1. People who've experienced God KNOW that God exists

Comment #198132 by VincentStasik on June 23, 2008 at 9:09 am

The study mentioned by LisaYates, "Induction of an illusory shadow person," by Arzy, Seeck, Ortigues, Spinelli, and Blanke (2006), provides an area of scientific testing that could be used to test if people are actually feeling "god"'s presence. Furthermore, I propose that religious fanatics have only trained themselves to specifically activate this region of their brain, much like an athlete preparing for competition, and that there really is no god that could be proven.

Interestingly, I also propose that if tested, brain activity in the left temporoparietal junction would be present in all religious people who are in the state of feeling god. That proof could be used for and against the argument that god exists and could be felt.

If religious people use this to support their belief in god, then they would be able test for non-believers in the congregation. Just an afterthought.

2. A universe that follows 'laws' implies a 'law giver'

Comment #196964 by VincentStasik on June 20, 2008 at 5:52 pm

I was listening to the Savage Nation this evening (Friday, June 20, 2008) and heard an interesting idea related to the laws of the universe that I thought should be shared.

Mr. Savage, a past school teacher, shared a proof for everlasting life. It goes as follows, you are constantly interacting with the world around you, having an effect on the world around you, specifically electrons and photons, including the electronic mediums that send out information. This information is then sent out into the universe and continues endlessly until it reaches a physical barrier.

The implication that Mr. Savage made note of is that our existence and all of the information about us is traveling forever into the universe. He notes, this is "like living for ever." He also made mention of how excited his past students became when they heard of this concept. I am an anti-theist, and this is the first explanation for eternal life I came across that could possibly be supported with scientific testing.

I do recognize that the idea of information being transmitted continuously and endlessly is not new, specifically, the idea of reconstructing our past actions from the information in the molecules and atoms that we interact with. But, Mr. Savage was the first to explain it in such a way that it 'clicked' for me.

Yet another brilliant scientific way to explain why we don't need 'heaven'. We are already living forever. To use a common phrase, 'we live on in others memories'.

On a side note, the concept of heaven offers another proposition to Christopher Hitchens recent prepositions for what believers can do that non believers cannot do, prove that heaven can be all things to all beings at the same time. If I have a mental disorder and am a sadomasochist who likes pain, burning for all eternity would be my heaven. But, what if I also wanted to have my family there because I enjoy their company? What if their heaven involves lots of water, beaches and not burning?

Hmmm.... I haven't gotten a credible answer from any of the theists I have asked.

I thought that was worth sharing.

3. What is the role of free will to an atheist?

Comment #187469 by VincentStasik on June 2, 2008 at 7:34 am

An interesting idea that I have pondered and have been unable to answer: If we, as humans, are able to create a free willed or conscious computer, and then turn off that computer, is that consciousness afforded the same opportunity of transcendence by the world religions?

There are many issues revolving around a self conscious computer, but in this instance, I am specifically interested in the religious implications of such consciousness. If this free thinking computer chooses to accept the idea of god, will that computer be permitted, by human created religion, the affor mentioned ability of transcendence? In advertently I believe this question and its answers will add to the debate on abortion.

My understanding is that free will is required to profess ones beliefs and therefore be accepted or given the ability to trancend after death, specifically, because theists argue god gave us this ability. Will this be granted to a free willed conscious artificial intellegence?

This is a question I would like to be asked in debates by Professor Dawkins. The few christians I have asked have given one of two answers, "I don't know" or "Artificial intellegence is man made and therefore cannot be permitted to heavin."

Hopefully this is a question worth spreading and an idea worth debating.