“Hebrews…take pigeons and rip them in half!!!”
—Ex-Christian.Net commentator
The commentator that we were consider in the previous segment further stated,
The word miracle is presented by the un-intellectuals as an undefined and meaningless word.If the word miracle is actually given a definition, then an event considered a miracle no longer becomes ‘miraculous’, the event becomes ‘understood’ and ‘expected’ under similar conditions.
Yet, if we could arrive at agreement upon the definition of the term “miracle” it would not mean that “an event considered a miracle no longer becomes ‘miraculous’, the event becomes ‘understood’ and ‘expected’ under similar conditions.” One agreed upon definition is that a miracle is not expected under similar conditions as it is not a mechanical or predetermined function. In any case, agreeing upon a definition, such as a miracle is a temporary suspension of the natural order, is merely defining a words and not predetermining or predicting when and where such a suspension will occur.
They also note:
To be more precise; a miracle must therefore be made with the conviction of one’s own cognitive ignorance – ‘I feel something about an event that I can’t explain’.Thus, it is not that a person needs to ‘presuppose’ or ‘reject’ miracles, on the contrary, when a person declares a miracle without the ability to ‘define’ and ‘demonstrate’ a ‘comprehension’ of that word; a reasonable person should understand that such a person is actively attracted and infatuated with their own cognitive ignorance – an entirely natural phenomenon.
The bottom line is that if I were to, for example, witness abiogenesis it would certainly be categorized as being made with the conviction of one’s own cognitive ignorance – ‘I feel (or it may be “I saw”) something about an event that I can’t explain’. Thus, it is not that a person needs to ‘presuppose’ or ‘reject’ abiogenesis, on the contrary, when a person declares abiogenesis without the ability to ‘define’ and ‘demonstrate’ a ‘comprehension’ of that word (we may define the word abiogenesis but not explain the actual event); a reasonable person should understand that such a person is actively attracted and infatuated with their own cognitive ignorance – an entirely natural phenomenon.
Oddly, this attempt at elucidation was interrupted towards the beginning with a completely odd, un-contextual and ridicule spiked statement (I removed it from its natural order and placed it here for the sake of continuity as it did break up the continuity of the comment),
It’s also a miracle, that those of ‘faith’ cheat more often than those of other professions I teach; I take it, that is a miracle as well, as I didn’t necessarily expect members of the ‘faith’ to be the most likely to ‘cheat’ on tests.
Whatever that is supposed to mean, with relation to a discussion of miracle, the definition of “miracle,” and the seeking to explain miracles I do not know. If they have conducted a scientifically valid study on the matter of faith-filled cheaters I would love to see it—then again since “you will know them by their fruits” it may be a case of faithless cheaters. In any regard, if you are interested in the results of actual studies and polls regarding moral behavior, personableness, etc. please see Are Atheists Healthy, Happy, Moral, etc.?
Recall that I had stated “Indeed, atheism is alive and well since it is very appealing as the ultimate consoling delusion.” Some were, shall we say, curious about this and commented thusly:
Please explain how Atheism gives me any sort of consolation…
How is atheism in any way consoling? You talk about it as though it feels good…
…I have to wonder how deep in your *** you had to dig to pull out the notion that atheists adhere to a “consoling delusion”. In my estimation, pretty gawd-damned [sic] deep. Let’s see–that notion that when I expire, that this will be the end of me; the notion that when my friends and family expire, I’ll never see them again; the notion that I’m responsible for my own actions, happiness, and path in life, etc., as opposed to giving credit/blame to gods/devils for my acheivments[sic]/short-comings, respectively—-yes, all of these notions I find very, um, “consoling”. LOL! Jezus Chryst! [sic]…. how you tell us this **** with a straight face, I’ll never know. Oh, wait…..that’s right……it’s “faith”, and projecting your own myopic world-view onto people who don’t think like you. [the last three ellipses in original, expletives removed]
The first was quite polite, I must say.
The second should consider the various comments by various atheists as to how wonderfully good it feels to be an atheist which I have collected here. The third actually provided perfect examples of some of atheism’s appealing consoling delusions. One consoling delusion was expressed in the very first response that I received as it referenced, “many highly intelligent atheists.” Surely, there are many highly intelligent atheists yet it is a consoling delusion that atheists automatically label themselves more erudite than thou.
Yet, the two consoling delusions which I notice the most amongst my atheist friends are the consoling delusions of lack of ultimate accountability and the consoling delusions of absolute autonomy.
Lack of ultimate accountability is expressed as the “notion that when I expire, that this will be the end of me”—good thing as I do not have to answer to anyone for anything, not even that bothersome God, and I will not even exist in any form so as to worry about it being the end of me. I have a friend who told me that before he became a Christian he loved the idea that when he expired it would be the end of him so that he could get away with whatever he wanted and not answer to anyone, much less God. What about the fact that, on this myopic atheist view, “when my friends and family expire, I’ll never see them again.” Well, the commentator has the answer; it will simply be the end of them as well so they will not even be around to miss anyone anymore. The “notion that I’m responsible for my own actions…” carries with it the convenient belief that, ultimately, you are not responsible as at death there will be no justice, no accountability but only getting away with whatever you may have gotten away.
It is a misconception that, as opposed to cessation at death, Christians do not take responsibility for their actions but blame devils for short-comings. Certainly, there likely are some who play the, “The devil made me do it” game just as there are atheists who believe in strict determinism (claims of lacking free will such as are made by by Dan Barker, William Provine, et al.). Yet, overall even if they consider themselves to be between the push and pull of the devils and God—the overarching concept is free will and the choice is ours.
As for “projecting your own myopic world-view onto people who don’t think like you” this is interesting coming from an atheist who believes that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Consider the words of ex-atheist, C. S. Lewis:
If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. If you are an atheist you have to believe that the main point in all the religions of the whole world is simply one huge mistake.
If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all these religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth. When I was an atheist I had to try to persuade myself that most of the human race has always been wrong about the question that mattered to them most; when I became a Christian I was able to take a more liberal view.[1]
[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The MacMillan Company, 1960), p. 29
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