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

Did Kant claim that humans have a priori knowledge of a creator?

 

Hmm. I think you're going to have to show me where I said that.

 

Implication is that if someone can't explain "the creation of life through science" then "God musta done it"

By definition, that is "God of the gaps"

 

Yep. The standard argument from incredulity.

https://skepdic.com/dvinefal.html
I can't figure this out, so a god must have done it. Or, This is amazing; therefore, a god did it. Or, I can't think of any other explanation; therefore, a god did it. Or, this is just too weird; so, a god is behind it.

 

Science has nothing to do with faith. Rather it is about proving claims with empirical evidence.

So the following link describes the scientific method. Where does faith fit in? Did you go to a Christian school where they did not teach science perhaps. I had to learn what the scientific method was in 7th grade but I went to a public school. lol

https://www.spacecentre.nz/resources/learn/science/method.html

 

You don't have to mention it, I did, and saying "God did it" to explain unexplained physical phenomena is what is known as "god of the gaps". Some are happy with that explanation and stop there, but thankfully some do not and man advances.

You seem to make a lot of assumptions about me, that I "detest" Christianity (I don't) and that I think I am greater than the superhero in the sky (I'm just human). You are probably part of Charlie's generation and the rest is word salad.

 

No, Kant did not claim a priori knowledge of a creator, that was me carelessly inserting my belief into Kant's writings. My bad.

Kant worked at understanding a philosophy of objective morality arrived at through reason. He argued that the moral law is a truth of reason, and hence that all rational creatures are bound by the same moral law. Thus in answer to the question, “What should I do?” Kant replies that we should act rationally, in accordance with a universal moral law. He labeled a
moral law a categorical imperative. That is non empirical evidence of objective universal morality, essentially a restated version of "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

 

Science depends entirely on faith.

TAKING SCIENCE ON FAITH
https://www.edge.org/conversation/paul_davies-taking-science-on-faith​

"Clearly, then, both religion and science are founded on faith — namely, on belief in the existence of something outside the universe, like an unexplained God or an unexplained set of physical laws, maybe even a huge ensemble of unseen universes, too. For that reason, both monotheistic religion and orthodox science fail to provide a complete account of physical existence.

This shared failing is no surprise, because the very notion of physical law is a theological one in the first place, a fact that makes many scientists squirm. Isaac Newton first got the idea of absolute, universal, perfect, immutable laws from the Christian doctrine that God created the world and ordered it in a rational way. Christians envisage God as upholding the natural order from beyond the universe, while physicists think of their laws as inhabiting an abstract transcendent realm of perfect mathematical relationships."​

 

You obviously have never read Paul's letters. You just pull up some Godless dogma you follow and spew it forth.

Don't need to. There are millions upon millions who testify to Jesus today.

 

That's your definition of God. It's not my definition nor is it God's. God is the creator of all there is, time and space, the universe with all it's natural laws, science, you, and all of the scientists, even the non-believers.

 

Even Einstein admitted all his discoveries pointed to a greater intelligence. You just want to create your own little empire of empirical evidence. (you really like that word I see)

 

Your disrespect for something a large portion of the world's population holds dear attests to your feelings of Christianity.

 

Aside from you comment being an argument from authority fallacy I challenge you to provide the specific quote and a source given the many Internet false claims that surface on the Internet from time to time about Einstein being a theist. You people will never provide empirical evidence of YOUR SUPERNATURAL CLAIM. Yes I like the word empirical evidence because empirical evidence provides confirmation of truth. You know, the basis of science. Are you going to support your supernatural claims or just troll?

BTW, still waiting for the names and testimonies of the 500 people who saw the back from the dead Jesus. I am thinking it will be a long wait. lol

You make the strongest argument possible about why your religion should not be the national religion of America. Dogma, science denial, and an inability/unwillingness to support your claims.

 

Did Paul threaten to punish sin in Corinthians yes or no? And who is he to punish sin? Is it not up to God to punish sin according to your scripture. OK I am done. Your comments have confirmed a few opinions of mine, but no longer worth any more effort on my part to have a well reasoned debate with you.

 

No, you can not claim Einstein as a defender of your religious beliefs.

 

Of course he can claim Einstein believed in a creator, an abstract impersonal creator. Spinoza's God as he called it.

 

Spinoza's philosophy was based on the universe being made of one substance of infinite quantity.

He called that substance god or nature, the two being equivalent.

In other words, Spinoza's god IS nature as much as it is god.

Is it now clear what Einstein said?

The lesson here is that using hand picked quotes is perilous when no understanding is applied.

 

1. What difference does it make what Einstein said about a "greater intelligence". I can post quotes from dozens of scientists who disagree.

2. Einstein did not believe in a personal God. His ideas on God were more in line with Spinoza who felt the universe as a whole is god.

 

.

 

Spinoza was a pantheist who saw the universe as being God but without the anthropomorphic characteristics of the biblical god. The universe doesn’t care about us. It is the laws of nature carrying out their inevitable course.

He was born into a Jewish family but expressing his beliefs caused him to be excommunicated.

This is what Einstein was referring to in his often misquoted references to god,

 

You show me where I made the argument about Christianity SHOULD be the National Religion of America and then I will give you the names of the 500 along with signed autographs!

 

Odd you said that. It also applies to the many unbelievers that so often here quote the Bible.

 

Einstein explained his belief about God as

"I believe in Spinoza's God, who reveals himself in the harmony of all that exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of mankind."
​

I don't take that to mean he believed that nature was synonymous with God. It's clear to me that Einstein believed in God but not a personal God.

 

A god who is nature is literally "Spinoza's God"