Why We Believe in Gods
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Andy Thomson gives his talk titled 'Why We Believe in Gods' at the American Atheist 2009 convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Filmed and edited by Josh Timonen.
RT: 54:07
RT: 54:07
Apr 25, 2009 2:03 PM
Re: Why We Believe in Gods: Andy Thomson: American Atheists 09
QT version, 169 MB: http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c114612/video/2009/Andy-Atlanta-QT.mov
Audio only MP3? Just 25 MB:
http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c114612/video/2009/Andy-Atlanta-audio.mp3
Audio only MP3? Just 25 MB:
http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c114612/video/2009/Andy-Atlanta-audio.mp3
By: spam_vigilante
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
I enjoyed this all the way until his last point. I don't believe that religion and science have any genuine arguments, and that may be the main reason I don't consider myself an atheist. The only true differences are in people's interpretations.
By: the_monk
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
The argument exists because for hundreds of years, science has been stripping away religions power and hold over people, by proving wrong things that religion had declared absolute. Religions credibility continues to fail, and science continues to give us the "miracles" religion had promised.
So religion defensively attacks sciences credibility with everything it's got. Then science is like, wtf? you're slowing us down here, we have bigger issues going on. So science starts attacking religion to get it out of the way. Step aside old man, we've got a universe to explore.
So religion defensively attacks sciences credibility with everything it's got. Then science is like, wtf? you're slowing us down here, we have bigger issues going on. So science starts attacking religion to get it out of the way. Step aside old man, we've got a universe to explore.
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
Hmph...you've got me pegged all wrong. All I'm saying is that it's certain individuals who are making these decisions, not the religion itself. If everyone would take religious beliefs for what they really are, meaning metaphors, then I think things would be much better in this world.
But for the record, I think Atheists need to watch out before they become the new fundamentalists.
But for the record, I think Atheists need to watch out before they become the new fundamentalists.
By: the_monk
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
Are you doing the god-in-the-gaps thing here? Or are you actually claiming that religiosity can be defined as being guided by (old) stories. Honestly, I think the former position deserves no respect or credence whatsoever. The latter is just plain incorrect. You just can't lay claim to terms like 'religion' - extracting some of the essential components - and use that new definition to win an argument. There may indeed one day only remain the remnants of religious culture. Those who value these remnants will not be any kind of believers (they will not be religious) unless they make unsubstantiated claims that go against our best understanding of reality.
By: wadadde
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
I'm not sure what you mean by "god-in-the-gaps" but my point is that, while I'm not a religious person, I have no problem with people having their own beliefs as long as those beliefs don't harm other individuals. This means hands-off our schools and government.
What bothers me is that many modern atheists are, to borrow a religious term, zealots. I don't think an atheist zealot is any better than a religious zealot. Religion, at its core, serves to provide a different kind of truth than science could ever explain, but certain religious people feel threatened because the earth has been proven to be older than 6,000 years old. Atheists have taken the bait and framed all religious people as ignorant, and I'm not sure its getting us anywhere.
What bothers me is that many modern atheists are, to borrow a religious term, zealots. I don't think an atheist zealot is any better than a religious zealot. Religion, at its core, serves to provide a different kind of truth than science could ever explain, but certain religious people feel threatened because the earth has been proven to be older than 6,000 years old. Atheists have taken the bait and framed all religious people as ignorant, and I'm not sure its getting us anywhere.
By: the_monk
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
I don't know how you get any of this from this video.
Also, we've come a long way since you initial comment. I still don't understand what you meant by "I don't believe that religion and science have any genuine arguments (...) The only true differences are in people's interpretations."
Yours is a simple statement, sure. What does it mean though? Factual disagreements can be boiled down to [equally valid] interpretations of ... of what?
No, science is about truth, not [human] meaning. Science education is about teaching science. What are you opposed to here?? Government should promote the truth. Is that such a controversial statement? If religion happens to be the victim, then so be it. Good riddance.
Also, we've come a long way since you initial comment. I still don't understand what you meant by "I don't believe that religion and science have any genuine arguments (...) The only true differences are in people's interpretations."
Yours is a simple statement, sure. What does it mean though? Factual disagreements can be boiled down to [equally valid] interpretations of ... of what?
No, science is about truth, not [human] meaning. Science education is about teaching science. What are you opposed to here?? Government should promote the truth. Is that such a controversial statement? If religion happens to be the victim, then so be it. Good riddance.
By: wadadde
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
Sorry but I don't understand you, science has plenty of genuine arguments and evicence but as it is science, it is open to opposition and welcomes opinion and proof that it is wrong so that it can better itself and follow other avenues to discover truth, religion is utter crap, there is no proof, no evidence and no one has seen or hear of or knows anyone who has seen, heard or even smelled god, jesus or any other imaginary character. Stop your scepticism and get on the atheist bandwagon or shut up and stop dribbling agnostic or religious crap. Oh and have a nice day this is the only life you will get, make better use of it.
By: KarmaDolera
Re: Why We Believe in Gods
This guy should really learn how to pronounce adapTAtion if he is going to give this talk again.
By: Voidwar
