creationism in the us of a

by googlemagoogle 91 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Big Dog
    Big Dog
    But I can punch holes in a "god" thought, and I can't punch any holes in a "stuff has always existed" thought



    Dave, why is that? Why is it easier to punch holes in a God concept rather than the stuff has always been here concept? Because you see the stuff, is that what it is? I find it just as difficult to look at the heavens and say, that stuff just always was, I can't get my head around that, and I would think that principles like entropy would be against the stuff always being here. Also, way back in my college days I remember in my physics class the professor saying there was no good explination for why there was anything (matter, stuff) rather than nothing, that parsimony and economy would favor nothing.

    And do you get Discover magazine? Can anyone tell me if that's a good mag or is it a hack job? In Discover this month two supposedly big time astronomers have been saying the big bang is not correct for years and I guess some in the community are beginning to listen.

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan
    And do you get Discover magazine? Can anyone tell me if that's a good mag or is it a hack job?

    I subscribe, it's a pretty good mag I think. Not as "pop" as Popular Science, but not so way-over-your-head like Scientific American.

    FunkyD, that was a brilliant analogy - how inappropriate it would be for kids in history class to have a teacher or a textbook expound on various reasons why the odds against the allies winning WWII were so great that divine providence *must* have had a hand in it, yet this is the sort of reasoning that ID proponents are trying to get into the science classroom.

  • Big Dog
    Big Dog

    Okay Funky, I concede your point, if it comes on the ballot where I live, I'll vote against any mention of God in any class except maybe philosophy or the like. Really, if the parents believe, the kids are going to get it at home, and that's fine, and in the near future I can't see anyone growing up in even the most athiest of homes not being exposed to religion at some point, it does not need to be in the schools. Edited to add: For anyone that thinks these sorts of discussions/threads are a waste of time, I offer myself as an example, because of this thread I have changed some of my view points, to the point where I will vote differently on issues should it come to ballot.

  • hooberus
    hooberus

    I recommend that interested persons actually acquire and read creationists and ID publications rather than merely rely on other's characterizations (ie: as "religion"; "theology" etc.) of their works:

    For example here is the table of contents for one ID book:
    http://www1.minn.net/~science/contents.htm

    From a creationist perspetive I would also recommend the "Creation Research Society Quarterly" and the "Technical Journal." Here is an online Technical Journal arcticle (lists are available of all TJ arcticles):
    http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/tj/docs/TJv15n3_Protein_Families.pdf

  • funkyderek
    funkyderek

    Big Dog:

    Okay Funky, I concede your point, if it comes on the ballot where I live, I'll vote against any mention of God in any class except maybe philosophy or the like

    Hooray, I win!

    For anyone that thinks these sorts of discussions/threads are a waste of time, I offer myself as an example, because of this thread I have changed some of my view points, to the point where I will vote differently on issues should it come to ballot.

    To me, that's what it really means to win an argument; when, at the end of it, the position you hold is more correct than at the start. For me, the purpose of an argument is not to vanquish an opponent, but to learn, and to teach. It's quite rare in these kind of debates for one party to change their mind, but when it does happen it means the argument has been productive, whether I "win" or "lose". Big Dog, I salute you for having the courage to change your mind, and the grace and integrity to admit it.

  • AlmostAtheist
    AlmostAtheist
    Dave, why is that? Why is it easier to punch holes in a God concept rather than the stuff has always been here concept? Because you see the stuff, is that what it is?

    Well of course I should have said that it's easier for me to punch holes in it *for me*, from my perspective. Others wouldn't consider them holes, necessarily.

    I look at it this way: If the universe was just here all along -- or popped into existence unbidden one Thursday afternoon around 3ish, or whatever -- then I would expect it to run more or less randomly. I would expect things to go well sometimes and badly sometimes. I would expect people to die in awful accidents. I would expect pretty much what we have now.

    If the universe were created by some intelligent force, then I would expect there to be something about it that looked planned. There would be directions of some sort. Interventions. Either there would be intelligent creatures that could ask "why am I here?" and there would be some accessible answers, or there wouldn't be the capacity to ask the question. (As LittleToe aptly pointed out on another thread, this is me imprinting my expectations on this higher intelligence which isn't really applicable. More of a comfortable delusion than an actual point of view.)

    So I ask myself, given my expectations, what makes the most sense? Both scenarios ask me to accept that SOMETHING has always existed, which I really am not prepared to say I understand. But if I have to at least acknowledge one or the other as more likely, I have to go with scenario 1. It raises the fewest contradictions, causes me to jump through the least hoops, and doesn't require me to think two contradictory things at once.

