@Trustinscience profile picture
Rick Riess @Trustinscience

Inspired by my continuing journey toward critical thinking, scientific skepticism, and freethought.

Joined April 2010
  • Tweets 34
  • Following 81
  • Followers 9
1 Photos and videos
When did religion begin? Perhaps when the first someone asked someone else for money to honor a figment of his imagination...
"Science doesn't have all the answers!" True. But it's provided most of them til now. It's simply a method for knowing-the best one we have.
God: once responsible for all things. Now, as our knowledge grows he's invoked to explain the diminishing list of what we don't know...YET.
You don't believe in God? Rather than simply saying, "No," I ask, "Which god?" and then let the myths of different religions duke it out.
1
1
Burden of proof is always on the positive claim. If not, then you must believe everything, with each claim more fantastical than the last.
1
If prayer is so powerful, why bother hitting the brakes when driving? Just pray! Oh, it doesn't work like that? Then tell me how it works.
The true scientist is wholly objective. An experimental "failure" is anything but! It's simply new data teaching us more about reality.
Cooperation, caring and generosity all work very well on their own w no attribution to a higher authority. In fact, this makes them nobler.
Imagine wholeheartedly embracing the idea that we're born incomplete and in need of forgiveness - such is the power of indoctrination.
Science: a cold & impartial way to view reality? Impartial yes, but not cold! The beauty of a rainbow is enhanced by more knowledge of it.
A Scientific Theory: based on observable phenomena, testable, falsifiable & tentative vs. absolute. Religious theories? None of the above.
How do you know if a belief is right? More introspection? Ask others? How about testing, analysis, & allowing scrutiny by others? SCIENCE!
1
Most ideas are wrong making science key. It alone requires the rigorous & uncompromising skepticism & testing necessary to uncover truth.
Science: The best method for viewing reality. It's an ongoing process of testing & questioning with error correction being the holy grail.
Confirmation Bias: recognizing only what supports one's beliefs. Religion thrives on it. Science seeks it out w the goal of eliminating it.
"Faith is a fine invention when gentlemen can see, but microscopes are prudent in an emergency..." - Emily Dickenson
Billions of people have lived. Where is any evidence for the soul? It's a construct we make up to help us cope with death's inevitability.
The law of large #s agenticity confirmation bias = the belief in a god - an unrelenting belief in something that just isn't there.
Humans make decisions then look for signs to justify that choice while also ignoring data that marks that choice as poor. Science doesn't.
Pope warns of dangers of digital age... of course! More coverage = more scrutiny. Under which religions wilt and science emerges stronger.
1
Load more