My conversation starter for Atheists : comments.
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(no subject)
Really? I'd say that, scientifically speaking, you have absolutely no evidence for that at all (take your nutrition example below.)
So, would you consider someone who did that practice less of an Atheist? How about someone who refused to, on the grounds that they did not believe in Ra? Who would you consider more rational?
yrs--
--Ben
(no subject)
It's certainly compelling circumstantial evidence that could be further refined. To your second question, I'd say, no, not necessarily. It could just be the particular invocation that has a beneficial effect; no belief in Sun Gods necessary, which would make the entire process no different from eating your veggies and exercising.
But you're right - the scientific grounds for Ra's existence, given my first experiment above, is pretty shaky. But it could be refined! ;)
(no subject)
Does that create any rational or irrational response? The real question is - can you call anything rational or irrational, and in fact can you actually know anything - current philosophers believe that we can only believe something with a rough 95% certainty, and have no real knowledge. To be able to tease out what is a rational response vs. something that may prima facia appear rational (I sneeze so I wipe my nose with a kleenex) with the reality (I wiped my nose with a kleenex because I'm afraid of evil spirits inhabiting my body) is nigh impossible.
(no subject)
‘A farmer lived in the days when fighting was going on between small kingdoms in China. This farmer had a son. His son, with the aid of the horse, was tilling a small field. One day the horse ran away. The neighbors came and said, 'It's a very bad thing. You have such bad luck.’ The farmer said, ‘Maybe.’ So the next day the horse came back with half a dozen other wild horses. The neighbors came again and they said, ‘What tremendous luck.’ So he said, ‘Maybe.’ On the third day the son, while trying to ride one of the wild horses, fell and broke his leg. Again, the neighbors came and said what bad luck it was, and the farmer said, ‘Maybe.’ The next day the king's people came to recruit strong healthy farmers into the army. When they found this farmer's son with a broken leg they left him alone. So, again, the neighbors came and said it wasn't such bad luck after all and that everything had turned out well. The farmer said, again, ‘Maybe.’’