Original Sin?

Quote: FrGamble

Would this be a good time to ask you why if millions of millions of people believe in something based on their personal experiences it is not strong evidence for something?

Because argumentum ad populem isn't proof, or evidence.

It can be used as a hypothosis, with is then followed by the objective gathering of evidence, and then evaluating if the evidence you gathered supports your hypothesis.

Quote: Dalex64

What, you mean like how he appeared in person and walked and talked with Adam and Eve?

I thought I saw something the other night and I was wondering if anyone could confirm it for me?

Quote: Dalex64

Contrast that to stories and and unverified testimonies, not backed with scientific evidence, and not corroborated by other sources. Among the written evidence, there is evidence that the stories were substantively changed in the early decades after they were first written down, and they weren't even written down until decades after the events allegedly occurred.

The funny thing is, if a Christian was involved
in a trial, and the other party tried to enter
as evidence material that was written years after the
event he was being sued for, and contained
no eye witness accounts, just second and third
and forth hand stories of the event, his lawyer
would immediately have it thrown out and
rightfully so. Yet when it comes to something
as important as their religion, such documents
are readily believed and accepted. Like I said,
all religion requires is you leave common sense
and suspend your disbelief at the door.

Quote: Evenbob

Except there aren't millions, there are none.

Did you just have a brain fart yourself because what you wrote is shit. Your wife's example is not indicative of all Christians. I keep saying this but you really shouldn't use your awful experiences to exaggerate and extrapolate what other people experience and know.

Quote: petroglyph

Have you ever seen or heard God? Not evidence or that stuff, but seen or heard him in person?

Yes, I have.

Quote: Nareed

Faith is the off switch of the mind :)

Faith is that which switches on the higher powers of the mind :)

Quote: Evenbob

The funny thing is, if a Christian was involved
in a trial, and the other party tried to enter
as evidence material that was written years after the
event he was being sued for,

Let me stop you there, the material does contain eye witness accounts.

Let me also ask what a lawyer would do if the only evidence you had for the rising of the sun was that it has happened yesterday and the 1 million days before that?

Quote: FrGamble

Yes, I have.

Would you say it was authoritative? Full body?

Quote: FrGamble

but you really shouldn't use your awful experiences to exaggerate and extrapolate what other people experience and know.

I've had no awful experiences with religion.
I tried to break it to you gently in a PM.
Atheists don't believe god contacts people
in any way because, why would we. We're
atheists! So when you tell me millions have
had a personal experience with a god, I
know it's something other than what they
think it is. It usually falls under the heading
of wishful thinking, or getting what you
expect to get. Humans are extremely
prone to self delusion, they can be talked
into almost anything. Especially mistakenly
thinking they've had a religious experience.

Quote:

Have you ever seen or heard God? Not evidence or that stuff, but seen or heard him in person?

Quote: FrGamble

Yes, I have.

So did David Karesh, Jim Bakker, and Jim Jones
of Jonestown fame. Pardon me if I don't put
too much stock in people claiming they've
talked to god. For every sane person that
claims it, there is a nutcase out there claiming
the same thing.