{"id":2483,"date":"2011-09-07T09:39:50","date_gmt":"2011-09-07T14:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dangeroustalk.net\/?p=2483"},"modified":"2011-09-07T09:39:50","modified_gmt":"2011-09-07T14:39:50","slug":"the-certainty-trap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.dangeroustalk.net\/?p=2483","title":{"rendered":"The Certainty Trap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christians have created a little trap for people of reason. It is a way they can attack us for whatever answer we give. It is an interesting new rhetoric that I am starting to hear them use more and more. I will call it \u201cThe Certainty Trap.\u201d<\/p>\n

First they start out with the whole, \u201cit takes more faith not to believe\u201d argument which goes a little something like this: \u201cUnless you know everything in the entire universe, you can\u2019t be certain that there is no God.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now atheists are left with two choices. We can claim certainty just as anyone with half a brain would claim to be certain that the Easter Bunny doesn\u2019t exist without having to know everything in the entire universe or like Christians themselves will claim certainty about a host of deities they are certain don\u2019t exist\u2026 or we can admit that we aren\u2019t certain and that there might actually be a God.<\/p>\n

If we take the first option, we are then labeled \u201cdogmatic\u201d which ironically is a term created specifically for the religious. The religious have now successfully lowered us to their level.<\/p>\n

The second option is to admit that we aren\u2019t certain. To some extent this is the more truthful approach but the problem is that it gives Christians the green light to proselytize. In their mind if you admit the possibility you also admit the probability. So by taking this route we have encouraged them in their ridiculous beliefs.<\/p>\n

This is where we have to take the time to explain the difference between absolute certainty and reasonable certainty. They have an absolute certainty that their beliefs are true or to use Christianisse that their beliefs are \u201cTruth.\u201d Our certainty however is reasonable certainty. We are reasonably certain that no god exists. That is to say that we admit the possibility, but not the probability. It is in this way that we can turn the tables on their Certainty Trap and expose their dogma for what it is.<\/p>\n

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