# Believers: How do we know that the Bible is God's word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 7, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028 "2010-02-07T14:40:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/41 "2010-02-08T20:30:31Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Really? > > What evidence supports the atheistic position that there are not gods? The fact that religions are wildly contradictory; therefore it is logically impossible for most religious claims to be true. The fact that gods, as claimed, violate known physical laws; we call “gods” that don’t violate such laws aliens, not gods. The fact that religious claims overwhelmingly tend to be wrong. The fact that there is no evidence for such beings; given that the logical default is nonexistence, that’s evidence against them just as it is evidence against Sauron being real. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Neither of those truly are evidence of there being no gods…anymore than the fact that no one can produce evidence of life on any planet circling the nearest five stars to Sol and the fact that there is no need for their to be life on any of those planets…is evidence that there is no life on any of ‘em. False comparison; we know that life is possible, because we are alive. There is zero reason to think that gods are even possible, much less real. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > The fact that idiotic claims are made about some of the invented gods is not evidence that gods do not exist. Yes, it is; especially since all such claims are “idiotic”, not some; and since they contradict each other, that demonstrates that most must be false. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > The “evidence” does not favor atheism…particularly if you are defining atheism as the denial that gods exist. Yes, it does; just as the evidence overwhelmingly favors that Santa Claus, fairies and Darth Vader don’t exist. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Yeah, I understand. The Christians with whom I debate have reasons like that for why they say “There is a God.” But I try not to deal with rationalizations…and prefer to stick with facts. If that was true you’d be an atheist. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Whatever you say. However, if you are going to assert that you know the true nature of the Reality of Existence (you can rule in or rule out certain possible ingredients) you have to do a lot more than talk about your beliefs and faith. Saying that “there is no god” is hardly a claim of great wisdom. It’s the obvious truth, and the default position to take; it takes a denial of reality to believe there are gods, not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/42 "2010-02-08T20:36:45Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Those are completely different questions. Not sure what you meant here. > [@](#): > > In any case, even if we assume that god(s) might exist because something had to create the universe, we then have to figure out who or what created god(s). Because we “cannot figure something out” is not evidence that the thing we are trying to figure out…doesn’t exist. > [@](#): > > Back to square one. > > “The complete lack of evidence…” isn’t the weakest part of the atheistic argument. It _is_ the atheistic argument, and as an exercise in logic and reasoning it is absolutely unassailable. It most assuredly is assailable…and it is, in fact, silly. The lack of evidence is simply the lack of evidence. That lack is not evidence that the thing does not exist. If were to try to argue that there cannot be any sentient beings living on any of the planets circling the 5 closest stars to Sol because we have absolutely no evidence whatsoever that there are…you would laugh at that argument. If I suggested that the fact that we have no evidence that there are is, in fact, evidence that there are none…you would laugh also. Lack of evidence of “x” is not evidence that “x” does not exist. > [@](#): > > You cannot rationally argue for the existence of one or more deities on a scientific basis. I think anyone who would even try to do so would be a nut case. So what? > [@](#): > > You _can_ argue for them on an irrational basis (ie., faith) but that isn’t what you’re trying to do. I am not trying to argue for the existence of gods at all. Nor for unicorns…or leprechauns…or Flying Spaghetti monsters. I am merely trying to see what evidence the atheists here in this board have for an assertion that there are no gods. All I’ve heard so far (same as other places, by the way) are variations on the two basic themes of atheism: The theists cannot produce a god for inspection…and there is no need for a god to explain existence. I grant both of those things. But neither is evidence that there are no gods. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/43 "2010-02-08T20:43:00Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > No it doesn’t…except in the minds of atheists who will not see that that line of thinking is the kind of thing that makes theistic rationalizations so unpalatable. In what way is concluding non-existence for something which there is no evidence of existence rationalization? > [@](#): > > Stop thinking about it as the question: “Is there a god?” Why? That’s a perfectly reasonable question. > [@](#): > > Think of the question this way: “How did existence (not the universe) come about?” “How is it that existence IS?” > “Based on what we have to work with…what can we specifically rule in…and what can we specifically rule out?” We have thought of it. And it’s possible to rule god out because, yet again, _we have no evidence of god’s existence_. There is nothing we have found in the existence of existence that necessitates a god in any form. > [@](#): > > “The complete lack of evidence”…is the weakest part of the atheistic argument. Um, what other parts are there? ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/44 "2010-02-08T20:44:21Z")
> [@](#): > > =Der Trihs;12092982] > If that was true you’d be an atheist. There is nothing that would make me an atheist…because atheism is as devoid of reason as theism. Atheism is simply a different form of theism. A belief system with devotees displaying unyielding, relentless “faith” that their guess about the true nature of the Reality of existence HAS TO BE CORRECT. I have many friends who are atheists and whom I love dearly. I have many interesting and enlivening discussions with them…passing time using our brains to discuss and dissect differing perspectives. I hope to make new friends with atheists here…although I will continue to tout the agnostic position as being more in tune with the reality. I think I’ve responded to the rest of your post elsewhere…but if there is a specific you want to bring up again…I’ll be happy to oblige you with a response. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/45 "2010-02-08T20:49:59Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Lack of evidence of “x” is not evidence that “x” does not exist. Um, actually, it is. If X doesn’t actually exist, then one of the indications is a complete lack of evidence of it’s existence. > [@](#): > > It most assuredly is assailable…and it is, in fact, silly. > > The lack of evidence is simply the lack of evidence. That lack is not evidence that the thing does not exist. > > If were to try to argue that there cannot be any sentient beings living on any of the planets circling the 5 closest stars to Sol because we have absolutely no evidence whatsoever that there are…you would laugh at that argument. > > If I suggested that the fact that we have no evidence that there are is, in fact, evidence that there are none…you would laugh also. And there’s your problem. Atheism does not argue that there _cannot_ be a god. It’s just the conclusion that there is no god, based on available facts. It says that there is no reason to believe in god, so we can act as if god does not exist. There might be certain definitions of god that can be shown to be logically invalid, like the tri-omni Christian god some people advocate, but that’s not a tenet of atheism. Mainly because there isn’t one. There is no difference between an atheist not believing in god and any other person not believing in unicorns on faraway planets. It’s the same logic: there is no reason to believe in either one. > [@](#): > > I am merely trying to see what evidence the atheists here in this board have for an assertion that there are no gods. Atheists do not make that assertion. They don’t make any assertion. They don’t need to, there’s no reason to believe in a god. Theists make the assertion that god exists, and they have yet to present evidence to support this. You’re expecting atheism to prove the universal negative ‘there is no god’, and it doesn’t have to. Non-belief is the default conclusion when there is no evidence of existence. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/46 "2010-02-08T20:50:14Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > There is nothing that would make me an atheist…because atheism is as devoid of reason as theism. > > Atheism is simply a different form of theism. A belief system with devotees displaying unyielding, relentless “faith” that their guess about the true nature of the Reality of existence HAS TO BE CORRECT. Nonsense. As has been said in the past, if atheism is a religion, bald is a hair color. It’s not “faith” to disbelieve when there’s no evidence; that claim is just an attempt to create a false equivalence between religion and atheism. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > I have many friends who are atheists and whom I love dearly. You actually used the “Some of my best friends are…” line. :rolleyes: > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > I think I’ve responded to the rest of your post elsewhere…but if there is a specific you want to bring up again…I’ll be happy to oblige you with a response. In other words, you aren’t going to respond, but pretend that you did. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/47 "2010-02-08T20:51:03Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > In what way is concluding non-existence for something which there is no evidence of existence rationalization? In many ways…specific to this thread, however, it is atheists concluding there are no gods simply because there is no evidence that there are gods. If one where to conclude there are no sentient beings on any of the planets circling the 5 closest stars to Sol simply because there is no evidence that there is sentient life on any of those planets…and if that person were a fundamentalist Christian absolutely committed to the notion of a god that made life only on this planet…that would be one also. > [@](#): > > Um, what other parts are there? Well…you know…that one about “There is no need for a god to explain existence!” Jeez! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/48 "2010-02-08T20:54:24Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > If one where to conclude there are no sentient beings on any of the planets circling the 5 closest stars to Sol simply because there is no evidence that there is sentient life on any of those planets…and if that person were a fundamentalist Christian absolutely committed to the notion of a god that made life only on this planet…that would be one also. And, again that is a false comparison because we have hard evidence for the possibility of and the existence of life. We know that it is possible. We have no such evidence for gods. This is what I mean by you not responding to my arguments while claiming that you did. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/49 "2010-02-08T21:07:12Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Atheists do not make that assertion. They don’t make any assertion. They don’t need to, there’s no reason to believe in a god. Theists make the assertion that god exists, and they have yet to present evidence to support this. > > You’re expecting atheism to prove the universal negative ‘there is no god’, and it doesn’t have to. Non-belief is the default conclusion when there is no evidence of existence. You’re expecting theism to provide indisputable or scientific evidence that there is a god, and it dosen’t have to. