Re: Evidence of God

Mani Deli <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> On 24 Nov 2003 16:03:28 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Al Evan) wrote:
> 
> 
> >Therefore, your response to Why, that being an Atheist requires no
> >faith, is not true, because, if, as Why claims (and you did not
> >disagree), there is no proof that god does not exist, then you must
> >believe it as an act of faith--since you can't prove it.
> >
> >Thus, Why is logically correct:  You have Faith.
> >
> And anyone who believes something, whatever, doesn't exist has faith. 
> 
> I'm ovewhealmed as you say with faith that Santa Claus doesn't exist. 
> 
> "We may define "faith" as the firm belief in something for which there
>  is no evidence.  Where there is evidence, no one speaks of "faith."
>  We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth
>  is round.  We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion
>  for evidence.  The substitution of emotion for evidence is apt to
> lead to strife, since different groups, substitute different
> emotions."
>                       [Bertrand Russell]
> 
>  "Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are
>  conservative." -John Stuart Mill 
> 
> Tired of Modern Art? check 
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/manideli/

Actually I disagree with Bertrand Russell on this one.  We speak of
'faith' when we don't know the answer to a question.  We can only
believe, or hope, for an answer one way or the other.

For example, if you see your best female friend off for a trip, and
she promises to phone you once a day, you may get worried if one day
the expected call doesn't come.

Your faith in the possible reasons will depend on how well you know
your girlfriend, the reliability of her car, the weather and a number
of other factors.

If you are a negative person, you may well believe the worst
immediately ie. she has run into bad, maybe fatal, trouble, or she has
ditched you.  If you are a positive person, you will probably assume
she forgot or there has just been some temporary hitch.

Either way you will have faith in a proposed reason.  For the truth to
emerge, you can only wait until it does.  IN time the answer will
come, when she either rings you, or you never hear from her again.

You may say that emotion is being substituted for evidence.  But only
the most cold blooded philosopher could sit through this situation on
the basis of "what is the point of thinking about unpresented
evidence?  If she's dead, she's dead.  If she's alive, she's alive.
I'll find out sooner or later."  Imagine your girlfriend's reaction if
she got wind of an attitude like that.

Bob Crowley.