “Zeus exists” you would demand that I show evidence for that claim.  You wouldn’t say “Zeus doesn’t” since it is very hard to prove a negative.  But do show that Zeus doesn’t exist and I’ll use your method to show your god doesn’t. 

And no, the fact that empirical evidence counts as real knowledge isn’t a philosophical claim.  The only people who would make such an argument are those who have no evidence for their claims.  If you can’t show your god to exist, I have no reason to accept your baseless claim.  Just as you don’t have to accept a claim that someone has a dragon in their garage if they can’t provide any evidence for it.

Claims of other forms of knowledge are used by all religions/cults and not surprisingly, not one can show that their claims are true *and* they doubt those very things when another religion makes the same claims they do. 

Atheism doesn’t concern itself with first causes.  Cosmology does that.  Atheism is only a conclusion that a particular god or gods doesn’t exist.   That we are still researching how things started still doesn’t give you any evidence your god is the cause.  Yep, it may remain a mystery. So? 

Faith is certainly not an intellectual exercise, it is an emotional one.  Yep, the ocean is big.  Still no evidence a god is needed.  The tides are caused by the laws of physics, no god needed.  Reality can be ugly and horrific, from bot flies to children with ancephaly.  Curious how your god can’t get that right, eh? 

No need for “deeper reflection” since you and every other theist has nothing to reflect on. 

Atheism rarely comes from personal pain, disillusionment or a search for meaning.  It generally comes from the complete failure of theists to show that their claims are true.  Per your bible, your god does not welcome doubts, but rages at anyone who questions it.  The book of job is a prime example.  And, typical for many Christians, you try to imply that anyone who doesn’t find your god isn’t “honest”.  That’s no more than blaming the victim. 

I was a Christian, and when losing my faith, I prayed for help.  Curious how your god did nothing.  Your promises failed 30+ years ago.  The door wasn’t opened at all.