Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

?
Lv 6

Do theists have a very low standard of evidence?

For example, "look at the complexity of the universe! Look at all the beauty around you! There must be a god."

Another example, "Take a look at this Bible verse."

So basically they either don't understand what constitutes evidence, or their standard is really low.

Update:

Romans 8:1...how did DNA come about is a very good question! Asserting that God did it isn't really explaining anything, though...so how exactly is the existence of DNA unambiguously pointing to the existence of some god without appealing to complexity or an argument from ignorance?

Update 2:

@deadeye. I think it would help to consider this quote: "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." The idea that some invisible and immaterial being created all of existence is an extraordinary claim. In order to reasonably accept it as true, we need way more than references to an ancient book and saying that things are so complex.

On the other hand, the claim that my parents are my actual parents is not an extraordinary claim, and thus doesn't require an extraordinary amount of evidence to support. I look remarkably like both my father and my mother. Ever since I can remember I've been with them. Sure, none of this means I can be absolutely certain that they are my actual parents, but again it isn't an extraordinary claim and thus I am not having too low of a standard of evidence.

18 Answers

Relevance
  • Anonymous
    7 years ago

    They don't have any standards of "evidence" at all.

    Religious faith is not based on evidence but rather on personal revelation and emotion -- how something feels to the believer. They think the beauty of the universe must be the product of a god because that is how they FEEL about it, not because that beauty actually comprises any objective empirical evidence. They think that you will somehow be convinced by a certain Bible verse because they FEEL its truth, so whether there is any actual, demonstrable truth to it is actually irrelevant. And if they feel it so strongly, they can't understand why someone else doesn't.

    It's really pointless to talk about "evidence" in relation to religious belief. The two concepts are antithetical.

  • 7 years ago

    Yes, this is evident in their arguments. Just take the recent Nye vs. Ham debate for example. A Bible verse does in no way count as evidence. To say there is a god because the universe is complex and beautiful is a very weak argument to make. The fact that it is "beautiful" is opinion, and most of the "complexity" has been and can be explained by science.

  • Anonymous
    7 years ago

    What "Belief" is easier..You came from an exploding rock, or God created the magnificent universe.

    Both are "Beliefs", which one sounds logical. Now imagine the 10 most beautiful women in the world, now tell me they were once a lizard that swam out of some pond slime..you atheist actually swallow that stuff and try your damnedest to feed it to christians..keep up the good work, your default god satan loves you for it..I rest my case.

  • 7 years ago

    No...its just I would never ever ever be able to convince a non-believer of God using only non-spiritual evidence. Only when a non-believe takes a leap of faith and honestly say I am willing to see the evidence beyond only that which I can touch and measure will the evidence be all around them.

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • 7 years ago

    Theists understanding of evidence is part of their hypocrisy; when challenged to produce evidence to support any aspect of their beliefs when they want to force it on others, reply with null or twisted evidence; yet when attacking science, ask of it total impossible and ridiculous conditions ("you have not seen a mouse become a dog, so evolution cannot be so").

  • 7 years ago

    I think you do too have you submitted a DNA test to make sure your mother is your mother or do you just believe her? What evidence do you have? Don't tell me that dad mom and others told you she is your mother that doesn;t work because I got 1 billion people that say Jesus Christ is the son of God and that isn't evidence....

  • ?
    Lv 6
    7 years ago

    well once again the jews in israel have proved that the bible is full of out and out lies have you not read of the recent discoveries on the israely dessert about documents they have found reffering to the camel being a beast of burden as it states in the bible and these documents prove that the camel was not used by man until the 16th century what do you day about that christians?ok/

  • 7 years ago

    No, they have only a single standard and that is their holy books. If it isn't supported by their book, then they just deny the existence of the evidence or grossly distort it.

  • 7 years ago

    In all honesty i just believe that the complexity of life even in its most primitive form. Says very clearly that the likely hood of creation is far greater than random chance.

  • Anonymous
    7 years ago

    Yes.

    None is a very low standard.

    Many of them, however, have an extremely high tolerance TO evidence.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.