3 universal truths all religions agree upon:

[skepticscott]

63. I'm so glad you're not trying to be negative, since even when you're being positive

Last edited Fri Jan 4, 2013, 12:03 PM - Edit history (1)

you called me and all other atheists "irrational". I'd hate to see what you'd fling if you WERE being negative. And now you're saying that the manner of thinking that atheism (and all skeptical inquiry) is based on IS rational? Or are you simply saying that because you have a different take on the "weight" of evidence, that makes you rational and us irrational? If someone came on here and called religious belief or believers "irrational", they'd be branded as a bigot, or something else equally uncomplimentary. So why does the god-believing equivalent get a free pass on the same thing?

And you are one for dodging questions, aren't you? So I'll ask again:

Why is "god" (out of all the myriad unconsidered and undiscovered possibilities) the default explanation for all of those things that baffle you? Why does your inability to explain them constitute evidence for "god", and not for anything else? Could it be only that you'd already decided or been indoctrinated into believing that "god" exists, and now need to make everything you experience conform to that preconceived notion, or to constantly morph your concept of "god" to make it immune to examination or criticism? If you'd never heard or thought of the concept of "god" before, can you honestly say that the first thing that would have popped into your head when confronted with all of the things you mention would have been "Wow...god must be behind this"?

And again why should the existence of your "god", creator and director of the entire universe, have to be inferred through tortured, fallacious and discredited arguments such as Design and Personal Incredulity?