its actually the opposite, she/he who has that "hmph" must be the atheist, because the creationist nutjob is gonna think theres afterlife and why live to the fullest, but atheist know theres only one life, so atheist will enjoy more,
It's not because people who are in dispair turn to religion as a sort of comforting zone or explanation for what's happening to them or to the world that it means that they're right. To me it's wishful thinking not based on evidence but on assumptions. Religion thrives on moments of weakness, dispair. They have abused their power in order to spread their beliefs, among uneducated and influencable people.Sustaining poverty, ignorance advertising it as doing divine work.Just look at missionaries.
@muzapstar The same goes for people of faith. Pointing out ridiculousness does not equal to superiority. However, those who feel offended can easily come to such an assumption. Alistair came off as pretentious to me, but he still seemed to be rather accepting of people who didn't believe as he did. I liked him.
Something only seems designed if you are familiar with the type of design. There are examples of primitive tribes viewing WWII airplanes as supernatural. Also what if you were on a beach on an alien planet that had technology a billion years more advanced than ours and on that beach you found something of theirs would how could you know it was designed?
I'm sorry, but McGrath can't tell other people that their lives are boring, or crap, especially when McGrath's own life was so unfulfilled that he needed to fill it with an invisible skydaddy.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Darwin was never an atheist. He was first christian. By the time he wrote origin of species he was clearly a deist, and he later became and died a middle-road agnostic.
Dawkins{like so many modern atheists} seems to have a very ignorant view of the deist position, which is disconcerting.
Beleif in the existence of a deistic force has NOTHING to do with meaning, morals, feelings,etc,
....it does not negate naturalism and evolution, it is more a comological or cosmic thing, and the problem of evil/suffering has nothing to do with it either{it poses no threat to the basic theory}.
I don't think atheism peaked in 1989. Atheism is slowly but steadily replacing religions. I see mostly old folks who are the believers in churches. You have to talk to young people. They are mostly not interested in religion here. They often aren't that interested in atheism either, but the point is without that injection of Jesus et al. at a young age, you aren't likely to turn to religion. You are much more likely to think of it as a strange and humorous idea if you ever do study it seriously.
I agree. I have never believed McGrath about his ever having been an atheist. His arguments for theism are utterly ridiculous = the usual emotional arguments about "quality of life", etc.
Theists absolutely adore their supposed converts from "atheism" to theism, as though an individual's beliefs indicate anything about the truth value of those beliefs - in either direction. The point is empirical and logical justification, not *who* espouses a belief.
Unfortunately, it is that kind of statement that shuts down logical debate on this subject. Alister McGrath is not a creationist, and I think it quite defamatory and Ad hominem to say he is a "nutjob".
Religion is a generic term and does not point to a specific one. "Westerners" need to get out of the habit of equating religion with the Judeo-Christian myths.
that alistair guy looks like a gay in denial...
suhana3479 2 months ago
its actually the opposite, she/he who has that "hmph" must be the atheist, because the creationist nutjob is gonna think theres afterlife and why live to the fullest, but atheist know theres only one life, so atheist will enjoy more,
this sounds more logical cmon
Met0llicA 5 months ago
It's not because people who are in dispair turn to religion as a sort of comforting zone or explanation for what's happening to them or to the world that it means that they're right. To me it's wishful thinking not based on evidence but on assumptions. Religion thrives on moments of weakness, dispair. They have abused their power in order to spread their beliefs, among uneducated and influencable people.Sustaining poverty, ignorance advertising it as doing divine work.Just look at missionaries.
Jerrez 7 months ago
I'm an atheist but I definitely like McGrath.
w13d3rgEb0r3n 11 months ago
jeez you people are full of superiority and hate towards other people of faith
muzapstar 1 year ago
@muzapstar The same goes for people of faith. Pointing out ridiculousness does not equal to superiority. However, those who feel offended can easily come to such an assumption. Alistair came off as pretentious to me, but he still seemed to be rather accepting of people who didn't believe as he did. I liked him.
twilightguardian 2 weeks ago
Why does McGrath begin every sentence with 'wafink'? What the fuck does that word mean?
TolpuddleMartyr 1 year ago
Something only seems designed if you are familiar with the type of design. There are examples of primitive tribes viewing WWII airplanes as supernatural. Also what if you were on a beach on an alien planet that had technology a billion years more advanced than ours and on that beach you found something of theirs would how could you know it was designed?
systematic101 1 year ago
I'm sorry, but McGrath can't tell other people that their lives are boring, or crap, especially when McGrath's own life was so unfulfilled that he needed to fill it with an invisible skydaddy.
So piss off.
cartmanspp2 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Darwin was never an atheist. He was first christian. By the time he wrote origin of species he was clearly a deist, and he later became and died a middle-road agnostic.
Dawkins{like so many modern atheists} seems to have a very ignorant view of the deist position, which is disconcerting.
Beleif in the existence of a deistic force has NOTHING to do with meaning, morals, feelings,etc,
CONT..
Iconoclastithon 2 years ago
...CONT;
....it does not negate naturalism and evolution, it is more a comological or cosmic thing, and the problem of evil/suffering has nothing to do with it either{it poses no threat to the basic theory}.
Iconoclastithon 2 years ago
I don't think atheism peaked in 1989. Atheism is slowly but steadily replacing religions. I see mostly old folks who are the believers in churches. You have to talk to young people. They are mostly not interested in religion here. They often aren't that interested in atheism either, but the point is without that injection of Jesus et al. at a young age, you aren't likely to turn to religion. You are much more likely to think of it as a strange and humorous idea if you ever do study it seriously.
dkw12002 2 years ago 5
"I used to be an Atheist... but now.."
Thats when you know to tune out a creationist nutjob.
ByronC900 3 years ago 19
I agree. I have never believed McGrath about his ever having been an atheist. His arguments for theism are utterly ridiculous = the usual emotional arguments about "quality of life", etc.
Theists absolutely adore their supposed converts from "atheism" to theism, as though an individual's beliefs indicate anything about the truth value of those beliefs - in either direction. The point is empirical and logical justification, not *who* espouses a belief.
Theists do not understand this.
musekiteer 2 years ago 4
Unfortunately, it is that kind of statement that shuts down logical debate on this subject. Alister McGrath is not a creationist, and I think it quite defamatory and Ad hominem to say he is a "nutjob".
justintrumpet21 2 years ago
@ByronC900 The Saruman Syndrome should be called, to abandon reason for madness.
intestinomedicino 7 months ago
secular power!
th3inquisitiv31 3 years ago 2
Religion is a generic term and does not point to a specific one. "Westerners" need to get out of the habit of equating religion with the Judeo-Christian myths.
humanist7117 3 years ago 2
Darwin has brought more change than all the firearms in the world combined.
BeatBuddy 3 years ago
It's not that I don't believe in god. It's just that there's no god to believe in.
MrBiggMan 4 years ago 17
precisely...
manolotube007 4 years ago
Damn right, has your perception changed since you wrote this over a year ago?
thevoiceofreason02 2 years ago
Nothing has changed.
MrBiggMan 2 years ago
I expected as much, once you start
utilizing logic it's impossible not to.
thevoiceofreason02 2 years ago