1401b wrote:
- One fully appropriate answer is that god did NOT make Autism because there is no god to make it..........the OP deserves the respect of being answered with our best knowledge.
The_Walrus wrote:
.....it is necessary in any discussion like this about gods to point out that they probably don't exist, because that instantly solves the issue. You would have no problem if someone pointed out that the reason there are flaws in aquatic ape theory is because it's all made up, but you raise loud objections about cynicism when it happens to be something you believe in.
I agree. The original post presents us with a paradox and asks for answers. It's entirely reasonable to question the premisses, and without the "god exists" premiss, the paradox vanishes. If there's an alternative rational solution that doesn't question the premisses, bring it on.
It's fascinating how this question (of whether or not deities exist) can arouse so much anger - I don't mean here particularly, I mean universally. I feel slightly offended when somebody talks as if it's a given that god exists, because of the arrogance of the insinuation (trundled out as fact rather than owned as an opinion), and I can understand religious people feeling slightly offended when somebody talks as if it's a given that there are no gods, because that's also arrogant.
But I don't know why a little bit of offense is so prone to get vitreolic. I guess for an atheist, it's like the emperor's new clothes: once you decide these deities aren't actually there, you see the church in a new light, it doesn't look pretty, but unlike the emperor's new clothes story, the crowd doesn't see the point, it just rebukes you for your trouble. As for religious people, it must be a great comfort to "know" that there is an afterlife and a pure-of-heart father figure who loves and forgives you, so it could be quite uncomfortable to have those ideas questioned in any convincing way, especially if you also feel guilty about having reasonable doubts.
I find it interesting that wrongplanet.net is the only forum I've ever been on that tries to understand a Christian's viewpoint. People in general treat us as if we aren't human due to our beliefs. I'd like to see everyone show this cynicism to every culture they've had a disagreement with or have been oppressed by. Thanks to the wrongplanet users who are trying not to offend Christians and respect freewill and worldviews. The OP's question is a question of rational debate for adults that proves maturity when everyone answers respectably from their own viewpoints. BTW, I was an Atheist before I converted to Christianity. I listen to Death Metal and draw gloomy artwork, all non-believers can just relax a bit about the exclusion and oppression by Christians. Christians have circles like any other human gathering and we all know people are at their worst in cliques no matter what they believe in. Let's do our best to just get along without pressuring anyone to change their beliefs.
14 Dec 2014, 6:41 pm
