Is America a Christian Nation? Should America Be a Christian Nation?

A priori knowledge of a creator and of moral absolutes.

 

Oh? What is the definition of atheist?

 

I am an atheist.

It means that I do not believe there is a God because I have not been presented sufficient evidence to convince me there is a god. Period.

I do NOT "claim" there is no God. Could there be a God? Possibly (although I think it is highly unlikely). I have been an atheist for over 30 years and in all that time NO ONE has presented any evidence even approaching something that would be sufficient to convince me a god exists.

My view on god is the view everyone should take on everything. Non belief until the evidence convinces you otherwise.

 

There is no such thing as "a priori knowledge"

Definition: A priori knowledge is a type of knowledge that a person has when they know some fact without having any evidence from experience.

If you have no evidence then it is impossible to claim knowledge.

 

In other words, I assume, therefore, I know. And on this basis you want to impose your religion on America. Sad IMHO.

 

I bwlieve that's the definition of an agnostic.

 

You can believe what you want.

You would be wrong.

Theism/Atheism addresses belief
Gnosticism/Agnosticism addresses knowledge.

I am an Agnostic (I lack knowledge on the existence of a god) Atheist (I lack belief in the existence of a god).

The two terms are about two completely different things.

 

A priori knowledge is a well acknowledged part of western philosophy and an important subject covered by Immanuel Kant in Critique of Pure Reason.

 

I'm depending on the differences explained in Merriam-Webster:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist
How Agnostic Differs From Atheist

Many people are interested in distinguishing between the words agnostic and atheist. The difference is quite simple: atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods, and agnostic refers to someone who doesn’t know whether there is a god, or even if such a thing is knowable.​

 

And that is EXACTLY what I said

I do not know if there is a God (thus an Agnostic)
I do not believe there is a God (thus an Atheist)

 

In other words musing.

 

In other words a priori knowledge.

 

"Detest"? Where do you get that? Is it because you disagree? Anyway "the pre- and post-revolutionary era in American history generated propitious conditions for Enlightenment thought to thrive on an order comparable to that witnessed in the European Enlightenments." And what the framers specifically wanted to avoid was a Christian theocracy. No one has said that Christianity did not influence culture.

 

The old "god of the gaps" ploy has always had a shaky foundation because once explained by science and not "god did" they have to move on to next unexplained phenomenon and examples are becoming slim pickins in the 21st century.
I hope your faith is deeper than believing in "god of the gaps" only, because it is a dead end.

 

I've never once mentioned God of the gaps. He's not not just Gof of the gaps He's the God of everything, inluding time and space, the entire universe, science, and the scientists themselves.

 

My evidence confirming to me that God is real, that he lives and is divine, is spiritual in nature, having awakened me to a recognizance and remembrance of his spirit by its intercession. In so doing, I realized that my true life is in him rather than in myself or my life alone. Up until that point, I had no religion at all. Yet I thought that I lived. But now I see that my life was like a dream, filled with tradition, pride, and ignorance, from which I've been awakened by the intercession of Gods spirit to a new day star.

 

The point is, you can't disclaim it and I don't expect you to. It all depends where you put your faith. You put your faith in science. I appreciate science in that it gives us a miniscule look into what God has done. My faith is far bigger than that!

 

There were always plenty of deniers around to refute their testimony. Their testimony was far greater. In fact, the Jews made a great effort to find a "stolen body" to dispel what you call a "myth". Couldn't do it. Many gave their lives for their testimony.....something the deniers would not do.

 

You don't understand the term "God of the Gaps"

All you've done is talk about the "God of the Gaps"

It simply means that you claim your god exists because of gaps in human knowledge.

Human knowledge does not show how abiogenesis occurred. That is a gap in our knowledge. You claim that since we don't know "it must be God". That is the "God of the gaps". It is an explanation for something we don't fully understand.

It's a poor explanation because it actually explains nothing. It is no better than saying "I don't know" except you just replace those words with "God did it"

 

Really?

A bunch of hijackers gave their lives because they thought they would be going to paradise and getting 72 virgins. Do you think that was real? Or do you think they gave their lives for a myth?

 

Your enlightenment has you thinking you are greater than God. Even in my lifetime we have had a generation that declared "we are the age of Aquarius" the same generation that gave us Charles Manson. Serious, there is nothing new under the sun. You will never "get it" until you are dead. Then you will. The old "god of the apes" is foolishness though you seem to by into it.

 

It seems to me you believe someday "mankind will do it". I don't have that kind of faith in mankind. I'll stick with my God of the gaps. and you can hang onto your god of the gaps.

 

I do not think I am "greater than God" other than I exist and I have no evidence that God exists. So if existence is greater than non existence, then I guess I'm "greater than God"

But for the most part comparing myself to "God" is no different than comparing myself to Santa Claus. Well, it is a little different. I play Santa Claus during the holidays. Got a big ol' belly and a white beard. It pays pretty well.

 

I have no idea if "mankind will do it". Some things just may be beyond our ability to understand or engineer.

What I do know is that every advancement made by mankind, whether physical, philosophical or a combination of the two has come from mankind. There has never been an example, in all of recorded human history, of an advancement being "divinely inspired"

 

Refute whose testimony? Name these 500 people that saw Jesus. And of course you cannot provide these names let alone their actual witness testimony. So no disrepect intended but put up or shut up and provide these names AND their testimony. And don't duck and dodge by providing a claim by a single man who never met Jesus or heard him preach.

As far as the gave "their lives argument" that is that argument of Jihadists, followers of David Koresh, etc. That argument says something about human nature, but nothing about the truth of any supernatural claims.

Can you provide any contemporary historical records concerning Jews trying to find a "stolen body?" You do know the Gospel accounts are anonymous hearsay written 30-100 years after the events described? Your Canon was assembled 400 years after the fact. These accounts lack the veracity and documentation of modern tabloids.

BTW, Paul was evidently someone who thought he was God.
https://www.biblehub.com/2_corinthians/13-2.htm