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Sam Harris and Intellectually Honesty

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Greg Koukl responds to a piece written by Sam Harris titled, “9/11 Demands Intellectual Honesty.”

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36 Comments

  1. Greg argues against materialism by highlighting undesirable or bleak implications, such as determinism leading to a lack of moral accountability. This is an appeal to consequences, where the truth of a belief is judged based on its perceived effects rather than its factual accuracy.

  2. this universe? If so, you have a belief that this universe came about on its own, not a belief in the universe that was created by a god. Atheists always ask for replicable evidence or proof for a God and attack Christians on this notion that we do not have "proof" or "evidence". Now that we have established that you have a positive belief about the universe (everyone does, if people did not have beliefs, they wouldn't be able to live!) can you provide proof for your positive beliefs? Thanks!

  3. ? If you do not believe in God, then you basically have a default belief about a universe that is godless, a universe that came about on its own. All your beliefs stem from this basic cosmological belief. For example, you would probably believe that morals have evolution drive at its base. Or you would probably believe that humans and human culture are the sources of moral systems. Do you live without praying to a God? Do you live believing in your heart that human beings are all alone in

  4. I didn't propose how, or claim to know how, the universe began (whatever “began” even means I’m not sure, but it seems hardly definable and not at all intuitive). If I had to guess I’d say you do think 'you' know, which makes this interesting; like sitting in the pew of a church where the spotlight is literally on the preacher making claim after extraordinary claim, but all the while the burden of proof was -conveniently- shifted on me before I ever walked into the building.

  6. When "replicable" is typed into wikipedia it redirects to a similar word "Reproducibility" which is described as "the degree of agreement between measurements or observations conducted", "the ability of an entire experiment or study to be reproduced", and "is one of the main principles of the scientific method".

    As to your 2nd question: I 'accept' claims and proposals which can be supported by evidence and reason. My level of acceptance is commensurate to the amount evidence supporting a claim.

  7. 1) How about me? I am a Christian, but only because I want to have a deeper relationship with God and because I see other people as the image of God want God to empower me to not act selfishly and not hurt other people. You think I fit your assessment of Christians?
    2) "I think christians are christians because they can rest assured that no matter how ignorant they are, how much evil they inflict on others or how selfish they are they can be forgiven, as long as they believe in their precious"

  10. a set of principles and rules, etc. that govern the way he thinks and lives–is this not dogma? If not, what is it? I am also interested how Sam, since he thinks religion should be abolished and that all people should subscribe to the truth that the world came about through a mindless process, can govern people if there is no dogma–sets of beliefs and principles–to which people must adhere and conform to?

  11. No no no! How can you possibly miss the point here!!! Sam Harris says, as Greg quoted here, "Whatever else may be wrong with our world, it remains a fact that some of the most terrifying instances of human conflict and stupidity would be unthinkable without religion" when people who are not religionists and are atheists, like Stalin or Mao, contributed to some of the most terrifying instances of human conflict! Also I am interested how Sam can explain how his belief system does not include

  19. @long Not only do you fail to understand the written word, you dont recall your own statements. It was you who felt able to declare what your God had in store for me. I asked by what authority you had in knowing?….thats how we got from morals.
    Typical theist, if something doesn't suit your sensibilities, you simply forget it was said.
    Thats precisely how you lot work, ignore the evils your god committed and had committed in his name and pretend. Anything that maintains the delusion. Arse.

  20. @gallus1 So how did we get from "where morals come from" to "what authority do I know God's fate for me?" How did that happen? Consider the analogy. You curse me and call me names (you didn't but just assume). That's wrong. But consequences are nothing. Raise the stakes, you moon a teacher-suspended from school. Raise stakes, kidnap Obama. Now you're in trouble with the government. Raise stakes again, you're in trouble with an infinite God. Sin is eternally offensive. You can't pay it back.

