What or whom do atheists posit as their highest authority?

water said:
In the name of what do atheists demand that theists present proof of God?
What gives them the right to demand such proof?
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It’s not really a question of “authority”.

The burden of proof is on someone making the positive claim. If someone tells you that flying pink unicorns exist, it’s up to them to provide some evidence to back up their claim. There’s no need for you to disprove that flying pink unicorns exist before you decide not to believe in them.
 
Both questions are flawed. You are a part of reality; although, your
interpretation of it differs from the way it is. Consider reality being that which
exists regardless of interpretation.
 
Crunchy Cat said:
Both questions are flawed. You are a part of reality; although, your
interpretation of it differs from the way it is. Consider reality being that which
exists regardless of interpretation.
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But you're aware that since you cannot bypass your personal interpretation of this reality, it takes faith to believe that there is a reality that exists regardless of interpretation? At best you will be aware of a kind of synthesis of the popular perception of "reality", but do you consider your own perception, or the popular perception more authoritive - i.e. closest to this "objective" reality?
 
Nasor said:
It’s not really a question of “authority”.

The burden of proof is on someone making the positive claim. If someone tells you that flying pink unicorns exist, it’s up to them to provide some evidence to back up their claim. There’s no need for you to disprove that flying pink unicorns exist before you decide not to believe in them.
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There is physical remnants that substantiate the Bible's claims and events, but that does not prove the Bible is true. The story could have been invented to explain the remnants.

For the logical mind, God is nearly impossible to believe in.

The best evidence for me, a logical mind, is the experiences of myself and other Christians "walking with God." It is impossible to believe in God if you have intelligence, without him showing you himself in situations, and in lives that are changed. If you aren't a Christian, then you or someone around you is not doing their job to inspire you or pray for you. Logic alone is not enough to prove God's existence. Logical minds cannot be convinced, we must be shown, and we must be able to know it
 
Jenyar said:
But you're aware that since you cannot bypass your personal interpretation of this reality, it takes faith to believe that there is a reality that exists regardless of interpretation? At best you will be aware of a kind of synthesis of the popular perception of "reality", but do you consider your own perception, or the popular perception more authoritive - i.e. closest to this "objective" reality?
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I cannot bypass my interpretation but I can align it. If I shake a can of soda
and then open it quicly, reality results in an explosion of soda. I can repeat
the experiment and get consistent results which can be shared, reproduced,
and understood by others.

Faith is not required at all. Reality is not seperate from me. I am a construct
that is a part of it. My perception is part of it as well and while it has
limitations, my intellect can be used to create things with reality that can
perceive reality that my biological perception cannot (ex. x-ray & infrared
detection).
 
The best evidence for me, a logical mind, is the experiences of myself and other Christians "walking with God.

Nonsense. You are devoid of logic if you believe you can "walk with a god."

It is impossible to believe in God if you have intelligence

Exactly! I couldn't have stated it better.
 
water,

Explain and define how reasonableness is the highest authority there is.

Justify why all should adhere to reasonableness.
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I don't understand your confusion.

The alternative is to be unreasonable.

Even a god, if it were to exist and have meaningful value, would need to adhere to reasonableness.
 
jay,

The best evidence for me, a logical mind, is the experiences of myself and other Christians "walking with God." It is impossible to believe in God if you have intelligence, without him showing you himself in situations, and in lives that are changed. If you aren't a Christian, then you or someone around you is not doing their job to inspire you or pray for you. Logic alone is not enough to prove God's existence. Logical minds cannot be convinced, we must be shown, and we must be able to know it
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And once again you prove the case against Christians. If logic is insufficeint when all you have left is illogic which is the essense of your argument.
 
In psychology they talk about a higher self. I guess that might be the highest authority. I think the higher self is the same as God in religions. The religious ask God for forgiveness, the non-religious try to forgive themselves. "God" is within. There is no God, there is only me.
 
Cris said:
jay,

And once again you prove the case against Christians. If logic is insufficeint when all you have left is illogic which is the essense of your argument.
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No, I am merely pointing out that human emotion and gut feelings are illogical to have. To have these emotions and gut feelings, you must experience them to know they exist. It is the same with God. I have faith in God because he has been faithful to me, so despite my head-strong doubts, I still have faith. So, in order for the logical mind to believe in God, the person must experience God. Until that time, the existence of God is illogical. Until I get angry and see others angry, it is illogical to be angry.
 
So, in order for the logical mind to believe in God, the person must experience God.

Please educate the logical mind on how to experience a god? Of course, you must first identify exactly which god we are to experience amongst the hundreds available on the open market.
 
(Q) said:
So, in order for the logical mind to believe in God, the person must experience God.

Please educate the logical mind on how to experience a god? Of course, you must first identify exactly which god we are to experience amongst the hundreds available on the open market.
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I speak of the only God that is plausible. Logic tears apart any religion. What makes Christianity different than other religions is the accuracy of the Bible, the consitency, the age, and the number of contributing authors. Whether or not, the tale was told after, before, or during each event cannot be known. Every religion but Christianity is laughable. Most were created by one man, which makes Christianity more believable. A lie told often enough becomes truth. Even if Christianity is a lie, it is the best lie out there.

Now, if you wish to experience God, you must pray for him to move on you, be patient, and keep praying. If you want to play basketball, where do you go? You go to a court and join some others. If you really want to experience God, you have to look for him, pray, and be patient.

Of course it is difficult to have motivation to be illogical if you have no reason to be illogical. God must give you a reason. He will give you one someday, and you will have the choice to believe or not.

It is difficult for me to get upset if someone doesn't do something to me or my family.
 
Why do religious people use God's "name"? "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."

If religious people really believed in God, they wouldn't talk about him. If they talk about him, they risk of misusing his name. If they think they know God, they must also think they are like God. No one knows God except God.

Of course, it is ridiculous to do like this: G-d

It's not the words or letters, it is God himself... you shouldn't talk about HIM. You defile his name if you don't know him. But Jesus said that people will hate him. This is probably because ignorant people (the so called "believers") keep talking about him.
 
stretched said:
Authority, Schmaurority. Why the fixation with authority?
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Schmaurority? :p :D

Yeah, still, why do we have to answer to an authority? Why must we answer to something?
Like that one song says:
"Fuck the po-lice, fuck the po-lice." :p
 
superluminal said:
I am that I am!
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Don't you think that is quite an unusual "name"? I am I am. "God" meant that He is the self within us. Moses had found his true self ("God") and he realized that "I am (that?) I am". We don't need to talk about what we "are". We only speak of what we are trying to become. It is impossible to talk about what we are. If we really ARE sad for example, we don't need to speak of it, since we ARE it. What we SEE (separation of goal) and what we ARE (unity) are two different things. So this is why Moses said to himself: I am that I am.
 
The highest authority on everything, the ultimate authority. That upon which an atheist calls as his justification for whatever it is he does.
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You mean God? Atheists don't believe in God.
 
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