# You're right, Danny C...there is no god. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 25, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983 "2011-01-25T23:35:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/301 "2011-01-30T21:25:17Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > It’s very simple – instead of praying to God, I prayed to The Universal. The Universal immediately answered … . And how, specifically, did “The Universal” answer? (Jeez, it’s like pulling teeth to get any information at all about this evidence for higher intelligence that the deluded atheists are ignoring!) I have to say, the more I learn about your spiritual beliefs, the more self-absorbed and incoherent they sound. The only consistent thread seems to be “The universe thinks I’m special!” ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/302 "2011-01-30T22:17:14Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > I have to say, the more I learn about your spiritual beliefs, the more self-absorbed and incoherent they sound. The only consistent thread seems to be “The universe thinks I’m special!” What’s wrong with believe you are special and unique? What terrifying truth are you attempting to avoid? I’m no Great American Hero (at least, not to some) but my final advice to you is this: Merely _believing_ you have some purpose within the Universal Grand Design is the best non-medical ways to lower stress, keep active, and maintain your daily self-esteem, even in the darkest possible times of your life. Think I’m done talking to you, **Mr. King** …may you someday _seek_ the peace and serenity you desperately desire, instead of petulantly demanding that the rest of the world lead you by the hand, like a mother leading a toddler who can barely take two steps on their own. Seriously…peace be with you, fellow avatar. [Ignore Mode ON] ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/303 "2011-01-30T22:24:37Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > And how, specifically, did “The Universal” answer? By buying Dreamworks, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/304 "2011-01-30T22:56:00Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Think I’m done talking to you, **Mr. King** …may you someday _seek_ the peace and serenity you desperately desire, instead of petulantly demanding that the rest of the world lead you by the hand, like a mother leading a toddler who can barely take two steps on their own. I’m perfectly at peace as I am, thank you. You keep trying to frame my questions as a quest for guidance. But I’m not interested in your guidance, since it’s clear from your posts that your “enlightenment” is shallow and empty. No, all I’m trying to do is to get you to admit that your original description of atheists as “deluded” was baseless. It’s pretty obvious that it was just a bit of ill-thought-through snark that you were neither prepared nor able to defend. But, it’s also pretty obvious that you will never admit that. > [@](#): > > [Ignore Mode ON] It sounds like some of my questions have struck a nerve. It seems that you’re uncomfortable about having to defend the inconsistent mass of beliefs that you’ve taken on board. Allow me to point out that your refusal to engage directly contradicts your position that enlightenment comes from opening one’s mind. I submit to you that if you were really interested in \*truth \*and _enlightenment_ you would \*welcome \*criticism of your beliefs. Understanding often emerges through dialectic. Any belief that you can’t defend (or aren’t willing to defend) should be viewed with suspicion. It’s so very easy to fall into comfortable self-delusion. We need the sharp criticism of those who disagree with us to keep us honest. In any case, you may be ignoring me, but I won’t be ignoring you. I’ll keep poking holes in your arguments where I see them. Perhaps, say day, like **Cyningblod** , you’ll dedicate a thread to me … . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/305 "2011-01-31T00:14:55Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > By buying Dreamworks, apparently. Meant to say “Universal Mind” (as theorized by Carl Jung) but didn’t notice until it was T.L.T.E. – so fuckin’ sue me. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/306 "2011-01-31T00:18:36Z")
I’d started to ask what T.L.T.E. meant but my “what’s the point?” override circuits kicked in. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/307 "2011-01-31T00:25:13Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Meant to say “Universal Mind” (as theorized by Carl Jung) but didn’t notice until it was T.L.T.E. – so fuckin’ sue me. :rolleyes: Oh, _Universal Mind_, that certainly sounds less stupid. You’re still not gonna retract the assertion, that atheists are ignoring evidence for God, even though you have time and again failed to even try to defend it? ---
**Author:** ![Cort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/77aa72/32.png) [@Cort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cort)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/308 "2011-01-31T00:26:23Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d started to ask what T.L.T.E. meant but my “what’s the point?” override circuits kicked in. Too late to edit 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/309 "2011-01-31T00:27:18Z")
Ah. There’s nothing like a made-up abbreviation to make communication more efficient. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/310 "2011-01-31T00:34:29Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Ah. There’s nothing like a made-up abbreviation to make communication more efficient. ORLY? > [@Lobohan](#): > > You’re still not gonna retract the assertion, that atheists are ignoring evidence for God, even though you have time and again failed to even try to defend it? I never made that assertion, so how can I retract it? Never did I mean to say that you are ignoring the evidence of God’s true, omnipresent nature – the evidence is ignoring YOU, because you’re not interested in knowing God. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, so there’s no need to attack the messenger…srsly. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/311 "2011-01-31T00:43:26Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Think I’m done talking to you, **Mr. King** …may you someday _seek_ the peace and serenity you desperately desire, instead of petulantly demanding that the rest of the world lead you by the hand, like a mother leading a toddler who can barely take two steps on their own. Seriously…peace be with you, fellow avatar. > > [Ignore Mode ON] Your tone here is unacceptably obnoxious, and this reference to your ignore list is against the rules. This is a formal warning: don’t do this again. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/312 "2011-01-31T00:48:33Z")
