Responding to Christians' Questions

I absolutely loved the Snopes reference!

Anon: But that’s only possible I suppose if these christians have never faced opposition before, which I assumed most of them haven’t.

If they are asking about Pascal’s Wager, it seems like a good bet.

Probably because they don’t understand what it is themselves.

Awesome – as always I’m inspired to do more because of your words.

Many Christians have a different standard for what they consider “evidence” and/or “proof” and it’s a difficult conversation to sort out those differences.

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I loved the Snopes reference! I frequently feel this way about emails some of the people I know forward. Also, I enjoyed reading the questions and very well composed answers, well done!

@Sven – Like the Pascal Wager question, if Hemant would’ve been able to choose his own question he would probably have a better question which would have increased the understanding for atheists.

Hemant,

I think you did a good job with the answers to the questions.

I added my 2-cents worth over at that site.

Science is a methodology to find patterns in nature that are reproducible from a third-party perspective. This methodology was invented/discovered to try to bypass the problems with subjective experience and bias. Notions of God, though, are mainly subjective and are difficult to examine from a third-party perspective. A third-party investigation of God would require God to participate in the investigation by basically agreeing to do cosmological parlor tricks. With everybody watching, say “Hey God, to demonstrate your existence, please move that particular star up there over 5 degrees from our perspective here on Earth”. God then moves the star. We are all amazed. Skeptics become believers. More questions like this are asked. God complies. More skeptics become believers. The problem is that nothing like this ever happens so either there is no God or God for some reason doesn’t want to demonstrate His existence in this way. Skeptics prefer the null-hypothesis (that there is no God) until evidence is provided otherwise.

Overall, I like the stuff you put, but, since you asked, I will mention my differences or ‘problems’:

On a side note: To everyone who asked about Pascal’s Wager, you could’ve answered your own question by Googling “Pascal’s Wager,”

I don’t think the Christians actually used the term ‘Pascal’s Wager’, they probably didn’t know that term existed, at least most of them.

Atheists are also the most distrusted religious minority in America as well as the people you’d least like your children to marry. So we’re up against all those awful stereotypes.

But atheism isn’t a religion! Maybe ‘group of people’ or something would have been better here.

Several people wanted to know what evidence or experience (if any) would cause you to believe in God?

If you experienced a miracle, how would you know it couldn’t be explained by science if our science hasn’t advanced as far as this ‘miracle’ yet?

From Liz: Do you say the Pledge of Allegiance? (“one nation under God”)

As a high school teacher at a public school, it’s said over the intercom in my classroom every day. I never say it, but my students are free to do so.

The Pledge was ruled unconstitutional in 2002, so it really shouldn’t be said in a public school at all….

@Michael

I hope your answer about Pascal’s Wager does not always reference Hemant. First, because most you would be having the discussion with wouldn’t know who you’re talking to. Second, because your explanation may cause them to investigate further, beginning with the question, “Who’s this asshole, Hemant Mehta, and what does he consider funny-looking?”

8)

while I love most of your questions, the answer to the question of when in your opinion christianity becomes harmful is sad. really? not being able to marry (which is an outdated concept) is the worst problem? how about the no-condoms rule killing all those people in Africa? (or undefunding of healthcare, denying women basic care etc etc.) the generally homophobic treatment and misogyn treatment the church brings on.. I can see how the examples you name “hit close to home” but the church has done worse.

Liked the answers. I also like the Christians. Remarkably few facepalm moments (except for one woman claiming gay married couples in CA have more rights than straight ones. Yes, really) and a lot of thoughtful, interesting questions. Most of them seem really genuinely interested in knowing more about atheists. It’s a welcome change of pace, given that we usually deal with the most unevolved (ejem) of the Christians on the net.
[edit]: I nearly forgot. I’m continually shocked that Pascal’s wager is given the time of day even by otherwise thoughtful people. It’s such a terrible argument, I wonder how it could have possibly made it into this century, let alone into the more enlightened circles of theists.

Overall I thought Hemant did very well in answering the various questions, but I do have one bone to pick: he makes several generalizations about atheists that might not be true.

“Atheists believe in discovering the truth whenever possible”

Atheists are not necessarily a group of people who make decisions based on logic and evidence as opposed to faith. Isn’t a Scietologist just as atheistic as Hemant himself?
The commenters on this blog are a convenience sample of atheists (and others) who are perhaps more rational than average. The fact that we tend to be informed, tolerant and logical does not mean that all or even most atheists are.
While I understand the urge to only associate with the best of our community, I think it is to our detriment to misrepresent the actual atheist demographics (see “Black Atheists of Atlanta”).

Miss Coconut: The Pledge was ruled unconstitutional in 2002, so it really shouldn’t be said in a public school at all

What?

I left a few score comments and got a couple dozen replies, yet depressingly I’m not sure I changed a single mind. Que sera sera.