Sharpen your argument
Offline I have never posted before so, this is my first post. I'm not sure if this comment fits the forum which I am posting in but, I think it will. First of all, I am non-religious never have been 99.9% never will be. (scientifically speaking I leave a 0.01% chance for evidence to arrive). Anyway, I would like to begin by saying, I have always argued why religion is irrational and flawed in every way I could imagine form political gain to just pure stupidity. However, now I am actually reading the bible and it really helps me strengthen my arguments against it. If you don't read the bible and Koran it is harder to clarify why they are ridiculous. Now I can ask Christians, how the hell did Adam and Abraham live to be over 900 years old? Why does incest go unpunished in the Sins of Lots Daughters. Of course there are no logical answers to these questions. You can see how it will help your arguments. Don't assume what's in there without reading it, it's probably even dumber than you think.
Also please, try to step away from Atheism vs. Religion to be evolution vs. God. This argument may never work. Reinforce the fact that evolution might (a very strong might) not be true but, until further evidence arrives it is the best idea we have.
Lastly, if anyone is still reading, I would like to always try and challenge reiligious folk not to use science. How long would they last without it? They can do whatever they need with their praying and scripture, but, imagining not using science I think is a real good way to raise awareness.
mesafalcon88
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Who are you lecturing?
It's easy enough on a case-by-case basis. I don't think I've read any scripture that doesn't have a little ridiculous in it.
I would, except that that wouldn't be true. The process of evolution is a fact.
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence
Have you ever visited the Skeptics Annotated Bible website?
You can just click on subject highlights in the right hand column and find more strengthening of your arguments than you might ever need.
Also the injustices, cruelties and absurdities etc. of the Quran are documented in a separate section that you can find at the top right of the page.
Anyway, in case you've never seen it....
skepticsannotatedbible.com/
I don't think there's anyone in here who hasn't read the bible, or at least more of it than the average Christian. Still, at some point you have to put up a hand and say "no, I don't need to read your holy book," otherwise you're going to be spending a lot more time asserting the point when we should be upholding the natural state - that there is no clear reason why anyone should have faith in anything for which there is no solid evidence.
That reasoning is just on the very edge of an appeal to ignorance. We take evolution to be true because it is the thing for which we have the most evidence for, not because we can't come up with a better idea. If there was a need for a better way, we would be rushing about looking for it. Until someone finds, quote, "fossilized rabbits in the Precambrian" for example the idea of evolution will remain a very strong fact.
Since keeping creationism out of the schools is one of the issues we have been fighting hard for we cannot give even one inch on the subject of evolutionary theory's veracity.
Most of the people we have dealt with have only a vague understanding. Essentially we would be asking them to wear a blindfold, since even the Amish use engineering (which is just applied science) to build their carts and homes. We use science to cross the street (hyp: if it is observed that the road is clear then we may cross safely; test: observe the road; conc: the road is clear, we may cross).
We can certainly ask people to spend a faith based day, but they had better not leave the house. Heck, they couldn't use the house because they got that from science too! They would have to find a random cave to hide in and just pray that it is a good cave. Imagine that, an entire day without looking before you leap. It's Darwin Award worthy.