And now he’s gone… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/313 "2011-01-31T01:02:51Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > – the evidence is ignoring YOU… I’m stealing this. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/314 "2011-01-31T01:07:45Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > And now he’s gone… Hmm … I wonder if he ran afoul of the “don’t announce you’re ignoring someone” rule. In any case, **fuzzypickles** , if my posts inadvertently led you into bannable behavior I apologize. I’m interested in more discussion of opposing viewpoints, not less. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/315 "2011-01-31T03:14:50Z")
No thread – I’m guessing he was a sock. (For the homeless guy?) ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/316 "2011-01-31T05:46:47Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > …the evidence is ignoring YOU… …but only in Soviet Russia. ---
**Author:** ![Cyningablod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/317 "2011-01-31T06:05:31Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > I never made that assertion, so how can I retract it? Never did I mean to say that you are ignoring the evidence of God’s true, omnipresent nature – the evidence is ignoring YOU, because you’re not interested in knowing God. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, so there’s no need to attack the messenger…srsly. Oh wow. Just…wow. The bullshit piles up so fast with this guy that you need _wings_ to stay above it. (Ten points to whomever guesses the above movie reference. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/318 "2011-01-31T08:26:31Z")
_Apocalypse Now_. What do my points get me, and does it matter that I just googled it? ---
**Author:** ![Cyningablod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/319 "2011-01-31T19:14:44Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > _Apocalypse Now_. What do my points get me, and does it matter that I just googled it? Points either way. Googling is a skill, too. 😉 And your points get you love, respect, and enlightenment from **fuzzypickles** ’ “Universal Mind” or whatever the fuck it was. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983/320 "2011-01-31T19:38:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Yes, you _are_ being silly; I answered your question; you just didn’t want to hear it. Again; thoughts and ideas have no existence beyond whatever physical substrate they exist within, whether that is a brain or writing or something else. And you most certainly can detect thoughts; a variety of scientific instruments can detect the functioning of the brain. No, no, no and just no. To exert a bit of hubris, I really do feel that I’m speaking well over your head here. To begin with, I have no idea what you mean by physical substrate. Taking that at face value (kind of), then we could take that physical substrate to be the universe in which we live. If, tomorrow, the universe came to an end then, yes, you’d be correct in asserting that thoughts and ideas would have no existence beyond that. However, that wasn’t the question posed to you. When I asked you whether or not thoughts and ideas existed, I meant do they exist even without people thinking and/or knowing about them. For example, even if no one knew what a car was yet there was a car in the middle of the Pacific, that car would still be considered to exist. But how does it work for an idea? Do they not exist until someone comes up with them, or are they just kind of free floating waiting for people to pick up on them (think inspiration)? And when I asked if they cease to exist if the world they stem from cease to exist, I meant that if, say, a boulder rolling down a hill was the inspiration, or within itself contained the idea, for the idea of the wheel, if the idea of the wheel would have ceased to exist had the boulder ceased to exist? (Yeah, that’s probably clumsy, but I’m not so sure how else to ask it without being overly verbose.) As it is, to say that thoughts and ideas, provided they exist, only exist within a physical substrate is a “Maybe. I don’t know”, on-the-fence kind of answer. > [@](#): > > More nonsense; those thoughts and ideas certainly have a material form; they are part of the brain of the person talking to me, and the pattern of vibrations in the air we call speech. All material. Number one, if thoughts, as you say, have a material form in that they are part of the brain, then every time one comes up with a new thought or idea, they would also generate new matter, something which we should be able to observe or, at the very least, measure. Number two, the paterns of vibrations in the air does not constitute thoughts or ideas having a material form; it constitutes giving that thought or idea a material form, though I’m not so sure talking would constitute giving them form as would writing them down or drawing a picture would. But before that you’d be hard pressed to argue they have a material form. > [@](#): > > And I can’t be introduced to an idea without being affected by it, because perception is a form of being affected by it. This is simply untrue. You are introduced to new ideas every day (well, maybe not every day as the older you get the more ideas you’ve heard, but you get the point) that you instantly forget about and never give a second thought to. > [@](#): > > God does both, something you admit when you insist he can’t be made of anything material. Maybe I’ve misunderstood what you trying to say but what? > [@](#): > > Since when? Religions, including Christianity are full of predictions about the future. They are always wrong of course, but that doesn’t stop them. I’ll bite. Show me a prediction made by Christianity that has been proven to be false. And, no, the rantings of some guy in the 19th century do not speak to Christianity as a whole. Preferably, I’d like you to point to some specific Christian text which says that X will happen at Y, where Y has passed and X not happened. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-right-danny-c-there-is-no-god/568983.md?page=17)