How to Convert an Atheist Part 1
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... several years of debating atheism and theism, I have made an observation. Ask any believer what would convince him he was mistaken and persuade him to leave his religion and become an atheist, and if you get a response, it will almost invariably be, "Nothing - I have faith in my god." Although such people may well exist, I personally have yet to meet a theist who would acknowledge even the possibility that his belief was in error. Many theists, by their own admission, structure their beliefs so that no evidence could possibly disprove them. In short, they are closed-minded, and have been taught to be closed-minded. In light of this, it is ironic that atheists are often accused of being the closed-minded ones. Fundamentalist very frequently claim that we have hardened hearts, we are dogmatic and irrational, and that we reject God based on preconceived bias. Such claims result from psychological projection. Incapable of coping with the fact that there are some people who genuinely do not believe in their god, these theists simply deny that such people exist, and instead insist that everyone thinks the same way they do. Therefore, people who reach different conclusions than them must have some secret ulterior motive for not believing. This is truly ridiculous, but unfortunately, some people really believe it. Thus, in the spirit of proving that the atheist's mind is not closed, I've assembled a list of what I would accept as proof that a given religion is true. Also included are things that I would accept as circumstantial evidence of a particular religion's truth and things that would not be acceptable to me as proof of anything. While I do not claim to speak for all atheists, I would confidently say that any religion that could produce one of the things from the first list would probably gain a great number of converts. To be fair, I invite all theists to respond by preparing a list of things that they would accept as proof that atheism is true. If any theist prepares such a list please post it.The first category deals with things that would absolutely convince me of the truth of a particular religion. If shown any of these, I would convert on the spot. Verified, specific prophecies that could not have been contrived.If the prophecy is vague, unclear or garbled (like Nostradamus' ramblings, for example). It must be detailed, specific and unambiguous in its prediction and wording. If the prophecy is trivial, anyone could predict that it will be cold next winter, or that this drought/plague/flood will eventually subside. The prophecy must predict something surprising, unlikely or unique.If the prophecy is obviously contrived for other reasons, No official seer or court astrologer ever predicted that the king he worked for would be a brutal, evil tyrant who would ruin the country.If the prophecy is self-fulfilling; i.e., if the mere fact of the prophecy's existence could cause people to make it come true, The Jewish people returned to their homeland in Israel just as the Bible said they would, but this isn't a genuine prediction - they did it because the Bible said they would. The predicted event can't be one that people could stage.If the prophecy predicts an event that already happened and the writing of the prophecy itself can't be shown to have preceded the event.If the prophecy predicts an event that already happened and the happening of that event can't be verified by independent evidence. For example, Christian apologists claim that Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, but the authors of the New Testament obviously had access to those prophecies also; what would have prevented them from writing their story to conform to them? The extra-biblical evidence for the existence of Jesus is so scanty that it is impossible to disprove such a proposal.And finally, if the prophecy is the lone success among a thousand failures, anyone can throw prophecies against a wall until one sticks. The book or other source from which it comes must have at least a decently good record on other predictions.These conditions, are reasonable, and are only what would be expected of a true prophet with a genuine gift. Scientific knowledge in holy books that was not available at the time.
Channel: Howto & Style
Uploaded: December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm
Author: FightingAtheist
Length: 08:24
Rating: 4.03
Views: 488620
Tags: atheism atheist bible christian church creationism evolution faith god islam jesus mormon religion satan science
Video Comments
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seano770 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
dude your an idiot. not all muslims want to kill you just cuz u believe differently. an lets talk about some of the stuff athesim come to...HITLER. got the idea from eveloution. he wanted to have a better world right?
ajcrawshawmusic (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Yeah I get it. It's no evidence at all for someone else. Just for myself, until someone can prove to me that it could conclusively not be God. That's why I can't convert to aethism. I've listened to alot of arguments though and have been very open minded, I don't know if you can convert a true atheist, an agonistic certainly. An atheist source is what scientists say, a Christian's is Jesus, who is more believable? (you'd say scientists with good reasons) I'd say Jesus.
lifewhispers1 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
"I'm not researching a damn thing..."Of course, you won't! You're perfectly satisfied with believing patently ridiculous nonsense, aren't you? Fool!
sajeevmango (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
For a true religious criticism with surprisesbuddh1stsaga1nstre1ncarnat1on fullstopc0m
1tabligh (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
tell us how the oceans came into being, how they spread, how the mountain chains were formed, how the continental plates have moved into their present positions. Yet no person now alive was there to witness any of these events about which they so confidently instruct us. And we believe them, without ourselves having seen any of it. well wisher
1tabligh (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
The task and triumph of science is the study of the effects of invisible forces and the formulation of their inner laws of being and operation. Geology traces the formation of the strata in the earth's crust. With absolute certainty they inform us of the order of their formation over millions of years; and from their clines and anti-clines, their folds and outcroppings; (Con't)
1tabligh (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Even the natural qualities which scientists deduce on the basis of experiments which the senses can grasp, and the inferences ratiocination draws therefrom, cannot be directly perceived. Radiowaves are in movement in all directions, everywhere, all the time, yet not seen. No place is free of the forces of gravitational attraction, yet the force is not material nor can particles of it be found for measurement. (Con't)
GODandPEACE (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
seano770 I wonder if you would be saying the same thing if a Muslim was about to cut your throat because he BELIEVES an infidel should be killed.
seano770 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
this is garbage!!!! im an atheist but this is just garbage, let ppl believe what they want to believe,
WanderingSamura1 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
I'm not researching a damn thing, and i'm surely not going to bother proving anyone to someone who becomes disrespectful because they can't stand the fact I make sense. You want the written evidence go ask and look for it. Meanwhile there were scholars who wrote the Bible, and until you've actually researched these things you should quit that state of denial. |
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