Theists don't ask questions

[Blastcat]

Hi

I ask a lot of questions.. and SOMETIMES ( but not always ) get answers.

One of the reasons that I do ask a lot of questions, is that I don't actually learn anything new by proselytizing atheism. I do that a bit, of course, I think it's important that people get to know an atheist and what he thinks about the "big questions" and so on, but I am ALSO here to learn what OTHER people think.

So, the questions.

It just occurred to me that I RARELY get any questions from the theists.
Isn't that odd?

____________

Question for debate:

• 
  
  Why is it that theists don't seem very curious as to what outsiders to their beliefs think?
  
  

____________

[Hector Barbosa]

[Replying to post 9 by Youkilledkenny]

Thought that is true, to keep in line with Christian apologetics, it also often seems that atheist don't feel the need to provide answers.

Just because questions is the atheist strong suit, and answers the theist strong suit, does not mean that there is not valid question or answers which could be found in either argument if the effort is put.

Part of the reason it could be very tough for theist to feel the need to ask questions, is that they believe in something they are themselves in process trying to understand, which can be seen as a lack of faith to question.

I actually think the theist argumentation is quite similar to the atheist one, when it comes to truth.

Both theists and atheist tend to make up their mind about what they WANT to believe, before they have the evidence to prove it. And then they just look for evidence within what they already believe to reaffirm that choice.

This is why it is rare to see either argument progress much.

For most theists do not feel the need to question their beliefs, but most atheists don't feel the need either to question their disbelief and seek evidence for belief.

This is one of the biggest reasons I came here. For I am tired of all the lies and false claims on these subjects, which tend to turn to personal attacks before there is evidence or a valid argument because most people are extremely insecure about their position.

I think this is also why there is so much hate, fear and intolerance when it comes to these differences.

For fact is that whether you believe in God or not. God has NOT been proven or dis-proven. So a true scientist should be open to both possibilities while doing their out most to find evidence.

Maybe we will never know, maybe we will know when we die.

But to question owns own belief is not just a fault of the theist. I do not know many atheists who questions evolution, the big Bang or their confidence that there is no God either.

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 11 by Hector Barbosa]



[center]
I'm an expert pretender[/center]

Thought that is true, to keep in line with Christian apologetics, it also often seems that atheist don't feel the need to provide answers.

Do you mean pretend answers or honest answers?

Because I can pretend to have answers.. try me !!!

[Youkilledkenny]

[Replying to post 11 by Hector Barbosa]

Thanks for the response - excellent post!

I do not know many atheists who questions evolution, the big Bang or their confidence that there is no God either.

There is a slight difference here as I see it. Many (most?) of the things to which we adhere (evolution for example) is 'to the best of our knowledge' and (if you're a good scientist and honest person) is open to change or evolving (ironically enough) if enough data is presented.
So there are people that question such things. Unfortunately there are many that don't. And those people that don't (believer or not) are the ones that stagnate while others move on.

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 13 by Youkilledkenny]

There is a slight difference here as I see it. Many (most?) of the things to which we adhere (evolution for example) is 'to the best of our knowledge' and (if you're a good scientist and honest person) is open to change or evolving (ironically enough) if enough data is presented.
So there are people that question such things. Unfortunately there are many that don't. And those people that don't (believer or not) are the ones that stagnate while others move on.

Yeah, but you are assuming that everyone gives a hoot about science.
Not everyone does.

[Hector Barbosa]

[Replying to post 13 by Youkilledkenny]

Thanks. I very much agree with what you wrote.

You are right evolution is "to the best of our knowledge" but as most of my scientist friends, people like Sam Harris and others also state, it is at best a incomplete theory, for there is a lot of answers and understanding lacking in it. This is why it is a theory and not a fact, and should be treated as such, so we can keep investigating it, better it or discard it if it doesn't hold.

Essentially religion should really do the same, and where religion has questioned, changed, and discarded what has not worked (such as earth at the center of the universe), religion has experienced progress just like science.

The danger to both religion and science is when we dogmatic hold something to be true without questioning it. Questioning something does not weaken its argument it strengthens whatever argument is true.

This is part of the reason why it is very important to me, not to be a atheist or theist until the evidence of either is strong enough to be almost sure.

For the moment I am convinced and stop questioning, I stop progressing and the possibility of finding something which is not here already is gone.
To be convinced too fast is to kill science, ironically it is also to kill faith. So science and religion should go hand in hand on this point.

Instead they often don't because there is too many who argue either argument dogmatically.

[Hector Barbosa]

[Replying to post 14 by Blastcat]

I do I love science. Science is my bread and butter

[Blastcat]

[Replying to post 16 by Hector Barbosa]

I do I love science. Science is my bread and butter

You must mean CREATION SCIENCE.

[Hector Barbosa]

[Replying to post 17 by Blastcat]

Oh no creation is desert

You never answered me about what you call "creationist science" I am curious what you mean by that.

Would Quantum Physics, chemistry and philosophy be creationist science?

What is your science called?

Cat in the hat?

[theophile]

[Replying to Willum]

And that's the kind of answer we can usually get...

Umm, because it's a good one? And please show me where the question, let alone answer, has been posed / given before.

When it comes down to it, atheism is the denial of a rather broad position. So what is a theist supposed to ask? What source material are they to question?

Am I to assume that every atheist is a New Atheist? Or Existentialist? Or Marxist? Or...?

So here's a question for you all: Why do atheists all assume Christians should be of one variety when atheists are not?

But for me at least, the reason is I assume we are all pursuing the same questions, we just see the answer in different sources. Here are the questions I look to the bible for insight one. They are the same ones I would ask an atheist. They are the same questions that I presume we all are seeking answers to (no matter who is asking the questions):

• What vision of the world should we work toward?
  What is the best way to realize that vision?
  Related to this:
  What values should ground us, and should we strive to uphold?
  How should we interact with each other?
  What is the relationship between man and woman? Human and animal? Human and nature more broadly?

What else really matters?

[Hector Barbosa]

[Replying to post 19 by theophile]

Excellent questions!

This may not be the place to do so, I don't know.
But I would love to discuss possible answers to those questions, with you and anyone who likes the deep thinking.

I love these kinds of questions, which challenge us to seek something better.