Reply #101: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

[ozone_man]

Based on all observations of our natural world, it is far more likely (and certain) that no god exists than any god exists. Occam’s razor teaches us that the simplest explanation is usually the best. To make an extraordinary claim for the existence of god or gods, we must have some extraordinary evidence to back that claim, or at least some evidence. But there is none as far as I know.

The confusion that the agnostics make is giving the existence of gods the same consideration as the nonexistence of gods. While it may be true that it’s impossible or nearly impossible to prove the nonexistence of gods, the idea of god is essentially meaningless, since there has never been any evidence to suggest that there is one based on our observations of the natural world.

The argument that just because we don’t know that god or gods don’t exist now, like radio waves before the development of electromagnetic theory, doesn’t mean that we don’t know that we won’t be able to prove that they do exist in the future, isn’t really valid either. It may be possible that we do prove that god or gods exist in the future, but if there is no knowledge or evidence to support such a claim throughout our historical existence, it deserves no consideration at this point in time. In other words, if God has no effect, then there is reason to believe that there is no god, until such as a time that effects may be observed.

So, if we are certain that there are no fairies or elves, than we can be certain that there are no gods. If we can’t be certain that there are no fairies or elves, is there anything in life that we can be certain of? In the end, I think it’s just a matter of practicality about life and the natural world. We do have to be certain about some things, like crossing the street in a busy street. If we are wrong, it can be fatal. Yet we make the decision that we are certain that no cars are coming and cross. Imagine that! We could make arguments that we may not be seeing the traffic clearly, daydreaming, or even hallucinating that there are no cars. And we may be right! We may never cross because of this, for fear of being run over. Yet to get on with life, we must be certain about certain things, and cross the street.

I’m gradually being won over to the strong atheist side, though I do have my weak atheist leanings. But I’m also a naturalist and don’t feel it necessary to give certain things in life consideration of existence like dragons. But I do enjoy reading fantasy and especially about dragons. :)