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As per his website, "Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the The Skeptics Society’s Distinguished Science Lecture Series, and Adjunct Professor at Claremont Graduate University and Chapman University."

"Dr. Shermer’s latest book is The Believing Brain. His other books include: The Mind of the Market (on evolutionary economics), Why Darwin Matters: Evolution and the Case Against Intelligent Design (about evolution, how we know it happened, and how to test it), Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown (about how the mind works and how thinking goes wrong), and The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Share Care, and Follow the Golden Rule (on the evolutionary origins of morality and how to be good without God). He wrote a biography, In Darwin’s Shadow (about the life and science of the co-discoverer of natural selection, Alfred Russel Wallace). He also wrote The Borderlands of Science (about the fuzzy land between science and pseudoscience), and Denying History (on Holocaust denial and other forms of pseudo history). His book How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God, presents his theory on the origins of religion and why people believe in God. He is also the author of Why People Believe Weird Things (on pseudoscience, superstitions, and other confusions of our time). He also wrote The Soul of Science (a brief statement of belief on science, the soul, and the afterlife, from a scientist’s perspective) and co-edited (with Pat Linse, the co-founder of Skeptic magazine) The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience (an analysis of the most prominent controversies made in the name of science)."

A Trilogy Of Michael Shermer's Quotes:

“How can we find spiritual meaning in a scientific worldview? Spirituality is a way of being in the world, a sense of one’s place in the cosmos, a relationship to that which extends beyond oneself. . . . Does scientific explanation of the world diminish its spiritual beauty? I think not. Science and spirituality are complementary, not conflicting; additive, not detractive. Anything that generates a sense of awe may be a source of spirituality. Science does this in spades. ”
― Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design

“...evolution is not a religious tenet, to which one swears allegiance or belief as a matter of faith.. It is a factual reality of the empirical world. Just as one would not say 'I believe in gravity," one should not proclaim 'I believe in evolution.”

“Finally, from what we now know about the cosmos, to think that all this was created for just one species among the tens of millions of species who live on one planet circling one of a couple of hundred billion stars that are located in one galaxy among hundreds of billions of galaxies, all of which are in one universe among perhaps an infinite number of universes all nestled within a grand cosmic multiverse, is provincially insular and anthropocentrically blinkered. Which is more likely? That the universe was designed just for us, or that we see the universe as having been designed just for us?”
― Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design

Another Trilogy of Thoughts from Dr. Michael Shermer:

"Through no divine design or cosmic plan, we have inherited the mantle of life's caretaker on the earth, the only home we have ever known."

"Religious faith depends on a host of social, psychological and emotional factors that have little or nothing to do with probabilities, evidence and logic."

“We're all talking about the same thing, whether it's religious people or New Age spiritual people or Buddhists or scientists. We're all talking about having a sense of awe and wonder at something grander than ourselves.”

As for me, right now, I am feeling that sense of "awe and wonder" as I look at a photo I took at a small pond in San Blas, Nayarit where dozens of roseate spoonbills, wood storks and great egrets cooperatively congregated in their pursuit of sustenance, each species having adapted in their own way to an environment not of their own making. Soon, I will be in SB experiencing more joy, wonder, miracles and magic, mostly of the sentient variety (while assiduously trying to avoid being eaten alive by that area's infamous sand flies and other voracious flying insects!).

Who erroneously said that atheists and agnostics were the same? Certainly not this generalizing opinionated Freethinking Humanistic Naturalistic Atheistic Agnostic!

Flexible
Ruminating
Erudite
Ethical
Theoretical
Humanistic
Introspective
Naysaying
Knowledgeable
Eloquent
Resourcesful

Arrogant
Tenacious
Hard-Headed
Extremist
Intolerant
Sacriligeous
Terrestrial

Adaptable
Godless
Nonjudgmental
Open-Minded
Searching
Thinking
Individualistic
Cerebral

Just heard from a dear friend who over a six month period said that she had been gravely ill, nearly died three times and experienced a "near death/out of body experience."

To directly quote her, "believe me, there is a GOD!"

From my perspective, whether there is a God or not, I am extremely grateful that her faith was instrumental in this wonderful, one-of-a-kind blithe spirit still being here on earth!

So, whoever or whatever is responsible for this precious soul's "life being given back" to her, thank you very much!!!

That is great news!

