From: Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin (warrl@mail.blarg.net)
Date: Sun Jan 11 1998 - 14:54:43 MST
> To: extropians@extropy.com
> I generally think debates on God or religion can go nowhere -- at least when
> they are between atheists and theists. However, despite my gut feeling not
> to add to this debate, here goes...:)
>
> At 09:04 PM 1/10/98 -0500, Rick Rossi <RickR@net-effect.com> wrote:
> >On this subject one cannot say much either way, other than no one really
> >knows. Atheists make the same mistake the religious do; no data.
>
> I disagree. I think to have a belief in something, one must have a reason
> for that belief. Absent a reason, then the belief is unjustified or unverified.
In this case, the atheists -- as distinct from the agnostics -- are
at least as unjustified as the theists.
(A theist might -- as I have -- experience an extremely real but
entirely personal manifestation of a deity which would make
non-belief irrational for THAT PERSON, without providing any
externally verifiable evidence they could reasonably expect anyone
else to accept. I cannot imagine a similarly compelling personal
manifestation of the non-existence of any deity. Thus, some specific
theists might be more justified than any atheist. However, I also am
reasonably sure that the large majority of theists have had no such
personal experience.)
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