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Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 15th, 2009, 10:38 am
by postodave

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 15th, 2009, 2:17 pm
by agingjb
I think that some distinction can be made between a truth that is self evident to someone that they can convey to another person and one that they cannot. I would say that learning elementary arithmetic and hearing of the experiences of the mystics are different.

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 15th, 2009, 4:55 pm
by postodave

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 15th, 2009, 8:20 pm
by Xara

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 15th, 2009, 8:31 pm
by AllanS

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 16th, 2009, 12:17 am
by postodave

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 16th, 2009, 3:52 am
by AllanS
I asked my kids at school if the number zero exists.

"Of course," they said.

Then I asked, "But how can nothing exist? If it exists, it must be something."

Ah, the look on their faces as the thought sunk in. Makes teaching worth the pain.

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 16th, 2009, 4:15 pm
by Coyote Goodfellow

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 16th, 2009, 9:21 pm
by mitchellmckain

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 16th, 2009, 10:41 pm
by postodave

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 17th, 2009, 4:20 am
by Micah

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 17th, 2009, 9:45 am
by agingjb
I wish I'd never mentioned maths (arithmetic actually) as a restricted domain in which some sort of certainty was available. And let's just say that I'm glad that, when I was learning simple arithmetic, I wasn't confused by being presented with metaphysical concepts that would have challenged Plato.

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 17th, 2009, 10:50 am
by mitchellmckain

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 17th, 2009, 12:10 pm
by postodave
That's very clearly put Mitch and on the whole I agree. It's just that I have not found any of the arguments for God's necessary existence persuasive and neither have the majority of atheists. Take a look at the famous dialogue on proofs for God's existence between Russell and Coppleston for example.

Re: How can we know there is a God?

PostPosted: February 17th, 2009, 9:09 pm
by AllanS