As much as science is a wonderful branch of knowledge, it cannot prove nor disprove that God exists.

In the most recent online edition of Scientific American, there is an article "Why We Should Choose Science Over Beliefs." It is written by Michael Shermer who not only considers himself an atheist but also a libertarian who until recently was skeptical about the need for gun control and skeptical as to if global warming was a reality.

Dr. Shermer stated "like most people who hold strong ideological convictions, I find that, too often, my beliefs trump the scientific facts. This is called motivated reasoning, in which our brain reasons our way to supporting what we want to be true."

Yet this year, he was "so discouraged by the rampant denial of science that I wanted to turn in my libertarian membership card."

What Dr. Shermer concluded was "liberals and conservatives are motivated reasoners, too, of course, and not all libertarians deny science, but all of us are subject to the psychological forces at play when it comes to choosing between facts and beliefs when they do not mesh. In the long run, it is better to understand the way the world really is rather than how we would like it to be."

From my NAA perspective, science has never proven that there is a god. Hence, the burden on science is not to disprove a negative as that is probably impossible to accomplish. Rather, the burden of proof is in the hands of the believers and as the Shermer article indicates, that is something most people psychologically resist to do or to even acknowledge the need to do so.

There are thousands of old Greek manuscripts that support the New Testament of the Bible, which includes the life of Jesus Christ. There are no contradictions between the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They were not the only witnesses to verify the resurrection of Christ. Some of the witnesses were women. It is interesting that the women's accounts were also documented, when at that time women were not held in very high regard. Not only that, there are historical and geological facts written in the Greek manuscripts to support the places that Jesus lived, preached, died, and rose from the dead. Actual places and times, not fictional accounts.

Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, and essentially He is God. I don't know anyone else who can die and rise from the dead to visit the living again in human form. He has my respect and admiration for the kindness he bestowed on others especially the less fortunate and the unaccepted, the healing miracles He performed, and His resurrection to prove that He was God. Many other religions believe there is a God or creator even if they do not recognize Jesus as the son of God. Very interesting point when looking at the beliefs of various cultures.

There is a lot of mystery and paranormal activity that indicates that there is something more out there than just ourselves. I believe that by our complex makeup we are more than just pond scum elevated to a higher order. I believe there is a very talented creator at the heart of life. Granted, mankind has twisted the original principles and have called it religion, using the name God as a means for personal gain and profit, but if one reads the Bible a great deal will become clear. Certainly the way Jesus lived is something to respect.

Just my two cents. I will not push the issue further as this is an Atheist/Agnostic forum, and I respect all who have various beliefs.

Debbie you are right this is the A/A forum, thus per BellaOnline guidelines it is improper to "debate" non-A/A belief systems here. I would never go on the Spirituality Forum and pose arguments against belief in manifestations of the afterlife. Love ya, but if I had moderator status your post would have been deleted in its entirety.



As a Naturalistic Atheistic Agnostics (NAA), based solely on names, the following are 20 bands that if they really existed would not have a prayer (or a devil) of a chance in having me become a convert to their music:

1. Jacob and the Proselytizers

2. The Eye-Gleaming Saviors

3. The Crusading Avengers

4. The Merit Seeking Monks

5. Abraham, Martin and John

6. The Prostrating Penitents

7. The Most Precious Blood Band

8. The Prophets of Salvation

9. The Holy Good Book-ers

10. The Red Sea Part-ers

11. The Sinners of Redemption

12. The Forgiving Missionaries

13. The Born Again to Servers

14. Methuselah and The Everlasting Seekers

15. The Speak in Tongue Rock 'n' Shakers

16. The Pestilence Plaguers

17, The Faithful Without Marianne

18. The Lying Conjuring Satans

19. The Holier Than Thou-ers

20. The Divinity Makers

Words that all atheists and atheist wannabees would be wise to heed: “My object is to show that atheism is a rational position and that belief in God is not. I am quite aware that atheistic beliefs are not always based on reason. My claim is that they should be.” - Michael Martin, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Boston University

I would welcome debates on my forum as long as they were respectful. We all have thoughts and views worth sharing, and it is in the sharing that we can learn a great deal about the world around us. I believe I was respectful in my post, and I never intended to offend anyone, only to offer a response to your friend's belief that there is a God. Many do not believe because they feel there is no evidence, but I think if one delves deep enough they would find some.

Peace to all. I will return to my own forum now.