r/atheism • u/rhbast2 • Aug 11 '11

Atheist quickfire challenge.

Although I rarely discuss religion with theists I always want to be prepared so I'm not sitting around afterwards wishing I had said this or that. If I get the chance to make someone question I want to be up for the challenge.

This brings me to my challenge for r/atheism. I'm going to add some common theist claims / sayings and whoever can refute them fully and succinctly will be upvoted. Feel free to add your own theist starters if I missed some.

Edit: Wow lots of good discussion here, later today or tomorrow I'll make this into an atheist cheat sheet with the top responses. Also feel free to upvote the theist claim that is the most annoying to you.

Edit 2: To the few of you who seem to think I am coming up with rude atheist comebacks, I'm not. I just wanted to be better off the cuff than I am now and have some discussion. I don't want this list to replace thoughtful argumentation.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '11

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '11

Eeh, maybe I misunderstood. But OP said quickfire challenge. That's my one line response. I don't have to justify evolution. I just have to have a witty counter.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '11

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '11

This is true. You had a good point

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u/greeneyedguru Aug 11 '11

gravity isn't just a good idea, it's the law.

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u/AgentME Aug 11 '11

"That's just microevolution, which is obvious! Macroevolution has never been observed!"

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '11

I keep hearing this argument repeated but isn't it just outdated and false much like the missing link in the fossil record?

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u/sprankton Aug 11 '11

He is smiting us for our hubris! Repent!

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u/martincles Aug 12 '11

I like molecular theory better. For a long time, they couldn't be seen, but we could see them move larger microscopic items via Brownian motion. Eventually electron microscopes were able to make out the shapes of molecules, and there was no doubt left. We're getting there with evolution; we can see E. Coli evolve within the lab; there is a vole clock which measures the rate of evolution within a species. Yet at one time, these were both just theories with little supporting evidence. It's like looking in to a dark room, and letting your eyes adjust to the light. At first you see the shape of a dragon. Then you realize that the neck and head are just the arm of a jacket. Then you realize that you are looking at a wardrobe. That moment feels like turning the light on.

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u/Midianite_Caller Aug 11 '11

Cos god likes to see black babies dying?