Who has the burden of proof?

[atheistgirl]

Jesus is clear one must have faith for prayer to work

And faith is a gift from God.

A gift I’ve not been bestowed

Oh well, I did my best anyhow

the largest religion in the world today doesn’t make you say hmm Maybe there is something to this.

No, that doesn’t.

But individuals who are very intelligent, like Brother JR here do.

I’m intrigued by what they have and can see, that I can’t.

there are no eyewitness accounts

There are no eye witness accounts to the Resurrection either.

We have reports of eye witness accounts, but we have no personal accounts written by those who were there.

For one creation is evidence of a creator.

Not to me.

It’s evidence of evolution.

No Deity required.

I also wonder what your feelings on the documented medical miracles the Church has authenticated. Where a clear medical condition exists, and a complete healing outside of medical attention occurred.

The ones I’ve examined gathering as much written evidence as I could, I don’t find credible for many reasons.

Complete remission happens and are well documented but the Church does not claim these are miracles

Sarah x

 

[Charlemagne_II]

atheistgirl

This atheist, with a honest and open heart, prayed for 40 days.
Nothing

Try forty years!

While I readily admit I simply do not know if a Deity exists, making me agnostic, I also don’t believe, based on the consistent lack of evidence and ability to back up claims over 2000 years, such a Deity exists.

With six children and several jobs, when did you have the time to explore all the evidence?

In just the same way, while I do not know there is not a pink elephant drinking tea from a china cup in orbit around a planet we have not yet discovered, I also don’t believe there is such a thing based on the phenomenally small likelihood of such a being existing.

Greater minds than yours did not find a “phenomenally small likelihood of such a being existing.”

“This most beautiful system [the universe] could only proceed from the dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” Isaac Newton

I have an open mind and am more than willing to change my position were I to find even a scrap of credible evidence for such a Being.

Please give me an example of “a scrap of credible evidence for such a Being.”

Would the following be a scrap of evidence?

Genesis, 1000 B.C. : In the beginning God said: “Let there be light.”

Carl Sagan in Cosmos, 1980 A.D.

“Ten or twenty billion years ago, something happened – the Big Bang, the event that began our universe…. In that titanic cosmic explosion, the universe began an expansion which has never ceased…. As space stretched, the matter and energy in the universe expanded with it and rapidly cooled. The radiation of the cosmic fireball, which, then as now, filled the universe, moved through the spectrum – from gamma rays to X-rays to ultraviolet light; through the rainbow colors of the visible spectrum; into the infrared and radio regions. The remnants of that fireball, the cosmic background radiation, emanating from all parts of the sky can be detected by radio telescopes today. In the early universe, space was brilliantly illuminated.”

As astronomer Robert Jastrow pointed out:

“For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.”

 

[atheistgirl]

With six children and several jobs, when did you have the time to explore all the evidence?

I’ll bet the farm you didn’t explore all the evidence either.

Sarah x

 

[Charlemagne_II]

atheistgirl

I’ll bet the farm you didn’t explore all the evidence either.

I’ve had lots more time than you’ve had, and I’ve barely scratched the surface.

 

[atheistgirl]

atheistgirl

This atheist, with a honest and open heart, prayed for 40 days.
Nothing

Try forty years!

Why?

What was wrong with my 40 days of prayer that 40 years would fix?

Assuming God exists, He quite clearly does not see any need to give me faith in Him

Would the following be a scrap of evidence?

No.

You’ve quoted that numerous times, in different threads and it doesn’t get any more credible with each repetition.

Sarah x

 

[atheistgirl]

atheistgirl

I’ll bet the farm you didn’t explore all the evidence either.

I’ve had lots more time than you’ve had, and I’ve barely scratched the surface.

My farm is safe

Sarah x

 

[atheistgirl]

I’m curious if you think there is no God, then how do explain life? As I said creation is evidence of a creator. If I walk down the beach and see rocks arranged to spell “HELLO” I don’t assume that the tide randomly did it over time. I know someone was there before me. I ask you this because other atheists I have engaged in this conversation with are very rude about it and you seem reasonable. You obviously are open to the possibility of God or you wouldn’t be on this forum.

Discussion of evolution is a banned topic so I will simply say evolution perfectly explains life to my satisfaction.

No Deity required.

How did life begin?

That’s still being researched.