  21. If ANY God exists, then i can at least claim honest disbelief…u dont have that excuse. Only the believer is guilty of disobedience..thats YOU.
    But hear this, u are not my friend. I long ago disassociated myself from the evils and immorallity of the religious. Threatening an eternal torture for a finite crime epitomizes and sums up the religious. As has often been said, when u understand why u dont believe in any of the 3000 other gods still extant, u'll understand why i dont believe in urs.

  22. If u'd read Harris then u'd know the above video was entirely 'straw-man'.
    U are guilty of saying things you cant possibly know. By what authority do you say you know God's fate for me? If you had ever read the Evil beast's Books u would know that u would be heading for Hell for disobeying His commands. Unless of course you stone homosexuals when u meet them, Stone rape victims, or stone those working on the Sabbath. These are but a smidgen of the evil orders U must commit for the Beast.

  23. I answered fully, but as you are guilty of what you accuse me, it is obviously futile to reiterate.
    But check out the evil book of the blood-thirsty (mythilogical) monster of the bible. Does "Never suffer a witch to live" ring bells with you….or is it, like most christians, you haven't read that book either?
    The Jesus character implored all to hear him when he said 'I have not come to change the Law (OT Books) but to uphold it"….. "not a jot nor tittle can be set aside'

  25. @gallus1 Yes, I have heard of/read Harris. Furthermore, you changed the issue because you couldn't answer the obje ction. You can't state where morals come from. Instead, you chose to attack religion based on witchesand those who perverted the christian religion. Jesus never taught people to burn witches, etc.
    Read atheist philosophers Michael Ruse and Richard Rorty who back me up. Richard Dawkins said there was no purpose to life but then believes he can create purpose.

  26. @longof99 u haven't heardread Sam Harris, have u? A fact that remains clear to one with any reasoning power is that theists use secular reasoning like anyone else but stultify and ham-string themselves by constraining that reason with superstition.Theistic thought didnt voluntarily cease burning witches or stoning virgins for the crime of being raped. It was dragged, kicking and screaming via the shifting moral zeitgiest and efficacy of reasoned thought.
    To Hell With God.
    God B.Less

  27. @MrDarkbloom You do not seem to understand. Sam Harris can't point to a standard of morality except for his own. Stalin did the same thing, therefore they are equal. Sam has nothing to point to in order to say someone is wrong about anything. He can point to "dogmas" all he wants, but why should anyone accept it?

  29. Christ…..4 minutes into listening to this prick was too much. Non sequitur followed by intellectual dishonesty followed by evidence of unadulterated indoctrination.
    This pillock epitomizes how theistic thinking once had us stuck in the Dark-Ages….and would have us back there if ever they regain lost power.
    Those afflicted with a variant of his god-virus would likely be treated worse than the atheist….. Think on theists.
    God B.Less

  31. @MrAgelis Yeah, the difference is I was speaking the truth… You can use that excuse to run away from a debate if you like, there are enough of your fellows around to throw out logical fallacies. 😉

  34. Ok Greg, so if Sam Harris is being intellectually dishonest in all of his explanations, I would love to hear any and all specific things mentioned by Harris for which there is *no* evidence. And, because you are implying that you have a handle on that which *is* intellectually honest, please provide *replicable* evidence for your explanations (with no pretend/faith/magic stuff please).

  35. @ClumsyRoot Further more, here are a few good reasons why atheism makes no logical sense. Make sure to remove the spaces in the addresses or they won't work.

    h ttp://youtu.b e/52XsW6jD4eg

    h ttp://youtu.b e/5TyI6Hxa4R4

    h ttp://youtu.b e/03pyLpdbALQ

    h ttp://youtu.b e/5T76Rp6pS4I

    (Playlist for atheism having no logical standing.
    h ttp://w ww.youtube.c om/playlist?list=PL7884CFEEB03DD2BF

    h ttp://youtu.b e/aqbFxZ-3XA4

    There are many more. Ravi teaches at Cambridge in the summers, he's great.