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/50 "2010-02-08T21:09:16Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > The existence of atoms. An excellent example. If you read the ancient arguments for the existence of atoms, you will find them as full of logical holes as arguments against them. They were right by accident. More importantly, they did not predict anything based on this, and the position had zero impact. The actual discovery of atoms was done totally independently. So, the actual discovery of atoms did not come from this speculation. Let’s compare your aliens to gods. In the case of the aliens, at the moment there are few testable predictions that can be made about their existence. One is that there should be reasonably earth-like planets around these stars. When we get the ability to find these, we can look and falsify the existence of these aliens, if not demonstrate their existence. Not much else though. We probably won’t be able to see a Pandora-like moon for a while. How about gods? If there are gods, they either have interacted with us or not. If they haven’t, only a blockhead would alter his life as if they had. If they had, there should be evidence of this interaction (unlike the aliens, for whom we don’t expect evidence.) The lack of this evidence shows either that the gods don’t exist or act as if they don’t exist from our perspective. For many definitions of god, one who loves his creation, we’d think that god would want to interact with us. The lack of this is more evidence against the existence of gods. Maybe there is a god for someone else, but he isn’t our god. Atheism, even hard atheism, is a statement of belief or lack of belief. I lack belief in aliens or gods. Given that any reasonable god should have interacted with us, and hasn’t, it is reasonable for me to believe that no gods exist; provisionally, of course, like acceptance of any theory. I make no claim to knowledge, except for certain classes of gods who are logically contradictory or who imply things shown to be false. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/51 "2010-02-08T21:11:14Z")
> [@Keweenaw](#): > > You’re expecting theism to provide indisputable or scientific evidence that there is a god, and it dosen’t have to. We also expect those who believe in ESP, space aliens, astrology and other such nonsense to provide scientific evidence. Do you think they don’t have to do this either? Why should religion get a pass? ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/52 "2010-02-08T21:11:44Z")
> [@Keweenaw](#): > > You’re expecting theism to provide indisputable or scientific evidence that there is a god, and it dosen’t have to. But theists do make certain factual claims (not all, of course) and those factual claims require evidence. If those factual claims conflict with the evidence, then we can conclude that the particular version of God that the theist believes in is incorrect. Now, if theists are making unfalsifiable claims, that’s up to them. But an unfalsifiable claim is not proof to anyone else except the person making the claim. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/53 "2010-02-08T21:16:33Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > And, again that is a false comparison because we have hard evidence for the possibility of and the existence of life. We know that it is possible. We have no such evidence for gods. Der…that is not a “false comparison.” It is a perfectly logical comparison. The fact that we have “hard evidence” for the possibility of and the existence of life”…has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not sentient life exists on any planet circling the 5 nearest stars to Sol! I have now answered this several times. We have absolutely NO EVIDENCE whatever of any life existing on any planet circling those stars…NONE AT ALL. Is that evidence that there is no life…or no sentient life on any of those planets? HINT: The answer is an absolute NO! And the fact that we have no evidence that gods exist IS NOT evidence that gods do not exist either. Not sure how many times I have to type those words for you to accept that I have responded. You may disagree…but you have made no coherent argument for your disagreement. Normally this is filed under the logical fallacy Argumentum ad Ignorantiam! There is no evidence against “x”…therefore, “x.” Or, there is no evidence for “x”…therefore, “not “x.” It doesn’t hold water. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/54 "2010-02-08T21:16:50Z")
I think for **Frank apisa** when the question comes up “Does god exist?” his reply is that the question is unanswerable and that there is nothing wrong with saying “I don’t know, you don’t know, nobody knows.” Atheists claim they have the answer to the question. That the answer is a firm “no”. If we stumble upon a box in a field and somebody said “I believe there is a cat in that box” but had no evidence other than blind faith we’d think they were crazy. Another person would say “There’s no evidence of a cat in the box, so we really have no idea if there is one in there or not. Because there is no evidence I’m not going to waste my time assuming there is one. Because there might be a dog instead, or it might simply be empty. Or maybe there is a cat but no one can really be certain.” And a third person would say “No evidence of a cat in the box, no cat in the box period. End of discussion.” They have no evidence the box is empty. They just claim that lack of evidence for the cat equates to no possibility of a cat. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/55 "2010-02-08T21:22:06Z")
Is the Bible the word of God? Yes and no, the Bible is Mans’ attempt to explain something that cannot be understood by Man. It is inspired by God but not written by Him. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/56 "2010-02-08T21:22:59Z")
