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AIBU?

are Christians short on logical abilities? and

126 replies

mummyonvalium · 18/09/2011 22:00

Do atheists have a superior logic?

I am not prone to thinking that there are fairies at the bottom of the garden. However, I believe in God because:-
a) I believe that the universe is too complex for there to be nothing else to it other than a complete void of nothingness.
b) human beings are really complex creatures and I struggle to believe that we just "evolved" this way.

I understand the scientific view point really well - that you should only believe what you know to be true for a fact, so I am not looking to be reminded of this. But the above feelings always bring me back to essentially what is a Christian faith.

Do atheists ever look at the world around them and question it, the same way a person who has faith does? How would the atheist respond to the feelings I have, that actually there is just something so much bigger than us, that is actually almost incomprehensible?

I am reasonably logical and have a first class hons from a mid-range uni. I know one person who is a Christian who has a PHD in Maths and loads of other really bright, interesting Christians. We are obviously not all thick or short on logical abilities. Why do atheists think bright and erudite people believe in God and choose to be a Christian?

Discuss.

OP posts:

Report

squeakytoy · 18/09/2011 22:03

YABVU for putting "discuss" at the end of your post

bibbitybobbityhat · 18/09/2011 22:05

Dear God!

And why have you posted in aibu?

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 18/09/2011 22:05

YABU for thinking that 11.00pm on a Sunday night is the right time for a heavy religious discussion that will inevitably end in a bunfight.

Ditto re 'discuss'.

mumblejumble · 18/09/2011 22:06

Well I have rostd peanuts, anyone got popcorn. Have tin of Quality street....

BatsUpMeNightie · 18/09/2011 22:07

Discuss? Is that a request? An order? You pretending to be an old school Latin master?

Anyway I think your choice of subject is a bit tired. It's been done to death. And you're stealth boasting.

Discuss.

WoodBetweenTheWorlds · 18/09/2011 22:07

Religious belief is about faith, not logic. So the question is flawed.

BatsUpMeNightie · 18/09/2011 22:08

mumble I'll see your tin of Quality Street and raise you an elegant piece of Cornish Cruncher Extra Mature with some dainty Waitrose biscuits!

mumblejumble · 18/09/2011 22:08

I am highly intelligent, and think Islam has all th answers

LeBOF · 18/09/2011 22:09

There is a section devoted to religion and philosophy- why not go and post your rather pompous demand that people discuss your OP over there?

MiseryBusiness · 18/09/2011 22:09

YABU to say 'discuss'
You are also BU to think that atheists dont look at the world in the same way as you. We are not a difference species, we just have different answers to the same questions.

BatsUpMeNightie · 18/09/2011 22:09

Islam might very well have all the answers but does it have all the questions?

jade80 · 18/09/2011 22:09

Hmm. I think Christians think we (the human race) are more important than we actually are. In the grand scheme of things, our existence is pretty insignificant. I just don't think we are important enough for any omnipotent being to have the slightest interest in us. I think religion offers a kind of comfort blanket, the idea that we are important enough for there to be some meaning to our life. In my opinion there isn't. Others are just as entitled to their views as I am to mine though.

Hassled · 18/09/2011 22:09

Why do atheists think bright and erudite people believe in God and choose to be a Christian? Because they have faith. And from what I've observed, faith always trumps logic. Faith doesn't demand logic; it's an absolute belief. And that's absolutely fair enough; I can accept that - I know many atheists can't. I'm quite envious of people with faith.

And yes, of course atheists question the world. All the time. The only difference is that we don't come to the conclusion that there is something bigger than us out there.

mumblejumble · 18/09/2011 22:10

startwig1982 · 18/09/2011 22:10

I have a Maths degree and am very logical but am a practicing Christian. Hmmm bit late for this topic....

banana87 · 18/09/2011 22:11

Christians have the faith in what we believe in that atheists lack. I do not think one is more 'logical' than the other, it all just comes down to how much faith you have in something.

Hassled · 18/09/2011 22:12

The "Discuss" command reminded me of my ill-fated attempts to pass the Oxbridge entrance exam many years ago.
"Your freedom to swing your arm ends where my nose begins. Discuss."

FFS.

NotADudeExactly · 18/09/2011 22:12

Regarding b): If you think this you don't get how evolution works, IMHO. Once you do understand it, it actually makes a hell of a lot of sense that really complex organism would have evolved. Richard Dawkins has a good book on the evidence for evolution. To be honest, his peppering it with "and this is why religious folks have it wrong" is, IMHO, annoying even to an atheist. But the way he explains the mechanics of it and backs it up with evidence is really good.

mumblejumble · 18/09/2011 22:12

'faith' hmmmm....what does that mean?

jade80 · 18/09/2011 22:13

Something that always interests me is that there are so many religions that you'd have to be really lucky to pick the 'right' one, if one of them was actually the real state of things. Do religious people ever look at other religions and wonder if they picked the wrong one?

CheerfulYank · 18/09/2011 22:18

Yes, jade. For the most part I believe that whatever religion (or not-religion :)) people are or aren't is what is right for them at that point in their lives due to a number of circumstances.

CaymansBound · 18/09/2011 22:20

42

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wigglesrock · 18/09/2011 22:20

Maybe a compare and contrast command at the end of the post would open it up to more discussion.

jade80 · 18/09/2011 22:21

Interesting. Have to say I quite like the ancient Greek view of the gods. If I had to pick a religion, it would probably be theirs! May I ask your take on the meaning of the fossil record and the current generally accepted view of human evolution? I've heard several interesting interpretations of it from various friends.

Salmotrutta · 18/09/2011 22:22

Good God Hassled - was that really an Oxbridge entrance question

Brilliant! I wish you had answered it with FFS!

"Discuss" - hahaha. Do you want us to write 1000 words for next Tuesday?
Atheism versus Christianity/[insert faith of choice] never end well.
I'm a logical atheist by the way - and it's been "discussed" ad nauseam.

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