Many threads in ST:R suck. Let's face it, hardly any insight is being provided into the vast abyss that is religion. Every thread turns into a matter of personal insults and arguments over trivial problems and issues. Semantics and matters of fact and opinion are killing the intellectual debate scene that was once had. So, as a fairly avid poster in ST:R, I create this thread to resolve these issues now. Too many interesting questions and intellectual propositions have been discounted or lead astray because of other insignificant dilemmas.
So, I'm going to throw out a couple of principles/ideas that I feel are true and should be respected to ensure civility and intellectual prosperity. You're welcome to refute them, address them, change them, and add any. My only goal is to resolve these issues in this thread as to prevent the demise of other threads.
1. No person, not atheist or theist, 'knows' that any particular statement or principle to be absolute fact and universally true, in concerns with religion and cosmology. That is, presenting any belief as fact is unconstituted. Evolution or Yahweh, you
believe it with or without evidences. Leave it that way.
2. The burden of proof is upon the one who makes the statement. If your statement is only substantiated by faith, let that be known. One who asks you to prove your statement need not provide a refutation until evidences of the original statement have been presented.
Example:
A: "I believe God is real"
B: "Evidences that God is real, please?"
A: "The universe is irreducibly complex, etc..."
Not permitted:
A: "I believe God is real"
B: "Evidences that God is real, please?"
A: "Prove he's not real"
3. No one can disprove or prove the existence of a deity. (Pantheism aside)
4. Micro-evolution is a scientific fact.* Macro-evolution is not. It has evidences but can not be stated as such a scientific fact as micro-evolution can.
*This does not conflict with principle 1. Scientific laws and facts may be stated as facts, but remember, there are those who do not respect science. Tread lightly.
5. If one asks for evidences of their belief, that same person should be ready to provide evidences of their belief. This mainly pertains to science versus religion. If one is going to demand evidences of a particular belief, he should also be held accountable for evidences of his beliefs.
6. The exception to principle 5: If one states their beliefs are objects of pure faith, and that is clearly stated, than they are not required to any extent to provide evidences.
7. Logical fallacies concerning the existence of God do not disprove his existence. Their debates are entertaining and certainly fun to ponder, but prove little to nothing in reality.
8. Respect. Don't forget it. (Already thread on this)
9. Keep threads on topic. If you find a problem particularly pertinent, refrain from hijacking a thread. Either find a thread where it is appropriate, or create a new one.
I hope this is a step forward for ST:R. Thanks.
Perhaps there's hope indeed...