The more correct analogy would be a box and a claim that it was inhabited by a _magical glowing_ cat that grants wishes. Before we even get into whether or not the cat is in the box, we have to determine if such a cat even exists, given that no one has ever seen one and no evidence for such a creature has ever been presented. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/57 "2010-02-08T21:24:18Z")
> [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > Der…that is not a “false comparison.” It is a perfectly logical comparison. > > The fact that we have “hard evidence” for the possibility of and the existence of life”…has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not sentient life exists on any planet circling the 5 nearest stars to Sol! Nonsense. We know that life is possible; that makes the question of whether of not life exists there fundamentally different than the question of whether or not some physics-ignoring god exists. > [@Frank\_apisa](#): > > I have now answered this several times. No, you haven’t.. you’ve carefully ignored my repeated point that we have proof that life is possible; no such evidence about gods exists - not even a shred of evidence, much less hard proof as we have for life - so your analogy fails. > [@Hampshire](#): > > If we stumble upon a box in a field and somebody said “I believe there is a cat in that box” but had no evidence other than blind faith we’d think they were crazy. > > Another person would say “There’s no evidence of a cat in the box, so we really have no idea if there is one in there or not. Because there is no evidence I’m not going to waste my time assuming there is one. Because there might be a dog instead, or it might simply be empty. Or maybe there is a cat but no one can really be certain.” > > And a third person would say “No evidence of a cat in the box, no cat in the box period. End of discussion.” They have no evidence the box is empty. They just claim that lack of evidence for the cat equates to no possibility of a cat. Again, that analogy fails because we know that cats are possible, and that they actually exist. We have no such evidence for gods. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/58 "2010-02-08T21:27:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Atheism, even hard atheism, is a statement of belief or lack of belief. I think it most definitely is a statement of “belief.” I think it is a belief system…just like theism is a belief system…only in the opposite direction. > [@](#): > > I lack belief in aliens or gods. So do I. That does not make me an atheist. I can lack belief in gods and be an agnostic. > [@](#): > > Given that any reasonable god should have interacted with us, and hasn’t, it is reasonable for me to believe that no gods exist; provisionally, of course, like acceptance of any theory. Ummm…so the gods you don’t believe in are the “reasonable gods.” What about the unreasonable ones…are you atheistic there also? And are you absolutely positive that the “reasonable” ones have not interacted with us…but in sneaky ways…sorta like Star Trekers observing the Prime Directive but diverting an asteroid unbeknownst to the primatives they saved? I’m not being a wise-acre here, just saying something that needs to be said. > [@](#): > > I make no claim to knowledge, except for certain classes of gods who are logically contradictory or who imply things shown to be false. A very fine step in the right direction, Voyager. I mean that with all my heart. I hope you continue that journey to its logical next step. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/59 "2010-02-08T21:39:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The more correct analogy would be a box and a claim that it was inhabited by a _magical glowing_ cat that grants wishes. Before we even get into whether or not the cat is in the box, we have to determine if such a cat even exists, given that no one has ever seen one and no evidence for such a creature has ever been presented. There is evidence that there is a god. The Bible contains multiple accounts from witnesses to alleged supernatural events. Thousands of people claimed to have witnessed miracles at Fatima, etc. The evidence may not necessarily be compelling, but it does exist. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/60 "2010-02-08T21:41:16Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Nonsense. We know that life is possible; that makes the question of whether of not life exists there fundamentally different than the question of whether or not some physics-ignoring god exists. It most assuredly is not…and as absolute proof of that, I ask again: Does any sentient life exist on any of the planets circling the 5 nearest stars to Sol? The only reasonable answer you can give to that statement is “I do not know”…which is the answer you should be giving to the question, “Are there gods involved in the Reality of existence.” Another question could be: "Is there a space-time continuum completely apart from the one in which we exist…in co-existence with us in a grander thing than the known universe? The answer is: I do not know. There is no reason to consider this an idle question simply because it is extraordinarily complex and seems beyond the ability of humans to deal with it in any substantive way at the moment. Physicists are at least asking the question right now. NO EVIDENCE whatever for it…but worth at least considering. But for anyone to answer the question with…NO…it cannot be because there is absolutely no evidence that it exists…is ridiculous. And you ought really to stop suggesting that I am dodging your questions simply because you do not like my responses. I will stay with you forever if necessary to discuss every syllable in your questions. I do not ever give up…and charging me with being a quitter or a dodger really is out of line. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028.md?page=4)