Expert: Bob - 1/3/2006

Question
Bob, you answers are a parody in that you haven't answered one question yet, as is typical of atheists. Attacking the other side doesn't answer your own personal beliefs. Listen, if you can't answer my questions, fine, just admit that you can't. I'm not going to waste my time anymore either.

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Followup To
Question -
Good morning, Bob,
First of all, you're barking up the wrong tree. I do not believe in jesus or any of that so that's irrelevant. I just figured that I'd ask you as someone who bills himself as an atheist, as opposed to an agnostic, why you believe as you do. As for atheists not engaging in critical thought, I'm just telling you my personal experiences, that the atheists who I've questioned, in the end just shrug their shoulders and basically say that their sure science has or will come up with an answer.
I just would like your honest opinion about why you think ID is laughable. I've read some scientists opinions on it and I think their ridiculous. I have not seen one intelligent (no pun intended) answer yet. One scientist says it can't be intelligent because look at all the problems my body have. That is just so stupid. My house has problems also, yet it took a lot of intelligence to build it! So basically my followup question is, if you see a log cabin in the forest, would you believe that millions of years of wind and falling trees caused it to be just so, or would you intuitively believe that someone built it, even though you will never "know" for sure? You would never say it happened by itself, so I'm trying to see the difference.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Followup To
Question -
Thanks, Bob, for getting back to me. I'm sorry, I don't understand your answer. Are you saying making complex structures is as simple as water freezing or vaporizing? What got me to this question was a quote from an article in The NY Times as follows. (12/20/05, page F4) "The second law of thermodynamics essentially says that disorder increases. In the long term, this means that the universe will inevitably fall apart. In the short term, it means that you cannot unstir your coffee". This quote just begs the question, if the universe will fall apart eventually according to this law, how could it possibly form in the first place? I've had conversations with self-professed atheists, but none of them seem to be able to engage in critical thinking, because they always wind up shrugging their shoulders and pointing me to what the 'scientists' say. (In other words, I don't understand it myself, but I'm sure all these smart people have a good answer). That's why I'm asking you for an honest answer.

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Followup To
Question -
According to the second law of thermodynamics, disorder increases. How do atheists explain the universe forming into complex structures? This goes against this law.
Thank you.
Answer -
Hello Aaron,
 Sorry for the delay. Like most references to science that I see from the religious you have overly simplified this. You seem to be getting order, matter and energy confused. Let's not forget the first law which states that you can't create or destroy energy. You can change it from one form to another but you can't create or destroy it. A building for example is nothing more then stored energy. If that building were to burn all the stored energy would be released. Now go back to the first law, energy has not been destroyed.  As the second law states it has just been dispersed from a condensed to a non-condensed state. By changing it's form energy can be condensed again, and so on.

Bob  
Answer -
Hello Aaron,

First of all I have to take exception to your claim that atheists are unable to engage in critical thought. Most Atheists have become so due to the ability for critical thought not the lack of it. We are the ones that have thought past the fairy tails of Noah's Ark, invisible winged creatures, and the laughable concept of intelligent design.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, back to my original answer. All I'm saying is that just because an energy source has been dispersed does not mean that it cannot eventually be re-condensed and reformed. Energy is released from the clouds in the form of rain. (It has dispersed) The rain flows down a hillside and collects in a stream. The stream flows into a river. The water is dispersed from the river as a vapor where it is re-condensed back into the clouds. The cycle repeats. Your latest question asked, "If the universe will fall apart eventually according to this law, how could it possibly form in the first place?" My answer to this is that everything is in a constant state of change, evolution if you will. What may have started with the Big Bang or even proceeded it will have to go through a process long before your eventual destruction of the universe. Maybe we have just been lucky enough to have landed in a semi-pleasant intermediate stage of this eventual destruction. One of the few things that I do know is that I don't have the answers, I doubt very seriously that the scientist do and I know for a fact that the preachers don't. I wish you luck in your search for the answers to the hidden questions, I assume this to be your goal, I would certainly hate to think that this has been just a feeble attempt to raise a question that would suddenly start making me believe in Jesus, the holy ghost and Santa Claus.

Bob   
Answer -
Aaron,
Nice try but simply dismissing an argument because you do not like the outcome says a lot about your own capacity for critical thought. Scientists point out the complete lack of scientific proof because there is absolutely no proof in ID. They point out the problems in the human body because there are a lot of problems in the human body. The concept of ID, or better put "the religious fade of the moment" states that your infallible god has designed everything. The proof is in the pudding. Find one error and the whole concept falls apart. In my life I have seen religion try to evolve in many ways so that they can keep trying to make the lie relevant in the face of scientific proof but this one really is the most laughable yet. I really believe that anyone dumb enough or gullible enough to believe such dribble is really not worth wasting my time even talking too ... obviously they are just too far gone. Are you that person? Up until this point you have seemed to be fairly intelligent but if you really do believe this hogwash then obviously I have misjudged you.

Bob  

Answer
Aaron,
Forgive the pun, but Jesus, what do you want from me. You're upset that I can't lay out the answers to the cosmos since the beginning of time for you. Unlike the religious I don't pretend to have all the answers. As far as my personal beliefs, if you read my answers and forget your own preconceived and I might add misconceived notions you will see that I have in fact answered your questions with what I believe to be the truth. If I am not mistaken that is what you wanted in the first place. Take my advice. try two things. First, if you can clear your mind enough to do it reread my answers. Resort to critical thought if nothing else works, but be careful if you use critical thought too much you might discover more about yourself than you may want to admit. Secondly, don't waste any more of my time with a reply.

Bob