    I also (delusionally, I admit) look at all the things that man has failed to understand in the past and has ascribed to god (earthquakes, disease, weather, lightning), that later proved not to be god at all. So it seems fair to assume that the next step -- origin of the universe -- will also ultimately not involve god. This sounds very much like flipping a coin ten times, getting heads all ten times, and blithely assuming the eleventh flip will "probably" be heads, too. It SOUNDS right, but isn't. Mmmmmm... delusions.....

    Dave

  • stevenyc
    stevenyc

    Terry

    You are at a ski resort and one night there is an avalanche so that the next morning there is an enormous jumble of snow, rocks, branches and debris scattered at the foot of the mountain. You go out and start walking through the mess by way of inspection and you come upon a large bank of snow with stones arranged in it that spell out the words, "Hello there". Would you assume this happened by chance or would you conclude reasonably that an intelligent thinking person put the stones in place?

    Would I be ridiculed by creationists if I insisted that the words of stone were assembled by God?

    TS

    but with regards DNA, this shows that they are completely ignorant as to the computational "nature" of DNA. this is why you will find me going on and on about how DNA is closer to a computer program executing algorithms (genomes have both addressing systems as well as content), than it is to a blue print design (for the purposes of illustration).

    DNA may not be "code" in the true sense that we define it, but for all intents and purposes, it is codified. it's binary (G,T,C and A), it stores information, and it "executes" in embryonic development with mutations

    .

    This is a tricky analogy, as pointed out in a previous thread. DNA binary executes instructions and store information. But, I think we should emphasize that it is a reaction. Add yellow paint to blue paint and it turns its self into green paint.

    FairMind

    Thank you again for you honest interpretation. I'll just add that I appreciate it when I have good discussions with creationists and biblists that can explain their thinking without resolving to angry evangelical stomping.

    What I find hard to understand is that you see the possibility that the universe can be taken as the omnipresent one, the creator of all. But, God has to be included in the picture as well. For you it is a fact. The proof of that fact is your observation of everything. And, the Bible is Gods handbook for us.

    Is it possible that perhaps, the universe is the only omnipresent creator of everything? That the universe created all the rules for existence. That the universe is and has always been, without beginning or end. That the writers of God's handbook observed the universe and got inspiration from it to tell people what works in life and what doesn't? Over many generations of tribes, steeling from your neighbor caused detriment to the tribe, and so the handbook writers gave us the command not to covert you neighbours porsche?

    For me this make much more sense. It is more plausible, for me, to see the developing pattern of what makes a tribe be more successful over another and the elders of that tribe dictating those rules that work. After many generations, those rules are morphed into guides and regulations that must have come from God, because the observable evidence is that those who don't apply those rules inevitably suffer the penalty. When I observe something miraculous, that I don't understand, I refuse to say it is the work of God or Demons. I no longer believe the our planet is enclosed in a canopy which has holes letting the light shine though at night, the phenomena we call stars.

    Please don't take my comments as ridiculing you or your beliefs. I'm not. I'm just trying to explain why your system of understanding the why and how doesnt make sense to me.

    steve

  • tetrapod.sapien
    tetrapod.sapien

    steve,

    i don't know that i follow what you are saying, but i do agree that it is a "reaction". but then again, in that sense, so are all computer programs. it's just that with most computer programs that we have experience with, run within closed systems with finite results.

    i am not trying to point out any inherent intelligence in how DNA works, because there is none in a real sense of the word. but just that the nature of nature is not blue print based.

    big dog & funky derek,

    well done you guys. that was a nice discussion.

    dave,

    Hawkinglujah, anyone?

    let the atheist religion wars begin: Jahdawkins you heathen!

    ts

  • tetrapod.sapien
    tetrapod.sapien
    And do you get Discover magazine? Can anyone tell me if that's a good mag or is it a hack job?

    i get Discover as well, and i really enjoy it. they also list their sources at the back of the mag, which is quite helpful. all around, i find it quite well done.

    but this months SciAm has a great cover article on tracking our evolutionary history via mutations in our genome.

    ts

  • stevenyc
    stevenyc

    TS

    It's just a piece of clarification. The other thread proving the existence of god through the language of DNA can be confusing. I was merely adding my 2 cents worth that DNA just reacts. We're both in agreement, maybe I spent 2 cents too much.

    steve

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