REAL PROOF THAT GOD ISN'T REAL
pste...@utdallas.edu
> Well, not really, but a really logical argument that I heard.
> The argument is most effective when one takes into consideration the
> fact that there are many more religions than just Christianity,
> Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Not as popular, granted, but out there
> nonetheless.
> It happens most often that a persons religion depends upon
> what religion their parent(s) practiced. Therefore a person's
> religion, and thus their beliefs are a variable dependent upon their
> up-bringing. A person's beliefs are what they hold to be true. Since
> beliefs are a variable, therefore the truth is also variable. This is
> clearly a fallacy, since we all know that there is only one truth.
> Therefore all beliefs are also a fallacy.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Chris MR.MOO Foren CAF
> Carleton University ENGINEERING
> MoRe BeEr
> Email address: cfo...@chat.carleton.ca
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
A very interesting thought. This one idea is what snatched me from the
clutched of religion during my impressionable youth and led me to become a
born again atheist. Of all the people I give this argument, not one
theist has given me a satisfactory reply.
--
Patrick Stevens
Dept. of Physics
University of Texas at Dallas
Email:pste...@utdallas.edu
Eric Williams @ PCB x5577
|> Well, not really, but a really logical argument that I heard.
|> The argument is most effective when one takes into consideration the
|> fact that there are many more religions than just Christianity,
|> Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Not as popular, granted, but out there
|> nonetheless.
|>
|> It happens most often that a persons religion depends upon
|> what religion their parent(s) practiced. Therefore a person's
|> religion, and thus their beliefs are a variable dependent upon their
|> up-bringing. A person's beliefs are what they hold to be true. Since
|> beliefs are a variable, therefore the truth is also variable. This is
|> clearly a fallacy, since we all know that there is only one truth.
|> Therefore all beliefs are also a fallacy.
|>
|>
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
|> Chris MR.MOO Foren CAF
|> Carleton University ENGINEERING
|> MoRe BeEr
|> Email address: cfo...@chat.carleton.ca
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I can simplify it even further. The mere existence of more than
one religion proclaiming itself to be the "One True Faith" seems to
do the trick. And I think Islam and Christianity both claim this.
(How there can only be one god and two or more methods of worshipping him
strikes me as a little goofy, unless he's real capricious and likes
to start trouble. Come to think of it, the Bible has lots of wars...)
Also, if all beliefs are fallacy, what about the belief in gravity?
I think you may need to proscribe your statement a little.
(I can see it now -- The Church of Gravity! -- Oops, we already have
the Church of the SubGenius. Sigh.)
Also also, I would think that a lot of religions have the same common
tenent ("There Is A God"), but don't agree on how to worship "Him".
Mostly from Christianity (and memory), I can point to Lutherans,
Quakers, Pentacostals, Baptists, Presbyterians, and of course
Protestants and Roman Catholics. All these religions believe
in Jesus Christ but have markedly different ways of worship.
I would suspect a similar thing is true in Islam.
It's not proof (how does one prove "God" doesn't exist?) but it's
rather strong evidence we made the whole thing up a long time ago.
(I also seem to recall that the New Testament was written about 100 AD,
which further strengthens this argument.)
--
--------------------------------------------------------------
My views; I don't think my company will want 'em!
(At least not in this newsgroup...)
God is real, unless declared integer -- Fortran aphorism from
unknown author
S. Joel Katz
>Well, not really, but a really logical argument that I heard.
>The argument is most effective when one takes into consideration the
>fact that there are many more religions than just Christianity,
>Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Not as popular, granted, but out there
>nonetheless.
> It happens most often that a persons religion depends upon
>what religion their parent(s) practiced. Therefore a person's
>religion, and thus their beliefs are a variable dependent upon their
>up-bringing. A person's beliefs are what they hold to be true. Since
>beliefs are a variable, therefore the truth is also variable. This is
>clearly a fallacy, since we all know that there is only one truth.
>Therefore all beliefs are also a fallacy.
If this passes, in your mind, for a logical argument, your mind
must be a dark and lonely place. At best, what you have shown, is that
not all people who hold religious views can be right. But this is obvious
because these beliefs contradict each other.
Just beacuse what a person holds to be true is variable, one
cannot infer the what _is_ true is variable, even though you clearly do
so in your argument.
--
S. Joel Katz Information on Objectivism, Linux, 8031s, and more
Stim...@Panix.COM is available at http://www.panix.com/~stimpson/
Time flies like an arrow -- fruit flies like a banana.
S. Joel Katz
>: > It happens most often that a persons religion depends upon
>: >what religion their parent(s) practiced. Therefore a person's
>: >religion, and thus their beliefs are a variable dependent upon their
>: >up-bringing. A person's beliefs are what they hold to be true. Since
>: >beliefs are a variable, therefore the truth is also variable. This is
>: >clearly a fallacy, since we all know that there is only one truth.
>: >Therefore all beliefs are also a fallacy.
>: Just beacuse what a person holds to be true is variable, one
>: cannot infer the what _is_ true is variable, even though you clearly do
>: so in your argument.
>ok, but what about those religions which directly contradict each other...
This simply shows that they can't both be right about the
specific elementst that contradict each other. Needless to say, atheism
will generally contradict _all_ of these religions.
>and which religion is the *one true religion* clause?
Of course, every theist will tell you that the One True Religion
is the one they believe.
>I left space for both answers..
Of course.