I've read it at least 8 times.


Your key word that kind of dismisses the rest of the shit you said........"Really neat stuff when you take it in the context of today's unrest around the world with Islam and Judaism/Christianity. ".

There is a reason other people preach the same nonsense about Nostradamus, Mayans, Aztecs etc.


My issue is simple: Provide me with proof that your religion is the real one and I'll be at church the next day and apologize for all of my previous transgressions. I mean it sincerely. It isn't that hard. Prove it and I'm there.

With how powerful God is, it shouldn't be too hard, but I've yet to see something as simple as a prayer stopping a penny from falling to the ground.

I'd ask you to listen to the Portable Atheist that I posted earlier, if not just to expose you to more writings and ideas you might not have heard before. I took the time to read your bible, please take the time to listen to a few people speak on an opposing view. If you actually do take the time to listen to it, I'd honestly be impressed with you(Because that's WAY more than what most religious people do[The common thing is just to demonize all opposing views and ignore them]).

And yeah, actual discussion is free. If this turns into a flame-fest or something, feel free to email me or whatever. I leave the offer open : Prove it to me and I'll convert.


I think, if you take the time to pick and choose what part of the bible to pay attention to and take things in certain context, you'll find some nice 'predictive' text. You'll find just as much stupid nonsense in it, and an enjoyable amount of writings that show how little of the world the people at that time period knew.

I hope you're more convincing than Mormons. I own their book as well, and have read it. Nothing special. They also don't much provide any convincing arguments. Done the same with Muslims, Shamans, new-age imbeciles and the like. I've taken the time to attend at least one service of every church/religious event in my area. Nothing.

BE THE ONE TO TAKE ME OUT.

TAKE DOWN THE BATMAN

EARN A MEDAL.




EDIT:


One of the main issues I have with prophecy being used as an argument(Unless proven):


-------------

Confirmation bias refers to a type of selective thinking whereby one tends to notice and to look for what confirms one's beliefs, and to ignore, not look for, or undervalue the relevance of what contradicts one's beliefs. For example, if you believe that during a full moon there is an increase in admissions to the emergency room where you work, you will take notice of admissions during a full moon, but be inattentive to the moon when admissions occur during other nights of the month. A tendency to do this over time unjustifiably strengthens your belief in the relationship between the full moon and accidents and other lunar effects.

This tendency to give more attention and weight to data that support our beliefs than we do to contrary data is especially pernicious when our beliefs are little more than prejudices. If our beliefs are firmly established on solid evidence and valid confirmatory experiments, the tendency to give more attention and weight to data that fit with our beliefs should not lead us astray as a rule. Of course, if we become blinded to evidence truly refuting a favored hypothesis, we have crossed the line from reasonableness to closed-mindedness.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that people generally give an excessive amount of value to confirmatory information, that is, to positive or supportive data. The "most likely reason for the excessive influence of confirmatory information is that it is easier to deal with cognitively" (Gilovich 1993). It is much easier to see how a piece of data supports a position than it is to see how it might count against the position. Consider a typical ESP experiment or a seemingly clairvoyant dream: Successes are often unambiguous or data are easily massaged to count as successes, while negative instances require intellectual effort to even see them as negative or to consider them as significant. The tendency to give more attention and weight to the positive and the confirmatory has been shown to influence memory. When digging into our memories for data relevant to a position, we are more likely to recall data that confirms the position (ibid.).

Researchers are sometimes guilty of confirmation bias by setting up experiments or framing their data in ways that will tend to confirm their hypotheses. They compound the problem by proceeding in ways that avoid dealing with data that would contradict their hypotheses. For example, some parapsychologists used to engage in optional starting and stopping in their ESP research. Experimenters might avoid or reduce confirmation bias by collaborating in experimental design with colleagues who hold contrary hypotheses, as Richard Wiseman (skeptic) and Marilyn Schlitz (proponent) have done.* Individuals have to constantly remind themselves of this tendency and actively seek out data contrary to their beliefs. Since this is unnatural, it appears that the ordinary person is doomed to bias.

See also ad hoc hypothesis, cognitive dissonance, communal reinforcement, control study, selective thinking, and self-deception

Some readings that, without me putting forth much effort, might help explain some of my views on the topics(I'll take the time to read them AFTER I'm done saying I agree with them.)

[www.skepdic.com]
[www.skepdic.com]
[www.skepdic.com]
[www.skepdic.com]
[www.skepdic.com]
[www.skepdic.com]


If anything, they might just be fun reads. Feel free to reply with any sources you'd like me to read. I'll read them. I promise.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2009 01:20PM by Batman.