Andy Doerksen wrote:You're probably right in suggesting I've wasted my time. However, in order for me to make one last attempt at getting you even to budge, I will require the answer to the following subjective question - subjective because it's about you as a person.
You "require" an answer to a question which has nothing whatsoever to do with the original subject? Frankly, you must learn to be less arrogant. You have no right to demand ANYTHING of me.
I have patiently put up with your inane wild-goose chases and red herrings, when I could have easily been flaming you for your obstinate refusal to back up your original claim that there are creationist arguments "which are not pseudoscience" (a claim which you failed to back up with examples), or your personal attack "If you were truly as scientific as you claim to be" (again, you imply that I am being unscientific for rejecting creationist pseudoscience, but you fail to explain your reasoning, nor do you provide examples).
The fact is that you challenged me in a very combative, dismissive manner and when challenged, you outright REFUSED to discuss the original subject manner. You made it clear that you thought there were SCIENTIFIC reasons to support creationism, but so far, you haven't even TRIED to present one. Instead, you forced this discussion into a useless red-herring attempt to convert me to your belief system.
The question is: Is there anything inside you that simply would *prefer* God not exist?
I would like an afterlife to exist, since I don't find the idea of oblivion after death to be particularly enticing. However, no one should modify the truth to fit one's desires; that is intellectual skullduggery at best.
Or, to put it another way: What would your emotional reaction be if, very unexpectedly, you discovered Christianity to be true? and how might your life change as a result?
The Bible has been shown to be internally inconsistent. For it to be true would mean that the entire universe is completely irrational. This would be like asking me how I would react if 2+2 were shown to be 5.
This requires honest soul-searching, so I'll see what happens in your case.
OK, I will humour you on this ridiculous thought experiment, on the condition that you either back up your original claim that I am being unscientific or retract it as the ignorant, arrogant and combative personal attack that we both know it to be.
If the Bible were largely true, it would mean that most of science is incorrect. However, since I know that science is far more accurate than the Bible, this would mean that my own senses are being deluded in some manner, which in turn means that I cannot trust them. Worse yet, it would mean that the very concepts of logic and rational consistency are suspect, since the Bible contradicts itself, yet remains true.
However, my sense of morality would remain. Since the Bible depicts a ruthless, insane, jealous God who demands absolute fealty upon pain of death and torture and who is "pleased" by human and/or animal sacrifice (even that of his own "son"), I cannot worship this entity in good conscience; it would be like worshipping Hitler.
Therefore, I would conclude that Satan, having risen up in rebellion against this fascist dictator and successfully defied him for millenia, is probably a libertarian of sorts, and that it would be a good idea to seek him out and hear his side of things. My suspicion would be that he is the victim of a Goebbels-style smear propaganda campaign.