I Have Faith You're Wrong

My experiences on Facebook with religious folks have gone from calm, rational questions and answers to full-on hysterical ranting "my god is an awesome god - you're just evil". It is interesting to see, how just as with life and all other situations, the wide variety we encounter in this venue. I guess it really does take all kinds to make the world go round. Sometimes, I wish it didn't.

One time, at band camp... sorry, wrong story line. I can't help it, that 'one time' line always makes me think of American Pie. Anyway, one time, there was a girl who challenged me on Facebook and demanded I come up with evidence for my belief that god didn't exist, after she gave me her endless examples of her version of scientific evidence (pssst... it wasn't, it was only her opinion). After a while, it just became pitiful, so I reminded her that it wasn't up to me to prove there is a god, the burden of proof was on her. I wasn't the one claiming there is a god in the absence of evidence but stating there is no evidence of his existence, therefore, my conclusion is there is no god. For those of us who require evidence it is not a far leap to make that we would need it in order say "aha! you are right!".

During these debates, some religious people will come at you with all kinds of evidence that isn't and if you have the ability to show facts that counter that said evidence, it usually ends up with the religious people retreating back into believing that a) they don't need evidence, they just know and have faith or b) in addition to a, their evidence, which is usually only their opinion, is all they need to convince them what they believe is factual. So in essence, no real evidence, just conjecture and belief. Well, that doesn't work for me... you?

What I find ironic, the example in the second paragraph and many other debates I've had with people, is that by using their own logic on them, I can use it to succinctly end the debate. Not only do I not have to have evidence (because it's not up to me to prove all they claim) but I can just have faith they're wrong. Having faith means never having to say I'm sorry but I have evidence.

Brilliant! No more debating!!! Oh, who am I kidding? That will never happen. It's really just too much fun sometimes.