As an anthropologist who was picketed by the Fish Club on the way to teach my first physical anthro class in 1970, I've been dealing with these kinds of questions for years, I've heard all the fatuous arguments and needn't list them here. [read any of Michael Shermer's books if you need that]
So, I'll just a few quick quips as a shut'em retort.
Q.How did something come from nothing? A. Where did god come from. I suppose the universe likely come from the same place but we can SEE the early stages of the universe. Ain't no one seen god yet.
Q: If humans descended from monkeys, howcum we still got monkeys? A. If we didn't have monkeys, we wouldn't have theists.
Q: But, isn't evolution just a 'theory?" A: Yep. A damn good one at that, as verifiable as gravity. You don't believe in Gravity?
Q: The bible, especially the King James Version, is the inspired word of god. A: No shit? You mean he wrote or did some jamoke who just thought god was talking to him and wrote down what he thought sounded good to him?
Q: How do you explain biblical prophecy? A. What's to explain? Historical studies have shown time and time again, these handy prophecies that came about were written after the fact. Also, how many prophecies have been made that never turned out?
Q: I have a personal experience with Jesus. A: Hey, no big deal. Charkie, my roommate at Berkeley used to talk to Jesus twice a week when he was dropping acid.
Q: Biblical archaeologists have found proof of the bible. A: Not quite. What they have established is that the early Israelites never were in Egypt as slaves, there was no exodus, these early Israelites were also henotheists who believed their god, El, the sky god in the Canaanite pantheon was not the only god around--he was just THEIR god, there are at least 5 to 7 differing sources to the Hebrew bible and the Hebrews didn't become monotheists until they were influenced by the Zoroastrian Persians during their tenure in Mesopotamia after the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians, 387 BCE.
Hey, we could go on and on. But, I thought this might getcha started.
Cheers,
Frank
the old cranky guy in Sac
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