Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ssc-vax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!david
From: david@ssc-vax.UUCP (David Norris)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: No willing Atheists?
Message-ID: <16@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Mar-84 14:24:37 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.16
Posted: Mon Mar 26 14:24:37 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Mar-84 01:43:00 EST
Organization: Boeing Aerospace, Seattle
Lines: 28

[*]
Thomas Ruschak:

> I think that in any discussions of this sort, the burden of proof
> must be on the Theists. Non-Thiests simply say that they do not think that
> god exists because they have no evidence that cannot easily be otherwise
> explained. If Theists wish us to believe that there is a god, they must give
> us some proof of this proposition.

Only if the Theists are trying to produce some evidence for Theism.  I have
explained that Atheism is as much a leap of faith as is Theism.  The inability
to produce evidence for Theism is no proof for Atheism.  On the face of
absolutely no evidence, the best you can be is an Agnostic (maybe He is, and
maybe He isn't).  The burden of proof is on both the Theist AND the Atheist,
or at least should be, from the Agnostic's point of view.

	A: Prove that there is life in other galaxies.
	T: I can't.
	A: Aha!  Therefore, there is no life on other planets!

I have been waiting for the Atheists to present their case, and it would
appear that no one will champion the cause, other than requests for Theists
to prove Theism (which, as I've said, is no proof for Atheism) :-(  But let's
give the Atheists a few more days before asking the Theists to present 
their case.

	-- David Norris        :-)
	-- uw-beaver!ssc-vax!david