Lack of Belief

An argument from geography for #atheism

• A statistically large proportion of people believe in the faith tradition they were raised with, or the one common to the area where they were born.

• If there is a true #religion, it would be true regardless of where you are raised.

• If an omnipotent #God wants people to believe in the true religion, God would make evidence or revelation available to everyone who could believe, regardless of geography.

• But the regionality of belief observed in the world is unexpected on the two prior points.

• Therefore it is unlikely that there is a true religion. It is also unlikely that there is an omnipotent God who wants people to believe in a true religion.

#CounterApologetic #atheist

Dec 28, 2022 at 1:44amWeb
Show threadDavid Scott MoyerDec 28, 2022
@lack Absolutely, but you can't cure faith with logic.
Show threadLack of BeliefDec 28, 2022

@farbel Sure you can! It's how I found my way out.

But also, this is intended more as a conversation starter than a sure-fire deconversion machine :)

Show threadDavid Scott MoyerDec 28, 2022
@lack I was never really a believer, even as a preacher's kid, so I can't identify with finding one's way out. I just don't try to argue with the faithful. I figure it's their thing, unless they are evangelizing or legislating with it. In those cases, I find that as soon as I bring up a logical or factual point, their fingers go right in their ears, and the NANANA begins.
Show threadLack of BeliefDec 28, 2022

@farbel I've had that response. I've also had many challenging and interesting discussions with theists.

Maybe it's more about the venue/forum? So far Mastodon has brought more of the latter than the former!

Show threadBWheatNYCDec 28, 2022
@farbel @lack That is a huge problem: they’re trying to legislate with religion!
Show threadLack of BeliefDec 28, 2022

@Bwheatnyc @farbel The tough thing is, I can even understand why they're doing it.

I think it's wrong, but many times it comes from a misplaced sense of love. They really believe that they're right and everyone will be better off their way.

Show threadBWheatNYCDec 28, 2022
@lack @farbel To me, it’s scary that they think they’re right and are able to influence laws like abortion rights.
Show threadLack of BeliefDec 28, 2022

@Bwheatnyc @farbel I totally agree. That certainty that they're right, and not just right but Objectively Right is a powerful thing.

Best thing I can think of to do in response is just sow small seeds of doubt. I think certainty is an illusion and we should approach beliefs and truth tentatively and carefully. Skepticism is a better way to live. Of that I'm (pretty) sure.

Show threadBWheatNYCDec 28, 2022
@lack @farbel It is a powerful and scary thing and it makes me incredibly angry that they pass laws based on religious beliefs.
Show threadLack of BeliefDec 28, 2022

@Bwheatnyc @farbel Terrifying. And that's coming from my white cis het man privilege.

I can't even imagine the fear of the marginalized :(