Strategy for defeating a weak atheist

[Guest guest]

For defeating weak atheist I'd suggest irimi-nage, for strong atheist

kotegaeshi. What do you think. Jahnu? 8)

 

> As we know from the Vedic literature we can't absolutely prove God

> by logical and empirical means, so therefore there's always a

> loophole for the atheist. In such a debate you can maybe convince

> open minded readers that your arguments for God and against atheism

> is better then the atheists arguments, but you will never convince

> the hard hearted atheists and close minded sceptics.

 

Aside tarko apratisthat, was it Ramanuja who said that logic cannot

prove existence of God? It can, however, defeat atheism.

 

Hardcore types are invincibly ignorant. They need lots of ajnata

sukriti first.

 

In Czech Republic, many people claim they believe in "something

higher" but not God. Most often they mean the Christian idea of God

and since Christianity in our country is pretty discredited, the

result is this "somethingism", or agnosticism.

 

We should also list reasons for atheism. Disillusion with religious

structures and 50 years of totalitarian atheistic regimes are major

ones, at least here.

 

Another interesting matter are theists's attitudes to God. I've seen

some pretty materialistic - some take Him as a soap for sins, some as

a tool to achieve their goals, etc.

 

> To say that it is all right to assert that there is no proofs for a

> given object as long as no one has given a proof for the existence

> of that object is a logical fallacy called an appeal to ignorance

> (argumentum ad ignorantiam.) See

> http://www.iep.utm.edu/f/fallacies.htm#Appeal%20to%20Ignorance

 

We have a compilation of these arguments at

veda.harekrsna.cz/library/Logic.zip

 

> Be aware that the weak atheist will most probably freak out and

> start to call you names, attack your religion, divert to an other

> subject matter, call his friends for help etc. But don't let

> yourself be diverted. Keep hammering on the same question and don't

> go any further on your list, or to other matter, before the atheist

> has answered your question. Prabhupada never allowed anyone to get

> away with such things. If you do that he will be forced to admit,

> but most likely not publicly, that he can't prove his assertions,

> and you will send him in the isolation booth for some time.

 

If this discussion happens in an online forum with majority of

atheists, one will have a bit tougher time. 8) One thing is, that

atheists have a hard time to accept defeat (almost like rtviks).

 

ys Jan