I have every confidence science will come up with the undisputed answer, most probably not in my life time, but that answer will not require any Deity either.

There’s some fascinating scientific material out there on the origins of life which I’m sure you’re either aware of, or could easily find.

Sarah x

 

[Charlemagne_II]

atheistgirl
**
What was wrong with my 40 days of prayer that 40 years would fix?**

You set down the conditions for prayer. God does not jump when you snap your fingers.

 

[atheistgirl]

You set down the conditions for prayer. God does not jump when you snap your fingers.

Of course, nothing came from my prayer exercise, so it’s my fault

How convenient



Sarah x

 

[mymamamary]

Discussion of evolution is a banned topic so I will simply say evolution perfectly explains life to my satisfaction.

No Deity required.

How did life begin?

That’s still being researched.

I have every confidence science will come up with the undisputed answer, most probably not in my life time, but that answer will not require any Deity either.

There’s some fascinating scientific material out there on the origins of life which I’m sure you’re either aware of, or could easily find.

Sarah x

**Physics, which is probably the only “science” that could be in a position to do so, cannot deny HIS Existence. Stephen Hawkings tried to refute “From nothing comes nothing” and failed miserably. I think the middle age philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas is quite safe. However, as has been said in this thread, all people have their respective free will. Lets hope we use it wisely!

have a Happy and Blessed Easter everyone!! **

 

[atheistgirl]

Physics, which is probably the only “science” that could be in a position to do so, cannot deny HIS Existence.

What are you even talking about

I’ve never read a peer reviewed science paper that was even remotely interested in either proving or disproving God

Sarah x

 

[Steveabrous]

What are you even talking about

I’ve never read a peer reviewed science paper that was even remotely interested in either proving or disproving God

Sarah x

Even Dawkins conceded that many physicists have came to the conclusion there must be a God due to the precision and fine tuning of the laws of physics

 

[mymamamary]

What are you even talking about

I’ve never read a peer reviewed science paper that was even remotely interested in either proving or disproving God

Sarah x

Stephen Hawkings and His theory. It was shunned, not on religious motives, but on scientific motives.

metacafe.com/watch/5278793/roger_penrose_debunks_stephen_hawkings_new_book_the_grand_design/

 

[Steveabrous]

I’ll bet the farm you didn’t explore all the evidence either.

Sarah x

I find it strange that you don’t have time to explore the evidence for the existance of God, but you seem to research science.

You have time for that?

 

[Charlemagne_II]

atheistgirl
**
Of course, nothing came from my prayer exercise, so it’s my fault.**

No. What you said was, I"ll pray to you for forty days, and if I don’t get faith in forty days I’m done with you."

How does that translate into a real effort at a real religious experience?:

 

[InJesusItrust]

I want proof that positivism is truly the only way to know the truth.

 

[atheistgirl]

I find it strange that you don’t have time to explore the evidence for the existance of God, but you seem to research science.

You have time for that?

I do both.

What can I tell you

I’m a woman.

Multi-tasking is in the genes

The question was have I read every bit of literature pertaining to God from the last 2000 years. A ridiculous question, to which I replied I bet the questioner hadn’t either

I’ve read a ton of books recommended to me from here, a ton of documents from Popes on the Vatican website, I’ve listened to hundreds of hours of audio from EWTN and debates on youtube, and I’ve read a ton of the classics and some Early Church Fathers.

Sitting proudly in my library, which I have read front to back are several Bibles, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and a Concordance.

Coupled with this I’ve engaged in hundreds of hours over these two years past of conversation, debate and discussion with believers of all persuasions, predominantly Christian.

Nothing I have read or heard even begins to convince me of the truth of their claims for a Deity, and the God of Christianity.

But I still find the subject fascinating, have learned a ton of stuff and have met some wonderful people.

Sarah x

 

[atheistgirl]

Stephen Hawkings and His theory. It was shunned, not on religious motives, but on scientific motives.

metacafe.com/watch/5278793/roger_penrose_debunks_stephen_hawkings_new_book_the_grand_design/

So

Sarah x

 

[atheistgirl]

Even Dawkins conceded that many physicists have came to the conclusion there must be a God due to the precision and fine tuning of the laws of physics

Again, so what

I know of very intelligent people who believe in the Hindu Gods

Sarah x

 

[In_Spiration]

Yeah, you’re not convinced. We got it.