Paley’s watch is named after Rev. William Paley, the minister who first used the analogy of finding a watch on the beach as an analogy to prove Biblical creation. Of course it does no such thing but religious conviction tends to limit the ability of even the most intelligent people to consider all the options.
Paley’s watch has morphed into a variety of forms over the years from Mount Rushmore to the 747 in the junkyard. It even underpins several “Look at the trees” type arguments, none of which withstand scrutiny.
Here’s my response to the minister who isn’t just limited in his thinking .. he’s downright deceitful.
He has a lot of very superficial and scientifically illiterate things to say about gay and trans citizens as well as the proper (baby-making) role of women. But the most ridiculous and most obviously false claim he makes is that there are no contradictions in the Bible. He even says that anyone who finds a biblical contradiction will be the first person in the history of humanity to do it.
I’m acquainted with a street preacher called Dale. I’m hoping to debate him on line fairly soon. He’s agreed in principle but seems a little reluctant to come up with a date.
Dale makes some pretty outrageous claims. He states evolution is a lie, regularly using what I’m pretty sure he thinks is a clever, even witty line:
“Don’t let evolution make a monkey out of you”
He has a lot of very superficial and scientifically illiterate things to say about gay and trans citizens as well as the proper (baby-making) role of women. But the most ridiculous and most obviously false claim he makes is that there are no contradictions in the Bible. He even says that anyone who finds a biblical contradiction will be the first person in the history of humanity to do it!
We’ll, Dale. Here we go… I found some. Presumably, since you love the truth so much you’ll stop saying there aren’t any from now on.
Ryan Matus is a presuppositional, Calvinist Christian. He’s no fool and he certainly knows scripture. This online conversation was one of the most interesting and enjoyable I can remember and I’m certainly looking forward to talking more with Ryan.
There’s no second coming. There wasn’t even a first. And there will be no stars falling to earth. That’s impossible.
The world isn’t ending – really, it’s not. Bible literalists like to claim that we’re in the end times. They claim to have prophecies to prove it. You know like Jesus’ prophecy that says “There shall be wars and rumours of wars”. Yeah, well show me a time – show me a single day since the New Testament was written down when that hasn’t been true.
That was Mark 13 verse 7. But the real reason not to take Jesus seriously here is found in Mark 13:25…
The end really isn’t nigh – at least not by any ‘second coming’
The Sharpshooter fallacy is a favourite of psychic con-artists, mediums, faith-healers, religious scammers and many more. Those who knowingly employ this fallacious argument cannot be trusted.
The God free guide is about critical thinking as well as counter-apologetics. This short video is the first of a series outlining logical fallacies. This one is the Sharpshooter fallacy (AKA Cherry picking). It’s a favourite of psychic scammers, mediums, faith-healers, religious scammers and many more. It works because we’re evolved to be pattern-seekers. The sharpshooter fallacy takes advantage of that and those who knowingly employ this fallacious argument cannot be trusted.
Dale is a street preacher from my hometown. He’s the man who threatened a 13 year old autistic boy with damnation to Hell!
This video contains my challenge to Dale, If you’re so sure of yourself then come and debate me.
Dale is a street preacher from my hometown. He’s the man who threatened a 13 year old autistic boy with damnation to Hell! This video contains my challenge to Dale, If you’re so sure of yourself then come and debate me. We can both record it and both reserve the right to publish it unedited. We both get to speak through a microphone – not just one of us – and we both get to speak without our voices being drowned out by the other.person.
I’ll be linking this video in the comments there so he sees my challenge.
These are the God free guide’s 10 commandments, updated for the modern world. They’re much more in line with how the world really is today and with how genuinely decent people ought to treat each other.
So apparently this Moses guy, you know, the one who wrote in detail about his own funeral (as well as about towns that weren’t even founded until centuries after his death) also wrote some commandments. Yeah, I know he said God wrote them but since neither God nor Moses actually existed I think we can safely assume they were made up by ordinary men. Ordinary MEN, not women, mind you. Men who lived in the desert herding camels and treating anyone without a penis like property. Perhaps that’s why the 10 commandments are so control-orientated.
But worry ye not – I’ve improved them for you. These are the God free guide’s 10 commandments, updated for the modern world. They’re much more in line with how the world really is today and with how genuinely decent people ought to treat each other.
