How prevalent is atheism?

[whitewitch]

my mother is a jew, my father a CofE (both non practising), i was not christened as a youngster as they believed i should pick my own religion, i went through school having R.E but didnt believe a word of it, i am an atheist, i turned down being a god parent as this would mean i would have to get baptised and teach my nephew something i dont believe in. My daughter is not christened but is having religious lessons and comes home singing about god, i try and encourage this as its about believing and choice and i wont force my beliefs onto her, if one day she decides she would like to be christened then so be it.

[f0rd]

The astronomer Fred Hoyle famously claimed that the probability of life arising on earth (by purely natural means, without special divine aid) is less than the probability that a flight-worthy Boeing 747 should be assembled by a hurricane roaring through a junkyard.[/Quote]

 

Could you be anymore intellectually dishonest? Fred Hoyle was an Atheist, so your comment “without special divine aid” with regards to his view is folly, unless you would like to set me wrong and cite where he even implies this.

 

If you had done any further wider reading around this quib, you would have realized Fred Hoyle was a proponent that the origin of life occurred in space, but you did get something correct he was vehemently opposed to the idea life originated on Earth.

 

Dawkins and others think that is the answer to life on earth. Dawkins and Co. are the ones who are deluded.

 

Abiotic Chemistry.

[Grahame]

Could you be anymore intellectually dishonest? Fred Hoyle was an Atheist, so your comment “without special divine aid” with regards to his view is folly, unless you would like to set me wrong and cite where he even implies this.

 

If you had done any further wider reading around this quib, you would have realized Fred Hoyle was a proponent that the origin of life occurred in space, but you did get something correct he was vehemently opposed to the idea life originated on Earth.

Abiotic Chemistry.

 

Have a read of this and see what you think.

 

http://www.trinityhills.org.au/modules/UpDownload/store_folder/Articles_and_Papers/Alvin_Plantinga_-_Review_of_Richard_Dawkins_-The_God_Delusion.pdf

[f0rd]

Have a read of this and see what you think.

 

I think you are a plagirizer, and the writer of that article should do some fact checking next time.

[Grahame]

I think you are a plagirizer, and the writer of that article should do some fact checking next time.

 

He makes a good point though.

[f0rd]

He makes a good point though.

 

No he doesn’t, the reasons are manifold. But briefly as I have already addressed he misrepresents Fred Hoyle.

[Grahame]

No he doesn’t, the reasons are manifold. But briefly as I have already addressed he misrepresents Fred Hoyle.

 

Go on with you. Dawkins is a crackpot when it comes to religion and you know it.

[f0rd]

Go on with you. Dawkins is a crackpot when it comes to religion and you know it.

 

Indeed, this is why when it comes to religion I stick with religious scholars from Philo, the early church fathers, Rashi, to contemporary theologians such as Moltmann.

 

And still there isn't any real coherency, talk about being led by the Holy Spirit.

[liam_s1]

I voted Yes. I love the idea of seeing my dear father and those I love in my life that I have lost again but I do not think so. You cannot avoid your gut feeling. I believe there is a difference between what we want to believe and what we actually believe. I do like lighting candles and taking time out in the cathedral though! And when it comes to having morals and living my life the way I feel is right... I do not think I need a middle man for that, just a conscience.

[back2basics]

The Bible talks about eternity and time without end, in Revelation chapter 1 verse 8 it says, “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

 

They say the cosmos is for ever expanding and will go on expanding for ever. I think it is wonderful that the Bible echoes modern science and I don’t feel I can do any other except believe.

 

That’s doesn't really answer my hypothetical.

 

If there is no beginning, then we have some clear issues with creationist Gods. The quote you use clearly states there was a beginning and god was responsible. My question is how would it affect your faith (if at all), if we had concrete proof there was no beginning? And if it wouldn't affect it at all, would that be because you then denounce science or because belief in the bible would change and the creationist aspect dropped. Obviously scientific knowledge and progress has changed the teachings of religion over the years (flat earth, sun revolves around the earth, slaves being sanctioned by god, pedophilia, incest, shell fish, circumcision, holly wars, young earth creation, acceptance of evolution etc), do you see religion finally throwing science to the fish or do you see Religious doctorine changing (again) on this issue?